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Best early Bronze Age supernatural/demonic/horror stories and/or story arcs in Marvel continuity/universe
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56 posts in this topic

I am trying to complete/fine tune my collection of Marvel's Son of Satan/Satana books, and while reading/re-browsing the stories and the context, I realized there are many great tie-ins between the character and many Marvel age titles, especially within the exciting context of all the then-new "horror" titles which partly stemmed from the "zeitgeist" and craze with a certain kind of horror at the time. And I realized that equally important characters which i have always found very relevant (Morbius, Werewolf by Night, Dracula, etc.) offer many stories which give a broader sense of the readers' sensibility and experience at the time.

So I was looking for an aid from board friends: which single Marvel Age *single stories* from the period, especially the horror-related ones, would you consider truly essential, i.e. "I couldn’t do without that one!”, or “this will remain in my collection forever”. By Marvel age stories I mean only these falling within the conception of the continuity as originally set by Stan Lee.

Your suggestion/appreciations will be much valued! Don’t be shy… :)

P.S. Thanks to @jools&jim for fine-tuning the thread title.

Edited by vaillant
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Steve Gerber's Man-Thing series is very consistently readable, but the Clown storyline is worth noting...

796945.jpg

 

605101.jpg

 

Mike Ploog art in both.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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3 hours ago, Ken Aldred said:

Steve Gerber's Man-Thing series is very consistently readable, but the Clown storyline is worth noting...

796945.jpg

 

605101.jpg

 

Mike Ploog art in both.

@Ken Aldred

Thanks much – I believe I have both but I have yet to read them, and Gerber is my #1 Marvel age Bronze writer!

Edited by vaillant
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2 hours ago, Pirate said:

Byrne X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga

Conan 23,24

Spiderman 121,122, 

Epic Magazine

Werewolf by Night 32,33

@Pirate
Thanks much… Heh! Setting aside the money for a Werewolf by Night #32-33… I have to see how to do that! :)
Spidey #121-122, got em!
Dark Phoenix… I have some kinda "beef" with that story line… Plus, while Claremont is *great* on Satana, it has little to do with the early Bronze horror period.
Is there something peculiar going on in the Conans?

I was asking more for stories related to the horror titles (and the climate of "horror craze" of the time) and at the same time fully grounded in the Marvel age continuity.
Conan is "Marvel age", ok, but sort of "sideways" being in the remote past et al.

Edited by vaillant
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As an example: are there some Dracula story arcs particularly relevant as related to Satan/Son of Satan etc.?
I seem to recall there is an issue where the Devil is featured, and then the story arc with that character inspired by Anton LaVey (ToD #59 or #60?)
Any stories of Morbius or Man-Thing, or Werewolf by night where the satanic/devil's deception is featured as a theme?

I have little to nothing of Tomb of Dracula (a few Dr. Sun issues – I liked the character when he was used by Wolfman in Nova).

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As another example: Gerber's clever and intriguing cross-over story on Howard the Duck, at the end of the Kiss issues story arc.
I seem to get that also the Marvel Comics Super-special devoted to Kiss has a chapter dealing with the supernatural?

Howard the Duck 014-000 (AnPymGold-Empire).jpg   Howard the Duck 014-001 (AnPymGold-Empire).jpg

Edited by vaillant
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Gerber started on Man-Thing with Fear #11-19 and hope you have already ready the GS Man-Thing stories, especially the Howard the Duck backups in 4 and 5 (all by Gerber). I would also recommend the Doctor Strange run in Marvel Premiere #3-14 great stuff. :) Silver Dagger story in 1-5 of Doc Strange of course. Marvel Spotlight #3-4 for the early Werewolf by Night by Ploog!! :) 

Edited by fett
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Werewolf's Marvel Spotlight: I believe I’m covered. For sure I have #2. :)
Doctor Strange in Marvel Premiere: covered.
Fear #11-19 I believe I’m covered but precious suggestion on the Giant-Size Man Things? Which ones would you consider prioritary? #4 and #5 or other ones?
Are there some Man-Thing or Werewolf by Night stories dealing with satanic/devil themes in the later issues (I just have the earlier ones of both characters)? I don’t believe there is much from Morbius in that vein, with Morbius being a "scientific based" vampire but not undead.

Edited by vaillant
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I would say there are no satanic/devil themes in either WBN or Man-Thing.. Supernatual though? Yes. The Marvel Spotlight issues with Son Of Satan and Ghost Rider are much closer to that. As for the GS Man-Things 4 and 5 are way above the others. Howard the Duck vs Garko the  Man Frog and the Hell-Cow I consider to be classics. 

 

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Claudio, while it's not terrifying stuff, I think the story arc from Fear #19 to Man-Thing #1 is pretty cool. A construction company inadvertently opens up the nexus of all realities and a band of demons pours through -- as do cavemen, barbarian warriors, WWII-era soldiers and Howard the Duck. 

Master of Kung-fu #19 is also kind of surreal, when Shang-chi meets the Man-Thing. 

Considering the horror films of the era, I'm surprised I can't think of a marvel story that revolves around possession in that era. Anybody?

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3 hours ago, vaillant said:

Are there some Man-Thing or Werewolf by Night stories dealing with satanic/devil themes in the later issues

Try Werewolf by Night 28 to 30, where Jack Russell's sister is transformed into what's basically a werewolf-demon hybrid, by the interaction between the full moon and a black magician's spell.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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9 hours ago, fett said:

I would say there are no satanic/devil themes in either WBN or Man-Thing.. Supernatual though? Yes. The Marvel Spotlight issues with Son Of Satan and Ghost Rider are much closer to that. As for the GS Man-Things 4 and 5 are way above the others. Howard the Duck vs Garko the  Man Frog and the Hell-Cow I consider to be classics. 

 

@fett: Yes, I have all the first WBN and the Man-Things up to #20 or so, and even if I have read just a few I believe there is supernatural but not demonic.
I’ll take note of the Giant-Size MTs, thanks much!

8 hours ago, Readcomix said:

Claudio, while it's not terrifying stuff, I think the story arc from Fear #19 to Man-Thing #1 is pretty cool. A construction company inadvertently opens up the nexus of all realities and a band of demons pours through -- as do cavemen, barbarian warriors, WWII-era soldiers and Howard the Duck. 

Master of Kung-fu #19 is also kind of surreal, when Shang-chi meets the Man-Thing. 

Considering the horror films of the era, I'm surprised I can't think of a marvel story that revolves around possession in that era. Anybody?

@ReadcomixFear #19 and Man-Thing #1… Have them! I’ll just have to read them.
Thanks much for the Master of Kung-Fun #19 hint… I’ll pick it.

About your observation: well, in fact there are. The whole Son of Satan concept occurred to Stan Lee (which initially wanted to do a book on the Devil himself) because of the climate, and Gabriel is clearly a character stemmed from the Exorcist craze. Many of the magazine stories as well.
Specifically, the first Gabriel story (albeit pretty much inconsistent in theologic terms), Ghost Rider #1-2 (where Daimon Hellstrom first appears) with the daughter of the indian chief possessed, and the two-part story on Marvel Spotlight where Daimon has to deal with a nasty demon ("Madhouse" and "Demon, demon, who’s got the demon?". Thank you Gene!

Edited by vaillant
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6 hours ago, sfcityduck said:

X-Men 143:

Image result for X-men 143

Thanks, although this is from a later date (late 1970s) and actually not closely related to the time-span with the satanic/demonic themes I was inquiring about. :)
On a side note, Gabriel was used later on by Moench on the Fantastic Four, in "The possession of Franklin Richards", I have that issue.

6 hours ago, Ken Aldred said:

Try Werewolf by Night 28 to 30, where Jack Russell's sister is transformed into what's basically a werewolf-demon hybrid, by the interaction between the full moon and a black magician's spell.

@Ken AldredThank you so much. Exactly the kind of stories I was looking for. If they’re remarkably good stories, even better!

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4 hours ago, fett said:

Haunt of Horror and Monsters Unleashed have Gabriel, Devil-Hunter and Satana. :) 

HauntOfHorror001.jpg HauntOfHorror002.jpg HauntOfHorror003.jpg
HauntOfHorror004.jpg HauntOfHorror005.jpg

 

@fett: Thank you! I already have #1 and #5, waiting for #4.
Are there Gabriel stories in all of them? As far as Satana goes, I believe I have all the mags now, including Marvel preview and (for the few comic books) the beautiful Marvel Team-Up story where she dies.
They should not have "resurrected" her, IMO, Claremont did a great job on that final story.

Edited by vaillant
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To offer an example of complex, intriguing stories  (or story arcs) incorporating both the occult, esoteric and the demonic, to give better an idea of what I am looking for and that I might not be aware of, one of my absolute favories is the three-part story in Marvel Spotlight #21-21-22. The readers get to know better Daimon Hellstrom, while enjoying a solid adventure, and the villain is not, foremostly, of demonic nature, but rather the unsettling fortune-teller Madame Swabada… I absolutely love it, possibly my favorite Son of Satan story.

The stories I seek can be of any other character, the key element is the theme.

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