Batman 66 comic

[philcom55]

Of course, Shelly Moldoff drew a lot of Batman stories before and after the 'new look' - though like Paw I generally preferred his earlier style. On the other hand I loved both Sprang and Infantino so I was happy either way (except that I'd have preferred to see Jack Schiff staying on as Batman editor so that Schwartz could stick with Strange Adventures and Mystery in Space).

As for the Batman TV show I was crazy about it at first, but the novelty gradually began to wear off after weeks of seeing the same stock Batmobile footage over and over again - especially as it was shown every Saturday and Sunday! I still have fond memories of it but I doubt if I'd want to plough through a whole box set.

- Phil R.

[tony ingram]

Well done Tony! Great collecting! Issue 58 reveals Ultron's origin- he looked a bit like a salt-seller on tractor tracks when he became `sentient` Pity the new film totally ignores Ultrons true origin!

I really love that particular period of Avengers. I've always liked the team, but those few issues between #50 and #60 are just wonderful. The introduction of the Vision, the Panther and the Masters of Evil, and Goliath in his best outfit ever.

[philcom55]

I'd say the Avengers were on a roll all the way from no.50 (at which point, if I remember correctly, the roll call had shrunk to just Ant Man, the Wasp and Hawkeye!) right up to no.71, when Stan Lee put a temporary moratorium on continued stories. It also coincided with a period when the switch from Thorpe & Porter to Comag meant that two different issues were distributed in the UK for about three months.

- Phil Rushton

[tony ingram]

I'd say the Avengers were on a roll all the way from no.50 (at which point, if I remember correctly, the roll call had shrunk to just Ant Man, the Wasp and Hawkeye!) right up to no.71, when Stan Lee put a temporary moratorium on continued stories. It also coincided with a period when the switch from Thorpe & Porter to Comag meant that two different issues were distributed in the UK for about three months.

- Phil Rushton

For some reason, that trio (plus Panther, when he joined) really worked for me. I still can't understand why Hank Pym and the Wasp have so often been sidelined in more recent years.

[Shiner]

The Avengers Annual 1975 featured the Vision (who of course originated in the same run). I was 9 and so excited to see him in action as all I had seen of him prior to that were the teaser panels on the letters pages of the weekly Avengers comic which gave a glimpse of things to come. No US Marvels in my neck of the woods.

[tony ingram]

The Avengers Annual 1975 featured the Vision (who of course originated in the same run). I was 9 and so excited to see him in action as all I had seen of him prior to that were the teaser panels on the letters pages of the weekly Avengers comic which gave a glimpse of things to come. No US Marvels in my neck of the woods.

We got a lot of US Marvels (and DC, Harvey, Charlton Etc) where I was, but for some reason rarely more than three consecutive issues of most of them. You'd just be getting into a run of Dr Strange or Kamandi, and they would suddenly disappear for a month or two and you'd be trying to work out who the hell Master of Kung-Fu or Werewolf by Night were, instead. Hulk and X-Men never seemed to turn up at all, although Avengers, Defenders, FF and JLA would be there every month seemingly without fail.

[Lew Stringer]

The Avengers Annual 1975 featured the Vision (who of course originated in the same run). I was 9 and so excited to see him in action as all I had seen of him prior to that were the teaser panels on the letters pages of the weekly Avengers comic which gave a glimpse of things to come. No US Marvels in my neck of the woods.

We got a lot of US Marvels (and DC, Harvey, Charlton Etc) where I was, but for some reason rarely more than three consecutive issues of most of them. You'd just be getting into a run of Dr Strange or Kamandi, and they would suddenly disappear for a month or two and you'd be trying to work out who the hell Master of Kung-Fu or Werewolf by Night were, instead. Hulk and X-Men never seemed to turn up at all, although Avengers, Defenders, FF and JLA would be there every month seemingly without fail.

UK distribution on the Hulk, Avengers, and Spider-Man stopped in 1973 so as not to compete with the three Marvel UK weeklies. Hulk resumed again for six months or so that year but then stopped again. It was several years before they were available in newsagents again.

Remember also that there was an industrial dispute or something that stopped ALL Marvel US titles from being imported into the UK with issues cover dated April to July 1974. They resumed again in a big way with August 1974 cover dates, with a set number of (IIRC) 21 comics every month. That was the same month the cover prices rose to 7p and they started having the 'Marvel All-Colour Comics' banner printed on the issues distributed to the UK. It was also around that time when the Marvel US black and white monster mags began official distribution to newsagents.

[alanultron5]

There was also the first appearance of the `Grim Reaper` issue 52. It was the Ultron/Vision saga spread over issues 54, 55, 57 & 58 that was the finest section of Avengers in 1968. The creation of Ultron was certainly borrowed a little from Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" Ultron returned mid 1966 issues 66 to 68 I think! first two (66 & 67) drawn superbly by UK artist Barry Smith! Old Ultron didn't return in Marvel titles until 1974 (Avengers 127 I think- and F.F 150) His head on the body of `Omega`.

[philcom55]

I always liked the bit where some kid used Ultron's lifeless head as a football, to the accompaniment of Shelley's 'Ozymandias'.

- Phil Rushton

[tony ingram]

There was also the first appearance of the `Grim Reaper` issue 52.

I think that may have been the earliest issue I read for quite awhile. A great story. Though I still have no idea what possessed them to give a character called "the Grim Reaper" a multicoloured costume! Thank heavens he'd switched to basic black by the time he was ready for a rematch.

[Lew Stringer]

There was also the first appearance of the `Grim Reaper` issue 52.

I think that may have been the earliest issue I read for quite awhile. A great story. Though I still have no idea what possessed them to give a character called "the Grim Reaper" a multicoloured costume! Thank heavens he'd switched to basic black by the time he was ready for a rematch.

Avengers 52 is one of my favourite issues. I always liked the Black Panther character in the sixties and that was the issue where he joined the team. I remember buying that issue from a shop on Blackpool's South Pier in 1968. Front of the rack was a copy of Mighty Crusaders, bleached by the sun.

[tony ingram]

There was also the first appearance of the `Grim Reaper` issue 52.

I think that may have been the earliest issue I read for quite awhile. A great story. Though I still have no idea what possessed them to give a character called "the Grim Reaper" a multicoloured costume! Thank heavens he'd switched to basic black by the time he was ready for a rematch.

Avengers 52 is one of my favourite issues. I always liked the Black Panther character in the sixties and that was the issue where he joined the team. I remember buying that issue from a shop on Blackpool's South Pier in 1968. Front of the rack was a copy of Mighty Crusaders, bleached by the sun.

One curious thing about that run was the decision to drop the 'black' part from the Panther's name, but give him a half mask so that it was obvious he was black. I've always wondered why they did that.

[Lew Stringer]

One curious thing about that run was the decision to drop the 'black' part from the Panther's name, but give him a half mask so that it was obvious he was black. I've always wondered why they did that.

Probably to distance the character politically from the Black Panther movement at that time? But show his face to demonstrate they were still proud of using a black character.