Published: June, 1964
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Dick Ayers
Letters: Art Simek
In honor of our newly revamped Plantman, I’ve decided to approach this story in a “Clips and Quips” format. Imagine this story is a rose bush, and I’m clipping a few of the most beautiful flowers for a bouquet of outstanding moments. Some of these roses honor the artist, others the writer. Some are silly, others sublime, but it’s all working together in an exquisite arrangement of fun and fancy.
FOLIAGE MAKES THE MAN
In Strange Tales #113, Plantman was attacked by “vengeful plants,” and yet now he’s creating another ray-gun. My first thought is, “Will he never learn?” But this time, the plants do not turn on their master. No explanation is given, but I have a theory: Maybe the plants have developed a deeper respect for Plantman, due to his new costume?
LETTUCE ENTERTAIN YOU
In his second incarnation as Plantman, Sam Smithers devises a more dramatic, more organic, costume. Well, really, he has to, if he wants anyone to take him seriously. The green coat and hat simply weren’t screaming “Super-Villain!” Now he truly looks the part. However, the image of a giant head of lettuce cruising along in a blue convertible is also sort of hard to take seriously.
SO, WE MEET AGAIN!
When Plantman appears in Johnny’s room, in the grand Marvel tradition, Johnny announces him, with “PLANTMAN!!!” (three exclamation points) and then adds the ever-popular, “I should have guessed!!” I’m not sure why Johnny thinks he should have guessed. Last time they met, Plantman was shabbily dressed in a green coat and hat. But I guess when a giant head of lettuce flies through your bedroom window, Plantman is a good assumption.
THE FACE OF EVIL
Dick Ayers gives us a villain who, with a gleam in his eyes and a sneer on his lips, looks truly demented. As Johnny quips when the cops show up: “He looked better with the mask ON!” Agreed.
FROM TINY ACORNS…
We know Torch’s kryptonite is everyday H2O, but see how easily Plantman is able to put him out of commission with MOIST ACORNS. Really? Not cool. I hope Doctor Doom and Paste-Pot Pete don’t discover this secret weapon.
HOW COULD YOU FORGET?
And now for some quips! This story was truly amusing in parts, especially when Torch and Plantman exchange boasts. First, we have a back and forth bit I like to call, “You forget…”
Johnny: Too bad you forgot I can FLY!
Plantman: I didn’t forget! I was PREPARED for that!
And later:
Plantman: You forget—I’m still master of plants—and I have many more powerful allies…such as the CACTUS!
Johnny: YOU forgot something, too! I can STILL generate enough body heat to MELT their quills!
At this point, I’ve totally forgotten that once upon a time, Strange Tales was my least favorite of the Marvel comics. I’m having a blast!
SURPIRSE, SURPRISE!
Next, we get this delightful exchange of one-upsmanship:
Plantman: I’m too clever not to have left myself an OUT!
Johnny: You’re bluffing and you know it!
Plantman: Think so?? (and goes on to explain how he’s keeping Doris Evans captive)
Johnny: Plantman, have I got a surprise for YOU! I expected something like this, so… (and goes on to explain how Thing is guarding Doris)
MORE, PLEASE
This is great stuff! Last time we visited Plantman, I remarked that a villain who controls all the foliage on the planet could be a formidable force. I’ve gained a lot more respect for Plantman in this outing. Even though he’s arrested in the end, the last time we see him, he’s uttering that classic super villain promise, “You haven’t heard the last of me! This is only the beginning for Plantman!”
Oh, let’s hope.
“Witchcraft in the Wax Museum!”
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Art Simek
In our accompanying Doctor Strange story, there’s entirely too much ectoplasm flying around. It all begins when Strange gets a telephone call. I don’t know why, but the image of Dr. Strange, with his high collar, gloved hands, and severe widow’s peak, talking on a telephone strikes me as…dare I say it?…strange. People who regularly wear magical amulets should not be talking on telephones. I mean…whatever happened to good old-fashioned telepathy?
Strange decides to travel via his ectoplasmic self, so he can more quickly answer the telephoned summons for help. But arriving at the source of the call, he finds he’s been duped, lured into danger by a recording device.
So he returns home, only to find his old enemy Mordo has stolen his body! Seems if ectoplasmic and physical bodies remain separated for more than 24 hours, both will perish. Strange searches for his carefully hidden body, but Mordo slows him down with a series of ectoplasmic enemies, until only one hour remains. Talk about a sinking ship!
As the clock ticks down to disaster, Strange suddenly remembers that he can use his amulet to recreate the light waves of past events. I guess those ectoplasmic battles kept him so busy for so long, this vital piece of information escaped him…for 23 hours!!
But anyway…now that he’s got his wits about him, Strange aims the amulet, and follows the shadows of the past to the wax museum. With only ten minutes left to live, he finally finds his body. But Mordo has placed an impenetrable spell over it!
Now that Strange is thinking clearly (I guess he works best under pressure), he tricks Mordo into believing he has given up, and is going off to die quietly in a corner somewhere. But, as Strange leaves the premises…surprise! A wax figure warrior comes to life and captures Mordo. Physically bound and gagged, Mordo’s ectoplasmic self escapes.
Now here’s where it gets tricky.
The ectoplasmic rival forms of Strange and Mordo battle, and Mordo seems to win, but we quickly discover that was not REALLY ectoplasmic Strange fighting ectoplasmic Mordo. It was only “a figure image” of Strange’s ectoplasmic self. The REAL ectoplasmic Strange binds the ectoplasmic Mordo in what looks like a wad of foul chewing gum, so that he (ectoplasmic Strange) can return to his physical body.
Then Strange does that Noble Hero Thing. Though Mordo tried to kill him, and he now has his arch-rival in a position where he can put an end to all his dastardly deeds forever, he refuses, citing “for I have vowed never to take a life, no matter how deserving it may be of death!” Still, Strange makes another vow: he will keep ectoplasmic and physical Mordo separated for 23 hours, just to torment him.
That tormenting part is actually not so Noble. But I guess he’s trying to Teach Him a Lesson.
And, at last, as Strange disappears into the night with his cloak dramatically billowing around him, he boldly proclaims that “evil can never triumph over the force of good!”
What a show of bravado! But, I have to wonder: is it false bravado, or has Strange completely forgotten that he was within ten minutes of death? Does that mean nothing to him? Is Strange, like Daredevil, a man without fear? Or is he perhaps, only, a man without BRAINS?
If I were Strange, at this point I wouldn’t be walking away into the dead of night with my cape billowing dramatically around me, declaring that evil can never triumph over good. I would be taking a long, hard look at everything that just happened, just in case there might be a Lesson To Be Learned.
May I suggest: Do unto others before they do unto you?
When Strange had Mordo trapped in the chewing gum and allowed him to live, Mordo quickly predicted, “Your refusal to finish me will prove to be your undoing!” Well…it might. Or it might not. In the real world—yes, it would. But, being that we’re in a comic book world, and Strange is our hero, my money’s on “might not.”
Now, one of two things is going on here. Either, Strange is, in fact, a Noble Fool, correctly labeled by his arch-enemy Mordo, or…he’s keenly aware that he’s living in a comic book world, and so he decides to keep Mordo around, so he can toy with him, in further battles, which 
will be dramatically documented within the back pages of Strange Tales, allowing him further opportunities to walk off into the dead of night, spouting grandiose platitudes from behind his high collar and billowing cape.
Works for me.
But wait! Doctor Strange can’t head home and hang up his cape quite yet! One more adventure awaits him this month. So join me next time, when the good doctor’s mysticism mingles with the majesty of the sea and the finery of the four, in yet another star-studded adventure…right here in the Marvelous Zone!
| Want to read this comic on your computer? Marvel has a scan! Want to own the Human Torch story? Buy the Masterworks! Want to own the Doctor Strange story? Buy the Masterworks! |
“Unmasked By Dr. Octopus!”
“The Avengers Take Over!”
“Giants Walk the Earth!”
“The Torch Meets the Iceman!”
“The House of Shadows!”
“The Black Widow Strikes Again!”
“The Way It Began…”
“On the Trail of the Human Top!”
“The Gypsy’s Secret!”
to think it through, they would realize the Hopper could easily hop over and escape the crowd, on his own. This guy doesn’t need their help.
So, while Professor X can be proud of his kids, it seems there’s one kid who maybe shouldn’t be so proud of her parents. As soon as the group returns from Santo Marco (X-Men #4), the doorbell rings, and it’s Jean’s parents, popping in for a visit. Quick! Everyone! Out of those “costumes”! Pick up a book and act like you’re an ordinary student! Oh hi, Mom, hi, Dad. Yeah, our teacher’s out of town, I’m just hanging around here with all my MALE classmates in this big old house…no adult supervision…
But for someone who has such awesome power and overwhelming ego, it’s sad that the best “team” he can assemble is so rag-tag. With their constant bickering, these mutants are more comical than evil. Surely the mighty Magneto can do better than this! Or, are there such slim pickin’s among the evil mutant community?
Now, let’s spend a moment talking about Mastermind. Sigh… Mastermind. What a misnomer! Sure, he can conjure powerful illusions, but other than this, he’s pretty much worthless. For one thing, he gets drawn into petty arguments that take up way too many panels. For another, it’s more than hinted that Mastermind considers himself Magneto’s equal—and of course, Magneto’s having none of that. 
Now, a moment with Toad. Oh, Toad…so disturbingly like an abused spouse, it’s uncomfortable to watch him. He’s obviously in love with Magneto, and Magneto treats him like crap. But I can almost understand why. Those aforementioned squabbles–Toad is always right in the middle of them. Toad is always ready to tattle on his evil mutant brothers. He has no redeeming qualities, and even his superpower (he can jump really high and really far) is not all that impressive. If even a fraction of Toad’s devotion to Magneto was replaced with an equal amount of brains, he might become a force to be reckoned with. Right now, he’s just comic relief. 
Thor suggests they disband since they all have “personal matters to attend to.” We can only imagine that for Thor, those “personal matters” are likely to include further strategizing on how to get father Odin to approve his marriage to the love of his life, Jane Foster. 
visits to entertain orphans?). But thank goodness, we aren’t reminded of THAT on a constant basis, as well!
Captain America fares a little better during his off time. He’s attached himself to his pseudo-Bucky-buddy, Rick Jones, and through him, the entire Teen Brigade. Here Cap is in his element, entertaining and coaching American youth with heavy-handed messages about “why it’s so vitally important to eat the right foods and get plenty of exercise and eight hours of sleep!”
Meanwhile, Ant-Man and Wasp have slipped back into their routine, which involves playful bickering and obsessing over isotope action in an ant hill. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.
may help her tyrannical parent, General “Thunderbolt” Ross, “feel differently about you… about us!” (Incidentally, in this issue, I finally figure out how General Ross got the nickname “Thunderbolt”: is there EVER a time when this guy is not YELLING at someone??)
As they approach the Living Rock, Iron Man decides to go in first, because his armor will protect him from radiation. But when he finds the heat of the Lava Men unbearable, he pulls back, and the heartier Thor takes up the mantle.
It’s all so terribly inconvenient. And dramatic. But that’s not the point, and anyway, it doesn’t matter. Because what happens next? 
With Thor missing in action, the remaining Avengers have tricked the disgruntled former Avenger into saving the world of puny humans. Hulk isn’t even a functioning member of the group, but the others know how to push his buttons and make him do what they need him to do. 
But there won’t be time for practice any time soon! This story ends with the Teen Brigade sending a “Condition Red” emergency notice, and so another adventure starts before the Avengers even have a chance to take a breath. Kind of reminds me of Quantum Leap, where at the end of every episode, Sam would time-travel to his next assignment. Sam’s customary “Oh, boy!” is here translated into Iron Man’s final panel exclamation of “Let’s go!!”
