Doctor Strange #4: Where Bound'ries.... Decay

by Steve Englehart; Frank Brunner;Dick Giordano; Linda Lessmann and Tom Orzechowski

Marvel

Sharon-A-Day, Day 542 (6/26/23)

Captain America 180. On sale 9/10/74. "The Coming of the Nomad"

Writer: Steve Englehart

Penciller: Sal Buscema

Inker: Vince Colletta

Letterer: Tom Orzechowski

Colorist: Linda Lessmann

Editor: Roy Thomas

Steve visits Sharon's house for a project.

“Deathwatch!” Man-Thing (Vol. 1/1974), #9.

Writer: Steve Gerber; Penciler: Mike Ploog; Inker: Frank Chiaramonte; Colorist: Linda Lessmann; Letterer: John Costanza

[D'ants Fever, back page short from Grimjack 26. Eastman & Laird, Letter Steve Lavigne, Colours Linda Lessmann]

[ID from alt: 1. Shot of a small red alien, it has wild hair, white gloves an a snazzy outfit in primary colours. It opens its mouth very wide and speaks into a mic, other hand gestures upwards, saying "Let's rock and roll" 2. Same guy, roughly the same pose, smaller drawing in a crowd shot. END ID]

Back Cover Pin-Up from “#*@%&¢!” Marvel Fanfare (Vol. 1/1982), #39.

Penciler: Bill Reinhold; Inker: Jim Fern, Colorist: Linda Lessmann

Daredevil (vol. 1) #111: Sword of the Samurai!

Read Date: May 30, 2023 Cover Date: July 1974 ● Writer: Steve Gerber ● Penciler: William Robert Brown ● Inker: Jim Mooney ● Colorist: Linda Lessmann ● Letterer: Tom Orzechowski ● Editor: Roy Thomas ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers

Reactions As I Read: ● dog-pile fight!

● that nurse is totally checking out Matt’s ass ● 👏👏

Synopsis: Daredevil goes to visit Robert and Shanna O'Hara at 3:00 in the morning to tell them that he has met the leader of Black Spectre: The Mandrill. He explains to them that the Mandrill intends to overthrow the government and replace it with one of his own making. When Daredevil sympathizes with the Mandrill for being ridiculed and prejudiced all his life, he assures them that he will stop Mandrill due to his methods and the murders her perpetuated in the past.

Leaving to get some rest, Daredevil is attacked by Black Spectre's newest agent, the Silver Samurai. Daredevil is too tired to put up a good fight and tries to escape, however the Silver Samurai is not so easily shaken off, and Daredevil is eventually rescued by Shanna and her two pets Biri and Ina. The two heroes and giant cats pummel the Silver Samurai, who despite being outnumbered, manages to fight off the heroes and make his escape, vowing to resume his attack later.

The next day, Shanna, Robert, and Daredevil travel to the Metropolitan General Hospital to compare notes with Foggy Nelson. There Shanna tells them all the story of her first encounter with Nekra and the Mandrill, her subsequent adventures in Africa, and the murder of her father which has taken her to America to try and bring his killer to justice.

Just then Black Spectre soldiers and the Silver Samurai smash through the window and attack, knocking out Biri and Ina. During the struggle the Samurai grabs Shanna and makes his escape. When Daredevil attempts to stop him, he is easily defeated in combat by Nekra and the villains make their escape with Shanna as their prisoner. Taken to the Mandrill, the apish foe vows to learn how Shanna has manage to resist his mutant powers that allow him to control women by operating on her brain.

Daredevil meanwhile revives and resumes his civilian identity of Matt Murdock to return to the scene so as not to compromise his identity. There he finds Candace Nelson who agrees to go with him for coffee. There he learns that she was a former journalism student at Empire State University, and that she is in some sort of trouble. While she won't tell him what it is, she promises that if she can think of anyway for Matt to help her, she will get in touch with him.

House later, Matt changes back into Daredevil and begins his hunt for Black Spectre again. He locates their blimp hovering over the Empire State Building and goes to investigate. There he finds the Silver Samurai and Black Spectre troops attempting to detonate the broadcasting tower, although Daredevil attempts to stop them at first, he finds that he is outmatched due to the fact that they are armed with ray pistols.

Detecting the rope ladder up to the blimp and deciding stopping the Mandrill directly will be more effective, the Man Without Fear abandons the battle to climb up into his enemies ship in the hopes of saving both Shanna and the Black Widow.

(https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Daredevil_Vol_1_111)

Fan Art: Silver Samurai by wellbruno

Accompanying Podcast: ● Josh and Jamie Do Daredevil - episode 18

“For All Times...”

American Flagg! Special #1 (November 1986)

Howard Chaykin, Linda Lessmann and Ken Bruzenak

First Comics

The Incredible Hulk (1968) #178- Page 5

Anyone else feel the need to give the Hulk a hug here?

Ghost Rider vol.2 #2 (1973) - Shake Hands with Satan!

Some prime pages by Howard Chaykin, Ken Bruzenak and Linda Lessmann from American Flagg! Special #1. 1986

"..I ride near to that battle now!"

Doctor Strange #4: Where Bound'ries.... Decay

by Steve Englehart; Frank Brunner;Dick Giordano; Linda Lessmann and Tom Orzechowski

Marvel

Sharon-A-Day, Day 314 (11/13/22)

Captain America 181. On sale 10/10/74. "The Mark of Madness"

Writer: Steve Englehart

Penciller: Sal Buscema

Inker: Vince Colletta

Letterer: Artie Simek

Colorist: Linda Lessmann

Editor: Roy Thomas

Sharon goes to visit Steve after a fight.

“Deathwatch!” Man-Thing (Vol. 1/1974), #9.

Writer: Steve Gerber; Penciler: Mike Ploog; Inker: Frank Chiaramonte; Colorist: Linda Lessmann; Letterer: John Costanza

The second set of Pin-Ups are by  Bill Reinhold and Linda Lessmann. I think I like the second set a bit more, more modern...

Daredevil (vol. 1) #110: Birthright!

Read Date: April 26, 2023 Cover Date: June 1974 ● Writer: Steve Gerber ● Penciler: Gene Colan ● Inker: Frank Chiaramonte ● Colorist: Linda Lessmann ● Letterer: Artie Simek ● Editor: Roy Thomas ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers

Reactions As I Read: ● Gene Colan is back! ● when is a decent villain gonna show? ● I’ve missed Gene Colan’s art <3 ● kitties!

● a baby with fangs is… terrifying ● I’m here for Mandrill and Nekra ● lol, DD telling an officer to shut up ● 👏👏👏

Synopsis: Returning back to New York following their battle with the Black Spectre, Daredevil learns how the Thing saw who their leader really is, not a woman, but some kind of thing. Thanking Ben for the info, Daredevil jumps from the Fantasticar and swings to the ground below. Along the way down he spots members of the Black Spectre gang.

Battling one of their number, Daredevil knocks her out and removes the helmet and reveals, as he's suspected all along, that the members of Black Spectre are all women wearing padded costumes to conceal their gender. What Daredevil doesn't see, and isn't told until he brings the woman into the local police station is that she has a facial tattoo. There is he is told that they are going to be released due to the fact that they have not committed any crime that they can be booked for. Before they are released Shanna the She-Devil arrives with her pets to charge them with accessory to murder when suddenly the holding room explodes, and they realize that the members of Black Spectre have been rigged with explosives.

Aboard Black Spectre's ship, Nekra takes the Black Widow to their leader and he orders her to go to New York City and collect Daredevil, whom he intends to also make his slave. While back in the city, Daredevil calls it a night and when he arrives home he finds the leader of Black Spectre waiting for him. Unmasking the leader turns out to be the apish mutant known as the Mandrill.

The Mandrill explains his origins: That years ago a white nuclear scientist and a black cleaning lady were both working in an atomic lab when they were both bombarded with radiation. The radiation caused their children to be born mutants: The black woman giving birth to a chalk-white baby, while the scientists wife birthing a black child covered with hair. As they grew they continued to mutate and they were mocked and ridiculed by their peers. Eventually the man abandoned their boy out in the desert, and the girl ran away from home. They would meet and become friends, riding the rails and learning by stealing books and listening outside of classrooms. Eventually, an angry mob would attack them and this is when their latent mutant abilities to manifest would come into play, the Mandrill's ability to control others, especially women, and Nekra's strength and durability being fueled by others hatred. Realizing the power that they now wield, they would vow to destroy the institutions that caused them so much pain and misery.

Daredevil attacks the Mandrill who throws the hero out a window. As the two begin to fight it out on the streets, a crowd of onlookers begin to crowd around, and the police are called. Afraid to get captured the Mandrill makes his escape, and Daredevil is unable to track him with his radar sense due to the noise caused by the crowd and oncoming police cars.

(https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Daredevil_Vol_1_110)

Fan Art: Daredevil and Black Widow - Chris Samnee by tofuthebold

Accompanying Podcast: ● Josh and Jamie Do Daredevil - episode 17

“We Didn’t Do It!”

American Flagg! Special #1 (November 1986)

Howard Chaykin, Linda Lessmann and Ken Bruzenak

First Comics