Captain Marvel (Marvel 1976) #42

Captain Marvel (Marvel 1976) #42

Step into a pivotal mid-70s Marvel adventure where cosmic peril meets sharp humor. This issue pairs Captain Marvel with Rick Jones on a high-stakes journey that blends space opera, inventive tech, and memorable character moments, all brought to life by a standout creative team.

What makes this issue essential

• Story title: Shoot-Out at the O.K. Space Station!
• Cover pencils by Al Milgrom; inks by Alan Weiss
• Interior art: pencils by Al Milgrom; inks by Frank Giacoia and Mike Esposito
• Story/plot by Steve Englehart (plot; script) and Al Milgrom (plot)
• Includes a Drax the Destroyer cameo
• Letters page features Marvel Value Stamp series B #18 (Fantastic Four)
• Hostess snack cakes ad starring Spider-Man
• 36 pages, full color; cover price $0.25

Key story moments

• Rick Jones and Captain Marvel are transported to a distant asteroid by the Supreme Intelligence
• They begin to suffocate in the asteroid’s poisonous atmosphere until a thyamite prospector named Shabby Allus lends helmets to breathe
• Seeing the star on Captain Marvel’s costume, Allus assumes he’s the Marshall he sent for, though Mar-Vell protests that his name isn’t “Mar-Shall”
• Rick uses his Nega-Band to transmute the matter of his clothes into a red-and-blue costume suited for the alien setting, joking that he might call himself “Marvel Boy”
• The narrative hints at evolving dynamics between Rick and Mar-Vell as the Nega-Bands’ power grows more enticing

Creative team notes

• Cover: Al Milgrom (pencils); Alan Weiss (inks)
• Interior art: Al Milgrom (pencils); Frank Giacoia and Mike Esposito (inks)
• Story: Steve Englehart (plot; script); Al Milgrom (plot)

Collector’s perspective

This issue captures a standout era where cosmic stakes collide with witty, character-driven moments. The combination of a tense asteroid-set scenario, the inventive use of the Nega-Band, and a rare Drax cameo makes it a memorable entry in Marvel’s 1976 line. With the Marvel Value Stamp and a nostalgic Hostess ad, it offers more than just a story—it’s a slice of a beloved comics era.