This is Marvel's first attempt at printing a comic for mature readers. Like Spectacular Spider-Man #1, it's in a larger format than the regular comics, and it's in black and white. It also omits the "Approved by the Comics Code Authority" stamp, but this time it adds an express warning: "This publication is rated M for the mature reader".
So what's mature about it? The violence is more explicit. See the severed head on the cover. Nothing within the comic itself is quite as violent as this image.
There is nudity, even nipples. Gasp! In the 1970's not even male nipples were shown.
Well, nipples are almost shown. Marvel didn't want to push things too far.
Judging by what was written on the bullpen pages, I can deduce that it was intended to publish Savage Tales every three months. However, it never happened. The second issue was never published, probably because the first issue sold so badly. It was one of Marvel's failed experiments. The magazine was revived at the end of 1973 and continued for 11 issues.
The first issue of Savage Tales features five short stories, of which I consider the first two to be non-canon, whereas I accept the last three as canon.
1. Conan the Barbarian (11 pages) by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith.
2. Femizons (10 pages) by Stan Lee and John Romita.
3. Man-Thing (11 pages) by Gerry Conway and Gray Morrow.
4. Black Brother (11 pages) by Denny O'Neil and Gene Colan.
5. Ka-Zar (15 pages) by Stan Lee and John Buscema.
I expected there to be complaints when I declared Conan non-canon in October 1970, but until now nobody has commented on it. Conan's creator Robert Howard wrote novels about Conan as a warrior who lived in our world in a pre-historic Hyborian Age. The Marvel adaptation placed him in the Marvel Universe, designated Earth-616, in 10,000 BC. This early date sets him apart from the rest of the Marvel Universe, but in the 1980's stories were written that tied him in with the modern Marvel heroes. In this story he's indirectly connected to the Marvel characters by the appearance of the frost giant Ymir, who we've seen in Thor's adventures.
The Femizons are clearly non-canon. It's on a par with Stan Lee's 1950's science fiction anthology stories. It shows that the Earth in the 23rd Century is ruled by Feminist Amazons, who keep men as slaves.
Title: Man-Thing
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Gray Morrow
I apologise for the poor quality of the double splash page. Marvel Unlimited doesn't yet contain this issue of Savage Tales, so I had to rely on scans from an unofficial source.
Roy Thomas is co-credited as writer, because he invented the origin of the Man-Thing, a creature originally devised by Stan Lee. Roy thought up five different origin stories, Stan decided which one he liked best, and Gerry Conway wrote the story. I wonder if the completely different origin in the Man-Thing film is based on one of the other four stories.
I strongly suspect that this was intended to be a one-off story with a throwaway character. The stories of the Femizons and Black Brother promised a continuation (which never came), but the Man-Thing story ends without any promises. Ironically, Man-Thing was eventually continued as a character, whereas the other two stories were never continued.
Ted Sallis is a scientist working in the isolation of the Florida Everglades to develop a super-soldier serum. He lives with his girlfriend Ellen Brandt. She betrays him and offers to sell the serum to criminals. Ted flees from them with the only vial. The formula isn't written down, because Ted considers it too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands. He's scared that the criminals will find the vial and use its contents, so he injects the serum into himself. His car crashes into the swamp, and the swamp water affects the serum, turning him into a slime creature. Those that he touches burn.
The burning effect is closer described in future comics.
Once more, Gerry Conway's script has a pompous, overbearing style. However, it fits in well with this story. It's the perfect style for a horror story. Gerry Conway's first stories that were published, while he was still at school, were short horror stories. This was where his strength lay, not in super-hero stories.
Title: Black Brother
Writer: Denny O'Neil (as Sergius O'Shaughnessy)
Artist: Gene Colan
The story takes place in a fictional African country called Orbia. The government is corrupt, but Joshua, the leader of the province Potonga, wants to change things. His wife Belle is bribed by the central government to disgrace him and have him killed, but he survives and goes into exile.
The story ends, promising he will return next issue, but he never does. My guess is that he would have become a masked super-hero fighting injustice in Africa.
Title: The Night of the Looter!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
A man called Ralph has entered the Savage Land searching for a legendary metal called Vibranium. This is the metal that was first introduced in Daredevil #13, but in that comic it wasn't called Vibranium.
The metal that exists in Wakanda, first introduced in Fantastic Four #53, was called Vibranium, but it seems to be a different metal. The metal in Wakanda, which exists in great quantities, can absorb all vibrations. The metal in the Savage Land, of which only a small amount exists, creates vibrations that can destroy other metals. It seems to be a mistake that both metals have the same name.
Ralph's wife Carla wants the metal for herself. She considers her husband to be a pathetic wimp who doesn't deserve it. She tries to seduce Ka-Zar to persuade him to lead her to the Vibranium, but he resists her.
Look at the way he resists her. It highlights the mature nature of the comic. It's not just that naked women are drawn. Ka-Zar implies that he can use any of the women that he wants.
The Swamp Men kill Carla. We don't see them killing her, but her body is later found lying face down in the swamp.
This is another example of the comic's maturity level. When she was alive she was fully clothed, but when she's dead she's naked in the water. This suggests that the Swamp Men raped her before killing her.
Captain America and the Falcon #137
Title: The World Below
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Stoneface
Regulars: Nick Fury, Sharon Carter
Guests: Spider-Man, Harry Osborn
Captain America and the Falcon return to the surgace after facing the Mole Man last issue. Sharon Carter is waiting to greet Captain America, but she faints and is rushed to hospital. Captain America looks around and doesn't see her, so he assumes that she's not interested in him.
All of this leads to Captain America being abrupt to his partner. The Falcon thinks that Captain America doesn't take him seriously. One misunderstanding after another! He thinks that he can prove himself by capturing the notorious criminal Spider-Man and turning him over to the police. He lets his pet falcon Redwing track Spider-Man back to his flat. When the Falcon (with a capital F) arrives he sees Harry Osborn and takes him prisoner. Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man to rescue him.
Spider-Man knocks the Falcon unconscious, but he leaves a spidey tracer (TM) on him.
This is the first time that Marvel has acknowledged the existence of DC characters. The Falcon talks about the Bat Cave. I expect he's talking about the TV series, not the comics, but it's still DC.
The Falcon is full of bitterness at the suffering of black men. I know what he's talking about, but I can't empathise because I just don't understand it.
But the Falcon is getting his dates wrong. Captain America has been around for thirty years – 1941 to 1971 – not twenty years.
Stan Lee said that Stone-Face (with or without a hyphen) was arrested in Captain America #133, then changes it to Captain America #134. The second statement is correct, and he says it was just a test. Come on, Stan, we can see through you. It's just a ploy. You often make mistakes with issue numbers, so you're setting yourself up that next time someone says you made a mistake you can say, "It was just another test".
This story is slightly out of sync with Spider-Man's comics. The story takes place before Amazing Spider-Man #95, possibly even earlier.
Amazing Spider-Man #96
This is a landmark issue for Spider-Man. Look at the cover printed above. Can you see anything special about it? Look again. Here's a clue. Can you see that something is missing?
This is the first issue of Amazing Spider-Man or any other regular sized Marvel comic book that doesn't have the stamp, "Approved by the Comics Code Authority". Usually it was unnecessary for comics to be submitted to the Comics Code Authority. The publishers knew the rules, so they were self-regulating. They knew that if they broke the rules the CCA would refuse their approval for future issues.
What were the rules? No nudity, including nipples. No explicit violence. And no drugs.
In this case, Stan Lee wanted to write a story with a message that condemned drug usage. He knew it would be a borderline case with the CCA, so he presented the story to them. They gave a clear No. Stan Lee thought the story would be telling an important message, so he decided to print it anyway, but with the CCA approval stamp removed.
There was no legal requirement to submit to the Comics Code Authority. The depiction of nudity, violence and drugs in comics wasn't illegal, but many advertisers only placed ads in child-friendly comics, i.e. those approved by the CCA. Some stores only stocked comics with the CCA stamp. However, the mass of public opinion was on Stan's side for this story arc, which lasted three issues. It led ultimately to a change of the CCA. Their new rules stated that drugs could only be shown if they were described as dangerous habit. Stan Lee had won his battle.
Title: And now the Goblin!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gil Kane
Villain: Green Goblin
Regulars: Aunt May, Anna Watson, Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Betty Brant, Randy Robertson
Peter Parker returns to America with his exclusive photos of Spider-Man in London. They are more than enough to pay for his trip to England.
Harry Osborn invites Peter Parker to see Mary Jane Watson's new off-Broadway play. His father Norman Osborn is also going. He has a personal interest, because he used to own the building.
Norman also gives Peter a part time job in his company, a much more reliable source of income than his photographs for the Daily Bugle.
On the way to the theatre, Peter Parker changes into Spider-Man to save a young man under drug influence about to jump off a building. Back on the ground, Randy Robertson gets into an argument with Norman Osborn, who shares the general opinion that drugs are primarily a black man's problem.
Norman Osborn has been suffering from amnesia since Spectacular Spider-Man #2. As he walks past a locked room in the theatre he feels compelled to enter. It was one of his hiding places for his Green Goblin suit. When he sees it, his memory returns.
Fantastic Four #110
Title: One from four leaves three!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Villain: Annihilus, Janus (flashback)
Regulars: Agatha Harkness, Franklin Richards, Alicia Masters
Guests: J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson
Reed Richards shapes his body like a sail, to steer against the wind and fly back towards the exit of the Negative Zone. He can only advance slowly, and even if he succeeds, Annihilus is waiting for him.
The Human Torch manages to throw a gyroscope to Reed, with which he can fly a lot faster. Annihilus prepares to attack him.
Agatha Harkness is visiting the Baxter Building with Baby Franklin. She casts a spell that gives an illusion of many Reed Richards floating in the Negative Zone. Annihilus doesn't know who to attack, so Reed escapes.
There have been a few hints, but this is the first time that Agatha Harkness has openly displayed her powers of witchcraft.
The Thing is bad tempered and attacks Reed on his return. Alicia Masters arrives. He breaks off his relationship with her and storms out.
Thor #188
Title: The End of Infinity!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Infinity, Hela, Loki, Karnilla
Regulars: Odin, Sif, Balder, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, Heimdall
At the end of the last issue it seemed like Thor was serving Infinity. Now we see that he merely no longer wishes to battle Infinity, because it's futile. Thor has seen the truth. While Odin was trapped in the Dimension of Death in Thor #176, Hela attempted the claim him. She could not succeed, but she split him into two. The half that she took had all his power, but none of his will, so she took control of him, called him Infinity and told him to destroy everything. Odin could never defeat Infinity, because he was fighting against himself.
Now Infinity is approaching Odin to reunite with him. When this happens, Hela's plan will have succeeded; Odin will belong to her. Loki and Karnilla cast a joint spell to keep them apart for a fw minutes longer. Thor strikes Odin, giving him knowledge of what is happening. This breaks him from his spell, and knowing that he is Infinity (or Infinity is him) he can reunite with him on his own terms.
Odin returns to Asgard. He uses his power to turn back time, so that nobody except the ones standing in his throne room know that it has ever happened. Then he tells everyone that because Hela has been thwarted, she will now come to claim Thor.
The Incredible Hulk #139
Title: Many foes has the Hulk!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Leader
Regulars: Betty Ross, General Ross, Major Talbot, Jim Wilson
The Leader is planning revenge against the Hulk. He thinks he can destroy him by pitting all of his previous enemies against him, then delivering the final blow himself. He approaches Major Talbot and suggests an alliance. General Ross agrees to the Leader's offer.
Using a Mentallo-Projector (TM) to boost his already powerful brain waves, the Leader can put images into the Hulk's head. One after another, the Hulk thinks he's fighting with his old foes. What General Ross and Major Talbot don't realise is that the attacks are driving the Hulk towards the army base where Betty Ross is being held, motionless in a glass form since last issue. The Leader wants the Hulk to accidentally kill Betty, driving him mad and making him an easy victim.
Jim Wilson is the only one who sees through the Leader's plan. Smart boy! He pulls out the wires of the Mentallo-Projector, and it backfires. The Leader sees his greatest enemies, but because he only has one enemy he sees multiple instances of the Hulk attacking him.
The Hulk no longer sees any of his former enemies and leaps away, no longer endangering the army base or Betty.
The Avengers #88
Title: The Summons of Psyklop
Writer: Harlan Ellison, Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Avengers: Goliath, Vision, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Thor, Black Panther, Iron Man, Captain America
Villain: Psyklop
Guests: Hulk, Falcon, Reed Richards, Professor X, General Ross, Major Talbot
This is the first half of a two-part story that will continue in next month's Incredible Hulk. The story is a bit confusing. That's probably because the plot was written by Harlan Ellison, a science fiction author who was a personal friend of Roy Thomas. Harlan wasn't involved in the comic book business, so he had no idea about Marvel continuity. It starts with the Hulk already captured by General Ross. Reed Richards and Professor X are attempting to do something with the Hulk, but we're not told what it is. They're just glad that Reed's Mega-Volt Snare (TM) is able to hold him.
Shelly Leferman has slipped up by making the Hulk cream instead of scream. I know nothing about her, except that she was a new letterer at Marvel, probably hired as a free-lance to fill in while Sam Rosen was sick. This was only her second comic, after Avengers #86. Don't worry, she hasn't made as many mistakes as Jean Izzo.
The Avengers accompany the Falcon when he searches for a missing friend on an island in the Pacific. That sounds like overkill to me, and why are they helping him when he isn't even a member of the Avengers? The Falcon's friend is discovered as a hypnotised member of a voodoo cult. While still in trance he gives them the coordinates of a location in Louisiana.
The Hulk disappears from the army base. He appears in the laboratory of an insect-like creature called Psyklop. In Louisiana the Avengers stumble into this laboratory by chance. They see the Hulk and try to free him. Psyklop fires a ray at the Hulk, and he disappears again. He fires a second ray at the Avengers, teleporting them to New York City with their memories of their trip to Louisiana removed.
As I said, that's all confusing. I hope the second part of the story will make things clearer.
The story is so badly out of sync with the other comics that I felt unable to coordinate it with the other comics and decided to rely on Travis Starnes' Complete Marvel Reading Order. As expected, he's had problems ordering the comics as well, and has had to stretch out the chronology. I'll quote his assumptions here:
This comic takes place after Thor #181 (October 1970).
This comic takes place after Iron Man #40 (August 1971)
This comic takes place after Captain America #143 (November 1971).
This comic takes place after Fantastic Four #118 (January 1972).
I find all of these assumptions very tenuous, but I can't do any better. The story breaks the Marvel continuity. That's all I can say about it.
Sub-Mariner #37
Title: The Way to Dusty Death!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Ross Andru
Villain: Attuma, Llyra
Regulars: Dorma, Vashti
I don't think I've mentioned it before, but Sub-Mariner isn't one of my favourite comics. It's not the quality of the stories or the artwork, it's the character himself. I've never been able to relate to Prince Namor. Unlike all the other Marvel heroes, he's not a good guy in the traditional sense. He's bigoted against the surface people, and I don't like bigots.
However, this is one of the best Sub-Mariner stories for a long time, definitely the best story since he was given his own comic three years ago.
Llyra declares herself Queen of Atlantis after impersonating Dorma. Fortunately Proteus, the official who performed the wedding ceremony, says that the marriage isn't valid, because Dorma's name was written in the marriage scrolls. That makes sense.
Llyra flees without telling Namor where Dorma is being held prisoner. Namor wants to pursue her, but Attuma attacks Atlantis with a giant Earth-Borer. Namor drives Attuma away, and then Ikthon locates Dorma with a brain wave scanner. She's being held in a fish tank at the Morris Oceanarium. Seeing Namor approach, Llyra shatters the tank. Dorma, like all Atlanteans, is unable to breathe out of water. Namor arrives too late to save her, and she dies in his arms.
This is a dramatic final picture of a dramatic story. The artist is Ross Andru. He worked for Atlas comics before the company was renamed Marvel. In 1958 he went to DC Comics, and in the 1960's he only drew two issues of X-Men as a free-lance artist. This issue marks his permanent return to Marvel, where he will remain until 1978.
Daredevil #76
Title: Deathmarch of El Condor!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: El Condor
Regulars: Foggy Nelson
Daredevil fights with the revolutionaries, succeeding against overwhelming odds until he's finally captured. Maybe he would have lasted longer if he hadn't been thinking about Karen Page all the time he was fighting.
Daredevil is brought to El Condor. He wants to know who the man is beneath the mask, because the real El Condor died years ago. El Condor (the new El Condor) says that he embodies the spirit of the old hero. He plans to overthrow the government of Delvadia for the good of the people.
Daredevil frees himself again, and during the battle with El Condor the statue of the legendary El Condor is dislodged. It crushes him to death.
So after the identity of the new El Condor has been built up as a mystery, he dies and is never unmasked? That's bad storytelling. Reading these Daredevil comics for the first time in 40 years reminds me why I never liked Gerry Conway. These issues are a low point in the long-running comic book series.
Iron Man #37
Title: In this Hour of Earthdoom!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: aliens
Regulars: Happy Hogan, Pepper Hogan, Kevin O'Brian
This is a bland, uninteresting story with an invasion by an alien race who are never seen again. It would have been better suited as a sci-fi anthology story.
Only the sub-plots are interesting. Tony Stark is suffering from a heart attack, and he needs Kevin O'Brian's help to recover. This means that he has to reveal his secret identity.
In the Crazy Credits Irving Forbus is named as kibitzer, though with his name misspelt.
Amazing Adventures #6
Title: Hell on Earth!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Neal Adams
Inhumans: Black Bolt, Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton
Villain: Maximus
Last month Maximus said he had the power to block out memories. Now we see that he has other powers. He can make people do his will, though only one at a time. He makes Gorgon attack Karnak. Medusa intervenes, but then the whole population of the Inhumans arrives, hailing Maximus as their ruler. He says that he can easily control the masses, but not the purebred Inhuman royal family. Hmmm. It seems to me that Roy Thomas is making it up as he goes along.
Triton rescues Medusa, Gorhon and Karnak with his hovercraft. They fly to a nearby beach where they crash land and fall unconscious.
In "The City", wherever that is, Black Bolt begins to speak, creating a sonic boom that destroys dozens of ships in the dock. The police arrest Black Bolt, who still doesn't know who he is.
Title: Blood will tell!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Astrologer
Regulars: Ivan
The Black Widow and Ivan are arrested by the police for causing the death of the two young gang members, but they're released when the police realise what's been happening.
The Astrologer has changed his mind about stealing the city's blood supply. He kidnaps a scientist who has developed a new blood substitute.
When the Black Widow changes into her uniform, she reminds Ivan not to look at her. She's teasing him. She knows he wants to look.
Despite her best efforts, the Astrologer and his gang escape with the kidnapped scientist.
Other comics published this month:
Conan the Barbarian #5 (Roy Thomas, Barry Smith)
My Love #11 (Stan Lee, Don Heck)
Rawhide Kid #87 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Creatures on the Loose #11 (Len Wein, Herb Trimpe)
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