Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #8
Published October 1971
Frequency Bi-Monthly
Cover Price 0.25 USD
Pages 52
Editing Stan Lee

Cover Details - War At the Bottom of the World! / "Some Call It...Witchcraft!"

Characters Ka-Zar; Zabu; Dr. Paul Allen; Dr. Doom (inset)
Genre Jungle; Superhero
Pencils Marie Severin
Inks Frank Giacoia
Letters Sam Rosen
Notes Letters credit from George Olshevsky's Marvel Comics Index #7B.
Reprinted in Essential Super-Villain Team-Up (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004) [black and white]

11 page Ka-Zar story "The Battle of New Britannia!"

Characters Ka-Zar; Zabu; Barbara Morse (full name not revealed until Astonishing Tales #12); Germans of Lost Lake (Introduction, Villain); British of New Brittannia (Introduction); Paul Allen (Introduction, full name not revealed until Astonishing Tales #12); Wilhelm (New Britannian); Reggie (New Britannian)
Synopsis While flying to see Ka-Zar in the Savage Land Barbara Morris and Paul Allen crash, with Paul being saved by Ka-Zar and Barbara being rescued by the British of New Britannia. Ka-Zar and Paul don't know that Barbara has been saved so they venture into the Lost Lake to save her.
Genre Jungle
Script Roy Thomas; Gary Friedrich
Pencils Herb Trimpe
Inks Tom Sutton
Letters Artie Simek
Notes This story is continued in issue #10.

1 page Fantastic Four; Spider-Man promo (ad from the publisher) "Pick a Pair of Winners From Mighty Marvel!"

Characters Fantastic Four [Mr. Fantastic; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Invisible Girl; Thing]; Spider-Man; Shocker
Genre Superhero
Script ? (promo copy)
Pencils Jack Kirby; John Romita
Inks Vince Colletta; John Romita
Notes Advertisement reproducing covers for Fantastic Four King-Size Special #9 and Spider-Man King-Size Special #8.

10 page Brothers Link story "This Badge Bedeviled!"

Characters Joshua Link [Gemini] (Introduction, Origin); Damian Link (Introduction, Origin); Jeff Hanley (Death); Brackett; Monk (Death)
Synopsis While Damian Link is trying to stop a robbery he and his twin brother Joshua Link are somehow linked together by experimental rays. Later when his gang tries to kill him Joshua is able to summon Damian to help him. While helping Joshua Damian finds himself with new powers when Joshua's energy enters his body.
Genre Superhero
Script Len Wein; Mike Friedrich (Plot)
Pencils George Tuska
Inks Mike Esposito
Letters John Costanza
Notes Mike Friedrich Plot credit from George Olshevsky's Marvel Comics Index #7B.

1 page Marvel Bullpen Bulletins; Roy's Rosterum promo (ad from the publisher) "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins: While the Cat's Away, the Bullpen Will Play! [October 1971]; Roy's Rosterum"

Characters Dr. Strange
Script ?; Roy Thomas
Letters Typeset
Notes Items about who is filling in for Stan Lee while he is on vacation, information on some of the comics that went double-size this month, information on Marvel Feature #1, Stan Lee is on Alex Bennett's radio show, WBAI-FM has been dramatizing some of Marvel's comics, Gerry Conway has authored a book called "The Midnight Dancers" and Marie Severin designed the costumes for a play by Sheldon Feldner. Roy Thomas explains that Stan Lee is on vacation this month while working on a screenplay for Alain Resnais during his off-hours. Also includes small headshots of Thor, Human Torch [Johnny Storm], Iron Man [Tony Stark], Daredevil, Captain America [Steve Rogers], Black Widow [Natasha Romanoff], Spider-Man, Conan the Barbarian, Thing, Hulk [Bruce Banner] and Sub-Mariner.

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Another Marvel Masterpiece"

Genre Romance
Script ? (promo copy)
Pencils John Buscema
Inks Frank Giacoia
Notes Advertisement reproducing the cover for My Love Queen-Size Special #1.

10 page Doctor Doom story "...Though Some Call It Magic!"

Characters Dr. Doom; Satan (Villain); Kagrok The Killer (Introduction, Villain); Boris; Kristin; Cynthia Von Doom (cameo)
Synopsis Doctor Doom fights a creature of Satan's choice for the soul of his mother.
Genre Superhero
Script Gerry Conway
Pencils Gene Colan
Inks Tom Palmer
Letters Jean Izzo
Notes Last Doctor Doom strip in Astonishing Tales. Dr. Doom's stories continue in Sub-Mariner #47-49 and later in Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up #1.
Reprinted in Essential Super-Villain Team-Up (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004) [black and white]; in Fantastici Quattro, I (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #47; in Gene Colan Tribute Book (Marvel, 2008 series) #1.

Half page Mighty Marvel Checklist promo (ad from the publisher) "The Mighty Marvel Checklist"

Script ? (promo copy)
Letters Typeset
Notes Marvel checklist for comics now on sale! Comics listed with a synopsis are Fantastic Four #115, Spider-Man #101, Thor #192, Avengers #92, Captain America & The Falcon #142, Hulk #144, Iron Man #42, Sub-Mariner #42, Astonishing Tales #8, Conan the Barbarian #10, Daredevil #80, Marvel Feature #1 and Sgt. Fury #92. Includes a headshot of Captain America [Steve Rogers]. Appears between pages 5 and 6 of the third story.

Half page Thor; Defenders promo (ad from the publisher) "2 More Triumphs From Marvel"

Characters Thor; Defenders [Dr. Strange; Hulk [Bruce Banner]; Sub-Mariner]
Genre Superhero
Script ? (ad copy)
Pencils Jack Kirby; Neal Adams
Inks Vince Colletta; Neal Adams
Notes Advertisement reproducing covers for Thor King-Size Special #4 and Marvel Feature #1. Appears between pages 5 and 6 of the third story.

1 page Conan; Defenders promo (ad from the publisher) "Now It Begins! Double-Sized Dynamite From Magnificent Marvel!"

Characters Conan; Bull of Anu; Defenders [Dr. Strange; Hulk [Bruce Banner]; Sub-Mariner]
Genre Sword and Sorcery; Superhero
Script ? (promo copy)
Pencils Barry Windsor-Smith (signed); Neal Adams
Inks Barry Windsor-Smith (signed); Neal Adams
Notes Advertisement reproducing covers for Conan the Barbarian #10 and Marvel Feature #1.

2 page Astonishing Mails letters page "Astonishing Mails"

Characters Ka-Zar; Zaladane; Dr. Doom; Exiles [Baldini; Iron-Hand Hauptmann; Krushki; Cadavus; Gruning; General Ching]
Pencils Barry Windsor-Smith [as Barry Smith]; Barry Windsor-Smith [as Barry Smith]; Wally Wood; Wally Wood; ?
Inks Sam Grainger; Frank Giacoia; Wally Wood; Wally Wood; ?
Letters Typeset
Notes Includes letters from (and answers to) Richard K. Hall, Martin Britton, Wayne H. Reese, David Kalis and Mike Towry. Includes panels from the Ka-Zar stories in issue #4, #5 and 2 panels from the Dr. Doom story in issue #4. Also includes a small promo for Marvel Feature #1 with small headshots of the Defenders [Dr. Strange, Hulk [Bruce Banner] and Sub-Mariner].