STRANGE TALES #141: When Someone Tells You Who They Are…

Published: February, 1966

“Operation: Brain Blast!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Frank Ray
Letters: Sam Rosen

“Let There Be Victory!”
Plot: Steve Ditko
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Artie Simek

Talk about tying everything up with a bow! Both stories in this issue of Strange Tales are the final installment of a continuing plotline that has been ongoing for quite some time…and both come to an end in this very issue. But this is not the only way these two stories are alike. I first read SHIELD and noticed that Nick Fury, in his word balloons, kept revealing his character. And then when I read Doctor Strange, I noticed many other characters doing the same thing. Maya Angelou famously said, “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” This is often misquoted as “When someone tells you who they are…” but it works both ways. I guess you could say word balloons are one way comic book characters tell us who they are. So let’s take a look at what the characters in Strange Tales are telling us about themselves…either deliberately, or quite by accident.

NICK FURY TELLS US WHO HE IS

“When a gal saves your life, you kinda owe her somethin’!”
SHIELD is a relatively new title, and for those of us who haven’t read every issue of The Howling Commandos, we’re still learning a lot about Nick Fury. Much of his character is implicit in his appearance: the eye-patched, weathered look of a tough guy with broad shoulders and chin stubble assures us he is a “man’s man,” and a no-nonsense straight shooter. So I’m not at all surprised when he says, by way of explaining why he is facilitating an escape by Imperial Hydra’s daughter, “When a gal saves your life, you kinda owe her somethin’!” Fury is fine with following the rules…to a point. But when common sense and decorum demand a different course, he has no trouble going there. Especially when it comes to women. It only makes sense to treat a gal who’s treated you decently with the same amount of decency, rules be damned!

“Wotta pity! I’m worried sick about it!”
As Imperial Hydra’s daughter escapes down the side of the building in heavy suction boots Fury has graciously provided, Dum Dum takes a dim view of the proceedings, warning Fury that “the press’ll roast ya alive!” for letting her escape. Fury responds with a great big sarcastic, “Wotta pity! I’m worried sick about it!” Again, he shows that his priorities are in the right place. The “press” may have a great deal of power, but Fury is not one to shrink back from doing what he believes is right, simply because the Fourth Estate may paint a less than flattering picture of him. In fact, from Fury’s attitude here, he clearly doesn’t have a positive opinion of the press. Someone who’s read more Howling Commandos than I have might know if my impression is justified. Or is it simply the juicily dripping sarcasm of his “Wotta pity!” that makes me think this? Either way, the point is well taken.

“I’m gonna dig into the biggest T-bone I can find, and then I’m gonna hit the sack fer a week!”
When the adventure of these last few issues is finally over, Fury’s only plan is to “dig into the biggest T-bone I can find, and then…hit the sack fer a week!” I absolutely love this proclamation confirming what an alpha male Nick Fury really is—as if we didn’t already know! Steak and Sleep—and in a less G-rated comic he would surely have mentioned another “S” about bedding a broad. Then the picture would be complete.

“That’s just a fancy name for…mind readin’!”
If this keeps up, I’m quickly going to become a big fan of Nick Fury’s speech patterns. As is common throughout Marvel Comics, many new inventions and concepts are given cutting-edge names. In this issue we have a “Brainwave Stimulator,” “Rocket Pistol,” “Scramble Helmet” and “Alarm Waves.” But when Fury hears about “Operation Brain Blast,” he bursts out with “That’s just a fancy name for…mind readin’!” Did I not just mention he’s a no-nonsense kind of guy? Tell it like it is, Nick!

IMPERIAL HYDRA TELLS US WHO HE IS

“I wore padded robes…built up shoes! I did it to IMPRESS you!”
We can’t always rely on villains telling the truth, but in a moment of extreme duress, sometimes it comes out anyway, almost despite themselves. Case in point: Imperial Hydra. Without his padded robe and “built up shoes,” this evil leader is unrecognizable, even by his own men, who see him as an imposter and kill him.

Imperial Hydra is phony. He’s playing a part, not really telling us who he is, until his situation is so dire, he has nothing left to lose. “Imperial Hydra” was only an act, a show, theater. Ironically, he suffers dire consequences for that deception.

IMPERIAL HYDRA’S DAUGHTER TELLS US WHO SHE IS

“You thought you were giving me the world! …when all I ever wanted was merely…you!”
I don’t know if we will again see Imperial Hydra’s daughter after she takes her fateful suction-booted walk down the outside of the building, but before she goes, in a single speech she manages to tell us everything we need to know about her. Yes, she is a decent person. She was never on board with any of this Hydra business. And it is only once her father lies dying in her arms that she cries out in sorrow, “Dad!…I know that you did it for me! In your strange, twisted, pitiful blindness, you thought you were giving me the world! …when all I ever wanted was merely…you!”

How sad. For her. And for her father. This young woman’s heart is good and pure. We’ve known this almost from the moment we first met her, and so does Fury. She did everything she could to help the good guys, and deserves to escape. So, even though we know the father she grieves was the leader of a horrible cult of villainy, we still feel her anguish at suddenly losing her beloved parent.

One thing I can always depend on in a Doctor Strange story is some entertainingly overblown dialogue, that strikes me as Shakespearean. This issue does not disappoint, and there are plenty of good word balloons where the characters reveal who they really are.

THE ANCIENT ONE TELLS US WHO HE IS

“My son!”
The Ancient One seems to be transmitting his thoughts to Doctor Strange as he thinks, “My years of training…the faith I had in you…was not in vain, my son!” Yes, the Ancient One is primarily a sensei to Stephen Strange—at least that is how he mainly identifies himself. But at this moment, he’s more than that. When the supreme test comes for his young pupil, the Ancient One swells with pride and affection, calling Strange “my son.” A kind of fatherly love fills the moment, no doubt giving Strange an enhanced sense of self-confidence as he undertakes the momentous task at hand.

DOCTOR STRANGE TELLS US WHO HE IS

“If you refuse, it means you fear me…!”
Though Doctor Strange is strong, in many ways he is more wise than strong, and at a pivotal moment he wisely realizes mere strength, either magical or physical, will not be enough to conquer the powerful Dormammu. But Strange has brains, street smarts, cunning, and quickly comes up with another strategy to secure the victory.

Doctor Strange uses reverse psychology on Dormammu to trick him into agreeing to a reprise of their hand-to-hand combat, goading him with “If you refuse, it means you fear me…!” Of course, Dormammu takes the bait. Then Strange hustles him, pretending to “stumble” so Dormammu will be duped into excessive confidence. Once Strange’s trap is laid…Dormammu falls right into it! Game over! (At least for the moment…)

MORDO TELLS US WHO HE IS

“At last I have a chance to redeem myself in the eyes of Dormammu!”
We have to go back to the previous issue where Mordo hatches his cheating scheme to pick up the line, “At last I have a chance to redeem myself in the eyes of Dormammu!” In this issue however, after he’s struck Strange with a spell that hands Dormammu the victory, Mordo gloats, “I saved you, Dormammu!”

Mordo anticipates an outpouring of gratitude for his timely assist, but obviously, he hasn’t been paying attention. I mean, honestly, what was Mordo thinking? You don’t have to be a wizard to know Dormammu would not be pleased. You just have to be a little less sycophantic and self-absorbed.

DORMAMMU TELLS US WHO HE IS

“You…bungling, talentless, powerless mortal…merely a tool of mine, a hireling!”
As I’ve already pointed out, even though a villain can be counted on to embellish, exaggerate, and flat out falsify, sometimes, in a moment of extreme aggravation, they let the truth slip out. Dormammu’s honor has been irreparably insulted by Mordo’s pandering interference, and in a fit of rage, Dormammu lets loose with uncontrollable fury. He’s tolerant, as long as the minion suits his needs, but the moment that line is crossed, Dormammu drowns poor Mordo in a heaping helping of what he really thinks about him.

“I must think, and scheme, and brood!”
Still furious about losing to Strange, Dormammu beats himself up for being such a showoff, noting he could have easily won if he hadn’t insisted on hand-to-hand combat. Now he is honor bound to keep his promise not to try to conquer earth. But…what we see here is that though Dormammu possesses the admirable quality of Honor we sometimes oddly find in a villain, he is still villainous enough to seek some wiggle room. This will require thinking, scheming…even “brooding.” These words paint a robust picture of a villain unable to give up his completely villainous ways. Maybe he better call Saul…

After all his thinking, scheming and brooding, Dormammu at last settles on a new plan to destroy his arch-enemy, Doctor Strange. Remember, Strange was never part of the deal; Dormammu only promised not to try to conquer earth. Another thing that was not part of the deal was the release of his prisoner, the Girl with the Crazy White Hair. Now, in a brilliant turnabout, he plans to use his hostage as a pawn to bait the noble Strange into attempting a rescue. MWAHAHAHA!

THE GIRL WITH THE CRAZY WHITE HAIR TELLS US WHO SHE IS…
BUT WHO IS SHE??

“My heart rejoices at the incredible victory of Dr. Strange!”
The Girl with the Crazy White Hair does not tell us who she is, except when she says “My heart rejoices at the incredible victory of Dr. Strange!” But we already knew this about her—she’s 100% Team Strange. However, what I’m finding increasingly frustrating about this title, is that with as many appearances as we’ve had by this character, we still don’t know her NAME. And frankly, I’m getting tired of referring to her as “The Girl with the Crazy White Hair.” It’s awkward.

But in this issue, Strange gives this girl a new moniker; in essence, he tells us who she is: “The Brave Girl.” Bravo for the Brave Girl! Because she is, in fact, brave. And loyal. And, if I had to guess, perhaps a little enamored of the dashing, fascinating Doctor Strange. So, from this point forward, I’ll refer to her as “The Brave Girl” whenever necessary. At least until the writers have the decency to christen this brave girl with an actual name, thus telling us who she is.

Waiting…