Marvel Team-Up #76
Published and © by Marvel, December 1978
Title: “If Not For Love …”
Synopsis: When Clea’s soul is captured, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel head to New Orleans to save her.
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Howard Chaykin, Jeff Aclin and Juan Ortiz
Review: Tarot cards, a lovers’ spat and a super-powered editor of a women’s-lib magazine. Ahh, it must be a Marvel comic from the late ’70s! Chris Claremont does his best to milk a decent story out of this strange brew, but it never amounts to much more than extended setup. Howard Chaykin was supposedly involved with the art, but, with the exception of a panel here and there, it’s almost impossible to see. This issue is loaded with potential, but it ends up being another run-of-the-mill mystical adventure, common to this era.
Grade: B
Cool factor: The Byrne/Austin tarot cover.
Not-so-cool factor: There’s Chaykin art in there? Really?
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a Whitman variant and a 12p British variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “At least Clea’s calmed down. It helped when I reminded her that – even though I am master of the mystic arts – I am also a man …” – Doctor Strange, magic man
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Feb. 17, 2009.
