JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #120: It’s…Complicated…

Posted on May 1, 2022 by Chrissy

Published: September, 1965

“With My Hammer in Hand…!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Artie Simek
“Set Sail!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Artie Simek

Russ and I watch a lot of TV. At least it seems like a lot to me, because before I met him, I lived for many years without broadcast television, only watching DVD movies on my enormously huge box TV (Remember those from the early 2000’s?). It was partially an artistic decision, but really more a financial consideration because…well, never mind, now I’m really making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be.

But that’s my point. Life is complicated. Stories are complicated. And now, it turns out, even comics are complicated. At least, this issue of Journey Into Mystery made me excessively aware of how very complicated the Marvel Universe is getting, as early as the latter part of 1965.

GET YOUR STORY STRAIGHT!
As if to set the scene for my Complications Thesis, the cover of this issue represents the title as “In My Hand This Hammer!” But turn the page to the splash, and what do we see? “With My Hammer In Hand!” Why?? Does the cover artist not consult with the splash artist? And aren’t they actually the same artist? For what possible reason is there no consistency in the title, unless it’s specifically to let the readers know that “Hey! This is not the straight-forward single story Marvel Universe you’ve been used to! Now, it’s starting to get a lot more complicated…”

MOVING RIGHT ALONG…
For the last issue of Journey Into Mystery, I joked about why Thor would choose Earth of all places to repair his hammer, but indeed, here he heads straight to “the great blast furnaces of Pittsburgh!” Then, in the first panel, he triumphantly exclaims, “There! It is done!” It’s almost like the writers were simply tired of the problems they had laden him with in the last issue, and were anxious to now laden him with a whole new set of problems.

But before we get to Thor’s new problems, we briefly see him in the forest, surrounded by birdies and bunny rabbits. I almost feel I’m in a 1960’s Disney musical cartoon! But don’t get too comfortable. That’s just about as simple and tranquil as this story is going to be. After this, it really starts to get complicated.

As you may remember from last time, Thor now has one job: to get the Norn stones back to Odin. But immediately, he carelessly lets one slip away. The Narrator blames the “ancient” pouch, but I’m blaming the writers. Surely they are leaving that stone on planet Earth as a way of planting a seed for further chaos down the road.

When Thor gets back to Asgard and hands the stones over to Odin, neither seem to notice the missing stone. So, not going there, at least not yet. Turns out this story is going to be about something else.

And to some degree, this story is about Loki.

And I have to begin by asking…why does Thor insist that Loki “cannot HELP the evil he perpetrates”? Why does he feel compelled to give Loki “a pass”? In the very next panel, Loki refers to himself as “the god of evil,” then speaks of himself the same way again, later in the story. Clearly Loki hasn’t learned anything, is not repentant; he’s just going to go on being the god of evil. We know it, and Thor should know it too. Odin sees this as “nobility” on Thor’s part, but I think it’s stupidity, setting them all up for further complications.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE OFFICE…
When Thor returns to Dr. Blake’s office after being absent for several months, what did he think he would find? Did he really think all his patients would be patiently waiting for him? Sure, Blake asked Jane to arrange for some other doctor to fill in temporarily, but that doctor also has his own practice, so he would have been stretching himself thin, not able to give Blake’s patients all the attention they deserve. Here, as in most cases, the natural consequence of leading a double life is that at least one of those lives will suffer.

CH-CH-CH-CHANGES
So Blake has been out of the loop in his earthly job, and Thor has also been out of touch regarding his superhero buddies. When Thor is surprised to see the new Avengers in Avengers Headquarters, it reminds us how long he’s been gone. He calls out, “Quicksilver! The Scarlet Witch! Hawkeye!” in what I like to call an “announcement,” and this one is epic, not only because there are three, but Hawkeye’s glib reply, “Go to the head of the class, curly! You got all the names right!” is cocky and priceless. Wonder how Thor feels about this treatment from the new Avengers, whom he has always regarded as villains?

Things are changing so fast in Thor/Blake’s world, he simply can’t keep up! He doesn’t even know this yet, but we do…at least we know something, but not everything, because we see Blake’s beloved Jane Foster with a mystery man. While she is pining for her dear doctor, a shadowy figure on the wall speaks of future menace for the devoted nurse. What in the world is going on with Jane Foster?? We only have time to devote two panels to this side story, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this develop over the next several issues.

FULL PLATE
So: good guy meets bad guy, fights bad guy, wins, and incidentally, a smattering of unrequited love—next story, please? Those days are over! Let’s review, shall we?

  • There’s trouble in Asgard with Loki
  • The Norn stone have been accidentally dropped on Earth
  • Dr. Blake’s medical practice is not as robust as it once was
  • Thor unceremoniously meets the new Avengers
  • Who is with Jane Foster and why does she appear so unhappy?

These stories are getting longer and more complicated, incorporating more and more elements from previous issues. Twice, Stan feels compelled to remind the reader what happened before, once saying “Remember?” and another time calling himself “Helpful Stan.”

I realize of course this new practice of getting away from the episodic in favor of multi-issue stories has been going on for a while now. Dr. Strange has been at it for almost a year, and in FF, at least the last five issues are all connected. In fact, it’s interesting to look at the Hulk stories over the last eight months and see the very clear visual connection between the last panel of one story and the splash/first panel of the next. Honestly, all in all, we have pretty much abandoned the episodic format.

So, without even fully realizing it, I’ve been experiencing more complicated storylines for some time now, but there was something about this story that made me sit up, take notice and say, “Wow! That’s…complicated!!”

In addition to the complications within this single title, we now also are beginning to see that each of these titles is interacting with other titles, and in very specific ways. A short time ago, the FF might make an appearance in X-Men, or Dr. Strange shows up briefly to help Thor, but those guest appearances could have happened at any time. Now, specific events in one story work their way into another story. For instance, this question: if the Avengers should show up for a cameo, which set of Avengers will it be? Can’t be the “old” Avengers, unless it’s a story that takes place in the past.

And now, as I’m reading this issue of Journey Into Mystery, it seems Reed and Sue are about to get married! So when Torch goes to help the X-Men, he notes that Reed suspected one of their arch-enemies might try to mess up the wedding. That bit of information didn’t have to be there, but it was. Of course, in the grand ol’ Marvel tradition of self-promotion, it’s a “word of mouth” advertisement for the upcoming Fantastic Four Annual, but it’s also another example of how intertwined the entire Marvel Universe is becoming.

Captain America is currently telling a multi-issue story, but since it’s a story that takes place in the past, there’s really no chance it’s going to intersect with the rest of the Marvel Universe where it stands in September, 1965. But any of the other stories could. This is not simply juggling two or three balls at a time (as if that was simple). The Bullpen is now choosing to keep lots of balls in the air at the same time.

Have I mentioned? It’s…complicated…

SIMPLER TIMES
In the accompanying story, the Asgardian Warriors are about to embark on their journey in a giant flying ship, sailing through the galaxy into the unknown. We stop briefly for some comic relief with the enormous Volstagg (“Take my wife…please!”) and make a little progress with two aptly named villains, Magrat the Schemer and Kroda the Duellist. But again I say: that’s exactly my point! With names like those, is there any doubt these characters will be anything other than villains? Ah, it was indeed a simpler time, eons ago in Asgard…

Of course each Tale of Asgard only goes on for a few pages of three or four panels, so it’s slow going, to be sure. But still, this particular tale began in issue #117, and it’s now #120, the fourth installment, and the story has only just begun. Even in these simpler times with simpler stories, we have abandoned the episodic format.

And that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s totally a good thing. Unless you’re a comic book writer, chronologist, or someone (like me) whose memory is not always what it used to be. Confession: I cannot juggle, but I admire those who can. I only hope I can continue to keep my eye on all the balls being tossed in the air!

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Meanwhile… : August, 1965

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Chrissy

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY ANNUAL #1

“When Titans Clash!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
A long time ago, Thor and Loki travel through Jotunheim. While battling Storm Giants, Thor falls into a chamber that leads to Olympus. He tries to cross a bridge, but is thwarted by Hercules, who claims the right of first passage. Refusing to back down, Thor fights Hercules. They go round and round, throwing hammers and maces and anything else within grasp at each other. Eventually, big daddy Zeus arrives, and forces them to make up and shake hands. He returns Thor to Jotunheim, and seals the passage between the two realms.

WHAT’S HOT
SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN HERE JUST SLAYS ME. In the heat of battle, both behemoths have time for “Fie!! You utter the mouthings of a jester!” and “I shall thrash you roundly!” Also, Hercules uses multiple oaths:

  • “By Zeus!”
  • “By Jupiter!!”
  • “By the beard of my father!”

What a battle of archaic words! I see your “I’d crush thee like a flea!” and raise you one “Begone, brash one!”

WHAT’S NOT
WHEN IN ROME…Thor is in a strange land, but rather than fall in with their customs and give preference to the locals, he defies Hercules in a belly-bumping contest. Bad form!

FABLE. Why does Thor refer to his homeland Asgard as “fabled”?

TIE. Stan and Jack have written themselves into a corner, with no way to end the epic battle, so they have Hercules’ dad Zeus show up and say “Very good, you’re both winners. Everybody gets a trophy, now shake hands and be friends.”

“He who never ventures, never wins!”
— Thor

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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #27

“Bring Back My Goblin to Me!”
Plot: Steve Ditko
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
The Goblin delivers Spider-Man to New York’s underworld, but Spidey escapes, thanks to a police raid. Spider-Man rushes to the Bugle to warn Jameson that Foswell is the Crime-Master, but the police arrive to thank Foswell for alerting them to the Crime-Master’s true identity: Lucky Lewis. Later, tired of dealing with Jameson, Peter sells some photos to the bombastic Barney Bushkin of the Globe. The next day, sensing that May is lonely, Peter offers to take her out to the movies. Meanwhile, the Goblin swears vengeance against Spider-Man.

WHAT’S HOT
SHOWRUNNER. Last time I noted that Peter/Spidey had taken to calling JJJ “Jonah.” Now even the Narrator is doing it! Guess we know who’s running this show.

DAILY GLOBE. We make what I believe is our first visit to the offices of The Daily Globe and meet nosy Barney Bushy Bushkin. Right off the bat, he starts asking Peter a lot of questions, and I’m wondering, is he just being a good inquisitive reporter, or is there something nefarious about all these questions? At this point, I’m ready to suspect anybody of anything!

IT’S A DATE. Peter takes Aunt May to the movies. How sweet!

WHAT’S NOT
COPS ’N’ ROBBERS. On the splash, the writers promise a lot of fun, “if you dig an action-packed old-fashioned cops ’n’ robbers mystery yarn.” That’s just it: I don’t. And this story did not change my mind.

I’M NOT UGLY, I’M JUST DRAWN THAT WAY. Two black characters are depicted in this issue and the artwork is just…awful. Instead of looking convincingly like African-Americans, they simply look like white guys who have a bad case of the “grays.” I hope they get this figured out by the time we get to Black Panther.

TEASE. So it turns out Foswell is not the Crime Master after all. He was police informant “Patch,” and he was just helping the cops. At least that’s what he says. And to that, I say, “So WHAT??”

CHEAT. So it turns out Nick “Lucky” Lewis was the Crime Master all along. And now he’s dead. What a cheat for the reader, because we had never even heard of him before this issue. But at least Spidey admits (in a thought balloon) that this is just like “real life,” when the bad guy turns out to be someone you never even heard of before. Fine. Except this isn’t real life, it isn’t even French New Wave cinema, it’s a comic book, so there are certain reasonable expectations. Which the writers did not meet.

“We’re hittin’ him with everything we got, and he keeps jawin’ at us!!”
— Gangster

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FANTASTIC FOUR #41

“The Brutal Betrayal of Ben Grimm!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
Upset over his treatment, Thing walks out on the Fantastic Four and falls asleep in the back of a truck. The other three search for Ben, unaware that he has been recruited by the Frightful Four. The Wizard uses his id machine to brainwash Thing, and explains to his partners that Thing will only follow his commands. They prepare for the heroes while Reed tracks Thing to the villains’ hideout. They battle, but Thing helps capture Reed, Sue and Johnny. The Wizard goads Thing into seriously injuring Reed.

WHAT’S HOT
THE SACRIFICIAL HERO. In addition to the fact that Thing may have given up all hope of ever returning to his normal form as Ben Grimm, he is also hurting very badly from his battle with Doctor Doom. He’s apparently not invincible, and as odd and ugly as he is, that makes him more human, and we sympathize with him.

IT’S BUSINESS. Medusa thinks Reed is too handsome to destroy, then chides herself for being “weak and feminine.” Inhumane, I know, to think about destroying a handsome man, but as a woman vying for power in an evil organization, that does happen to be the right move.

ROUGH START. Sandman and Medusa are getting along splendidly — because Sandman has decided “I LIKE dames who play rough!” I’m very curious to see how this relationship progresses.

CLIFF HANGER. Will Ben “snap out of it” in time? Or will he destroy his fellow FF members? I know he won’t destroy them, but I’m not yet sure how disaster will be averted.

WHAT’S NOT
WHO’S PAYING FOR THIS MESS?? Mr. Curtis, the renting agent for the Baxter Building wants the FF to pay for the damage to the building done during their fight with Dr. Doom.

ALWAYS IN THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK. When searching for Thing in New Jersey, Reed notes, “There are thousands of homes in this area!” Later, while looking at mansion of the Frightful Four, Johnny remarks, “That’s about the only place we haven’t tried yet!” The word “about” is instrumental here, because maybe it just felt like they’d already checked thousands of homes before arriving at this one. I have a hard time believing they actually checked thousands of homes, and it’s still the same night. But whether this is literally the last one, or only feels like it, of course this is where the search endS.

CLAP ON, CLAP OFF! Wizard puts Thing to sleep with the word “sleep” and wakes him up by clapping. Can anyone use those cues? Or only the Wizard? Because if it’s just anyone, Wizard hasn’t really thought through his power grab very well, has he?

ID AND EGO. Wizard has created an “Id Machine,” which affects the portion of the human brain containing man’s primitive, evil instincts. I wonder if he tested it on himself and his cronies, because their objective is NOT to beat the FF and do evil—it all seems to be about ego, they all want to be the big cheese.

WE CAN’T GO ON TOGETHER WITH SUSPICIOUS MINDS. Wizard tells Thing that Reed is “jealous” of him—project much? Why does this remind me of the trend where certain politicians draw attention away from their evil deeds by accusing their opponents of the very thing they themselves are doing? (And how in the world does that actually “work” for them, anyway??)

“As leader of the FF, I’m responsible for everything!”
— Mister Fantastic

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DAREDEVIL #9

“That He May See!”
Script: Stan Lee
Layouts: Wally Wood
Art: Bob Powell
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
Karen convinces Matt to visit Lichtenbad with his old classmate Klaus Kruger, where she believes Dr. Van Eyck can cure his blindness. Matt is afraid he will lose his powers if he regains his sight, but he accedes. Once in Lichtenbad, Daredevil discovers that Kruger rules the country with an iron fist, so he helps overthrow the tyrant. During the fight for freedom, Van Eyck is killed, without the opportunity to operate on Matt. Meanwhile, back in New York, a jealous Foggy casts aspersions on Matt’s courage.

WHAT’S HOT
MUM THE HUM-DRUM. Though it’s certainly not the most believable story ever, it’s action packed in an exotic location, so you don’t even have time or the presence of mind to ask yourself if any of this seems plausible.

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS. Klaus Kruger decides that since Daredevil is in a costume, he must be the leader of the revolt; therefore he must die. No if’s, and’s or but’s. It hardly seems fair, but that an evil autocrat would say something like this is one of the few aspects of this story that rings true.

TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE. Dr. Van Eyck saves the world by shutting off the nuclear reactor, but dies in the process. Not to sound heartless, but he saves humanity, AND he is now out of the picture as far as Karen nagging Matt to get his eyes fixed. This is a classic “Two-fer”!

WHAT’S NOT
FLUB. Klaus Kruger says Karen told him that Murdock had lost his sight. But Murdock lost his sight as a kid. He was already blind in law school, when Kruger knew him.

NO KIDDING. Daredevil sounds very much like Spidey in this story, which is disconcerting. I wouldn’t expect a grown man, a professional, to be so flippant. Would any lawyer really ever say “I’d better amscray”? At one point, he ponders, “Sometimes I wonder…do I really do this to help mankind…or am I just a showoff who never grew up!!!” In this story, I’m casting my vote for “never grew up.”

I AM CURIOUS…DAREDEVIL? Klaus Kruger doesn’t unmask Daredevil when he has the chance, but that doesn’t make sense. He claims it doesn’t matter who Daredevil is…but surely he’s curious? At the very least, he would have to wonder if Daredevil’s real identity would mean anything to the other prisoners.

CONFORMATON. Dr. Van Eyck recognizes that Daredevil is Matt Murdock, because “his body in that costume…it is exactly the same as the conformation of Matt Murdock’s physique.” Is it really that easy to tell? If so, why has no one ever noticed before? Why has Karen Page never noticed before? Surely she’s spent some time looking at the “conformation” of Matt Murdock’s physique, and she’s also familiar with Daredevil.

CAN’T SEE THROUGH THE SUDS. There’s a lot of very thick soap opera going on in the thought bubbles. Foggy seems excessively unbalanced by the realization that Karen loves Matt. He cracks a mirror, and even dares to think “I wish there were NO Matt Murdock!” Of course, he hates himself immediately for thinking that, but the overall tone of his behavior is scary and disturbing.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT? When, in a fit of jealous rage, Foggy turns a mirror in to shards of glass, he calmly tells Karen, “I accidentally brushed past the mirror, breaking it!” How is it he’s not bleeding? Won’t she see the blood? Won’t she at least see the mirror? This seems the lamest, most unbelievable excuse ever. (Unless you consider when my toddler daughter walked into a wall and cried, “The wall made a lump and bumped me!”)

“How ironic that Daredevil, the man without fear,
is mortally afraid of ever regaining his sight!”
— Matt Murdock

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TALES OF SUSPENSE #68

“The Sentinel and the Spy!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Frank Ray
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
Cap deflects the German soldier’s bullet, saving the General. Cap and Bucky defeat the Germans, and Cap gracefully accepts the General’s gratitude. Meanwhile, the Red Skull is not concerned over this failure; he has already set in motion his next plan. He has placed a special agent in a prisoner-of-war camp, with the mission to capture the Allies’ new weapon, a vanishing ray. The agent succeeds, but Cap goads the agent into using the experimental ray at full force, where it explodes. The Allies decide to abandon the unpredictable weapon.

WHAT’S HOT
TOP BILLING. On the cover, the Cap story is first, and takes up about two-thirds of the real estate. Nice marketing ploy, but overall, not enough to save a story that has too many plot holes. Read on…

WHAT’S NOT
SAVED BY THE BELL. With no “Previously in Captain America…” recounting, the reader is simply thrust back into the middle of last month’s drama, just as the editors note that “at the last crucial second, the REALIZATION of what he is about to do causes him to return to normal.” We see this all the time in episodic stories, and it always feels like a cheat when undeniable disaster is suddenly averted for a reason that seems way too easy or unlikely. That’s what we have here, as if Stan was tired of that other story, and wanted to get through it as quickly as possible, so they could move on to the next. As Sam Beckett would say, “Oh boy…”

GRATITUDE? Cap just essentially saved a General’s life, and the reward for his noble deed is guarding a “helpless criminal,” on a supply mission—which Bucky perceptively deems a “crummy assignment.”

THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, PART I. Why is a POW on a supply truck? And why is he not handcuffed?

THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, PART II. I guess the German POW is not handcuffed, because otherwise how could he easily access the gas cylinders he has hidden in his pocket and taped under his arm? If Cap and Bucky were not going to handcuff the guy, at least they could have checked him for weapons! And since they didn’t, maybe even this “crummy assignment” is beyond their capability.

“We each serve freedom in our own way…
and liberty is its own reward!”
— Captain America

“If a Man Be Mad!”
Script: Al Hartley
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Mickey Demeo
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
Count Nefaria agrees to forgive the gambling debts of Tony’s cousin Morgan Stark, if Morgan helps destroy Tony. Over the next several days, Tony encounters spaceships, unaware they are holographic images induced by Morgan. Whenever Tony alerts the police or press, the evidence disappears, leaving Sen. Byrd to doubt Tony’s sanity. Unfortunately for Morgan, the next encounter is with actual aliens, and Iron Man averts an alien invasion, restoring confidence in Stark and putting Morgan in dire straits with Nefaria.

WHAT’S HOT
ANY MORE LIKE YOU AT HOME? This is a sibling rivalry tale, but between cousins. Which leads me to ask the question: does Stark have any brothers or sisters, and what might they be like, and will we ever meet them?

CONTINUITY. The events of the previous issue set the stage for this story. Last time, when Count Nefaria tilled the ground and planted the seeds of doubt about his sanity, Stark thought he was dreaming, or needed vitamin pills. This time, he goes deeper down that rabbit hole, until at last, all is made clear.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT. Happy and Pepper decide the boss needs a vacation and approach him with the idea, each holding up travel brochures of their suggested location. Which will Stark choose: what’s behind Door #1, or the box Pepper Potts points to on the floor?

LOVITZ. If I’m casting this story, Jon Lovitz portrays cousin Morgan. On page six, where he says “Stark’s world is falling apart…and mine is just beginning!” it reminds me so much of the Lovitz character in The Wedding Singer peeking out from behind the curtain and gleefully uttering, “He’s losing his mind…and I’m reaping all the benefits!”

GADGET BATTLE. The age-old question must be asked: If an Electro Probe and an Ionospheric Echo Ray fight, who would win?

SAY CHEESE! Gouda and Edam from the moon despair for their reputations should they not succeed. But of course. I’m sure Swiss and Cheddar would never let them live this down!

SPACE TWIST. I didn’t see the moon-men coming, and it was a refreshing boost to a story that otherwise may have been somewhat dull.

LOOKIN’ GOOD! Though the moon-men are portrayed as predictable monsters, not only is Tony looking quite handsome, but Happy is equally handsome! And red-headed Pepper always looks good in yellow (if you’re reading Marvel Masterworks) or green (if you’re reading the original).

WHAT’S NOT
NEFARIA OR NOT? In issue #67, Count Nefaria made a point of saying that henceforth, he would never again be known as Count Nefaria, but rather as “The Master! Of Dreams!” Yet in this issue, he’s referred to as Nefaria once again. Maybe the other villains laughed him out of the club when he revealed his New! Moniker!

ST. ELMO. How does a moon-man know about St. Elmo’s Fire? He might be familiar with the physics, but he wouldn’t call it “St. Elmo’s Fire.” I’m pretty certain moon-men don’t speak English, so the only possible explanation is that we have a universal translator to thank for that reference.

AS THE BYRD FLIES. Senator Byrd is so intent on destroying Tony Stark that the moment something happens, in fact “minutes later,” he is on the scene. Trying to make this work: Perhaps Byrd is the Distinguished Gentleman from New York, with a summer home in Oyster Bay?

“Soon my poverty will end!
No more grovelling [sic] for crumbs…the whole loaf will be mine!”
— Morgan Stark

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JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #119

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

IN A NUTSHELL
Just as the Destroyer blasts Thor, his body becomes intangible, allowing him to escape the bombardment. As soon as he enters another chamber, his body resolidifies. Unbeknownst to Thor, his savior is Loki, who fears being blamed for Thor’s death. Loki convinces the Norn Queen to cast a spell waking Odin from his sleep, and Odin offers to stop the Destroyer, but Thor uses the hunter as a human shield. Unwilling to kill his own body, the hunter’s life force leaves the Destroyer. Thor demolishes the temple, burying the Destroyer forever.

WHAT’S HOT
UNSOLID. Loki changes Thor’s molecular structure to save him from the Destroyer—but only so that he won’t get in trouble with Odin. He does the right thing, but for the wrong reason.

FOOL. Thor notes that the Destroyer is a “fool” to announce his intentions. Obviously Thor hasn’t been paying attention. That’s what villains DO. That’s what they always do. They can’t keep from crowing about how easily they plan to defeat the hero.

WAKING UP GROUCHY. Odin is in the middle of the Sleep of Life, in which he must remain asleep for 24 hours straight, when he is rudely awakened by the Norn Queen’s chant. The mythology holds that none may wake Odin from this Sleep “under pain of death.” So what happens next?

WHAT’S NOT
LOOSE TRANSLATION. Stan makes a point of mentioning that the Norn Queen’s chant is only a “loose translation,” and I have to wonder: why? Nothing about translation was mentioned when the Moon Men threatened Iron Man and made reference to “St. Elmo’s Fire.” Nothing is ever mentioned about translation when Dr. Strange travels to the Dark Dimension and interacts with the local denizens and Dormmamu. If “translation” is ever an issue, it seems those would have been better times to talk about it.

BAFFLING. The Destroyer returns the “life essence” to the Hunter’s body. Why did he make this dumb move? In his integrated state, the Destroyer holds all the cards. While the life essence of the Hunter is inside him, Thor could not defeat him. It’s only when the Destroyer splits body and spirit that he is vulnerable. And once vulnerable, Thor takes advantage and runs off with the Hunter, then buries the Destroyer in rubble. End of Destroyer, end of story.

BRAINS OR BRAWN? Maybe I don’t know enough yet, but it seems the Destroyer is all brawn and no brains. Essentially, he is simply a shell of armor that is only as smart as the “essence” that fills that armor. With this in mind, I don’t understand why it’s so often repeated that no one but Odin can defeat him.

BAMBOOZLED. And actually, as it turns out, Thor handily defeats the “undefeatable” Destroyer simply by using his noggin. I’m disappointed in this story, because I feel I’ve been deceived, bamboozled into believing something that isn’t true.

JOE’S MAGICAL HAMMER REPAIR. Finally, why does Thor decide to go to America to have his hammer repaired, and only afterwards return to Asgard? Are the Magical Hammer Repair Shops in the USA superior to those in Asgard? I wouldn’t think so. You might say he’s acting like a teenager who’s wrecked the car and doesn’t want dad to find out. But omniscient Odin can just pop up in the sky at any time and see exactly what’s going on with Thor, so that doesn’t make sense. Is this perhaps simply a ploy to get to see Jane Foster once again?

“While I live, I shall plan—I shall scheme—I shall conspire!”
— Loki

“Gather, Warriors!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Art Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Longing for battle in his mission to discover the cause of the crack in Odin’s sword, Thor prods Balder to speed the process of loading the ship. Four new volunteers board the ship, all recruited by Loki: Hogun the Grim, Fandral the Dashing, Kroda the Duellist, and Magrat the Schemer. Thor breaks up a brawl among the crew, and discovers Volstagg the Enormous at its center. Together, they prepare to raise anchor, while Odin cautions his advisors that if Thor fails, Asgard is doomed.

WHAT’S HOT
RAGNAROK! As if it wasn’t enough to finally meet Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg, what do I see in the very last panel? An enemy has left a message: Ragnarok is coming! Ka-Boom! Something else I already know about.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The Warriors Three from the MCU have not really made that big of an impression on me. Probably because they are peripheral characters, not really given that much to do. Yet, I’ve just met them this month in the comics, and already they feel more alive than they ever did in the movies.

In Tales of Asgard, Fandral the Dashing reminds me of Aramis from the Three Musketeers. In this one image, he appears more “dashing” than he ever did in the movies. In fact, the actor from the MCU actually reminds me more of the guy from the Squatty Potty commercials than he does of the Fandral I’ve just met in the comics.

The Volstagg of the comics is absolutely over the top, a lot more interesting than the Volstagg of the MCU.

Hogun the Grim, in the comics, is described as “the silent, sinister mystery warrior.” He’s been so silent in the MCU, that I mostly remember him as the valiant but unfortunate soul that Hela unceremoniously spears to death in Ragnorak.

WHAT’S NOT
SUSPENSE SUSPENDED. Though it’s exciting to meet new characters I already know, and entertain concepts with which I’m already familiar, in a way, the suspense is ruined. Internally, of course, for the characters, there is a good deal of suspense about what’s going to happen, but the emotions of the reader cannot be as invested. Tales of Asgard takes place in Thor’s past, so the fact that Asgard is still around in the first story in this book clearly indicates that Ragnarok does not actually happen. The only suspense for the reader is: how do the Asgardians avoid it? Well…I’ll take it. I’m along for the ride.

“Stand aside for Volstagg!
By my sword, there shall be many a flattened head this day!”
— Volstagg

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AVENGERS #19

“The Coming of the Swordsman!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Dick Ayers
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
The Swordsman breaks into Avengers Mansion, seeking membership, but Cap refuses. Hawkeye reveals that the Swordsman originally trained him in archery when they were both in a circus, but when he discovered Swordsman robbing the payroll, his mentor tried to kill him. Later, Swordsman lures Cap into a trap. The other Avengers discover the ploy and rush to the rescue. Swordsman attempts to use Cap to force the Avengers to make him their leader, but Cap leaps to a certain death to prevent the Avengers from surrendering.

WHAT’S HOT
HOT. You had me at “swashbuckling.”

LET ME READ YOUR AURA. Wanda declares that there is an “aura of subtle evil about him.” Is she ranking the villains? Is she grading on a curve? What is it that makes his evil “subtle”? Is it the moustache?

FIRST IMPRESSION

Meeting the Swordsman in the comics just makes me say…AGAIN…how often the MCU excels at casting! Tony Dalton, who plays Swordsman in the Hawkeye miniseries (which we recently re-watched), is spot on! (I only wish they could have done as good a job with the Warriors Three.)

NEVER SAW THAT BEFORE. We are treated to the sight of a completely black panel when the Swordsman cuts the electrical wires, plunging the scene into total darkness. It makes total sense and is exquisite in its simplicity.

HAWKEYE’S BACKSTORY. Hawkeye was an orphan that joined the circus. Why am I not surprised?

WHAT’S NOT
CLUELESS VILLAIN. The Swordsman thinks if he captures Cap, then the Avengers would have to accept him. He apparently doesn’t understand the concept of “acceptance.”

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, PART 1. Cap talks to himself, saying that training keeps his mind off the fact that Nick Fury hasn’t answered his letter. He then goes on to talk about it for two more panels.

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, PART 2. Hydra agents awkwardly talk to each other about things they already know. Where’s the Narrator when you need him?

“You’ll NEVER be an Avenger, for you are lacking in honor!”
— Scarlet Witch

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Posted in Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Meanwhile, Sgt. Fury, Spider-Man, Tales of Suspense, Thor | 2 Comments

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #2: Science and Magic

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Chrissy

Published: August, 1965

“The Wondrous World of Dr. Strange!”
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Sam Rosen

Underneath the colorful costume, at his core, Spider-Man is basically a nerdy, high-school brainiac who just happened to have a run-in with a radioactive arachnid. Though he’s not the best example of the power of science in the Marvel Universe (Reed Richards, anyone? Bruce Banner, Tony Stark?), science is essentially what he’s got going for him. And no Marvel character represents the world of magic better than Dr. Strange. So the feature story in this Amazing Spider-Man Annual, more than anything I’ve read so far, really exemplifies the wonderful way these two powerful forces can work together for spectacular results—not only for the characters in the story, but also for the readers.

WHEN HEROES MEET
It’s always fun to see existing characters meet for the first time. So often, this leads to the quandary, “If A fought B, who would win?” There’s no fun asking that question about a hero and a villain, because of course the hero will win, or if not, at the very least, one of them will somehow “run away and live to fight another day.” So for greater interest, the writers manipulate storylines; when our heroes meet, one is usually under a spell, drugged, hypnotized, or some such thing, which gives us the opportunity to compare their strengths without any real wrong-doing going on.

On occasion, when heroes meet, there are no actual fights, just personality clashes, as we find with Torch and Iceman, two headstrong teenage boys who just can’t seem to find common ground. Spider-Man has a similar experience whenever he and Wasp are in the same room, as the spider and the wasp are almost as antithetical as fire and ice. But it seems poor Spidey is always misunderstood by everyone, thanks to the propaganda of JJJ, and of course the imagination of Stan Lee, who loves writing him as the most hapless, most misjudged character in all comicdom.

So it was nice, this time, to finally see Spidey meet someone in the Marvel Universe with whom there are no misunderstandings, no personality clashes. Both he and Dr. Strange are so clearly heroes on the side of right, the only question is how can they help each other?

And the answer is: a lot!

XANDU AND HIS AMAZING HYPNOTIC BULLIES
So, what are these two New Yorkers up against? In Spider-Man’s world, the villains are usually thugs, hoods, mobsters. But in this story, the big bad is clearly pulled directly from the world of Dr. Strange.

Xandu bursts on the scene as an ambitious magician, seeking the other half of a magical wand which he believes will make him “Master of All!” In his quest, he chooses two “savage bullies” because they’re “powerful…rough…and sorely lacking in intelligence,” then hypnotizes them to do his bidding.

I can’t fathom any internal storyline reason why Xandu needs these two clods. Why not just go get the wand himself? After all, he is a powerful magician, is he not? If this were a Dr. Strange story, Strange and Xandu would simply meet and attempt to out-spell each other until one is victorious (or runs away, to live to fight another day). The only reason these “savage bullies” are in this story is to give Spider-Man the opportunity to do what he does best: fight and outsmart his opponents. Strange has his metaphysical moments as well, and by combining the phenomenom of magic with the predictable Spidey brouhahas, we’re actually getting the best of both worlds.

WORKING IN CONCERT
After a few pages of fighting, when Spider-Man is overcome by the brute strength of the hypnotized bullies, he throws a tracking spider device so he can find them after he’s “rested up” and is ready for “Round Two.” (Did I mention: “live to fight another day”?) If Spidey had asked, I’m sure Dr. Strange could have easily conjured a spell with some fancy words to reveal their location. Either way would have gotten the job done. But together, they have so many options at their disposal!

Later in the story, it becomes evident that when magic and science work together, that is what finally saves the day. Dr. Strange provides the spells, Spider-Man slings his webbing, and they’re a lot more effective together than either would be on his own. Their combined powers confound Xandu, who laments, “Between Spider-Man’s web…and the spells of Dr. Strange…I do not know where to turn first!!”

When villains pool their resources, they only pretend to help each other, and then only for as long as it furthers their own selfish agendas. But when heroes, with identical notions of right and wrong, combine forces, we get results, and quickly.

STRANGE NEW WORLDS
What I love most of all about this story is that it refreshingly delves into the differences between the worlds of Peter Parker and Dr. Strange, by placing the two of them all over the map. First, we’re on the city streets; next, we’re in some magical fantasy world that looks like a page out of Dr. Seuss. Perhaps one of my favorite images yet from Marvel Comics: this juxtaposition of our Queens boy, the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, in this strange otherworldly place, wondering how he’s going to get back home.

WONDERFUL WORDS
Finally, we know that Spider-Man has a way with words, since he never shuts up while thrashing his opponents, but no other corner of the Marvel Universe beats Dr. Strange for the most fantastic and inventive combinations of words. (Actually, you could see my Strange “Hoary Hosts of Hoggath!” and raise me one Reed Richards “Experimental Passenger Intercontinental Ballistics Missile,” but in the end, I believe I would win.)

Case in point: Villain Xandu seeks the Wand of Watoomb. First: Xandu. Well…why not? Any word with an X in it is fair game when it comes to Marvel Comics. Next: Watoomb. Really? I honestly think Stan must have eaten alphabet soup for lunch every day, as he was writing these stories and just strung together whatever letters magically appeared in his bowl. And if so, is this a deliberate and scientific method for coming up with new words? New words which, incidentally, certainly sound…magical!

Speaking of soup…LMAO! Before the action gets started, we happen upon Dr. Strange in his shadowy sanctum sanctorum, seeking the secrets of the universe in an ancient borscht recipe. Oh my! What a blending of the mundane and the magical! What secrets might Strange discover between the beets and cabbage, the parsley and sour cream?

By the end of the story, we have not gone back to Strange perusing the borscht recipe, but I hoped we would. Of course, I realize Stan was just making a joke, and there is no epiphany in a recipe for borscht…but then again…why not? It’s called the “culinary arts,” but really it’s a blending of sciences (thermodynamics, chemistry, molecular biology, nutrition) that culminates in something that, if you’ve done it right, is delicious and…dare I say it…magical? Science and magic working together for good: that’s sort of the whole gist of this story, isn’t it?

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STRANGE TALES #135: Déjà vu

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Chrissy

Published: August, 1965

“The Man for the Job!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Dick Ayers
Letters: Artie Simek

“Eternity Beckons!”
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Sam Rosen

When it comes to Marvel, there are two types of people in the world. I hope no one who is a long-time reader of Marvel Comics will be offended when I call your group the Comic Nerds. These are the people who for decades have been familiar with every character the MCU now brings to the screen. When watching the trailer for the first Thor movie, these people exclaim, “Cool! It’s Sif, Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg!” Not only did I not know these Asgardians on sight, but even now, after seeing them in several movies, I still cannot remember their names. These people gasp when they first see the close-up of Thanos in the after-credits of The Avengers, because they know who he is, and can imagine what’s coming.

My husband Russ is in this group. He has no problem calling himself a Comic Nerd. In fact, he often jokes that all the comic nerds look at the Marvel Chronology Project and say, “Man! Those guys are nerds!” (All other nerds TREMBLE before them!)

I, on the other hand, have most of my life been pretty much one of the other type of people in the world. In 2000, my kids dragged me off to see X-Men, which was, by the way, awesome, but at the time, I had no idea where these characters and stories originated, how long they’d been around, and frankly, that background simply wasn’t important to me at the time. I’d just enjoyed a great movie, and that was good enough.

When the MCU was just starting to rev its engines in 2009 with Iron Man, like probably most people, I had almost no understanding of who Iron Man was, except that he was some sort of superhero. (Some non-nerds were probably familiar with the Black Sabbath song Iron Man, but at that time, I was not even that much in the loop.) Before I met Russ, if you had mentioned any particular superhero or supervillain to me, I probably could not have guessed with greater than 50% accuracy whether they were Marvel or DC. In fact, I probably could not have accurately described the difference between Marvel and DC.

By 2009, however, I’d already been with Russ for several years, so now I more deeply understood and appreciated the differences between Marvel and DC, the backgrounds of particular characters, and the considerations of what we might see in future movies. So this is where I now have to expand my understanding to include a third type of person in the world: the one who is no longer content to simply say, “That was a great movie! Where now, IHOP or Applebee’s?” This third type, either by association with a Comic Nerd, or by simply educating themselves on the internet, or industriously reading past comics on their own, is now in this nebulous area between the die-hard aficionado and the casual viewer. This type knows more…yet not enough. When you’re in this group (which I’ll call the Marvel Student), like the philosopher, you know…and yet, you know what you don’t know.

That’s where I am now, and that’s how I approach this new title, Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD.

DIFFERENT…YET FAMILIAR…
From start to finish, even as I enjoyed watching Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, I knew I must be missing a lot. Think of how children love The Simpsons, even while so many cultural references fly right over their heads to douse Mom and Dad with additional laughter. Cracking open this issue of Strange Tales, I quickly see that reading this new title will fill in some blanks for me, so I can enjoy the entire Marvel Universe on a deeper level.

Immediately on the splash, we see the implementation of a Life Model Decoy (LMD), which of course was a big part of several SHIELD storylines. So, yeah, I know this… but now I’m seeing the first appearance. Ah ha! It’s starting to occur to me that this new title may be able to fill in a lot of those blanks.

Next, Fury is being escorted around the Pentagon by some guy in a green suit and yellow hat. Though never mentioned by name, right off the bat, I’m getting a vibe that this could be Agent Phil Colson—one of my favorite characters from SHIELD (except in season six, when he wasn’t really Colson…). I may have to wait till a future issue to find out for sure (or I may never find out!), but they give this guy a flying car, so…hmmmm… The point is, I’m now beginning a story where I’m wondering if an unnamed character is someone I’m already familiar with.

After this, another familiar mode of transportation makes its first appearance: the heli-carrier. The creators are so intent on making the reader understand what an awesome apparatus this is, they give it a full page, complete with a giant “WHOOOM!” and a couple of nearby aircraft to put its size and might into perspective. About this time, I’m beginning to think…now we’re cookin’ with gas!!

The loudest “Wow” of course is the introduction of the dreaded Hydra. “Cut off a limb, and two more shall take its place…Hail Hydra!” exclaims Agent H, reciting an eerily familiar mantra from both SHIELD and other Marvel movies. And just in case, at this early stage, you are doubting how ruthless Hydra might be, the minion who lets Fury get away is shown no mercy whatsoever, zapped out of existence without a second thought.

So it appears we’ve crossed a line. We now live in a world where Hydra is a threat. Hydra may have been in Howling Commandos, but not being a fan of war stories, I don’t read those, so I can’t say for sure. But I do know that in the 1960’s world of mainstream comic heroes and villains, till now, the only other representations of organized villainy have been gangsters and Nazis. And as deplorable as Nazis are, Hydra is plainly different, more menacing, and clearly in need of more opposing firepower.

And who do you call on when you need that kind of firepower? Well, who else but playboy arms inventor Tony Stark! Tony’s got a lot on his plate these days, running Stark Industries, moonlighting as Iron Man, as well as constantly agonizing over all his personal soap opera dilemmas involving Happy and Pepper. No wonder he had to quit the Avengers! Even superheroes must have limits on how much they can handle! It appears this gig of overseeing the special weapons section of SHIELD must have kicked in just about the same time he left the Avengers. Unless he was also doing this, off-camera, the whole time he was in the Avengers? It boggles the mind!

NICK FURY, MAN OF MYSTERY
And there’s something else that boggles my mind. I understand that superheroes may be able to spin a lot more plates at one time than the average person, so maybe Nick Fury is not an average person after all, but I’ve got a couple of questions I need to ask about him.

First, how is it that he apparently hasn’t aged? Nick Fury and the Howling Commandos depicts his WWII adventures, but the guy we see here, twenty years later, doesn’t look that much older. Ruggedly good-looking, but not appearing to have retirement plans uppermost in his mind. I know there are people who somehow, magically, age extremely slowly. Sometimes they go under the knife to prolong their youthful appearance, but sometimes not. Remember Dick Clark? How about Jared Leto, or John Stamos? Nowadays, Paul Rudd is the prime example of this phenomenon. So is that what’s going on here? Does Fury simply have good genes? Or is our only explanation going to be that he is in the unquestioned “Eternal Now”?

Secondly, I can’t help wondering about that eye patch. When I first met Fury at the end of Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson is wearing the eye patch. This is my image of Fury—eye patch, long black coat, smart, tough talk, and no nonsense, always cutting straight to the heart of the matter. As I mentioned, I’m not very familiar with Fury’s history with the Howling Commandos, and I haven’t seen enough of him yet to know for sure how his personality will line up with the Jackson portrayal, but I can keep track of that eye patch.

No eye patch in Howling Commandos. Then he makes a cameo appearance in Fantastic Four #21—no eye patch. But in his next cameo, in Avengers #18…there it is! So what happened to him between FF#21 and Avengers #18? I hate that Fury has to have an eye patch, but if he must, we would have expected it to be due to a war injury (which is why the Captain Marvel after-credits scene with Goose the cat is so funny and so effective). But apparently, the eye patch is the result of something other than a war injury.

A few more conundrums: when Fury “appears” in Avengers #18, it is only in a thought bubble, as Cap wonders why Fury has not yet answered his letter. But how does Cap know about the eye patch, yet not know that Fury is no longer working for the Pentagon? As a representative of the United States government (at one point he is a CIA agent; at another, he is rumored to be engaged in counterespionage for the Army), how public of a figure has Fury been up till now? Did Cap recently see a news article about Fury (as a former war hero) having a horrible accident in which he lost an eye, and that’s why he’s now picturing him with an eye patch? But if, as a war hero, he is a public figure, why choose him to lead a SPY organization? Wouldn’t it make sense to pick someone else, equally qualified, who flies a little more under the radar?

The easy answer to all this, of course, is the most likely one: the writers screwed up. They weren’t thinking ahead, and they weren’t keeping track of the chronology of events like some people we know. But what fun is that? It’s up to us as fans to ask the questions, bake and twist the pretzels, and try to make sense of it.

AU REVOIR, TORCH AND THING
One thing that really makes sense to me, one place where the writers did not screw up, was in replacing the Torch and Thing title with this.

Actually, replacing Torch and Thing with anything is a move in the right direction. Those stories weren’t bringing anything to the table that FF wasn’t already doing better. Gee…I wonder how they took the news…

This first Nick Fury story alone shows so much potential, it’s completely new and different, adds greater depth to the Marvel universe. We now have a new genre: the spy story! What a James Bond vibe to the whole thing! It appears Fury will be somewhat of a 007, Stark has a bit of Q about him, and hey…a flying car!

Sure, I’ve seen all this before. So whether it’s James Bond movies, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, or other bits and pieces of the MCU, there’s a sense of Déjà vu about all this. Yes, déjà vu…and yet, so refreshing!

DR. STRANGE
In the accompanying Doctor Strange story, Eternity Beckons, the Déjà vu smells a bit stale. It only hearkens back to previous issues in this title. Nothing really new is happening here. This installment is the sixth in a continuing story that’s been going around in circles. With a deep sigh, I’m thinking…It’s time for something significant to HAPPEN!

Okay, Sir Baskerville is a new character, but his telepathic communication is, at this point, a staple of both Marvel heroes and villains. Been there, done that. What else have you got?

Baskerville at first presents himself as a friend to Strange but turns out to be a foe instead. In the world of Dr. Strange, where nothing is what it seems, there’s no particular reason to trust a new character…until they prove themselves. And as the saying goes, character is what you do when no one is watching. When Strange is otherwise occupied, and only we readers are watching, Baskerville rats out Strange to Mordo. Maybe that was a big reveal back in 1965, but for me, a jaded 21st century entertainment junkie, that moment is not as dramatic as the writers intended.

Only two significant events happen in these ten pages:

First, a type of “security camera” rewind of the footage reveals that the girl with the crazy white hair is a “traitor,” so now her life is in danger. If you care about her, and I do—because she has proven herself, with noble and selfless acts when no one but the readers are watching—this is distressing.

In this issue we also see Dr. Strange discover that Dormammu is pulling Mordo’s strings. Yet, even as he comes to this “revelation,” he admits he is merely confirming what he already suspected. So he’s not surprised. And, frankly, neither are we.

Early in the story, the writers try to trick us into believing that something exciting and unexpected is going to happen by having Strange say, “Once again I must do the unexpected!” But honestly…nothing is new or unexpected in this story. Strange uses trickery and spells, just as we expect he will. The ruse with the cape in the suit of armor is easily figured out. At one point, he reasons that Mordo’s evil spirits will expect him to flee—but we the readers expect no such thing. He already did that a few issues back, and since he is a hero, we know he will not always run away.

The problem with the world of Dr. Strange is that in any story that relies on magic to propel the plot, you really aren’t surprised by anything that happens. Paradoxically, the only surprise would be if nothing “surprising” happened. And so the repeated attempts to surprise us begin to feel like a warm, comfortable blanket. Because of course, there is a certain level of comfort in knowing what is going to happen—even if it’s the comfort of not knowing what’s going to happen. Does that make sense?

In one of the earliest Daredevil stories, I got a big kick out of Owl exclaiming “A girl!” when he unexpectedly ran into Karen Page. The same thing happens in this story, when Dormammu rolls the tape of Strange’s snazzily dressed white-haired friend taking off with the power-draining device. “A girl!” he exclaims, and once again I chuckle, and it feels like a moment of Déjà vu. Which is fun and fine. But at this point in this multi-issued drama, we really need something more than a chuckle to compel us to keep reading.

Now that Dr. Strange has a new page-partner, maybe he would do well to let a little of that Nick Fury real-world cutting-edge sensibility seep over to add some truly surprising zing to his meandering storyline. An unexpected collision of genres would seem a sort of déjà vu for this now-seasoned student of Marvel Comics, and I wouldn’t mind at all.

Posted in Doctor Strange, SHIELD, Strange Tales | 9 Comments