Strange #126
Strange #126 (Éditions Lug, June 1980) delivers the French debut of Bullseye — called 'Le Tireur' in Lug's translation — a character who would grow into one of Daredevil's most defining adversaries; the issue includes his origin, making it the single place where French readers first encountered him. Simultaneously, the Iron Man chapter sits squarely inside the celebrated 'Demon in a Bottle' run by David Michelinie and John Romita Jr., delivering a multi-villain confrontation and a UN-set cliffhanger that collectors and critics have long singled out as one of the era's sharpest single-issue hooks. The issue also belongs to the double-episode Spider-Man window (issues 123–132) that Lug ran specifically to synchronise its chronology with the American publication schedule — a rare structural experiment in French comics publishing. As a result, Strange #126 packs more narrative and character-historical weight into one pocket-format issue than almost any of its neighbours in the run.
In "Gare au Tireur... il ne rate jamais sa cible !", Spider-Man is caught between a relentless new Spider-Slayer robot and the unpredictable, density-shifting powers of Will-o'-the-Wisp, all while chasing a lead on a secret Jonah Jameson might be hiding. Written by Len Wein and illustrated by Ross Andru with inks by Mike Esposito, this 1980 issue delivers a tense, high-stakes clash of tech and mystery. The cover, by Jean Frisano, captures the moment of confrontation with sharp, dynamic flair.
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Éditions Lug, the Lyon-based publisher founded in 1950 by Marcel Navarro and Auguste Vistel, launched Strange in January 1970 as France's primary vehicle for translated Marvel Comics after earlier titles (Fantask, Marvel) were cancelled under French censorship laws targeting publications aimed at youth. By 1980 the magazine was at the peak of its commercial and creative reach, with a thriving stable of companion titles including Titans, Nova, and Spidey. Strange routinely applied Lug's house editorial policy of self-censorship — removing violent imagery and occasionally entire panels — to comply with French youth-publication regulations, a practice that distinguished it from its American source material but also protected it from the fate of its predecessors. Issue #126 appeared during a deliberate editorial manoeuvre in which Strange ran two Spider-Man episodes per issue (from #123 to #132) to close a continuity gap between Lug's schedule and Marvel's original American release order.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First French-language appearance of Bullseye (called 'Le Tireur'), scripted by Marv Wolfman with art by Bob Brown, including his origin story — a landmark moment for French Daredevil readers.
- Iron Man story scripted by David Michelinie, drawn by John Romita Jr., part of the 'Demon in a Bottle' arc: Iron Man defeats Blizzard, Le Fondeur (the Melter/Bruno Horgan), and L'Homme au Fouet (Whiplash/Marco Scarlotti) before a dramatic incident at the United Nations.
- Spider-Man section presents two episodes by Len Wein (script) and Ross Andru (art), featuring J. Jonah Jameson's new Anti-Spider-Man construct and the debut appearance of the enigmatic villain 'Feu Follet'.
- Strange #126 falls in the window (issues 123–132) when Lug ran a double Spider-Man episode format per issue to synchronise chronological continuity with the American Amazing Spider-Man publication schedule.
- The issue was subsequently collected in Recueil #42 (album binding issues #125–#127), published January 1981 by Éditions Lug.
- Published at the height of what historians describe as Éditions Lug's golden era (late 1970s–early 1980s), when its French-language Marvel line was at peak popularity alongside original Lug superhero titles like Photonik, Mikros, and Ozark.
- Éditions Lug systematically applied editorial censorship (removing weapons, violent sound effects, and panels) to all Strange content to comply with French youth-publication law — some alterations to the source Iron Man and Daredevil material in this issue may reflect that practice.
- The characters Photonik (created by Ciro Tota) and Mikros (created by Jean-Yves Mitton) are indexed for this issue; both debuted in Mustang #54 (June 1980), the same month Strange #126 appeared, as part of Lug's own original 'Sup'Héros' universe.
Cast · 40 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Jameson attacks Spidey with his new Spider-Slayer robot. Trying to dig up info that Jonah supposedly has on Spider-Man, Spidey runs across the strange density manipulating powers of Will-o'-the-Wisp. When the Spider-Slayer arrives on the scene, Spidey finds himself facing two baddies at once.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
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