Bronze Age | Magazines and Monsters!

Marvel Spectacular #6, 1974 (Thor #135, 1966),

Posted on January 25, 2014 by billyd75

You know, it’s really not that difficult to find a book to spotlight when you have the work of masters like Jack Kirby at your fingertips. It also helps that he was responsible for creating (the visuals, of course) one of my triumvirate. Along with Doctor Strange, and Captain America, Thor is my favorite superhero, and for good reason! He’s incredibly powerful, but has a plethora of problems. First, his father can be quite overbearing at times. Of course, he’s usually acting that way to help his son become more of a ruler, but it still is a bit over-the-top most of the time. He also has a difficult love life. He has a beautiful woman that’s basically his betrothed (Lady Sif), but his heart belongs to the mortal, Jane Foster. Enter his overbearing father, Odin, once more. He thinks his son shouldn’t love a mortal, but his fellow Asgardian, Sif, instead. Yeah, it’s complicated.

With all of that said, he still manages to go to Midgard (Earth) for some action once in a while. In this issue, he faces off against the uncanny Super-Beast! This once ordinary Red Wolf, was captured by the High Evolutionary, and mutated into one of his “New Men“. Typically, the High Evolutionary isn’t trying to do something nefarious with his schemes, like destroy the planet or anything, but rather attempting to bring about a spark in evolution. This brings him into conflict with Earth’s heroes from time to time.

Thor battles the Super-Beast (A.K.A. Man-Beast), basically to a stand still. This adversary is quite intelligent to though, and he escapes into a laboratory, and within minutes creates an army of “New Men”, that are unspeakably evil, and serve only his commands. This army leaps from the lab, and an all out brawl commences. Eventually, Thor and the High Evolutionary manage to render them unconscious, and they put them in what the Evolutionary calls his “Star Chamber” (basically a space ship), and jettisons them out into the far reaches of space. Distraught by his actions, the High Evolutionary tells Tor to leave, and then his fortress on Mount Wundagore, that’s now revealed to be a spacecraft, takes off, headed for the stars.

Great work here, and you can really see why Kirby is considered one of the greatest of all time (if not the greatest). His structures, spaceships, monsters, heroes, villains, etc., are all a testament to his unmistakable and unparalleled style! See you next time!

Monsters Unleashed #11, 1975

Posted on January 22, 2014 by billyd75

This gem is my first foray into the magazine market of Marvel Comics. I was really shocked at how fantastic the interiors were in this one (not to mention that fabulous cover by Frank Brunner)! Not only does it contain three really good stories, but the very inside cover brings an illustration by the late, great, Dave Cockrum (below)! And not just any illustration, but one of my favorite Universal Monster movies, Creature From The Black Lagoon! It has a short prose piece underneath the artwork, and with just one small paragraph, you get the chills thinking about that great film!

Next, we get a very scary story, starring Gabriel, Devil Hunter! In this one, we see Gabriel, as he must exorcise a very powerful demon from an old man. This demon isn’t going quietly though, and it will take every trick in the book to put this one down! Great tale by Doug Moench & Sonny Trinidad!

“The Empire”, is a story by Gerry Conway & Rico Rival, and it tells of corporate viciousness, and all that it leads to in the end. This one might not have the guts, blood, or demons, but it really makes you wonder about things that are quite sinister in the corporate world on a daily basis, I’m sure!

Last, but not least, we see a story that Don McGregor & Billy Graham really use to send the issue out with a bang! Literally! This one reminds me of a Jonny Quest episode, where a mad scientist is experimenting with genetics in the reptile family. A once small lizard, grows out of control and terrorizes the city. The ending is reminiscent of the Ray Harryhausen movie, The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms!

As you can see, the stories and artwork in this magazine are excellent. Editor-in-chief, Marv Wolfman, along with Don McGregor (editor/writer), David Anthony Kraft (associate editor), and John Romita (art director), were the driving force behind the editing and art direction of these fine publications, and Marvel had a ton of them during this decade (Vampire Tales, Savage Tales, Tales of the Zombie, etc.)!

Marvel Premiere #8, 1973. “The Doom That Bloomed on Kathulos”

Posted on January 19, 2014 by billyd75

As if Dr. Strange, Clea, and Stonehenge wasn’t enough, you get a story inspired by the fantasy legend, Robert E. Howard, scripted by Gardner Fox, pencils by Jim Starlin, and inks by Frank Giacoia! This A-list creative team brings us a tale of the good ‘ol Doc, as he and Clea have faced down trial after trial lately. In this issue, Strange finds out that not only must he face Kathulos in some dark, creepy dimension, but that if he does, waiting in the wings is his master Shuma-Gorath! We also see in flashback, these last few days, and its bizarre adventures. From an undersea nightmare, to another demon, spawned to serve Shuma-Gorath.

Throughout the book, we get amazing work by Starlin, and it really shows how great he would have been on a title like this one. Don’t get me wrong, I love Frank Brunner, Gene Colan, and all the other artists on the different series, but the awesomeness of Starlin’s work cannot be denied! Just look at those panels, by Starlin, Giacoia, Hunt, and Goldberg! Let us not diminish the writing by comic book great, Gardner Fox! His Golden and Silver Age work is nothing short of astounding (JSA, Starman, Sandman, etc.)!

Adapting the works of a great writer like Howard doesn’t hurt your chances at making something great either though. Howard’s countless creations (Conan, Kull, Solomon Kane, etc.) have inspired hundreds of writers, artists, and authors for decades. And I’m sure they will for many more to come! See you soon!

Marvel 2-in-One #9, 1975. “When A God Goes Mad”

Posted on January 16, 2014 by billyd75

You might think by the cover, that you’ve got the villain for this issue figured out. Well, you kind of do, but there’s a twist inside these pages, and this story couldn’t work in any other title, than Marvel 2-in-One! In this fantastic tale, we see the Puppet Master, who had been thought dead from a previous battle, as he uses his magic to take over Thor’s mind, and force him to attack the Fantastic Four. After laying a pretty bad beating on them, Thor regains his senses, and backs off. Later, the Thing finds out that the perpetrator of these foul deeds is in fact Puppet Master. Now though, we see that he has made a puppet of the Thing, and he forces he and Thor to fight. We also see that there is another helping Puppet Master achieve greater feats. The radioactive power of Radion, is helping him! Dr. Henri Sorel was originally a research physicist, but is now in the employ of Puppet Master!

This super cool story from the 1970’s was definitely a fun ride. There is also a special guest appearance by Wundarr, as well! What else is to be expected from Chris Claremont, Steve Gerber, & Herb Trimpe? You really get a sense that guys truly enjoyed working together on this book, and in the industry as a whole! Check out that awesome cover, by none other than the fantastic Gil Kane! See you in three days!

The Avengers #197 & 198, 1980.

Posted on January 10, 2014 by billyd75

After listening to a podcast (Comic Geek Speak), I was inspired to use The Avengers, for today’s post! Just not any story though, but one that I recently acquired online, and it’s a great one! We have issue #197, which is basically, a day in the life of The Avengers. This book shows the team getting stuck in their own elevator, Beast and Wonder Man on a blind date, and then Jarvis with a really bad dilemma…the percolator is broken! Seriously though, we also see Wanda, as she’s left the team, and her husband (Vision), because she needs some time to process the life they are going to have together, and the possibility of raising a family. She’s walking on the beach, and then, suddenly, Ms. Marvel pops up for a visit. Wanda and Ms. Marvel have a nice chat, but then Ms. Marvel faints right on the beach! Wanda takes her to the nearest hospital, and the both get some alarming news. Ms. Marvel is three months pregnant!

The following issue shows Wanda and Ms. Marvel at the hospital, trying to cope with this untimely news. Back in New York City, the team is throwing everything it can at the super robot, Red Ronin. The giant mechanical samurai is terrorizing the city, but really, wants to head out to Russia, to start world war three! But why? Well, you see, the person responsible for its reconstruction (Dr. Cowan), has gone off the deep end, and is hell-bent on stopping world fear, but simply killing the “enemy”. Finally, after hours of fighting, The Avengers and SHIELD finally figure out a way to stop the giant robot, or so they think!

This story concludes in the next issue (Red Ronin), but the terrible fate of Ms. Marvel isn’t revealed until issue two hundred. I wont even try to explain that debacle, but believe me, it’s insane. These two issues are great though, as you get George Perez on covers, and the interiors (below is a good splash page of Beast and Wonder Man, half in the bag) of the second issue. David Michelinie does a great job with the different plot lines going at the same time as well. Ms. Marvel actually revels her secret identity to Wanda, we find out what Hawkeye has been up to, and all of this leads into the crazy anniversary issue. If you don’t know about it, just do a quick Google search, you can find it easily.

That’s all for now, but be ready for another post on Monday, and hopefully another movie review on Cinema Sunday! The idea is for me to post every three days with a comic book spotlight, and once a week (Sunday) for a movie review. Honestly, I can’t say it’ll happen every week like clockwork, but I’m going to do my best! I’m already brainstorming about February, as I think I’ll be going with a weekly theme for my posts, so be ready! Sayonara!

Fantastic Four #224, 1982. “When Calls Galactus”

Posted on January 7, 2014 by billyd75

Just look at that cover! You know, John Byrne did some incredible work on this title, personally though, I think his X-Men work is his best stuff! In this fantastic issue, we get to see a few different things, (seen in flashback) one of which being Galactus, at the mercy of the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Dr. Strange. You see, he had just traveled to Earth, and dealt with his herald, Terrax, which left him starving. At this point, he was defeated by those above mentioned forces, but they felt compelled to help him live.

Reed, along with Iron Man, and Thor, builds a contraption to feed Galactus enough power to leave Earth. Richards also uses his intellect to find suitable sustenance for Galactus as well. As Galactus awakens, he is puzzled by his enemies helping him, but tells them that if their calculations are off about the planets nearby, he’ll have to come back, and feed on Earth. At that point, the heroes will have to either let him feed (destroy Earth), or kill him.

Meanwhile, Johnny’s girlfriend, Frankie Ray, A.K.A. Nova, has been watching and listening. She then makes a sacrifice, and volunteers to become the new herald of Galactus! Johnny is incensed at the thought of losing her, but she tells him that it’s what she wants. Galactus then pushes the Fantastic Four aside, encasing them in a bubble, and uses his cosmic power to enhance Nova, making her capable of things she never dreamed. She immediately takes off for the cosmos, as Johnny attempts to follow her. He falls short though, as he reaches Earth’s upper atmosphere, and flames out, due to the lack of oxygen. Galactus then ponders why he agreed to Reed and Frankie’s terms, but pauses, and as he teleports to his ship, he remarks that he might actually call these Earthlings, friends.

Back in the “now”, Johnny is grief-stricken, and is comforted by Juliette D’Angelo. After hearing all this, she’s absolutely floored. In the last few pages, we see a bit of a prologue, as little Franklin Richards is playing with Ben and H.E.R.B.I.E. We see him pick up a Rubik’s Cube, and his eyes begin to glow with power. H.E.R.B.I.E., then senses an immense power within him, but is blown to pieces by the surge within the child!

The artwork by Byrne is obviously great, but the story is pretty good too, especially when you consider this book was under the watchful eyes of people like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Marv Wolfman, Roy Thomas, and other greats over the years. I hope you enjoyed this post, and be ready for another good one in a few days!

Showcase Presents: The Phantom Stranger vol. 2

Posted on January 4, 2014 by billyd75

In this second volume of greatness, we get to see more of the same from legends like Len Wein, Dick Giordano, Jim Aparo, Arnold Drake, Neal Adams, and Nick Cardy. Appearances by Deadman, Batman & Robin, Cassandra Craft, Tala, Queen of Evil, Black Orchid, and so on. There are a couple of absolute gems in this trade, and the first couple being stories by Paul Levitz (script) in the latter part of this book. A mummy story that is absolutely insane, and then a couple of tales involving everybody’s favorite spirit, Deadman! Those issues have the Phantom Stranger, fighting for the soul of Boston Brand, and all sorts of craziness! The very last issue in the book has the special House of Secrets #150, starring the Phantom Stranger. In this fantastic issue, we see the Phantom Stranger, as he looks into the past, and witnesses a witches coven, a demon possessed man, and his master…a computer?

The other gems I spoke of earlier, are the back up stories “Spawn of Frankenstein”, by Marv Wolfman & Mike Kaluta. In these, you get a great story (derived from Mary Shelly’s works), and of course, great artwork. The last two I’ll speak of, is The Brave and the Bold #89 & 98. This story involving Batman & Robin is truly spooky, full of ghosts, and a must read! The second Brave & Bold (also by Haney & Aparo), shows Batman, as once again he must be aided by the power of the Phantom Stranger, as he’s plagued by demons and devils!

Instead of being repetitive, I’ll just tell you to get out and grab these trades if you’re a Marvel fan that wants to read something new, but don’t know where to start. These first two volumes are cheap, and give you a great look into the DC side of the magic and the macabre! See you next time!

Showcase Presents: The Phantom Stranger vol. 1

Posted on January 1, 2014 by billyd75

A new year is upon us, and it will bring my new blog! Comic books are a big part of my life, so, obviously, they’ll be a huge focus. Twice a week, I’ll post my thoughts on a certain story, book, graphic novel, etc. Once or twice a month, I’ll post my thoughts on a classic movie, and that will most certainly be of the horror or sci-fi genre! Well, that’s it for now, so lets get started!

I’ve decided to go with one of the more recent titles I picked up with Phantom Stranger vol. 1! Being a huge fan of Dr. Strange, and all things magic/supernatural, it was only fitting that this title gets the inaugural spot in my new blog. I can honestly make a case for this being one of the top ten titles of the 1970’s, and the talent on it backs me up. Names like John Broome, Carmine Infantino, Jim Aparo, Len Wein, Mike Friedrich, and Neal Adams (covers), are just a few of the creators that made this title an incredible book to read.

The first few stories are your typical ghost stories or cult activity tale, but eventually, more macabre stories followed. A great nemesis, in Tala, Queen of Evil, was an on again, off again villain, that often tempted him with her beauty. She popped in and out for quite a while, always using her powers to cause strife, and threatening innocents. Another cool thing about these issues are the stories involving Dr. Thirteen. The doctor is a parapsychologist that is usually seen trying to debunk paranormal activity. In some cases, he works side by side with the Phantom Stranger, even though he doesn’t always believe what he sees.

In one particular issue that stood out, the Phantom Stranger came face to face with an Ice Giant, atop of the world itself. Denny O’Neil, Jim Aparo, and Joe Orlando, brought this chilling tale of intrigue, and a monstrosity that towers over everyone! Once again, Tala is involved, and this adds even a crazier dimension to this awesome story. A tale of voodoo, by Mike Sekowsky, and Jim Aparo follows next, and the villain in this one was super creepy, complete with voodoo dolls, drums, and the whole get up!

A duel with Tannarak, the sorcerer, the Army of Evil, a swamp creature, the Iron Messiah, a waxworks nightmare, ghosts, and the list goes on and on. When you have creators of this magnitude, honestly, it’s a can’t miss. Anyone out there that knows these names, understands how great a book like this is going to be, and if you’re looking for something being new to comics, give it a try. You wont regret it! See you next time!

Marvel Team-Up #52, 1976. “Danger: Demon on a Rampage”

Posted on December 31, 2013 by billyd75

One of Marvel’s best titles on any list, in the 70’s, has to be Marvel Team-Up! From one issue to the next, you’d get two heroes (Spider-Man, plus one), battling against all sorts of crazy villains, creatures, or just shenanigans of some sort. This was a great formula, and although it sounds like it would be tough to keep going at a great pace, it wasn’t thanks to creators like Gerry Conway (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), and Al Milgrom (cover)! Enjoy!

Marvel Fanfare #3, 1982. “Into the Land of Death”

Posted on December 30, 2013 by billyd75

There are lots of names that pop into my head when I think of this title, but the first arc (4 issues), definitely stands out in my head. Why? Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum, that’s why! Just look at this awesome cover, and the interior art is just as incredible. The story by Claremont is also one for the ages, but don’t take my word for it, get out there and either buy the single issues or the trade paperback! The X-Men, Spider-Man, Ka-Zar, and Sauron, all fighting it out in the Savage Land! Enjoy!

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