In T’Challa’s storyline this issue he continues on his way home, now stuck in Sudan carrying around an injured crime boss. He finds himself on the set of a science fiction movie which is not unlike STAR WARS. Okay, it’s a lot like STAR WARS. Anyway, he’s eager to leave instead of being detained by questions from the police coming for the crime boss, so he causes some chaos on the film set in order to steal a jeep and continue on his way home. Which seems a bit rude to me, given that they, you know, saved his life in the desert, but I guess that’s how royalty behaves. He finds himself pursued by a plane, which he surrenders to with obvious plans to take it to finish his journey.

Meanwhile, in Wakanda…

Jakarra is on the rampage, having been mutated by the vibranium. Fortunately, the four members of the royal family called in as the “Black Musketeers” are able to subdue him, although not without their expenses upsetting T’Challa’s regent N’Gassi. The young doctor among the Musketeers, Joshua Itobo, also refuses to take N’Gassi’s advice to kill Jakarra to end his threat, which proves to be a mistake when Jakarra further mutates and escapes and heads for the vibranium mound and sure doom for the Earth.

The Musketeers are a lot of fun, unfortunately not really developed that much in the few issues they had, but with a lot of potential. And the set of the sci-fi film had some nice goofy Kirby designs with some playful ribbing of STAR WARS.

Mike Royer inks the 17-page story, not sure who inks the cover.

Published 1978

Doesn’t Kang look great on this cover, inked by John Romita in his first job on his return to Marvel? It looks even better in the original version (which you can see here as part of an interview in ALTER EGO, or in the various reprints), before Kang’s outstretched hand was moved for some inexplicable reason.

I always love these symbolic giant menace covers by Kirby. Not just the huge villain but the reactions of the heroes in the foreground.

Published 1965

I think the Hulk is about to get the back of his head whacked by that tunnel. I feel sorry for the tunnel. Meanwhile, Giant-Man and the Wasp make good use of their super-powers and protect a hardware store. And demonstrate some crazy fore-shortening.

Chic Stone inks this cover.

Published 1965

I’m not quite convinced by that perspective and proportion on the Gateway Arch. I’m certain the observation deck there must be more than the four feet tall that it looks like.

But still, the Hulk and the Thing drawn by Kirby and Sinnott, that’s always some fun.

Published 1976

That Doom does get around, doesn’t he? The Doom figure is a little small on this cover, but it gets the point across, and the figures of Cap and the Scarlet Witch are really good (and quite the trooper she is, going into battle with Doom with her arm in a sling).

Al Milgrom handles the inks for this cover.

Published 1977

John Romita inks Kirby on this cover, which also had quite a few bits of re-drawing from the original pencils, in particular Zabu being completely different, as well as Ka-zar’s right arm. Still a pretty decent cover, very bold and popping right out at you.

Published 1977

Well, of course a master plan against Ant-Man would involve an aardvark. They didn’t call him Egghead because of the shape of his head, apparently…

Or maybe it is the shape of his head.

Dick Ayers inks this cover, which does have a nice ant there, and a good use of a giant needle for perspective. But you can see why Ant-Man only lasted a few more issues before going to the more dynamic Giant-Man.

Published 1963