Marvel Time Warp

THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN — Issue no. 115, July 1978 / The penciler of this issue of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN gets the biggest credit on the opening splash page — “And introducing the pulse-pounding penciling of… John Romita Jr.! Marvel marches on!” I’m familiar with Romita Jr. from his work on the early 1980s UNCANNY X-MEN book — Romita took over penciling duties on that series after Paul Smith left, around issue no. 175. As I’ve mentioned before, that X-MEN run is probably my favorite comic book run ever, so I’ll always have a soft spot for anybody who worked on it. I’m assuming that, based on the “introducing” credit, IRON MAN is the first book that John Romita Jr. was the regular penciler on (an assumption backed up by Wikipedia). Book: The Invincible Iron Man Issue No.: 115 Published: July 25, 1978 Title: “Betrayal!” Cover Price: 35¢ Format: Digital scan The penciler of this issue of Invincible Iron Man gets the biggest credit on the opening splash page — “And in

WHAT IF? — Issue no. 11, January 1978 / Last time I looked at a cheeky but (I think) canon Marvel comic book story that featured a guest appearance by real-life Marvel honcho Stan Lee. This WHAT IF story (since it is a WHAT IF story, it is definitely not canon) features a super-powered Stan Lee leading the Fantastic Four, with the rest of the team being other real-life Marvel staff members, including Marvel VP Sol Brodsky, Marvel secretary Flo Steinberg, and Marvel artist/writer Jack “King” Kirby. To make the whole affair even more meta, Jack Kirby doesn’t just appear as a character in this story, he also wrote and drew the story. Marvel Time Warp no. 275 Book: What If? Issue No.: 11 Published: July 25, 1978 Title: “What If the Fantastic Four Were the Original Marvel Bullpen?” Cover Price: 60¢ Format: Digital scan Last time I looked at a cheeky but (I think) canon Marvel comic book story that featured a guest appearance by real-life Marvel honcho Stan Lee.

MARVEL TEAM-UP — Issue no. 74, January 1978 / Sometimes the events involved in the creation of a piece of fiction are more interesting than the piece of fiction itself. I suspect that might be the case with this issue of MARVEL TEAM-UP, where Spider-Man teams up with the cast of the TV show SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (AKA the Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Players) to defeat super-villain Silver Samurai. My guess is Marvel founder Stan Lee (or maybe EIC Jim Shooter, or maybe Chris Claremont, who wrote this story) was a fan of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, which had been around for three years or so in 1978, and Lee or Shooter or Claremont or whoever managed to get permission from NBC to feature the SNL cast (which included Gilda Radner, John Belushi, and Bill Murray at the time) in a Marvel comic book. Marvel Time Warp no. 274 Book: Marvel Team-Up Issue No.: 74 Published: July 25, 1978 Title: “Live From New York, It’s Saturday Night!” Cover Price: 35¢ Format: Digital scan

THE AVENGERS — Issue no. 176, January 1978 / The last few issues of THE AVENGERS have been teasing a super-powerful bad guy who, so far, we only know as “Michael.” Which, as bad guy handles go, doesn’t have the pizzazz of “Doctor Doom” or “The Kingpin.” Plus, Michael doesn’t have a metal mask or even a cape. He’s just a blond white dude. I keep thinking this Michael thing is a disguise, and we’re going to find out he’s actually an alien supergod or something. But so far, no, he’s just Michael. At least for this issue, which continues to tease Michael as an existential threat to the Avengers. And maybe all of humankind? But without any payoff. Marvel Time Warp no. 273 Book: The Avengers Title: “The Destiny Hunt” Issue No.: 176 Published: July 25, 1978 Price: 35¢ Format: Digital scan The last few issues of The Avengers have been teasing a super-powerful bad guy who, so far, we only know as “Michael.” Which, as bad guy handles go, doesn’t have the pizzazz o