Marvel Time Warp

MASTER OF KUNG FU — Issue no. 69, July 1978 / This issue of MASTER OF KUNG FU ends on a confusing note. It’s a literal note, at the bottom of the story’s last page — “See our letters page for news about next issue!” But there’s no letters page in this issue. So I guess I’ll have to wait till I read the next issue to see what it’s about. I was kind of confused for a lot of this issue, because it features several flashbacks, but I couldn’t remember if they were from MASTER OF KUNG FU no. 68 or if they were filling in some backstory. I finally figured out it was the latter. I think. After the multi-issue epic that wrapped up in the previous issue, this book features a one-and-done story. It’s a fairly straightforward (other than all the flashbacks) gauntlet type of story, with kung fu master Shang-Chi defeating a series of opponents to get to Skullcrusher. (This book really delivers on the kung fu, with the fights dynamically illustrated by the great Mike Zeck.) Skullcrusher (his...

MARVEL PREMIERE — Issue no. 44, July 1978 / As I understand it, MARVEL PREMIERE served, at least sometimes, as a try-out book. It was an anthology title, and it generally featured a different character each issue. Marvel’s editors could spotlight a superhero in MARVEL PREMIERE and, based on sales and reader mail, decide whether that hero might warrant their own title. Writer and Jack of Hearts creator Bill Mantlo states this all pretty directly on this issue’s fan-mail page (which, in this case, is more of an editorial and doesn’t feature any letters from fans), encouraging fans of Jack to write in with their thoughts. And to also maybe buy an extra copy of the book and gift it to a friend. Early in the book’s run, Doctor Strange and Iron Fist were both featured in multiple issues of MARVEL PREMIERE before getting their own titles. Book: Marvel Premiere Issue No.: 44 Published: July 25, 1978 Title: “The Jack of Hearts!” Cover Price: 35¢ Format: Original pap...

TARZAN, LORD OF THE JUNGLE — Issue no. 17, July 1978 / Complaints about movie and TV sequels and spin-offs are common these days. But both have been around for more than a century at this point. The first Tarzan novel, published in 1912, had many sequels. And Tarzan eventually visited Pellucidar, the lost world at the center of the earth that was the invention of Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs. Pellucidar was the setting for three Burroughs books before Tarzan visited, so Burroughs TARZAN AT THE EARTH’S CORE was a crossover inside what you might call the Burroughs literary universe. (Burroughs actually had two lost worlds — Pellucidar at the center of the earth, and Caspak near Antarctica. But as far as I know, Tarzan never visited Caspak in any Burroughs books.) Book: Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle Issue No.: 17 Published: July 25, 1978 Title: “Passage to Pellucidar!” Cover Price: 35¢ Format: Original paper copy Complaints about movie and TV sequels an...

JOHN CARTER, WARLORD OF MARS — Issue no. 17, July 1978 / When I started reading 1978 comic books for MARVEL TIME WARP, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Marvel’s licensed books were some of my favorites. Marvel’s GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS is probably my favorite book of the era, at least so far. And I also really dig Marvel’s STAR WARS and JOHN CARTER, WARLORD OF MARS books. I just noticed that Marvel’s Godzilla and STAR WARS licenses apparently started around the same time, as July 1978 saw issue no. 16 of both of those books released. Marvel’s Edgar Rice Burroughs license (which included the John Carter and Tarzan characters) must have started a month earlier, as those two books saw issue no. 17 released in July ’78. Book: John Carter, Warlord of Mars Issue No.: 17 Published: July 25, 1978 Title: “What Price Victory?” Cover Price: 35¢ Format: Original paper copy When I started reading 1978 comic books for Marvel Time Warp , I was pleasantly su...