Meanwhile… : September, 1965

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Chrissy

X-MEN #13

“Where Walks the Juggernaut!”
Script: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Pencils: Jay Gavin
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
Xavier tries to disable Juggernaut with a mental bolt, but his helmet protects him. While the X-Men delay Juggernaut, Xavier tries to mentally contact other heroes, finally reaching the Human Torch. Juggernaut defeats the X-Men and confronts Xavier, just as the Torch arrives. Torch high-intensity flame temporarily blinds Juggernaut, while Angel flies past him and wrenches off the helmet, loosened by constant battle with the X-Men. Xavier defeats Juggernaut with a mental bolt.

WHAT’S HOT
SERENDIPITY. Professor X mentally reaches out to the Teen Brigade and Matt Murdock, and neither respond—which is just as well, because what could the Teen Brigade really do against the Juggernaut? And now is not the time for a lawyer—though Daredevil could have come in handy in this fight. But Xavier says he “accidentally” reached Torch, and it turns out that is exactly who they needed!

FREE ADVERTISING. When Torch comes into the picture, we learn that Reed and Sue are about to get married, with a note from Stan that Fantastic Four Annual #4 is “on sale NOW!” Another aspect of that serendipity I was just talking about? All in all, Torch’s appearance turns out to be a good thing for everybody (except the Juggernaut, of course).

ADMIRATION. For once, Torch meets another young male superhero and instead of getting in a belly-bumping contest, actually admires Angel’s flying abilities. Now that he’s going to be a brother-in-law, is he finally maturing?

SUNSHINE. This may have happened before this issue, but this is the first time I’ve noticed that when Professor X gives a mental command, the “thought bubble” includes little lines sticking out all around the edges, akin to the way children draw the sun in the sky. This artistic decision distinguishes the professor’s mental commands from all the other thought bubbles and seems absolutely appropriate.

SQUEEE. What is the sound of a mighty steam roller barreling down upon you? Apparently it is “SQUEEEE!” The actual definition of “squee” is “an exclamation used to express great delight or excitement,” but for me, Squee is the name of our beloved cat we lost a few years back. I still miss him, as I miss all my other departed pets, but now whenever I see the word “squee” it does indeed afford me great delight.

WHAT’S NOT
OVERSELL. A juggernaut is defined as “a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force,” and this villain is certainly that. But all these repeated claims that he cannot be stopped, his power is at great as the X-Men’s, all efforts against him offer only a few moments respite, infer that he can’t be beaten…and yet, in the end, he is! I harken back to last month’s Destroyer, whom none but Odin could destroy…and yet Thor did so on his own. I understand the villain must be powerful to make the fight interesting, but I’m starting to feel the writers bear more than a passing resemblance to the boy who cried wolf. Let us know up front there is an Achilles Heel, and then we won’t feel so cheated when it’s exploited.

“Aww, what the heck! If I was the cautious type,
I wouldn’t be a member of the FF in the first place!”
— Human Torch

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FANTASTIC FOUR #42

“To Save You, Why Must I Kill You?”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
While Mister Fantastic fights the hypnotized Thing, Torch escapes his trap and frees Invisible Girl. While Johnny and Sue battle the Frightful Four, Thing defeats Reed and squeezes him into an airtight metal urn. Sue fends off Medusa and Trapster, leaving Johnny to battle Wizard, Sandman and Thing. They capture Torch and submit him to Wizard’s id machine, hypnotizing him into joining them. Meanwhile, Sue escapes with the urn and frees Reed. They capture Thing, but the Torch unleashes a burst of deadly flame against his partners.

WHAT’S HOT
I GIVE UP. The Narrator is at a loss for words at one point, simply admitting that Thing’s grip “is beyond our poor power of description…!” I’ve often wondered how the Narrator is going to continuously out-do himself, and this simple admission of defeat seems more powerful than any string of extraordinary adjectives he might have strung together.

WHAT’S NOT
THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY. Though this issue provides some development in the ongoing conflict, basically it’s good guys vs. bad guys, lots of fighting, and no resolution at the end. Guess I’ll have to wait till the next issue for the indescribably stupendous and dramatic conclusion!

“Never a dull moment around here, huh, baby?”
— Thing

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STRANGE TALES #136

“Find Fury or Die!”
Script: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Art: John Severin
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Multiple HYDRA agents follow Nick Fury on his walk to work one morning. Fury enters a local barber shop and chats with the “workers,” who are secretly SHIELD agents. He alerts them that he’s being followed, and they capture two HYDRA agents, hypnotizing them into believing that SHIELD is located in a nearby warehouse. After the decoys mislead an assassination squad, Fury descends to SHIELD’s underground base in a barber chair. When the assassins attack the warehouse, SHIELD springs the trap, capturing HYDRA.

WHAT’S HOT
We have a new artist—who is apparently actually an old artist from the Golden Age—Johnny Severin, and he makes Nick Fury look even more rugged and macho than before. My favorite image of Fury is on the splash, as he purposefully strides along with his tie blowing in the wind behind him, obviously a man of action.

WELCOME TO THE GENRE! We are now firmly entrenched in the spy genre, with coin transmitters, throat mikes, trick barber chairs and…wait for it… “electronic computers”!

ART IMITATES ART. The Hydra “Master” walks around with a huge blue cat on a leash. And I don’t mean a kitty cat, it looks more like a cougar. I immediately wondered if Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers films is a riff on this, but then Russ reminded me that Ernst Blofeld from the first four James Bond films also had his favorite feline. So! Marvel riffs on Bond, and Mike Myers also riffs on Bond, while at the same time, riffing on Marvel!

MOD SQUAD. As a child of the 60’s, when I see Nick Fury assisted by a blonde, a white guy and a black guy, my thoughts immediately fly to The Mod Squad. I guess in this scenario, Fury is Tige Andrews as Captain Adam Greer? Mod Squad showed up in 1968, so this comic pre-dates Mod Squad. Hmmm…so, could it be that Mod Squad drew its inspiration from Nick Fury?

WHAT’S NOT
QUACK QUACK. One of the Hydra operatives describes himself as being on a “decoy” repair truck. Is the word “decoy” really needed in this situation?

ONCE AGAIN PLEASE, I’M NOT SURE I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME. Having to say “Hail Hydra!” every time you speak is clunky, inefficient and probably as annoying to the Hydra crew as it is to the readers.

NOT THAT INNOCENT. Hooded assassins “silently leave an innocent looking barge” … but they’re FLYING!! How innocent and inconspicuous is that??

CHEW ON THIS. Why is it important to know that the manicurist is chewing gum? We don’t see her chewing gum, so we’re just feeding into the stereotype that all manicurists chew gum.

PLAYING POSSUM. Fury and the Mod Squad pretend to be dead in the barber shop with multiple Hydra agents just outside the door. They’re lucky none of those agents come in and check on them, and then wonder why there’s no sign of blood. And exceptionally lucky that no Hydra agents give each of them one more shot, just to be sure the job was done right, the first time.

“When I give an order, I wanna hear yer eyeballs pop!”
— Nick Fury

“What Lurks Beneath the Mask?”
Script: Stan Lee
Plot and Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Dormammu captures the white-haired girl. When he learns that Strange seeks the secret of Eternity, he panics and orders Mordo to destroy Strange immediately. Mordo alerts his followers to find Strange. Elsewhere, Strange consults the Aged Genghis, who provides a spell which transports him to a realm with a demon who switches places with him. Strange mentally controls his cloak, defeating the demon and freeing himself. Returning to the Orient, Strange resolves to enter the Ancient One’s comatose mind to uncover the secret of Eternity.

WHAT’S HOT
CONFIRMATION NOTICE. Dormammu gets really bent out of shape when Mordo tells him Doctor Strange is searching for the meaning of “Eternity”—which just goes to confirm that Strange is really on to something here!

WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET? Strange cannot use spells or his enemies will be able to track him through the Enchanted Globe. You see this all the time in movies and TV, when someone is on the run and can’t use their credit cards, or else they’ll be tracked down. Only in this scenario it’s all a little more…strange, isn’t it? Who are these followers of Mordo that are pictured all around him? Some look very exotic and interesting, and I hope I’ll get to meet them someday.

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES. Strange levitates to the upstairs window of a woman who remembers him as someone who saved her life, many years ago. The woman is unable to help Strange, so he flies away, but Stan and Steve say, “Remind us to tell you about it someday.” Is it a story worth telling, and will they ever get around to it? A pointed reminder that everything we see in these comics is not the entire scope of our characters’ lives.

CLASSIC VILLAIN MISTAKE #1. Dormammu traps the white-haired girl, but promises to keep her alive so she can see Strange die. Obviously Dormammu hasn’t been watching a lot of movies lately. This is one of the most classic villain mistakes. If merely a criminal, he would kill her straight off, but a villain wants to “toy” with his enemies and make them suffer…a delay that so often gives time for escape or rescue.

CLASSIC VILLAIN MISTAKE #2. Mordo wants to free himself from Dormammu. Again, another classic downfall of villains: they really don’t work well together, can’t get on the same page, are only interested in their own agendas. This moment is a chink in the armor that will eventually lead to a major splintering between Mordo and Dormammu.

BORSCHT! Aged wizard Genghis gives Strange a scroll with the word “Eternity” on it, but Strange doesn’t take the time to read it through, which causes his misstep into the Netherworld of Doom. Personally, I think it would have been really cool if old Genghis, who can’t really remember things so well these days, actually gave Strange his ancient recipe for Borscht! (See Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2—Helpful Chrissy)

WHAT’S NOT
In page 7 panel 4 in the Marvel Masterworks, the word “Doom” has been erased. Hmmm…wonder why? Is this some weird typographical error, or was it intentional?

WAAAAHH! Dormammu, seen mainly on a screen, looks like a very unhappy toddler who is ready for a nappy.

SIDETRACKED. This story has been going on for some time, and while there are several overriding arcs, once again Strange is sidetracked into an alternate reality that simply slows down his progress. Last time I noted that this was getting tiresome, and guess what? It still is.

“I MUST dare—if we are to survive!”
— Doctor Strange

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TALES OF SUSPENSE #69

“If I Must Die, Let It Be With Honor!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
In Siberia, Boris Bullski stews in anger over being stationed in a remote workcamp. He orders his workers to design a suit of armor made of titanium, planning to humiliate Iron Man and curry favor with his communist masters. Once the armor is completed, he issues a world-wide challenge to Iron Man. Tony is unsure that he is up to the challenge, but when Sen. Byrd goes to the press, he reluctantly accepts. Later, in neutral Alberia, Iron Man and Titanium Man face off, and Iron Man is injured when a secretly-planted mine explodes.

WHAT’S HOT
HERE WE GO AGAIN! There have been more and more multi-issue stories lately, and here—especially since we don’t even begin the epic battle until well past page five—I’d guess this whole business is going to go on for a lot longer than only one more month.

TONY STARK, MAN OF MYSTERY. The story opens with Stark working on a “Reverser,” and we have no idea what that is or what it can do, so we can only imagine. Later, the mystery continues when Stark improves Iron Man’s chest plate by some unknown means. Could it have anything to do with this “Reverser”? I guess we’ll have to buy the next issue to find out!

IT’S COMPLICATED. Going back to my Thor theme of “It’s Complicated,” late in this issue, an old flame of Tony’s is introduced, much to Pepper’s irritation. The socialite swears vengeance on Stark for leaving her flat. What happens next?? Another reason to buy the next issue!

SCOUTING. Bullski studies film of Iron Man in the same way football players learn about their upcoming opponents. It’s the middle of May, and I’m wistfully looking forward to the start of football season!

DOUBLE CROSS #1. The scientists who build the titanium suit are hoping for freedom in exchange, but after they fulfill their part of the bargain, Bullski pulls the rug out from under them and sends them to a different camp instead. It never ceases to amaze me how the Commies in these comics are such complete scoundrels, utterly despicable, with no redeeming qualities.

DOUBLE CROSS #2. Let me double down on my point about the Commie Double Cross by noting that in the fight between Iron Man and Titanium Man, Bullski sets up a cheat by having a secret mine field installed for Iron Man to stumble into. Hmmmm…I guess Bullski wasn’t entirely convinced his warrior suit of armor could beat the capitalistic American in a fair fight…hmmm?

FLIPPANT. When Stark gets a telegram from “behind the iron Curtain,” he calls it Commieland. I had to read it twice to make sure he said what I thought he said, but yep…Commieland.

FRUG A GO-GO. I’m intrigued by Happy’s offer to take Pepper to a discotheque. I would love to see the Frug A Go-Go pop up in a future MCU movie as one of the most difficult to locate Easter Eggs. (Although, if you are a reader of this blog, you’ll now have no trouble spotting it when it happens!)

WHAT’S NOT
THAT’S NEWS TO ME! Stark reveals in a thought bubble that one of the reasons he left the Avengers is because his life-saving chest device had been giving him constant trouble. Huh? Is this the first time we’re hearing about this? And if so….is it true, or is Stark just retroactively making excuses?

BULLY FOR YOU! Stark lets the Commies call the shots when they use the threat of the press to bully him into a fight as Iron Man.

TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU! So, Bullski dares him, Congress dares him, and the newspapers dare him! Guess he has to do it now.

MISS SMITH. With my deepest apologies to all the Smiths of the world, Byrd’s secretary is so peripheral a character that they couldn’t even be bothered to think up a more creative name. Although, come to think of it…I guess if Byrd takes Miss Smith to the MoonWinx Motel for an extended lunch, he can register under the name “Smith” and not actually be telling a lie.

PROPAGANDA MUCH? A Commie says “This shall be a propaganda victory,” and I’m wondering if that’s really something anyone would say about themselves. Doesn’t the word “propaganda” reek of negative connotations? But then again, it might lose something in the Russian-to-English translation.

HEDGING. And finally, in the last panel, the Narrator calls it a “fatal-seeming explosion” which totally undercuts the drama, turning your cliffhanger ending into a small hill in the toddlers’ playground. Suddenly I seem to be a lot less interested in buying the next issue. (But I will come back for the mystery of the “Reverser” and some more of Pepper’s “if looks could kill” daggers directed at the bejeweled and bedazzled Countess de la Spiroza.)

“Would it be better to fight and lose—
than to stand branded as a coward?”
— Tony Stark

“Midnight in Greymoor Castle!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Dick Ayers
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Nazi sympathizer Dr. Cedric Rawlings shows off his latest invention to the Red Skull’s agent, Maj. Uberhart: a shrinking ray. Meanwhile, Steve Rogers’ army unit strikes out for a nighttime attack on a Nazi-held port, leaving the base vulnerable to an attack by Nazi saboteurs. Bucky is captured during the attack and transported to Greymoor Castle, where Rawlings awaits, over his sister Celia’s objections. When Cap learns of the capture, he abandons his unit and hijacks a plane back to England.

WHAT’S HOT
GOTH TO THE MAX. Greymoor Castle completes its gothic vibe with its very own Igor assistant.

I BEG OF YOU! Celia implores her brother not to continue his mad scheme by saying “I beg of you!” When Russ and I watched Dark Shadows, it became a running joke how many times a character said “I beg of you!” and now it always makes me chuckle when I hear it.

WHAT’S NOT
WAISTING AWAY. Celia has the skinniest waist I have ever seen anywhere! Not even Vera Miles from those old MGM musicals comes close! It’s simply…unnatural.

MORAL DILEMMA AVERTED or…HASTE MAKES WASTE. Like Doctor Strange this month, who did not thoroughly peruse the “Eternal” scroll, Rogers instantly takes off the moment he hears Bucky is in danger, missing the dispatch indicating that his army buddies are about to face trouble—trouble he could have helped avert, if he’d stuck around. The only positive aspect of his impulsive action is that it increases the drama for the next issue, but more immediately, it alleviates him of any moral dilemma that would have vexed his soul, should he have had to choose between the two disasters.

BUSYWORK. In Marvel, sometimes it seems the purpose of women and children is simply to give the heroes something to do.

“Rogers! You knuckle-headed, knock-kneed, gold-brickin’ meatball!”
— Sgt. Duffy

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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #28

“The Menace of the Molten Man!”
Plot: Steve Ditko
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Sam Rosen

IN A NUTSHELL
While trying to recover his costume from Spencer Smythe, Peter witnesses a struggle between Smythe and his assistant Raxton. A lab accident coats Raxton’s skin with a metal alloy, granting him super strength. Spider-Man tracks Raxton down and encourages him to turn himself in, but Raxton dubs himself the Molten Man, and fights back. Spidey uses his webbing to capture Raxton and leave him for the cops. He races home, just in time to leave for his high school graduation. After graduation, Liz says goodbye to Peter.

WHAT’S HOT
LIFE CHANGING EVENT. This is probably the first time I’m seeing a Life Changing Event in a Marvel Comic. I know Reed and Sue are planning a wedding, and if nothing happens to mess up their happy day, that will definitely be right up there with Peter’s graduation. But as I read this issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, I’m pleased to see time marching forward. From this point on, there will be stories that happen to high school Parker, and stories that happen after he graduates. In a world that sometimes feels a bit stagnant and time-challenged, this is a very big deal.

SERENDIPITY. Peter easily retrieves his original Spider-Man costume from Spence Smythe’s house, replacing it with his “shrunken store-bought costume.” Fortunately, Smythe says he hasn’t yet had time to look at the Spidey suit very closely, and then he leaves to answer the door, giving Peter the opportunity to make the switch while nobody’s looking. It’s all too easy and convenient, but at least we get that bit of business out of the way, so we can move on with the story.

HEART ON HER SLEEVE. Liz confesses her love for Peter…well, at least her “crush.” But it’s enough to make her truly miserable, when she thinks he’s dating other girls. As Peter heads off to Empire State University, will we run into Liz again? I hope so, because where’s the sense in revealing this emotional information, if you’re not going to follow up?

WHAT’S NOT
BURYING THE LEAD. Maybe it’s just because I’m a girl, and a mom, or maybe it’s because I’ve already seen so many different villains in my short time reading Marvel Comics, but when I look at the cover, though the dramatic image claiming all the real estate is of some new villain, I’m much more excited about the little blue box at the bottom announcing Peter Parker’s Graduation. The graduation story only got four of the twenty pages, but it’s vastly more entertaining and significant than anything else that happens in this issue.

YELLOW IS THE NEW GREEN. As his clothes rip off and he’s down to nothing but short purple pants, Molten Man looks like a poor man’s Hulk.

DELUSIONAL, PART 1. Why is Mrs. Watson so excited to tell Mary Jane that Peter got a scholarship? Mary Jane and Peter haven’t even met yet! I think Mrs. Watson is wrapped up in some happy delusions, envisioning a big wedding for the two young people, followed by a bevy of grandchildren. In fact, she’s so delusional, she’s even convinced herself that Mary Jane is not her niece at all, but actually her daughter!

DELUSIONAL PART 2. But I guess we should cut Mrs. Watson a little slack, since Peter now apparently thinks Liz Allan’s last name is Hilton!

THE PICK-UP ARTIST. JJJ butters up Aunt May in an attempt to win Peter back to the newspaper, exclaiming, in the most awkward and embarrassing speech I have yet heard in Marvel Comics, “His aunt! I thought you were his sister!” Funny, because I’ve always thought she looks more like his grandmother.

“Yeesh! Jonah is even MORE revolting when he tries to be NICE!”
— Peter Parker

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FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #3

“Bedlam at the Baxter Building!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
When Doctor Doom reads of Reed and Sue’s impending wedding, he plots revenge against the Fantastic Four. Using his emotion charger, he fans the flames of every evil menace on Earth and beyond. As super-hero guests arrive for the ceremony, they are met by villains as diverse as HYDRA and Attuma, from Mandarin to the Mole Man. The Watcher provides Reed with a device that will disperse the villains and erase their memories, clearing the way for the wedding. Later, SHIELD blocks two interlopers from attending the reception.

WHAT’S HOT
AND GUEST. Stark’s date for the wedding looks like Annette Funicello.

INCLUSIVE ART. The art on the top of page 17 is (pardon my pun) fantastic! We see a great many superheroes in the heat of battle, with several iconic catch phrases thrown in for good measure.

DIMENSIONAL ART. Another work of art: for the journey through the Fourth Dimension, the artist chooses to get the point across by having Reed and the Watcher pass in front of a giant photograph. What is the photo depicting? I can’t tell, and really, does it matter? The point is that it’s as different from the world of comics as the first three dimensions are from this Fourth Dimension.

CHUCKLES AND THRILLS. At the end, the Narrator says “Hope you got a few chuckles and a few thrills out of our tale!” Well, I did! This one has it all. It’s a celebration, not only of Reed and Sue’s wedding, but of the whole world of Marvel Comics.

WHAT’S NOT
WATCHING THE WATCHER. Again, the Watcher interferes while claiming non-interference. Sigh…I’ve given up trying to understand how he justifies his actions.

SELECTIVE DISPLACEMENT. The Watcher provides a “Sub-Atronic Time Displacer,” which Reed correctly guesses is exactly the tool needed for the job. But did he also know it would only work on villains? And next question: why is that?

THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD DEFENSE. Doctor Doom says the attack must be “now, when he will least expect it!” If that’s what he really thinks, Doom hasn’t been paying attention. At the very least, he apparently hasn’t read X-Men #13 this month, where Torch comments that an attack by their old enemies is exactly what Reed expected on his wedding day.

KILL THE DRESS. What a horrible wedding dress! Even for 1965. Well, I guess that’s what happens when you hire Jack Kirby as your designer, instead of Christian Dior (who the future Mr. and Mrs. Reed Richards surely could afford). The veil is okay, but I’m sorry, Sue deserves so much better than this.

SUPERSTITIOUS MUCH? Is it “bad luck” that Reed sees Sue in her wedding dress before the ceremony? Let’s hope not!!

“Mebbe you two shoulda just eloped!”
— Thing

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AVENGERS #20

“Vengeance Is Ours!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Wally Wood
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Hawkeye, Wanda and Pietro race to Cap’s aid, using teamwork to save him from his fall. Suddenly Swordsman is teleported away by the Mandarin, who recruits him to destroy the Avengers from within. Mandarin sends a hologram of Iron Man to endorse Swordsman joining the Avengers. Once accepted, Swordsman plants a bomb in the Mansion. However, he has second thoughts, and fights his way through the Avengers to remove the bomb. Later, Swordsman realizes the Avengers will never accept him again.

WHAT’S HOT
WELL OILED MACHINE? Cap had a hunch the new Avengers would jump right in to save him, and they pretty much did as expected. Of course, the moment the danger is past, they immediately go back to squabbling and belly bumping. Seems they’ve still got a few issues to work out…

DR. CAP. Or DR. AMERICA. But Cap is like a psychiatrist, giving Hawkeye and Quicksilver “a chance to uncork their frustrations and hostilities” while wisely warning Wanda to stay out of it. What a leader! (No question who should get the position!)

BOY SCOUTS. When Swordsman attacks with a flaming sword, Cap yells out “Plan ‘G’!! As we REHEARSED it!!” Plan G?? I love how prepared they are!

MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY. In the end, Swordsman realizes he has alienated both the Avengers and the Mandarin, and they will all be out to get him. But he also says, “There’s something about being an Avenger…that seems to get into your blood and never let go.” After his sudden turn around with the bomb, I think he’s proven that he may have what it takes to be a hero. Will keep watch.

WHAT’S NOT
RACIST INSULTS. Mandarin calls Swordsman a “witless OCCIDENTAL fool” and Swordsman calls Mandarin “Fu Manchu.” Also, Mandarin says, “Ah, so!” several times. I guess you could get away with this sort of stuff in the 1960’s, but it all seems so uncomfortably racist today.

TRUST ISSUES. The Avengers are rather naïve to trust a suit of armor, even while noting that his voice sounds kind of strange (“Why, Grandma! What big TEETH you have!”), and he demands something that doesn’t make sense. Does it not occur to any of them that this could be a ruse? If it’s this easy to fool the Avengers, it’s a wonder they’ll survive.

“Individually, each one is an enemy to be respected, but, as a TEAM, they’re practically unbeatable!”
— Swordsman

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TALES TO ASTONISH #71

“Escape…to Nowhere!”
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Adam Austin
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
Namor uses Neptune’s shell to sever the octopus’ tentacles, slaying the behemoth. Neptune’s spirit appears and sends him to the Forbidden Deeps, to face the next peril. He encounters an old man from the outskirts of Atlantis, whole humble faith quietens his doubts and restores his will to fight. In Atlantis, Krang promises Dorma that the Sub-Mariner will die, and his ruthlessness leads to the formation of a rebellion. Meanwhile, Namor enters the Deeps, but his path is blocked by a giant Seaweed Man.

WHAT’S HOT
YOU LIKE ME! YOU REALLY LIKE ME! I very much enjoyed Namor’s encounter with the old Atlantean who showers his king with adoration. Though Namor is not the sort of leader who requires or demands this level of worship, it makes his heart happy. And it made my heart happy as well.

YOU…LOOK…MAHVELOUS!! Though the soap opera in this issue is somewhat superfluous, Dorma’s facial expressions carry the show.

WHAT’S NOT
HOT MESS. That being said, I am not a fan of anything else done by the combination of this artist and inker. Body parts misshapen, eyebrows extremely arched, everything simply too dark. And call-in Steve McQueen: that seaweed man at the end is just a BLOB.

SIGH…When I first heard that Namor was getting his own title, I was looking forward to a deeper dive into the kingdom under the sea. But these last few issues have been rote, predictable, lacking in imagination. This one begins with Namor fighting a giant squid and ends with him fighting a giant seaweed man. Have we made any progress? Not really. And pardon my pun, but my enthusiasm is now…dampened.

“The people love thee! The people wish thee well!
The people shall never lose faith in thee, Sub-Mariner!”
— “The Ancient”

“Like a Beast at Bay!”
Script: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Art: Mickey Demeo
Letters: Artie Simek

IN A NUTSHELL
The Hulk grabs Rick and leaps away from the oncoming nuclear missile, escaping the blast. Ross, Talbot and the air force descend on the scene, but the Leader’s humanoid bursts into flames before they can analyze it. Meanwhile, Hulk takes the injured Rick to his cave to recover. Hulk attempts a gamma ray treatment to prevent transforming into Banner, but Ross and his men attack the cave. Hulk forces Rick to leave the cave, just as the Leader appears telepathically to offer an alliance to rule the world.

WHAT’S HOT
IDENITY CRISIS. The writers have spent the whole of Hulk’s existence trying to figure out what the heck to do with him. After so much “Hulk Smash!!” it’s still disconcerting to hear the big green man talking more like an adult than a toddler. Now that Banner is more fully represented in his personality, Hulk is much more reasonable…yet still so full of anger. Where are we going with all this? Wherever we end up, it’s beginning to feel like the blob of anger and confusion that is Hulk is finally getting ready to congeal.

VOICE OF DEFEAT. I love the Leader unintentionally displaying his lack of confidence in handling Hulk. “This time,” he exclaims, “he shall not escape me again!” What?? I’m thinking: “This time he shall not escape me,” or “He shall not escape me again,” but the Leader can’t make it to the end of the sentence before tampering his false bravado with what I deem to be a Freudian slip of overcompensation.

HE AIN’T HEAVY…Hulk cares about Rick Jones and is doing anything he can to keep him safe and alive. This is a side of Hulk we’ve never seen before, when Banner was so far in the background, and it now makes him a much more complex and interesting character.

WINDOW TO THE SOUL. I like the way Kirby draws Hulk, his face so full of emotions: confusion, anger, even doubtful self-reflection as the Leader proposes a solution, telling Hulk, “The choice is YOURS!” I’m not sure how Hulk will choose, but by the look on his face, I believe he will have used his Banner brain to totally think it through before deciding.

WHAT’S NOT
DRAW A BREATH. The art of artificial respiration is not easy to depict. Here, it looks more like Hulk is spitting or vomiting on a comatose Rick Jones, rather than administering the breath of life.

STRONGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER. Further problems: Hulk operates off a flawed theory that he is the best one to give AR because “NOBODY can apply it like ME—my lungs are the world’s strongest!” However, the world’s strongest lungs would no doubt blow out the lungs of the respiration recipient! Sometimes a more gentle and skillful approach is needed.

BATHROOM BREAK. It’s wonderful that we’ve got this action-packed story going on for so many issues now, but honestly, the pace is dizzying. Never mind that the characters are locked in with no opportunity to make cameo appearances in other titles, the real question is: When do they eat? Sleep? Take a bathroom break? I’m having flashbacks to the TV show 24.

“Don’t ever call me ‘Doc’! Dr. Banner is DEAD!
From now on, I’m just the Hulk!”
— Hulk

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Posted in Avengers, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Meanwhile, Sgt. Fury, SHIELD, Spider-Man, Strange Tales, Sub-Mariner, Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish, X-Men | Leave a comment

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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