In January 2018 I started a series of posts I called the Marvel Years. It was
based on a New Year's Resolution I made to read and review all of Marvel's
superhero comics from 1961 to 1972. Those were the years in which Stan Lee was
a writer, although I intended to read the comics by other writers as well. My
initial plan was to review all these comics by the end of 2018, but I
underestimated the sheer volume of comics in the late 1960's. I finally
reached my goal in March 2020.
By this time I'd changed my plans. I wanted to continue reading Marvel's
comics up to 1991, the end of the Infinity Gauntlet mini-series. This is where
I consider that Marvel canon comes to an end. I know that my distinction of
what is and isn't canon is controversial, but I'm willing to defend my
opinions at another date. For me it's all about continuity. Stan Lee began to
write consistently interlocking stories in November 1961
(Fantastic Four #1),
and I consider all comics to be canon that follow this consistency. I'm not
talking about individual comics that make mistakes; for me a series is
non-canon if its regular storylines contradict Stan Lee's continuity.
I get it. After 60 years of comics it's difficult for new writers to catch up
on what's gone before. But in my opinion, that's the job of the editors. When
a young writer presents his plot outline for a new issue, the editor should
tell him if it contradicts something that was written 35 years ago. The easy
way out of it is to say,
"This is an alternate reality in the multiverse". I prefer to say that
the new stories are what-if stories outside of the Marvel canon.
Not all Marvel series left canon at the same time. Some series deviated very
early. I consider the Defenders to be non-canon from issue 12 onwards, because
the Doctor Strange character in the Defenders was obviously not the same
person as Doctor Strange in his own comic. Steve Englehart even wrote about
this in a Doctor Strange letters page. He said that he'd discussed the
discrepancies with Steve Gerber, and they'd decided to ignore them. Non-canon
doesn't mean bad. Steve Gerber is one of my favourite Marvel writers, and his
Defenders comics are excellent; they're just not canon.
I read all of Marvel's super-hero comics, but I omitted non-canon comics from
my reviews. If I'd continued with my Marvel Years posts up to 1991 you would
have seen the size of my reviews tapering off as more and more series became
non-canon. However, tragedy struck in late 2020. Google updated its blogger
software, and a bug crept in, the infamous imageanchor bug. Whenever a person
swaps windows from HTML format to normal text format, the imageanchor tab is
removed from all images. I can't go into technicalities here, but it makes it
difficult to write long posts. Not impossible, but awkward. After a few months
of struggling along, I ceased my Marvel Years posts in October 2020 with
the December 1974 post. I intended to continue as soon as Google fixed the
bug, but now, two years later, the bug still hasn't been fixed. I've reported
the bug many times, but Google's customer support is awful. There isn't even
an automatic acknowledgement that a bug report has been received.
For this reason I've decided to do smaller Marvel reviews, one issue at a
time. It won't be complete. I'll just pick out the comics I like the most
between 1975 and 1991. I'll start off by continuing a few series from 1974.
When I've got through all of them I'll start on others. I already have a list.
My intention is to review one issue every day, if I can keep up the momentum.
I'll see as I go along. My reviews will probably be more detailed than the
mini-reviews in my Marvel Years posts, but no promises.
My first series is Captain America #181 to #186. This is a good place to start
Many fans consider Captain America #153 to #186 to be his best ever stories,
so it's a shame that I stopped in the middle,
Those unfamiliar with 1970's Marvel comics might ask why I call this comic
"Captain America" when the cover above says it's "Captain America and the
Falcon". The comic started as
Captain America #100 in April 1968
(continuing from Tales Of Suspense #99)
and ran to Captain America #454 in August 1996.
The comic was temporarily renamed when Captain America and the Falcon became
partners, from issue 134 (February 1971) to issue 222 (June 1978). This
happened again with "Daredevil", which was renamed "Daredevil and the Black
Widow" from issue 92 (October 1972)
to issue 107 (January 1974). Collectors
usually refer to both comic books by their original names. After some
consideration, I'll use the original name in the title but the full name in
the review itself.
Captain America and the Falcon #181
Title: The Mark of Madness
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Sal Buscema
Villain: Serpent Squad (Warlord Krang, Madame Viper, Princess Python, Eel,
Cobra)
Regulars: Sharon Carter, Peggy Carter
Guests: Sub-Mariner, Nick Fury, Dum-Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones
The last few issues have been big changes for Steve Rogers. In
Captain America #176
he renounced his identity as Captain America. This is because of his
disillusionment with the American system. In
Captain America #175
Captain America found the leader of the Secret Empire in the Oval Office.
Number One was unmasked, and Captain America was shocked to see his identity.
The reader doesn't see his face, but Steve Englehart says that he was hinting
at it being President Nixon. The story was written in the middle of the
Watergate affair, so it was politically apt.
After a few issues of trying to lead a normal life as a civilian, Steve Rogers
finally donned a new costume
last issue. He became the Nomad. Now he's standing in front of the statue of Abraham
Lincoln. He loves America, and he's always served America, but how can he
serve a country with an evil leader?
While he's brooding, he's attacked by Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner. Namor
demands to know the whereabouts of Warlord Krang, but Nomad has no idea who
that is. Namor, witnessed Nomad fighting the Serpent Squad last issue, and
Krang is a member of the Squad, but he hadn't yet revealed himself at that
time.
Nomad and Sub-Mariner fight until Nomad reveals that he used to be Captain
America. Sub-Mariner fills Nomad in on Krang's background.
Meanwhile Krang explains to the Serpent Squad that he found the Serpent Crown
of Lemuria on the sea bed. When he put it on, the crown told him to ally
himself with Madame Hydra, who has since become Madame Viper. Now, influenced
by the crown, he wants the sunken Kingdom of Lemuria to be brought to the
surface, where Lemuria can rule the world. The company executive kidnapped
last issue is the president of Roxxon Corporation, an oil company that's been
drilling near Lemuria. His equipment can be used to raise Lemuria.
Together, Nomad and Sub-Mariner defeat the Serpent Squad and free its
president (who's named Hugh Jones in future issues). Krang is captured, but he
throws the crown to Madame Viper as she makes her escape. In the past he
wouldn't have acted like this. Krang is a man who considers himself superior
to all others, but he's under the influence of the Serpent Crown, which sees
Madame Viper as the best chance of success.
Meanwhile, the Falcon has met yet another Captain America imitator, a kid
called Roscoe. He looks similar, and he's a skilled athlete, but he's no
Captain America. The super-soldier serum is missing from his veins. The cover is
misleading. Roscoe isn't involved in the fight against the Serpent Squad.
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