BRONZE AGE MINUTE: Marvel Team-Up #66

Marvel; February 1978
Cover by John Byrne and Frank Giacoia

Title: “Murder World”
Synopsis: Spider-Man and Captain Britain wake inside a giant pinball machine and soon must survive the deathtraps of Murder World.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: Dave Hunt

Review: Due to the vagaries of newsstand distribution, Little Me didn’t encounter this issue until after reading the very similar X-Men #123. Turns out Marvel Team-Up #66 hit spinner racks more than a year prior, and it was the X-Men story that reads like a knockoff. Regardless of order, both books are by the talented creative team of Chris Claremont and John Byrne, so there’s much to like: strong characterization, crisp pacing, and excellent art. The X-Men issue featured Terry Austin inks, but Dave Hunt acquits himself nicely here.

Grade: A-

Second opinion: “This is a first rate thriller, the sort of thing many writers are going for these days, but few are achieving.” – Ed Via, AFTA #1 (February 1978). “Pretty far out, strange issue, with bizarre actions and good story.” – Jim Crawford, AFTA #1 (February 1978)

Cool factor: Spider-Man and Captain Britain are a ton of fun together.

Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 12p British variant of this issue. According to MyComicShop.com, there are also Mark Jewelers and Pizzaz variants.

Character quotable: “It’s about murder, friend. In fact, two murders. Yours… and Capt’n Britain’s. Ain’t life a peach?” – Arcade, proprietor of Murder World

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