Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: June 9, 1966 Cover: 1966 25 cents Stan Lee, editor extaordinary Roy Thomas, scripter superlative Dick Ayers, penciler pre-eminent John Tartaglione, inker infallible Sam Rosen, letterer lamentable 24 pages
Countless ships… squadrons of high-flying B-17’s, and medium-range bombers…170,000 American and British troops– all part of the mightiest armada ever assembled by man! All dedicated to the overthrow of the most unholy empire ever conceived by man… or demon!
We’ve been hanging out in 1943-44 for this whole series. It’s been pointedly pre-D-Day. The Howlers are based in England because there is no major Allied presence in Europe. They keep sneaking into Europe for their adventures.
These annuals aren’t necessarily set with the monthly comics, so there may be several pre-D-Day comics yet to come. For example, the first annual showed the Howlers reunite in Korea, and the next one will take us to Viet Nam. And we have several more pre-D-Day stories to come in the main title.
June 5. 1944. Normandy. Hitler believes his wall around Europe to be impenetrable. The Howlers once again sneak into France on their most important mission.
Featuring: Daredevil Release: June 2, 1966 Cover: August 1966 12 cents Script: Masterful Stan Lee Art: Magnificent Johnny Romita Inks: Melodramatic Frank Giacoia Lettering: Melancholy Sam Rosen 20 pages
“You’ve got to confess that it was a hoax!” “But then I’ll never have a chance with Karen!”
Hello. Happy new year. Welcome to this blog. We will be reading along with Daredevil #19, the 548th comic in the story that is the Marvel Universe, by our reckoning.
We’ve had a busy few months and found some complications in the Marvel Universe, which unfortunately delayed this latest entry. I thank the readers for their patience.
Without further ado, let’s try to recall that Foggy has recently been pretending he was Daredevil in order to impress Karen. The ruse led to Foggy finding himself in a Daredevil costume, battling a new super-villain called the Gladiator. This all began when Spider-Man mistook Foggy for Daredevil while searching for the Masked Marauder. The Masked Marauder remains at large.
Foggy does not seem to have learned a lesson from last issue’s shenanigans.
Gladiator is off to jail. But he is rescued by the Masked Marauder.
Gladiator isn’t the type to work for someone else, so they need to have a villain fight until they agree the Masked Marauder is in charge. Though we’ll see it’s not quite settled. Later, they’ll settle for being equal partners.
Did Daredevil break Foggy’s window? I guess Foggy had it coming.
Foggy opens the door for some goons because he thinks they are reporters. While I don’t wish death on Foggy for being stupid, at some point natural selection may just take its course.
Fortunately Daredevil is on hand, smashing the already smashed window? Smashing a different window of Foggy’s?
Foggy does help a bit.
Foggy expects the landlord to take care of the windows and the mess. He has a much more generous landlord than I’ve ever had, if so.
Karen is surprisingly cool with how stupid Foggy has been, endangering himself and all of them. She even gives him a kiss on the cheek. This makes Matt jealous until he hears Karen say he’s wonderful.
Astute readers may be noticing we’d long ago read the Namor story from Tales to Astonish #80, but still haven’t read the Hulk story, even though that came out in March. Nor have we read any Hulk/Namor stories since then.
Very astute readers may notice my original reading order called for us to be catching up with Hulk and Namor right now with the May comics, but that I changed up the order and am reading through some June comics instead.
Part of the reason for the delay since I made the last Thor post was that the continuity related to the Secret Empire, Them, and AIM overwhelmed me somewhat. That combined with a recent move across an ocean. I think I’ve gotten it all sorted. I had thought Daredevil would be one of the titles not caught up in the wave of stories about secret evil organizations, but I was wrong. Because Foggy defended the Rhino, and Peter Parker bought a new cycle, and Thor attended an Avengers meeting… I realized I did need to get this Daredevil issue out of the way first.
The plan now is to read some sufficiently standalone June/July comics, then read ahead a bit in Thor until we reach a point we are happy to have him chilling on Earth. And then we’ll dive in headfirst to the saga of the Secret Empire in an attempt to make sense out of it. (Spoiler: we won’t make any sense out of it.)
Besides, we all need closure on this Masked Marauder/Gladiator stuff sooner than later.
For the moment, let’s see what else is going on in the world of comics in June 1966, and then we’ll head back in time to D-Day with the next post.
Marvel has been reprinting older comics in Fantasy Masterpieces and Marvel Tales. This month adds another book, Marvel Super-Heroes, a one-off king-sized special, reprinting three old tales, featuring the Avengers, Daredevil, and Sub-Mariner, respectively.
Here’s a sampling of the Brand Echh publishers from the month.
Archie Giant Series Magazine #140, Archie
D-Day #4, Charlton
Timmy the Timid Ghost #45, Charlton
Action Comics #340, DC
Adventures of Bob Hope #100, DC
Falling in Love #85, DC
Flash #163, DC
Werewolf #1, Dell
Dennis the Menace Giant #42, Fawcett
Honey West #1, Gold Key
Little Dot’s Uncles and Aunts #18, Harvey
Spyman #1, Harvey
Popeye #81, King Features
Captain Marvel Presents the Terrible Five #1, MF Enterprises
Dynamo #1, Tower
Eerie #5, Warren
The lawless Dot is up to her usual vandalism. Lots of publishers mashing up the superhero/spy genres. Parasite is a notable new Superman villain. That’s a pretty famous Flash cover. Dynamo is a spin-off from Wally Wood’s THUNDER Agents.
The version of Captain Marvel above is famous mostly for his name. A short-lived character, after Fawcett stopped publishing the more famous Captain Marvel due to a lawsuit from DC and lost the trademark. Marvel has taken note of the comic, and will decide soon that it wants the name for itself.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 53/100 Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Daredevil Epic Collection vol. 1: The Man Without Fear.
Characters:
Matt Murdock/Daredevil
Foggy Nelson/not Daredevil
Gladiator
Masked Marauder
Karen Page
Big Joe
Story notes:
Foggy still pretending to be Daredevil to impress Karen.
On the way to protect Foggy, DD stops to save a worker after the scaffolding broke.
Daily Bugle headline reveals Foggy is Daredevil.
Masked Marauder’s goons disguised as press greet Gladiator with cameras that shoot gas to break him out of police custody.
Battle for dominance between two villains; Masked Marauder wins at first with his Opti-blast.
Sensitive touch and hearing make lock picking easy for Daredevil; he looks for clues at costume shop where Foggy bought the costume.
Goons picked from elite of the underworld to form Empire of Crime.
Top of Marauder’s mask made of strongest cushioned steel.
Big Joe a particularly tough hood.
Goon reports to Marauder and Gladiator that Nelson is not Daredevil.
Now I’m not saying someone in Marvel marketing reads my blog and was thus inspired to make these cross-promotional covers… but I’m not ruling it out either.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: November 3, 1966 Cover: January 1967 12 cents Garnished with glory in the Marvel tradition by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Delineated by: Vince Colletta Lettered by: Sam Rosen 5 pages
Never before hath a blessed blanket of rain so caressed the barren wasteland of Nastrond! Rain… which is truly the harbinger of life… the promise of the new day which is yet to be! And, in time to come, the soil shall turn green once more… the grass shall grow, and plants shall sprout above the place where Fafnir fell! For, such is the way of life… life universal.. which can never vanish whilst faith endures!
We come to the finale of the battle in Nastrond. Its king Fafnir had once rebelled against Odin and he and the entire land were sentenced to death in Odin’s wrath. But Fafnir lived on, transformed into a dragon. He now battles Thor for the fate of Nastrond.
It is claimed that if Thor can defeat Fafnir, there will be a miracle in Nastrond.
Featuring: Thor Release: November 3, 1966 Cover: January 1967 12 cents A proud phantasmagoria of pageantry, presented by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Delineated by Vince Colletta Lettered by Artie Simek 16 pages
I did but provide the time– the setting– But, only in the heart can be found the final enchanted ingredient– men call love!
Let’s reflect on the relationship between Jane, Don, and Thor. To understand this love triangle, we first need to understand the relationship between Don and Thor. And we don’t.
We reflected on the nature of their relationship back in issue 129. It seems Don is Thor and Thor is Don. They have two bodies, but one mind, one set of thoughts, and one heart, one set of feelings.
There is plenty of evidence to contradict that interpretation, but that is how they are usually written. Don is Thor and Thor is Don. Don is mortal and Thor is immortal. Thor is ancient, older than humanity, and had a life long before Don. And Don presumably had a life before Thor, before he found that cane in the mountain. Though we have learned very little about that life, only that he had studied medicine and become a world-renowned surgeon and robotics expert. We’ve seen no glimpses of his past life, nor met any relatives. But presumably he has these things. But now he is Thor. Mind, heart, soul.
In fact, Thor and Don seem closer than Hulk and Banner. Who definitely seem to to be two distinct characters with opinions about the other, who share only some thoughts and feelings.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: October 4, 1966 Cover: December 1966 12 cents Proudly produced by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Delineation: Vince Colletta Lettering: Sam Rosen 5 pages
So be it! No matter what may now befall… the flesh of my flesh shall face it as one to the manner born… as only the Thunder God can! The Son of Odin knows full well… evil hath many faces… And, wheree’er it may be found… no matter what its guise… it must be summarily crushed… for such is the will of Odin! Only with the defeat of Fafnir can the dead domain of Nastrond live again! Thus must it be! And that which must be, ever shall be! For such is the wonder! Such is the way! Now, verily… I have spoken!!
We continue the Fafnir saga. Last issue, Volstagg was captured by the dragon king Fafnir.
This issue Thor and his remaining two warrior friends confront Fafnir.
Featuring: Thor Release: October 4, 1966 Cover: December 1966 12 cents A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby feature fantasy! Delineation by: Vincent Colletta Lettering by: Artie Simek 16 pages
“The universe is vast, beloved– and doth contain worlds without limit! One such world shall someday be home for the Knights of Wundagore! Then mayhap a new star shall burn more brightly!” “And when it does, we two will know the reason why!”
It will be later in the issue before anybody names this new villain. The title and cover suggest his name is the Super-Beast. So that is what we will call him. Though the next issue blurb last issue had referred to him as the Man-Beast.
Super-Beast’s thing is that he has undergone a million years of evolution. He’s a mix not just of man and wolf, but of where man and wolf will be in a million years.
So he knows future karate and generally has knowledge of future combat. He knows science that won’t be discovered by humanity for tens of thousands of years.
But does any of that make sense? Is knowledge an evolutionary or genetic trait?
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: September 1, 1966 Cover: November 1966 12 cents A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby pictorial presentation Delineated by: Vincent Colletta Lettered by: Artie Simek 5 pages
In this land once lived an evil race who dared defy regal Odin himself! So monumental was Odin’s wrath, that he laid waste to the countryside, so that nothing here could live!
We get a clean beginning to a new arc. The cleanest break between stories in a while, but I’m still just reading these Tales of Asgard stories alongside the main Thor adventures without regard to their flow.
Thor and his three warrior friends ride to Nastrond. Here there once lived “an evil race” who “dared defy Odin”. So Odin laid waste the countryside so that nothing could live there. This is referred to as Odin’s kingly wrath.
Perhaps it’s worth reflecting on how righteous Odin really is here. Or how wise. Thor does not take this time to reflect. He just seems rather impressed by what to me seems like Odin’s utter madness.
Featuring: Thor Release: September 1, 1966 Cover: November 1966 12 cents A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby fantasti-classic! Inked by: Vince Colletta Lettered by: Sam Rosen 16 pages
I am accomplishing… in one brief experiment, what nature would take a million centuries to achieve!
I loved the Galactus saga and the character of Galactus. Fans of the era also loved Galactus. What to do with that? Move on and never see him again? Or recycle the Galactus story again? The former is better than the latter. Best is to use him sparingly when there is a new story to tell about him.
With these ageless characters like Eternity and Galactus, we must remember that years to us may be like moments to them. How many different times should they run into humans in those brief moments? Eternity had noted Dr. Strange was the second mortal to ever stand in his presence. The first must have been a few centuries earlier, like yesterday to Eternity.
Galactus had been devouring planets for eons, but Earth was the first planet he attempted to consume that contained an advanced civilization. So you expect it to be some time before it comes up again. And since he vowed to never consume the Earth and Galactus’ word is “cosmic truth itself”, we expect he’ll never do that again.
So when would we see Galactus? Well, Galactus is the devourer of worlds. Ego is the living planet. Conflict seems almost inevitable.
Why the conflict now, when both are ageless? Perhaps Thor’s battle with Ego attracted Galactus, and it’s not just coincidence.
Either way, Galactus journeying into the Black Galaxy to confront Ego a galaxy away from Earth is a good and sensible use of the character. A character I am excited to see again. As long as they don’t overdo it, and the stories they tell with him are new stories.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: August 2, 1966 Cover: October 1966 12 cents A Stan Lee-Jack Kirby production Inked by: Vince Colletta Lettered by: Sam Rosen 5 pages
From out of the mists she hath come… She… before whom all who live must one day bow!
As we saw in the last post, my version of this comic has been well looted of pages, and this entire story has been absconded with. So we’ll look to the digital version for our images.
The battle with Harokin and his Warlock’s Eye to retake Muspelheim was entirely forgettable. But it led to this fairly unique coda, two issues devoted to the death of Harokin. Last issue was an ominous and ritualistic issue about acceptance of death. A drumbeat, an approaching black horse…
