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Perhaps I should apologise for showing the above cover again so soon after last time, but just look at it. 'Twould be a crime to apologise for such a great illustration. So that means you're stuck with it! Anyway, as I previously explained, someone gave me this issue recently (I won't say who in case he's shy) and when I got my hands on it (only today actually, but thanks to the magic of the 'edit' button on my earlier post, you'd think I'd had it for a few days) and when I opened its pages it was all extremely familiar to me. I remembered certain panels in the b&w, grey tone way in which they appear inside and it seems, in memory, that I last read this specific comic only within the recent past, not 45 years ago when I first bought my original.
Thing is, I still have some of my original issues on either side of this number, so I really can't understand why I didn't have this one and the following issue too. I always enjoyed 'The Inheritor!' (published over two issues) and I could've sworn I still had them, because, as I say, I recall looking at them in what feels like relatively recent history. I can only assume that I gave them to a pal (who may well yet have them) amongst a pile of other comics, but at precisely which point in time I'm unsure of. Anywhere between 1975 and '79, I'd say. Can it really be so long since I last owned them? I think I've got colour reprints of the stories in collected editions, but it's these 'monochrome' versions which are uppermost in my memory.
Well, anyway, I can't have #129 and not have #130 in which the three stories (Hulk, Daredevil, and FF) continue, so I've just bought one on eBay. It'll always be a mystery to me why I ever gave them away to begin with, so it'll be good to see the second comic reunited with the first, both back where they belong. As I say, it's hard to believe that it's been 45 years since I first bought my original copies, but having them again will allow me to step back in time to that exact point in my youth, even if it's for far too short a period.
Honestly - it seems like only a few months at most since I last browsed through them, but how can such a thing be?! Well, look at the cover of MWOM #124 below. One possible explanation is that, as the cover for The Inheritor tale appeared several issues earlier (even though it had nothing to do with the Hulk story inside), whenever I looked at 124's cover down through the years, I subconsciously thought of the b&w reprint of the tale it represented. That might account for why I believed I still had the issues in which the story appeared, long after I'd given them away. That's the only explanation that seems to make any sense to me. What do you think?
That was a brilliant run of stories in MWOM around that time with the Trimpe /Severin/Thomas team really hitting their stride. From memory the cover to issue 130 was one of those poorly drawn ones compared to this masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly, McS, 130's cover was taken from Tales To Astonish #85, which is credited as being drawn by Bill Everett, but looks as if it might've been inked by John Buscema, who drew the Hulk tale inside. So you need to take your memory in for its M.O.T.
ReplyDeleteWas it? wow I have just looked at it online and to be honest I don't think its a great cover at all especially as it was drawn by those guys 9I though it was specially drawn).
ReplyDeleteYeah, not particularly great, is it? However, still not as bad as some of those specially-produced covers for the UK weeklies. Some of them were pretty terrible.
ReplyDeleteTypical of Marvel UK to put the wrong cover on a comic. I remember that happening quite a few times on various comics. We have fond memories of Marvel UK but they were shambolic at times.
ReplyDeleteAnd they got it wrong from the early days, amazingly. I think it was MWOM 9 or 10 that had Tyrannus on the cover, but that wasn't the Hulk story inside.
ReplyDeleteOh, by the way, CJ, I ordered my CTB Epic Collection last night. You should think about getting one - they're going for under £20 on ebay right now, and that's new copies. Some sellers are still wanting about £25-plus though.
ReplyDeleteThat's should be a blog thread the worst covers ever (at under £20 I might consider picking up that Conan book myself)
ReplyDeleteI'd do that post, McS, but unfortunately I don't have every single issue, apart from the paper-covered ones.
ReplyDeleteUnder £20 and free postage too.
Interesting that you reckon Buscema inked that TTA cover, Kid. If so, it's a rare example of Big John inking another artist- I presume he'd have done so early in his career when he worked for Dell or Atlas, but can't think of any instances after he returned to Marvel in the 60s. I'd be very interested to see any others though!
ReplyDeleteIt's not so much that I think he DID, DS, just that it looks like he MIGHT have. However, without referring to the actual issue, that impression might be due to the fact that (if I recall correctly) Everett inked Buscema's pencils on the interior Hulk story, hence the Hulk looking the same outside and inside. Of course, it might be possible that Buscema pencilled the cover and Everett inked it. CBR credits Everett as the cover penciller though.
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