STRANGE TALES #132

“The Sinister Space Trap!”
Story: Larry Ivie
Pencils: Bob Powell
Inks: Mickey Demeo
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
NASA asks Torch to pose as an astronaut to investigate one of their scientists, Professor Jack, who has been classified a security risk. Upset over a recent argument with Johnny, Doris asks Ben to give him a message, and he agrees to track down Johnny. Jack sees through the heroes’ disguise and traps Thing in a vise, while sending Torch on a sabotaged spaceflight. They both escape their traps and converge in time to capture Jack. Ben delivers Dorrie’s message, and Johnny picks her up for a date.

WHAT’S HOT
FAN FICTION. Russ let me in on a little background: writer Larry Ivie was not part of the Marvel bullpen; rather, he was one of the first people from the comic book fan community to write for Marvel. How cool is that?

PHOTOBOMB. Dorrie’s comical bulldog gave me a chuckle and reminded me of this:

ART IMITATES ART. Russ and I have begun watching Seinfeld as part of our “Comedy Tonight” series, so when I heard the obviously made-up name of Dr. Josiah Verpooten, of course I thought of Art Vandelay.

CONNECT THE DOTS, MAN, PART 1. Dorrie begs Thing to intercede on her behalf after her argument with Johnny. Thing uses this “good excuse” to visit the NASA lab, and gets involved in the action. I love it that soap opera intersects with the adventure story in such an integral way!

WHAT’S NOT
CONNECT THE DOTS, MAN, PART 2. Professor Jack is not entirely convinced Johnny as “Doug Brown” is going to be a good assistant: he’s too young. Suspicions have been aroused. Later, when Torch is left alone in the room, Jack returns to a “burning smell”…and yet still doesn’t suspect who Johnny really is. All this, despite the fact that Johnny is a well-known superhero. Does Jack never read the papers or watch TV? How can he be so scientifically smart, and yet so unobservant and clueless?

A WOMAN’S PLACE IS NOT IN SPACE. Mr. Pearson from NASA eliminates Sue from any possibility of carrying out the mission because “Of course we don’t want the notoriety of a GIRL astronaut.” But Russia already had female cosmonauts as early as 1963—why wouldn’t NASA want to keep up in the race to space? And by the way, if a GIRL astronaut is qualified, but bad optics, why not simply let her do the job invisible?

“Do you realize this is the 113th time you’ve stood me up?”
— Dorrie Evans

“Face-to-Face at Last With Baron Mordo!”
Story: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Back in the United States, Doctor Strange enters his Sanctum Sanctorum, only to find that Mordo has staioned a minion within to capture him. At that moment, hidden in a cave, the Ancient One frets that only the mysterious Eternity can help Strange. Disguising himself as a novice, Strange surprises and overpowers the minion, but he realizes too late that Mordo has set a trap and now knows where he is. Aided by Dormammu’s mystic power, Mordo attacks and forces Strange into a stygian void.

WHAT’S HOT
HOME SWEET HOME. Dr. Strange refers to his bachelor pad in Greenwich Village as a “retreat,” a “sanctum,” and also his “domain.” Geez. The rest of us merely live in houses and apartments. But I’m not surprised. Read on…

POETRY. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: some of the language in the Dr. Strange scripts is pure poetry. Up for your consideration, as Mordo revels in the power of Dormammu: “Bathe me in the glow of your eerie radiance!” Perfect. Also a little weird.

WHAT’S NOT
CODE OF THE HONORABLE VILLAIN. Dormannu will not attack Earth because he made an oath to Dr. Strange. How inconvenient. And how to get around it? Well, that’s easy, simply kill Dr. Strange! Apparently in the world of super-villains, committing murder is not a problem, but breaking an oath…well, we can’t have that! Sigh…makes me think of that TV commercial with the old ladies unfriending each other on Facebook: That’s not how this works! That’s not how any of this works!

THE GIRL WITH THE CRAZY WHITE HAIR. She’s baaaack! Previously saw her in Strange Tales #126, and now here she is again, but it sadly strikes me here that she looks very much like every other Ditko female character I’ve ever seen…except, of course, for that crazy white hair.

“I dare not let him crush me!
My own life is of no value—but I cannot abandon mankind!”
— Doctor Strange

TALES OF SUSPENSE #65

“The Red Skull Strikes!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Chic Stone
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
The Red Skull, a Nazi agent, assaults Maj. Croy and erases his memory, in an attempt to give the German military time to conquer Europe. Cap and Bucky investigate, and follow the Skull’s agents to their hideout. They fight, but the Skull escapes behind a hidden steel door. Later, aircraft tycoon Maxon watches the army test his new plane, which crashes. Suspicious, Cap discovers the Skull attacking the General. Cap unmasks the Skull, to reveal Maxon. In a moment of carelessness, the Skull escapes again.

WHAT’S HOT
GENERATION GAP. This issue introduces Golden Age super-villain the Red Skull to the readers of Marvel’s Silver Age. Dads remember the Red Skull, and now their sons know him too. Potential for some real father/son bonding!

WHAT’S NOT
STYLIN’? On the splash Stan declares “we wrote it in the style of the 1940’s.” Having gone back to the 1940’s to read the original Captain America origin story, I was looking forward to a stylin’ experience. But alas, I was disappointed. Of course, it’s a story set in 1941, so the clothing, vehicles, and such are decade-appropriate, but that’s to be expected. Other than that, the most “style” I picked up was that apparently guys back then liked to call each other “birds” and “yardbirds.”

I SHOULD HAVE GUESSED. In many of the comics I’m reading lately, I keep hearing some version of “I should have guessed!” Which is really starting to annoy me. When spoken by our heroes, it does not speak well. It makes them sound ill-equipped, unaware and unprepared. Sure, it humanizes them to some extent, but personally, I prefer heroes who HAVE guessed.

DUMB AND DUMBER? What kind of criminal is dumb enough to write his “hit list” on a pad of paper, then even dumber to drop it at the feet of…the very next person on the list! Hold on. Wait. Maybe I’m the one that’s being dumb here? Maybe this was all done for intimidation?

“He strikes with the force of a panzer division!”
— Red Skull

“When Titans Clash!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Mickey Demeo
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
Seeking to give Pepper and Happy some time alone together, Tony announces that he is leaving for a visit to his midwestern plant, but both of them are disappointed they are not joining him. Later, while Tony oversees a missile test, a small-time hood breaks into Tony’s office and discovers his Iron Man armor. Using the armor, he goes on a crime spree. Tony suits up in his original, golden plated armor. Although at a distinct disadvantage, Tony goads the criminal into mistakes, and defeats him.

WHAT’S HOT
AND THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS… If a two-bit hood like Weasel Wills can become proficient as Iron Man in a matter of days, why do we need Tony Stark? Oh yeah, because it’s the quality of the man inside the suit that matters. Point taken.

HECK, THAT’S GOOD ART! Don Heck draws good-looking people. Just sayin’…

WHAT’S NOT
This story is little more than a fight wrapped in a thin layer of soap opera. The real value is in the cover image concept: Iron Man fights Iron Man—but once you get past that, there’s not much here.

I WONDER…
What might Happy be thinking when Stark says he will not need his chauffeuring services on his upcoming trip? Is he maybe thinking Stark is planning to phase him out, then fire him completely, so he (Stark) can spend all his time with Pepper? We know that’s not the case, but Happy could be thinking it, and if he is, well then…I guess he’s not too happy about it. But then, when is he ever, right?

“I’m doing this to give them a chance to be together…
even though it’s torture to me!”
— Tony Stark

X-MEN #11

“The Triumph of Magneto!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Chic Stone
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
When a mysterious new entity arrives in New York, Magneto offers him membership in the Brotherhood. Before the stranger can answer, the X-Men arrive, eager to foil Magneto’s plans. In the ensuing battle, Quicksilver is injured. When he recovers, Pietro and Wanda vow to abandon Magneto’s cause. Meanwhile, the stranger teleports away, allowing Magneto & Toad to join him. The stranger reveals that he’s not a mutant, but…a Stranger, and takes them captive to his home planet.

WHAT’S HOT
I GOT YOU COVERED! As soon as I saw the cover of this issue, I knew I had a contender for the Best Cover category for my next installment of The Marvelous Awards! (link to last year’s cover category) I love that there are so many characters, so little verbiage, and the gray background…well, hold on. I’ll save my explanations for when it matters.

THREE LITTLE WORDS. Magneto introduces himself to the Stranger with “I am…POWER!” and immediately I’m thinking, is there any phrase more befitting of a super-villain? Those three little words tell us all we need to know about how Magneto sees himself.

WANDA & PIETRO. This is the first time I’m seeing Wanda and Pietro in the comics since we started watching WandaVision, and in a way it felt like coming back home to old friends. I was pleased to see that they finally plan to leave Magneto. Been waiting for that to happen for at least a few issues now.

DISBANDING. Of course, Wanda and Pietro quitting the band is only the beginning. By the end of this issue, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants appears ka-put. When this becomes apparent, Scott wonders if there is still any need for the X-Men. The Professor sets him straight right away, and good thing, because…wait, there’s more!!

OH BOY! The Narrator calls it a “turning point,” as new and greater danger appears on the bottom of the last page. I was actually surprised that the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants had such a short stay in the Marvel Universe (though I’m not yet prepared to say we won’t ever see them again…) Still, moving so quickly from one threat to another, and at practically the last possible moment in this story, seemed a bit jarring. I won’t lie to you: with this storytelling device, my thoughts immediately flew to Quantum Leap. (link)

WHAT’S NOT
SPELT? Weirdos is spelled “wierdos” here. Now I’m not the best speller in the world, but that struck me as a bit…weird…

ONE BRIEF MICRO-SECOND. I might be nit-picking, but I don’t think there’s any need to qualify a micro-second as “brief.” It’s kind of implied. But this phrase does exemplify the problem with any form of written communication—things happen faster than we can read them. I guess Stan is just trying to give the micro-second a literary boost.

SOAP BUBBLES. All the soap opera in this story is neatly contained in several of Jean’s thought bubbles. We have too much going on here to take time to commiserate with the lovesick female, but those few soap bubbles are keeping the soap opera alive for future issues.

“Let us sally forth and slay some dragons!”
— Beast

FANTASTIC FOUR #38

“Defeated by the Frightful Four!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Chic Stone
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
While the Fantastic Four relax at the Baxter Building, the Frightful Four plot their next attack. The next day, following Wizard’s plan, Medusa and the Trapster abduct Sue, and the villains issue a challenge to the FF. Wizard and his cohorts leave Sue in a room with a Q-Bomb on a Pacific atoll. Then they strafe the Baxter Building and lure Reed, Ben and Johnny to the atoll, where a battle ensues. The villains escape and detonate the bomb. Sue saves them with a force field, but the explosion leaves them unconscious.

WHAT’S HOT
TIL PART 1. Sometimes reading Marvel Comics is good for my vocabulary. Today I Learned that an “atoll” is a ring-shaped island. Who knew? Well, I do…NOW.

TIL PART 2. Here’s some more vocabulary, though admittedly it turns out to be Italian: Fumetti. When the FF are looking at Reed’s enlarged photos from the Skrull planet, Johnny quips, “I’ll bet we could make a few bucks selling this one to Monsters to Laugh With.” I had no idea what this was all about, but Russ explained it’s a reference to a Marvel fumetti in which photos of movie monsters are accompanied by humorous word balloons. Apparently “fumetti” is the Italian word for “word balloons.”

SUE SAVES THE DAY. Sue’s force-field is stronger than the force of a Q-Bomb. Of course, we can’t debate whether or not that’s even possible, because there is no such thing as a Q-Bomb (at least not back in 1965), but use of the word “bomb” after a letter, and the fact that the Fearsome Four thought this would destroy the Fantastic Four makes us suspect a Q-Bomb must be pretty powerful. But apparently, Sue is more powerful.

UPGRADE PART 1. The Wizard is now calling himself the “Wingless Wizard,” which is notably a bit more descriptive, but more importantly, we see that his anti-gravity power now gives his entire crew the ability to fly in his wake.

WHAT’S NOT
UPGRADE PART 2. Paste Pot Pete gets tired of being teased, so now he has a new name, and a new costume, but really, his power is still…well…it’s paste.

SPANKING. During the introductory hi-jinx and shenanigans, Thing takes Sue over his knee and spanks her. That’s just wrong, on so many levels. I’m not even going to talk about it.

HAIR TODAY, HAIR TOMORROW… In the previous issue, Sue’s hair is significantly shorter. Jack Kirby illustrates both, so a change of artist doesn’t explain the inconsistency. Unless two to four months have passed since they got back from the Skrull planet, or the stories are being told non-sequentially, how does Sue now have such a cute little flip? Extensions? Minoxidil? Super-powered Dippity-Do? Or, has Sue herself developed a new super-power? Oh wait…that’s Medusa…

DON’T TRY THAT WITH MY GIRL! Ben commiserates with Reed about Sue being abducted, saying, “If anyone ever tried to harm Alicia…” and I’m thinking, “But, wait: hasn’t that already happened? Like…multiple times?” What do you mean “ever tried”??

TRAPSTER. On the splash, Stan promises to “introduce” an “unpredictable” villain, but it turns out to be nothing more than Paste Pot Pete in a more subdued costume. Stan’s the real Trapster here, luring us in with promises that don’t come true. Not only is there not a new villain, but the Fantastic Four don’t actually get “defeated” as the title suggests. They survive. Not that I’m disappointed (about them surviving, I mean; Paste Pot Pete, on the other hand…always disappointing), but I do feel kind of hoodwinked.

“See how my superior intelligence
makes me the undeniable master of you all!”
— Wizard

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #116

“The Trial of the Gods!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
As a means of telling which of his sons is lying to him, Odin decrees that Thor and Loki shall be sent to Skornheim, and the first to return to Asgard will be judged the truthful one. Stripped of Mjolnir, Thor uses only his cape and helmet to battle the giant Yagg the Slayer, but Loki uses enchanted stores that he smuggled with him to escape the snares of Skornheim, and emerges the victor. Meanwhile, on Midgard, Balder attempts to rescue Jane Foster from the clutches of the Executioner and Enchantress.

WHAT’S HOT
FIT FOR A KING. Odin’s bathrobe and slippers are…well…just look.

THE HUMAN SPIRIT. The common men on the street think they can take on the Executioner. At first I thought, “Isn’t that adorable?” but upon further consideration, I decided this was more along the lines of “There’s nothing we can’t do when we do it together.”

AND NOW FOR THIS COMMERCIAL MESSAGE… The Teen Brigade paves the way for a few brief advertisements of other Marvel titles. At first I thought, “What shameless self-promotion!” but upon further consideration, I decided this happens so often, there’s actually something charming and comforting about it.

CONVERGENCE. When the Frightful Four think Balder is Torch, they skedaddle. I love how these storylines intersect, reminding us that we live in a much bigger universe than we might be cognizant of, at any given moment.

WHAT’S NOT
MOLEHILLS OUT OF MOUNTAINS. Yagg appears with an unearthly blast that hurls Thor and Loki “like tenpins.” We’re talking about bowling, right? Extreme violence from mythical giants is like…bowling??

ALL KNOWING? ALL SEEING? How is it that Odin is unaware that Loki has the Norn Stones and is cheating? Isn’t Odin a “god”? He begins the proceedings with “the power of my omnipotence,” when the power of omniscience would have served him much better. But apparently he doesn’t have that. As Balder confirms when he muses, “Odin does not suspect the depths of treachery to which Loki can stoop.” I understand that no parent wants to believe the worst about their child (even if, as Thor notes in Avengers, “He is adopted”) but there comes a time when you don’t have to be a “god” to read the handwriting on the wall.

OFF ART. The whole time I was reading this issue, I just felt like there was something…off…about the artwork. It looked muddy, too many shadows, and really, what’s up with Enchantress’ hands? Ugh! She’s not going to enchant anyone with those paws until the artist goes back to anatomy class!

HANGER-ON. Why is Rick Jones at “a top priority meeting” of the Avengers? Why is he at ANY Avengers meetings??

“The Challenge!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Artie Simek

King Hymir’s elaborate headpiece fascinated me from the start. At first I thought it was just part of the peculiar fashion trends of this particular kingdom. (After all, his sister, Princess Rinda, appears to be wearing an outfit that is one half workout tights, another part fluffy bathrobe.) When it turns out that Hymir’s Grand Pooba “crown” is actually a source of enchantment, I was not as surprised as I think I was supposed to be.

Neither was I surprised that Loki was double-crossing the king. How predictable! Is there no end to his treachery??

“You trespass on our friendship, Balder!
None may disturb Odin while he takes his imperial bath!”
— Odin

TALES TO ASTONISH #67

“The Mystery of the Hidden Man and his Rays of Doom!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Bob Powell
Inks: Chic Stone
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Supramor’s agent Loko attacks Giant-Man with a green ray, in a failed attempt to transfer the Avenger’s size-changing power to his master. Loko escapes Giant-Man, but Hank brings Loko’s van to his lab for study. Later, he treats Jan to a surprise: a trained bee to transport her long distances. Supramor uses his ray to “untrain” the bee, which stings Jan. His ray then steals Giant-Man’s ability to shrink to ant-size. Supramor is defeated when an alien police force captures him and takes him away.

WHAT’S HOT
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD. On the splash we get: “This may not be the greatest story you’ve ever read, but we guarantee it’s one of the kookiest!” Something about the word “kookiest” instantly brought to mind Mad Magazine, which was in its heyday in the mid 1060’s.

IT’S A GROOVY WORLD. I believe “groovy” makes its first appearance here in Marvel Comics (if I’m forgetting an earlier usage, please let me know). In addition, the credit box on the splash gives us way-out, ring-a-ding, swingin’ and boss. Ah, the nostalgia!

AMISS/I MISS. When the villain keeps saying “the giant,” rather than Giant-Man, I’m wondering where exactly he’s from, that he doesn’t recognize who Giant-Man is. By the end of the story, when we learn that the Supreme One is actually an errant alien from WAAAAY out of town, now it all makes sense, and I feel quite proud of myself for picking up on that little clue. However, greater kudos to the Marvel Bullpen for creating a story compelling and “kooky” enough to make me forget all about my suspicions until the truth is finally revealed at the very end.

WHAT’S NOT
THAT AND THOSE. Pym suddenly remembers “that tweezers” that he can use to pull the bee stinger out of Wasp. THAT tweezers? Not “those”? Have I been saying it wrong all these years? Of course, he uses that tweezers when working on his stamp collection, something I’ve never done, so maybe in that context “that tweezers” makes sense?

NOT FASTER. Pym trains a bee for Wasp to ride so she can keep up with him, when he’s Giant-Man. Wasp specifically requests something to keep her from getting exhausted from trying to keep up when he’s “clipping along with those fifty-foot strides.” I’m finding conflicting information online regarding flight speeds for wasps and bees—however, most are clocking in anywhere from 7-14 mph. Let’s do the math: the average man, 6 feet tall, takes a 2-3 foot stride, and walks 3-4 miles per hour (when not hurrying). If Giant-Man gets to 100 feet tall and takes forty-foot strides, it stands to reason he’s traveling at a minimum of 50 mph. Of course, he would want to slow down and be extra careful not to step on anyone, but at the same time, he hasn’t grown to 100 feet tall just for the traffic up ahead—there must be a compelling reason, and that reason would no doubt make him want to hurry. Now let’s say that being careful and wanting to hurry cancel each other out—he’s still walking 50 mph, which is significantly faster than any insect’s 7-14 mph. So I call BS on a bee being a fast mode of transportation. I may have put WAY too much thought into this…

“Wheee! This is groovy!”
— Wasp

“Where Strides the Behemoth”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Steve Ditko
Inks: Frank Ray
Letters: Art Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
The Hulk literally dismantles a Soviet tank battalion, sending the soldiers scurrying, then leaps away to the Himalayas. While sleeping, he transforms into Banner, who is captured by Kanga Khan’s bandits. They intend to hold him for ransom from America, so the US sends Maj. Talbot to negotiate his release. When they escape during an attack from a rival clan, the ledge beneath them collapses, sending them plummeting through the air.

WHAT’S HOT
ART DOESN’T IMITATE ART. I always get a kick out of the credits box, and this time, they may have outdone themselves. The last one is always the punchline, and when I read “Lettering by Art Simek, who looks like the Hulk!” I just had to find out. I could only find one grainy old picture online, but judging by this, it’s obvious they were only joking. Not only does Art Simek not look anything like Hulk, he doesn’t even look like Bruce Banner! The closest I’ll allow is Bruce Banner’s uncle.

THE SOUND EFFECTS GUY IS WORKING OVERTIME. WHOMM! and KLANGGG! are to be expected, but I don’t believe I’ve ever before seen PYYOOM! RACCCKK! SKRAKK! WHUPPT! or BUH-WHAMM! Many KUUUUDOS! for a job well done.

CLIFFHANGER. Literally.

WHAT’S NOT
HALF & HALF. As it is, the writers only have half a book to tell their story, and half of that is wasted on laborious details of Hulk destroying the Commie tanks. That may appeal to some readers, but to me it’s just boooooring! And I’m left feeling cheated with only a quarter of the story I would have liked to read.

“Have you forgotten that all Americans are rich
beyond our poor imaginations?”
— unidentified bandit