In 1970 Marvel wanted to try something new. Instead of writing about its own characters, they wanted to attempt to write about a character that belonged to someone else. This led to lengthy negotiations to acquire the rights to publish stories about Conan the Barbarian. He was a character who had first appeared in pulp novels in the 1930's, and after the early death of his creator Robert Howard the rights had been acquired by Glenn Lord, a literary agent who was passionate about Robert Howard's writing.
Eventually Marvel agreed to pay Glenn Lord $200 for every issue it published. This was a huge sum for a small company like Marvel, making it a risky venture. The first issues were written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Barry Smith, and the sales were so low that the comic was in danger of being cancelled, but within two years it became one of Marvel's best selling comics. The series continued until 1993, when Marvel lost the rights to the series. Roy Thomas wrote the first 115 issues, and it was considered by many to be his signature comic.
As an external character licensed for Marvel's use, I don't consider Conan's comics to be canon. (That sounds like a word play, but it's not intentional). That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy the comics. It just means that I shan't review them in my future posts.
Another new comic that appeared in October 1970 was Spoof. It was a second attempt at a satirical comic after the cancellation of Not Brand Echh. It contained three short stories each month in which the writers made fun of Marvel's other comics. For instance, the first issue begins with a seven page story written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Marie Severin, which is a parody of Marvel's recent horror anthology stories. Then follow a seven page story written and drawn by Stu Schwartzberg, and a six page story written by Len Wein and drawn by Marie Severin. I don't find the comic particularly funny, and it was never popular with the readers. It was cancelled after five issues.
Amazing Spider-Man #89
Title: Doc Ock Lives!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gil Kane
Villain: Doctor Octopus
Regulars: J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Randy Robertson
After the explosion at the end of last issue, Spider-Man assumes that Doctor Octopus is dead. Strange as it seems, he even feels touches of grief for his deadliest foe. Then Spider-Man reads in a newspaper that his body wasn't found in the plane wreckage, so he has to search for Doctor Octopus again.
In a rooftop battle Doctor Octopus overpowers Spider-Man and throws him off the roof, barely conscious.
Sub-Mariner #30
Title: Calling Captain Marvel!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Villain: Mr. Markham (gangster)
Guests: Captain Marvel, Rick Jones
Rick Jones sees Sub-Mariner on the beach. He's acting strangely, so he becomes Captain Marvel to challenge him. After a fight Sub-Mariner breaks down into a nervous wreck, so Captain Marvel becomes Rick Jones again to comfort him.
Sub-Mariner reports that a concussion grenade used against him has temporarily made him afraid of the sea. It was used against him by a gangster called Markham, who has threatened to turn the sea radioactive with a Molecular Polluter (TM) if he isn't paid 100 billion dollars. Oh wait! I'm getting him confused with Dr. Evil. The exact sum isn't named.
Together Sub-Mariner and Captain Marvel easily overwhelm Markham, and they throw the device into space, where it explodes harmlessly.
This story is out of sync with the current Fantastic Four comics. It probably takes place before Fantastic Four #102.
Fantastic Four #103
Look! This is the first time the Thing has ever yelled his battle cry on the cover of a comic: It's clobbering time!
Title: At war with Atlantis!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Villains: Magneto, Sub-Mariner
Regulars: Crystal, Franklin Richards, Agatha Harkness
Guests: Dorma
War between Atlantis and the surface world, in particular the USA, is imminent, but Reed Richards advises caution. He suspects that it might be a misunderstanding, and he's right. Magneto is tricking Sub-Mariner into starting a war.
Look who's talking to the Fantastic Four. It's Tricky Dicky himself!
Reed Richards flies to Sub-Mariner's ship with Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm to talk to him. Susan Richards delivers Franklin to Agatha Harkness. Magneto fires one of Sub-Mariner's missiles at the approaching Fantasti-Car. Sub-Mariner blocks the missile, not wanting to strike first, and falls into the sea. Magneto uses the opportunity to take control of the ship.
Magneto sees Susan Richards returning and takes her prisoner. He also captures Lady Dorma. Sub-Mariner realises that he and the Fantastic Four have a mutual enemy.
Thor #181
Title: One God must fall!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Neal Adams
Villain: Loki, Mephisto
Regulars: Odin, Balder, Sif, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, Heimdall
The Warriors Three fight against Mephisto while Sif frees Thor, who is still in Loki's body. Mephisto can't stand to be in the presence of Thor's goodness, so he sends all of them back to the Rainbow Bridge.
On Earth, Loki (in Thor's body) is threatening the United Nations. Thor (in Loki's body) fights him, even though he's much weaker. When Loki throws the hammer, Thor prevents him from retrieving it. After 60 seconds Thor's body disappears and is replaced by Donald Blake's body. Thor's essence enters the body, forcing Loki back into his own body.
Captain America #130
Title: Up against the wall!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: The Hood, Batroc, Porcupine, Whirlwind
Guests: Hulk (in film), Peter Parker (cameo)
This simple little story is one of the best Captain America comics so far.
Captain America is still travelling on his motor-bike as Steve Rogers. He comes across a police roadblock, so he suits up to investigate. He finds a riot on a university campus. The students are insisting on speaking to the dean, who's locked himself in his room. Captain America rescues the dean, but he's sympathetic with the students.
Captain America is invited to speak on television about the riot. The invitation is a plot by a criminal called the Hood – nice name! – who wants to turn older people against the youth. He's shocked when Captain America gives a very balanced speech, expressing good feelings towards both sides.
The show is interrupted by a newly formed group, the Brigade of Batroc, which is made up of Batroc the Leaper, Whirlwind and the Porcupine. They are working for the Hood.
Did you figure out what the Hulk is doing in this story? Steve Rogers was watching a film in a movie theatre. I wonder when this fight took place.
The Incredible Hulk #132
Title: In the hands of Hydra!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Hydra
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross, Jim Wilson
After being bombarded with the Gammatron rays a second time the Hulk no longer reverts to Bruce Banner, not even while he's asleep. He's held unconscious by a sedative while General Ross decides what to do with him.
On the way home from the army base, Jim Wilson is abducted by Hydra. They tell him that the Hulk is their friend, and they want to release him. He returns to the base the next day and says he wants to spend some time with the Hulk. He opens an air vent, through which Hydra lowers a rigging to pull the Hulk up to their hovercraft. They want to use him as their slave to create chaos on Earth while they quietly take over, but the Hulk fights with them and destroys their craft.
Back on the ground, the Hulk finds Jim badly wounded and swears revenge.
Iron Man #30
In the 1970's Marie Severin and Bill Everett frequently created the covers for comics drawn by other artists. She drew the artwork, he inked it. They signed their covers e7v. I'll let you work out why. Sometimes this signature was hidden in the artwork. On the cover above you can find their signature in the balcony of the Japanese house.
Title: The Menace of the Monster-Master!
Writer: Allyn Brodsky
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Monster-Master
This story is an homage to the Japanese monster films that had been popular ever since the first Godzilla film was made in 1954. It's written by Allyn Brodsky, who has already written a few stories in Marvel's horror anthology comics, but this is only his second super-hero story after the Hercules one-shot in Ka-Zar #1.
Iron Man travels to Japan to help scientists with a research project. They're attacked by a giant winged creature that they call Zoga the Demon. It's actually a flying robot piloted by someone who calls himself the Monster-Master. At the end he's unmasked. He's Toru, one of the scientists, who wants to rule Japan and purge the country of foreign invaders.
The Avengers #81
Title: When dies a legend!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Avengers: Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, Goliath, Vision, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch
Villain: Cornelius Van Lunt, Jason Birch
That's strange. In the last issue it seemed to be an amiable decision that a few Avengers should aid Red Wolf against Cornelius Van Lunt while the others looked for Scorpio. Now the remaining Avengers are criticising them for not following the majority decision and talking about the Avengers breaking up.
After this discussion, the story follows Goliath, Vision, Scarlet Witch and Red Wolf. They're shot out of the sky by a flying vessel belonging to Van Lunt that's piloted by robots. This is the first time that we've seen he has high tech capabilities. Vision and Scarlet Witch are separated from the others. Van Lunt's men take Scarlet Witch prisoner, and Vision is forced to act as Van Lunt's personal bodyguard to save her life.
Goliath and Red Wolf attack Van Lunt's headquarters with an army of Indians. While Goliath fights with Vision, Red Wolf and the Indians destroy the dam that has been keeping the water out of their native lands.
Cornelius Van Lunt and Red Wolf seemingly die in the falling rubble of the dam, but the story ends with William Talltrees (Red Wolf's alter ego) returning to his tribe.
Daredevil #69
Title: A life on the line
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Thunderbolts (black gang)
Guests: Black Panther
Daredevil and Black Panther both arrive to foil a robbery, acting on different tip offs. They decide to unite to put the Thunderbolts gang out of business. They claim to be fighting for black rights, but in truth they're just stealing money for their own profit.
Billie Carver is an ex-soldier who has recently returned from Vietnam to pursue a civilian life. His 15-year-old brother Lonnie, a student in Black Panther's school where he teaches as Luke Charles, is associated with the Thunderbolts. Lonnie is one of the boys that Black Panther wants to save, as he's recounted in the last two issues of The Avengers.
Astonishing Tales #2
Title: Frenzy on the Fortieth Floor!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Kraven the Hunter
I'm not sure what Jack Kirby is up to in this issue. Look at Ka-Zar on the splash page. His body is stiff and his face is featureless. The drawings on the second page are just as bad. The art improves from the third page onwards, but I still have to ask what's wrong with Jack. Was he deliberately sabotaging the comics in his last few weeks before leaving Marvel? This is a sad way for him to leave the company that he made great. Apart from a few issues of Inhumans stories, which he probably drew months in advance for Amazing Adventures, this is his last artwork that will be published for Marvel.
Ka-Zar arrives at the Arlington Arms Hotel in New York and demands to see Kraven. The hotel staff refuse, saying that he's given instructions not to be disturbed, but Kraven comes down to the lobby to attack Ka-Zar. He fights his way up to the fortieth floor, where Zabu is being kept prisoner. Ka-Zar defeats Kraven, while Zabu is rescued by someone calling himself the Petrified Man.
Title: Revolution!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Wally Wood
Villain: Prince Rudolfo, Doomsman, Faceless One
Prince Rudolfo, who was captured last issue, is revealed to be a robot, built by Doctor Doom himself but reprogrammed by the real Rudolfo.
Someone called the Faceless One allies himself with Rudolfo to make a new attack on Latveria. They recruit the Doomsman as an ally. An attack on the city is carried out, more successful than the previous one. The story ends with Doctor Doom standing face-to-face with his enemies in the palace dungeon.
Other comics published this month:
Conan the Barbarian #1 (Roy Thomas, Barry Smith)
Millie the Model #186 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Chili #17 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Our Love Story #7 (Stan Lee, John Buscema)
Rawhide Kid #80 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Western Gunfighters #2 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Chamber of Darkness #7 (Bernie Wrightson, Bernie Wrightson)
Note the appearance of Bernie Wrightson as writer and artist in the lead story of Chamber of Darkness. This was the beginning of his career as a freelance writer/artist for Marvel and DC simultaneously. As he continued he wrote hardly any stories, preferring to work as an artist. Over the next 20 years he worked for Marvel, DC and other companies, but his most famous work appeared in DC Comics.
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