Strange #102
Strange #102 (Editions Lug, juin 1978) sits squarely in the heart of the title's most culturally potent era, delivering French-speaking readers their primary monthly access to the Marvel Universe at a time when no other licensed avenue existed. The issue packaged multiple American Bronze Age stories — including a translated Amazing Spider-Man installment — under one square-bound cover, a format that for hundreds of thousands of French children constituted their first sustained encounter with characters like Spider-Man, Daredevil, Iron Man, and the X-Men. As part of the unbroken Strange run that stretched from January 1970 to December 1996, it represents the enduring editorial achievement of Editions Lug in keeping Marvel alive in France despite the censorship climate that had already killed two predecessor titles.
In "Et voici Terrex!", Daredevil faces a new kind of threat as Kerwin J. Broderick unleashes a wave of villains and declares his ambition to rule San Francisco—only to ambush DD and Moondragon with a ray gun. With his sight restored, DD struggles to fight effectively, forcing him to rely on Moondragon to blind him again just as Broderick unleashes the monstrous Terrex. Written by Steve Gerber and illustrated by Don Heck, with inks by Sal Trapani and colors by George Roussos, this 1978 issue features a striking cover by Jean Frisano.
In "Et voici Terrex!," Daredevil, newly restored to sight after a harrowing ordeal, finds his enhanced vision disrupts his combat instincts just as a new threat emerges. With Moondragon and the Widow by his side, DD must confront the monstrous Terrex—summoned by the villainous Kerwin J. Broderick—before the maniacal mastermind claims San Francisco.
In "Soudain... le Smasher!," Spidey faces off against the towering, destructive Smasher, who's tearing down a billboard for political candidate Richard Raleigh. When Pete Parker discovers his friends are backing Raleigh, he attends a rally—only to find the roof collapsing on the crowd as the Smasher’s rampage reaches a terrifying climax.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Strange was relaunched by Marcel Navarro and Claude Vistel after French censors forced the cancellation of Editions Lug's earlier Marvel magazines Fantask and Wampus, both of which folded after only six issues. Claude Vistel — Auguste Vistel's daughter — had personally brought back the idea of French Marvel translations after a 1968 trip to New York, and the Lyon-based publisher (its name derived from Lugdunum, the Gallo-Roman name for the city) shaped each issue around four complete reprinted stories with covers frequently provided as original painted artwork by French artist Jean Frisano. By mid-1978, the title had settled into a reliable rotating lineup of Spider-Man, Daredevil, Iron Man, and a rotating fourth feature — a format confirmed by adjacent issue records — making Strange #102 a textbook example of that mature editorial rhythm.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published 5 June 1978 (dépôt légal 06/1978) by Editions Lug, Lyon, France — part of the 'Collection Super Héros Lug' imprint.
- Confirmed reprint content includes Amazing Spider-Man #117 (translated as L'Araignée), per Grand Comics Database cross-reference data.
- The character index reflects the standard Strange rotating lineup: Spider-Man/Peter Parker stories (with supporting cast including Gwen Stacy, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, Norman Osborn, Tante May, Robbie Robertson), plus Daredevil/Matt Murdock, Iron Man/Tony Stark, and a Hulk or Captain Marvel feature.
- French localization conventions active in this era renamed Jean Grey as 'Strange Girl' or 'Phénix', Moondragon as 'Dragon Lune', the Black Widow as 'La Veuve Noire', and Spider-Man as 'L'Araignée' — reflecting Lug's house-style translation practice applied consistently across the run.
- Editions Lug was founded in 1950 by Marcel Navarro and Auguste Vistel; the company's Marvel line was initiated after Claude Vistel (Auguste's daughter) returned from New York in 1968 and negotiated the licensing deal.
- The issue was subsequently collected in Strange Album Relié N°34 (covering Strange #101–#103), published July 1978, giving the material a second print run in hardbound format.
- Covers for Strange in this period were painted originals (or recoloured adaptations) by French artist Jean Frisano, making the cover art editorially distinct from the US source material.
- Strange ran continuously from January 1970 to December 1996 for 324 issues, serving as the foundational vehicle through which an entire generation of French readers encountered Marvel's Bronze Age storytelling.
Cast · 40 characters
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Reprints
↩ Reprints Daredevil #83 (1972), The Amazing Spider-Man #116 (1973), The Amazing Spider-Man #117 (1973), Daredevil #106 (1973), Iron Man #100 (1977), Une Aventure de Conan #7 (1978), Titans #14 (1978), Une Aventure de l'Araignée #3 (1978), Nova #5 (1978), Spécial Strange #12 (1978), Strange #103 (1978)
Reprinted in Nova #5 (1978), Strange Spécial Origines #160 (1983)
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