Supernatural Thrillers #5
Supernatural Thrillers is a Marvel comic series that began in December 1972. The first four issues were adaptations of classic horror stories by popular authors. The fifth issue is the first that contains original material, the introduction of the Mummy into the Marvel universe. The series will be cancelled after the sixth issue, but it'll be revived a year later, exclusively featuring the Mummy.
Title: The Living Mummy!
Writer: Steve Gerber
Artist: Rich Buckler
Regulars: Dr. Skarab, Janice Carr, Ron McAllister
Two Israeli soldiers are sitting in the desert exchanging words of love. They're interrupted by the appearance of a giant mummy, eight feet tall.
In Cairo an archaeologist called Dr. Skarab is talking to his colleagues. He's found a scroll about a forgotten pharaoh called Aram-Set. He captured a tribe of Africans, the Swarilis, to build his burial pyramid as slaves. A giant slave called N'Kantu led a rebellion. The other slaves were killed, but N'Kantu was given special punishment. The priest Nephrus gives N'Kantu a potion that makes him immortal, then mummifies him and puts him in a box to suffer forever. The records of Aram-Set were then lost due to an earthquake.
Now, 3000 years later, N'Kantu has risen from his prison. He's drawn to Dr. Skarab, because he's a direct descendent of Nephrus. He wants to be cured, but Dr. Skarab doesn't know how. The Mummy is electrocuted and falls dead at Dr. Skarab's feet. Or is he really dead? Time will tell.
Amazing Spider-Man #123
Title: Just a man called Cage!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Gil Kane
Villain: Green Goblin (corpse)
Regulars: J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Betty Brant, Harry Osborn, Aunt May, Anna Watson, Mary Jane Watson, Flash Thompson, Randy Robertson
Guests: Luke Cage
I'm pleasantly surprised that Gerry Conway has been writing such good stories for Spider-Man lately. He seems to have a feeling for Spider-Man that he doesn't have for the other Marvel heroes.
The Green Goblin died last issue. Spider-Man changed him into his civilian clothing before the police arrived. Norman Osborn was J. Jonah Jameson's friend, so he wants revenge on whoever did it, and whoever did it has to be Spider-Man.
Joe Robertson says that JJJ is one of the more easy-going newspaper publishers. Somehow I doubt that. However, he does have a certain level of integrity, as long as it doesn't concern Spider-Man.
JJJ pays Luke Cage $5000 to capture Spider-Man, dead or alive. Are contracts like that legal? Luke says that he sometimes takes jobs outside the law, but he must have his red lines.
And Luke Cage wastes no time in finding Spider-Man. Spider-Man has no respect for mercenaries.
Some people think this remark is an acknowledgement that Batman exists in the Marvel Universe. It's actually proof that he doesn't. In the DC Universe nobody knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Only the readers know. This means that there isn't an interlocked DC-Marvel universe, it tells us that there are Batman comics in the Marvel Universe. As we know, at this time (1973) the Marvel Universe was our universe, not a fictional Earth-616.
Spider-Man is referring to the beginning of his career in Amazing Fantasy #15. It wasn't quite the same, but it's still relevant. Peter Parker wanted to use his super-powers to make money as a wrestler, because crime fighting didn't pay. This changed after Uncle Ben's death. He took the words to heart:
"With great power comes great responsibility".
After they have a little talk, Luke Cage changes his mind about taking the job. He has boundaries after all. He throws the money back at JJJ's face, or rather into his face.
Harry Osborn is still bitter with Peter Parker and refuses to talk to him.
Peter accepts Mary Jane Watson's offer of friendship and sympathy.
Fantastic Four #137
Title: Rumble on Planet 3!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: John Buscema
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, Medusa
Villain: Slugger Johnson, Shaper
The confusion that started last issue continues this month. Gerry Conway might have a feeling for writing Spider-Man stories, but he has no feeling at all for the Fantastic Four.
The Thing has yet another attack of Clobberus Interruptus. When he's lying on the floor looking up at Medusa's shapely legs he forgets his battle cry. That's understandable. If I were lying at Medusa's feet I'd forget my own name.
But the Thing makes another attempt after Medusa walks away: It's clobbering time!
The Shaper has been using Slugger Johnson's dreams to create a new world. Now the Shaper tires of helping him and uses Gregory Gideon's son Thomas for his next world, after curing him of his radiation sickness.
Thank goodness this awful story is over! It can't possibly get any worse, can it?
Thor #214
Title: Into the Dark Nebula!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Sal Buscema
Villain: Mercurio (4-D Man)
Regulars: Fandral, Hogun, Tana Nile, Silas Grant, Hildegarde, Odin, Heimdal, Sif, Karnilla
Thor and his companions sail into the Dark Nebula to find Sif. They're attacked by miners who think they're enemies. Then the real enemy arrives, Mercurio, who we last saw on Earth in Thor #208. He died, but "it was not death as one might expect it". He was cast to another level of space (whatever that means), attracted to a large jewel, then returned to his home planet. Now he's returned to collect the jewel, which is protected by the miners.
The miners bring the jewel to the surface, and we see that Sif and Karnilla are trapped within it.
This is a confusing story. It's typical for the poor quality offered by Gerry Conway.
Daredevil and the Black Widow #102
Title: Stilt-Man stalks the city!
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Syd Shores
Villain: Stilt-Man
Welcome to Chris Claremont, who's writing his first comic for Marvel. It's only as a fill-in. Next month the regular writer Steve Gerber will return.
Daredevil is searching the city for Angar, but instead of Angar he finds the Stilt-Man, who we last saw in Daredevil #67. Stilt-Man is blackmailing the scientist William Klaxton to build a molecular condenser for him to shrink the city. He's kidnapped Klaxton's daughter.
Daredevil searches for Klaxton's daughter while the Black Widow searches for the Stilt-Man.
The Black Widow calls herself Natasha Alianovna. I thought her name was Natasha Romanov. Maybe Alianovna is her middle name.
Stilt-Man is more than a match for the Black Widow, but Daredevil arrives and saves her. Stilt-Man drops and loses his molecular condenser.
Sub-Mariner #64
Title: Voyage into Chaos!
Writer: Steve Gerber
Artist: Don Heck
Regulars: Vashti, Tamara, Namorita
Villain: Virago
The humans who were genetically modified by Dr. Hydro are now being kept in a prison camp. Prince Namor is furious and frees them.
A golden submarine arrives at Atantis' gates. It comes from a distant world called Zephyrland. Its people were peaceful until a woman called Virago arrived, sowing strife and making herself the ruler.
Namor returns to Zephyrland in the submarine. He's captured and locked in chains. Virago tells him that he and his friends will be freed if he can defeat her in battle.
Avengers #114
Title: Night of the Swordsman
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Bob Brown
Avengers: Vision, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Swordsman
Villain: Lion God
Regulars: Mantis
Vision has recovered from his injuries and returns to full Avengers duties. The Scarlet Witch goes for a walk, and she's harassed by building workers. Mantis, who's been shown briefly in the last two issues, intervenes and aids her. The two women return to the Avengers Mansion together.
They've been followed by the Swordsman. He says that he's gone straight and wants to become an Avenger again, even though they treated him coldly when he aided them in Avengers #100. Captain America doesn't want him back in the team, but he's outvoted by the other Avengers.
Mantis refuses the offer of membership, but says she wants to remain close to the Swordsman, who she refers to as her man. She kisses all the male Avengers in turn. It's safe to say that they all want her now.
Over the next few days the Swordsman goes into action with Thor. Supposedly Thor goes nowhere without him. The Swordsman certainly didn't accompany him into the Dark Nebula! Maybe that happened earlier. It's almost impossible to sync the multi-issue story arc in Thor's own comic with his Avengers appearances. In his Complete Marvel Reading Order Travis Starnes suggests that Thor #209 (March 1973) to Thor #228 (October 1974) take place before Avengers #110 (April 1973). That's as good a guess as any, and it highlights why it's difficult to sync solo adventures with team appearances.
Mantis summons the Lion God, who we recently saw in Avengers #112. He defeats the Avengers with the aid of Swordsman and Mantis. When the battle is over, Swordsman and Mantis turn against the Lion God, and he can be trapped. Mantis says that she knew the Lion God was watching, so it was necessary to lure him with false offers of friendship.
Note how easily Mantis knocks Thor out in battle, using her martial arts skills. The full extent of her powers still hasn't been revealed. Apart from her fighting skills, she seems to have some level of mystical abilities, as shown when she communicates with the Lion God. Her most effective powers are powers of seduction. When she performs a sexual dance for the Lion God he's hypnotised and becomes helpless.
The Incredible Hulk #166
Title: The Destroyer from the Dynamo!
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Zzzax
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot
Guests: Hawkeye
The Hulk is back in New York, attracted by Doctor Strange's mystic emanations. He changes to Bruce Banner and falls asleep in the streets.
An explosion at a power plant creates a monster called Zzzax, which is made of pure electricity. Hawkeye sees the news reports on television and decides to defeat the monster to prove he doesn't need the Avengers.
Bruce Banner wakes up and becomes the Hulk. He fights with Zzzax, because he fights anyone who's bigger than he is. Hawkeye is annoyed, because he wants the victory for himself. He tries to stop the Hulk.
The unwilling partners fight Zzzax alternately. Eventually Hawkeye destroys Zzzax by connecting him to the water with a cable arrow. Nevertheless, the bystanders think the Hulk has saved them.
Defenders #7
Title: War below the Waves!
Writer: Steve Englehart, Len Wein
Artist: Sal Buscema
Defenders: Sub-Mariner, Valkyrie, Hulk, Hawkeye
Villain: Attuma, Red Ghost
Regulars: Wong, Clea
This story takes place immediately after this month's Hulk comic. The Hulk is looking for Doctor Strange, and Hawkeye is following him. Their fight is interrupted by Sub-Mariner and Valkyrie. When they've cooled down they visit Doctor Strange's sanctum sanctorum, but Wong informs them he's absent. He's fighting Shuma-Gorath, so we can assume that Marvel Premiere #4 (September 1972) to Marvel Premiere #8 (May 1973) take place before this issue, and Marvel Premiere #9 (July 1973) is taking place at the same time as this issue. This time the syncing is easy, because it only involves stories written by Steve Englehart.
A courier from Atlantis visits the sanctum to tell Namor that Attuma, Namor's undersea nemesis who last attacked him in Sub-Mariner #37, is about to attack the surface world. Hawkeye joins the other three to face Attuma, feeling at home in a non-group. Namor leads the attack and is captured. The others surrender to save his life. The Hulk leaps away, but Hawkeye and Valkyrie enter Attuma's ships as prisoners. The purpose of Attuma's attack was to capture Doctor Jennings, a renowned marine biologist. Attuma's new partner is the Red Ghost, last seen in Iron Man #16. He's given up working with apes, and he wants to control porpoises.
Hawkeye and Valkyrie free themselves, but Namor is under the control of the Red Ghost and attacks them.
Captain America and the Falcon #164
Title: Queen of the Werewolves!
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Alan Weiss
Villain: Yellow Claw, Nightshade
Regulars: Nick Fury
The Falcon has received a letter asking for help from Mel, an old friend who's now in prison. He goes to investigate, accompanied by Captain America. When they enter the prison they're attacked by werewolves. They follow the orders of a woman called Nightshade. After being overcome they're locked up in a cell. The Falcon changes into a werewolf and attacks Captain America.
Nightshade is working for the Yellow Claw, but he isn't satisfied with her results and abandons her. The Yellow Claw is a golden age villain who had a short-lived series in 1956-1957. He returned in Strange Tales #161, but it was revealed in Strange Tales #167 that he was only a robot created by Doctor Doom.
Oh my Lord! What is Nick Fury wearing? Would you call me homophobic if I said he looks gay? It's the worst costume I've seen since Hawkeye's mini-dress in Avengers #98.
SHIELD has arrived looking for the Yellow Claw. Maybe Nick Fury thought the Yellow Claw would be laughing too much to fight back. Thigh high boots with high heels and fur linings? Really, Nick!
Rather than risk capture Nightshade leaps to her death from the top of the prison, ordering all the werewolves to follow her. Or maybe she'd rather die than have to look at Nick Fury. The Falcon becomes human again at sunrise.
But that costume... the new artist Alan Weiss has really screwed up.
Hero For Hire #12
Title: Where there's life!
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: George Tuska
Villain: Chemistro (Curtis Carr)
Regulars: David Griffith, Noah Burstein, Claire Temple, Phil Fox
Guests: Spider-Man (cameo), J. Jonah Jameson
Apart from the flashback to the fight, this comic takes place shortly after this month's Amazing Spider-Man #123. Phil Fox attempts to sell his story about Luke Cage being an escaped convict to J. Jonah Jameson, but JJJ is too angry with Luke Cage to want to write anything about him.
Curtis Carr was an employee at Mainstream Motors, America's second largest automobile manufacturer. He invented a gun which could transform one metal into another. His boss said the gun belonged to him because he invented it on company time, but Curtis kept it for himself. He was sent to prison for theft. While in prison he worked out every day to make himself muscular. When he was released, he dug out the well hidden gun, designed a costume and vowed to destroy Mainstream Motors.
Horace Claymore, the president of Mainstream Motors, hires Luke Cage to capture Curtis and protect his company, pretending it's only because he wants justice for the injury of his personal secretary.
In the battle Curtis Carr, who now calls himself Chemistro, turns his foot to steel to kick Luke Cage harder. He forgets that the effects of his gun are temporary. His foot turns to dust, leaving him a cripple.
Phil Fox tries to blackmail Luke Cage now that he knows he's an escaped convict. Luke doesn't have much money, so Phil suggests that he robs a bank. No way! Luke Cage is an honest man.
Iron Man #61
Title: Death knells over Detroit
Writer: Mike Friedrich
Artist: George Tuska
Villain: Masked Marauder
Regulars: Pepper Hogan, Happy Hogan
My compliments to Mike Friedrich. I wouldn't say that he's one of Marvel's best writers, but his stories are all rock solid excitement with a touch of romance. He might not write the best comic of the month, but he never writes the worst.
The Masked Marauder has changed his plans. Originally he wanted to hold Tony Stark to ransom for the return of his space shuttle; now he wants to pack an atomic bomb into the craft and demand a billion dollars from the city of Detroit.
While the Masked Marauder tries to reach Tony Stark by phone, Iron Man frees himself. He defeats the Masked Marauder.
While trying to find Tony Stark, Pepper Hogan missed the phone calls from her husband Happy. He sends a telegram to tell her that he's leaving her.
Tomb of Dracula #11
Title: The Voodoo-Man
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: Gene Colan
Regulars: Quincy Harker, Frank Drake, Rachel Van Helsing
Kills: Two men, two women (total 18)
Embraces: One man (total 6)
When I started reviewing this series I decided to count the deaths and embraces. I should point out that I'm only counting the deaths caused by Dracula directly, not those caused indirectly by other vampires. This is his personal score sheet. Sometimes when he leaves a body lying on the ground it isn't certain whether the person is dead or has been embraced. Unless it's expressly stated otherwise, I assume that it's a kill.
Dracula wants revenge on the biker gang who robbed him and left him for dead in Tomb Of Dracula #9. They work for a rich businessman called Jason Faust who's dying in an iron lung and wants his enemies to die before him. While in Haiti on business he was injured, but he also learnt the secrets of voodoo. He can torture his enemies with voodoo dolls.
The gang is sent to attack Quincy Harker. Dracula follows them to his house. He hypnotises three of the bikers and tells them to kill themselves by riding off the cliffs of Dover. He embraces Brand, their leader, and sends him to kill Faust.
I'm really enjoying the Tomb Of Dracula stories. I'm reading them for the first time, 47 years too late.
Werewolf by Night #8
Title: Lurker behind the door!
Writer: Len Wein
Artist: Werner Roth
Villain: Krogg
Regulars: Buck Cowan, Lissa Russell, Philip Russell, Lou Hackett
Werner Roth is the artist? That's a blast from the past. The last comic he drew for Marvel was a five-page origin story in X-Men #56 (May 1969).
Jack Russell wakes up after his second night as a werewolf. He finds a cave with a locked door and a dead man propped against it. He's clutching a diary that identifies him as Amos Treach. He was a warlock who summoned a powerful demon called Krogg. Plagued with guilt over the murders committed by the demon, he trapped it in the cave and spent the rest of his life guarding the door. Jack doesn't believe the story, so he breaks open the door and finds the cavern empty.
The third night comes, and Jack becomes the Werewolf again. Krogg has escaped, and as a reward for Jack freeing him he promises him a quick, painless death. They fight. The Werewolf lures Krogg into a cave. In the fight rocks fall, trapping the demon while the Werewolf flees.
Warlock #7
Title: Doom at the Earth's core!
Writer: Mike Friedrich
Artist: Bob Brown
Villain: Rex Carpenter, Brute (Reed Richards)
President Carpenter calls off the arrest warrant for Warlock. He still hates Warlock, but he needs to be more subtle now that Warlock has become so popular.
The mysterious stranger that we saw in the last issue turns Reed Richards into the Brute again and orders him to kill Warlock. The Brute is distracted by a hunger for energy, so he tunnels into the Earth and begins to absorb the Earth's warmth.
Warlock and Doctor Doom follow the Brute. Doctor Doom uses a machine to absorb the Brute's radiation while Warlock turns him back into Reed Richards with his soul gem. Warlock carries Reed back to the surface. The machine explodes and kills Doctor Doom. One planet's villain is another planet's hero.
Shanna the She-Devil #5
Title: Where Nekra walks, death must follow!
Writer: Steve Gerber
Artist: Ross Andru
Villain: Nekra
Guests: Professor X
Men! What's wrong with them? Patrick insists on arm wrestling with Shanna to prove his manhood. As expected, the result is that he ends up lying on his back feeling even less of a man.
Agent Jakuna Singh of SHIELD takes Shanna to an aircraft carrier to receive a briefing from FBI Agent Duncan, who last appeared five years ago in X-Men #46. Once more he's called Amos Duncan. Isn't his name Fred? I'm confused. Professor X says there are two powerful mutants in her vicinity. One is Mandrill, who she defeated last issue. The other is unknown.
I agree with Shanna that she looks very much like a 1940's B-movie Goddess. Today they call them scream queens. Maybe she looks more like the girl off the cover of a 1940's pulp fiction novel. Interestingly, she's reading Camus' "Stranger". Very appropriate.
Nekra is the leader of a hate cult. Her motivation is unclear. Her followers are females, and she calls on them to hate all men, and yet she says that Mandrill, a man, is their leader. That doesn't make sense.
Shanna defeats her in battle. The end. Not just of this comic, it's the end of the series. That means that all three of Marvel's new feminocentric comics ("Night Nurse", "The Cat" and "Shanna") have flopped after a few issues. That's deeply regrettable.
Marvel Spotlight #11
Title: The Coming of Witch-Woman!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Tom Sutton
Villain: Satan, Witch-Woman (Linda Littletree)
Ghost Rider is trapped by Linda Littletree (or Littletrees, because the names aren't used consistently). She claims to have identical powers to Ghost Rider, the only difference is that she's taken time to master her powers.
How can we check Linda's family tree in Marvel Spotlight #11? The comic we're reading now is Marvel Spotlight #11. Maybe Roy Thomas is referring to last issue, Marvel Spotlight #10, but all we read in that issue was that she's the daughter of Snake Dance, the medicine man.
Linda gets so carried away with telling how she came to serve Satan that Ghost Rider manages to escape. However fast he rides, she's faster, and she's waiting for him on the road. She kills herself as part of Satan's plan, inwardly confident that he'll bring her back to life.
Adventure Into Fear #15
Title(s): From here to infinity!
The Tale of the Tome.
Writer: Steve Gerber
Artist: Val Mayerik
Regulars: Jennifer Kale, Andy Kale, Joshua Kale
This is a single story split into two parts that have been given individual titles.
The world is going mad. The only place in which sanity still reigns is the small community at the side of the swamp where the Man-Thing lives. Man-Thing is seemingly killed by a demon attack and is carried back to the swamp.
Joshua Kale calls the members of his cult together. He tells them they need the Tome of Zhered-Na to prevent the demons entering the world. Zhered-Na was a prophetess who lived 20,000 years ago. She was sent into exile because she prophesied that Atlantis would sink into the sea. She took her followers with her. In exile she prophesied that a demon invasion would come one day, and the Man-Thing would be the saviour. She was killed, but her followers preserved her writings.
The wizard Dakimh reveals himself to Jennifer Kale. He says that the enmity he showed in the last issue was only a test of her worthiness. He gives her the clothing and appearance of Zhered-Na and sends her to the distant dimension where the Tome is hidden, accompanied by Man-Thing. The Man-Thing battles with the demons defending the Tome, and Jennifer brings it back to Earth. The demons leave. The danger is over.
This also means that the connection between Jennifer Kale and Man-Thing is broken.
Astonishing Tales #19
Title: And men shall name him Victorius!
Writer: Mike Friedrich
Artist: Dan Adkins (pages 1-15), Jim Starlin (pages 16-19)
Villain: Gemini, Plunderer, Victorius (Professor Conrad)
Regulars: Barbara Morse
Guests: Nick Fury
Ka-Zar is preparing to leave New York when he hears that Bobbi Morse has been kidnapped. Professor Conrad survived the explosion last issue and has become a super-soldier. He now calls himself Victorius. He wants to take over the leadership of AIM.
Nick Fury says he knows where Bobbi has been taken to, because all SHIELD agents carry a transmitter. He allows Ka-Zar to follow her by himself. Strangely, he gives Ka-Zar a vial with SHIELD's version of the super-soldier serum in case he needs it. When he arrives he throws the vial away. Nick Fury should have known he'd do that.
When he arrives, Ka-Zar defeats Gemini and Plunderer, but Victorius is a tougher opponent. Bobbi Morse runs outside to find the vial, leaving Ka-Zar to face Victorius alone.
Non-Canon comics published this month:
Marvel Team-Up #12 (Gerry Conway, Ross Andru)
Doc Savage #6 (Gardner Fox, Ross Andru)
Conan the Barbarian #29 (Roy Thomas, John Buscema)
Combat Kelly and his Deadly Dozen #8 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Gunhawks #6 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
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