Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: October 12, 1965 Cover: January 1966 12 cents Story by our leader, Stan Lee Illustrations by our idol, Jack Kirby Inking by our star, Joe Sinnott Lettering by our letterer, Artie Simek 20 pages
Who is Black Bolt? He’s fast. He’s strong. Strong enough to stagger the Thing with one blow. The antenna on his mask converts electrons into his strength and speed.
Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: September 9, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Incredible story by: Stan Lee! Incomparable pencilling by: Jack Kirby! Invincible inking by: Joe Sinnott! Inevitable lettering by: Artie Simek! 20 pages
I know how it feels to be a misfit– to haveta depend on your strength– because you aint got anythin’ else to offer anyone!
This is an incredible moment in Marvel’s history. The same month that introduces the Inhumans, the Eternity Saga comes to a climax as Dr. Strange engages Baron Mordo in final battle. And the Master Planner Saga begins in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. (We’ll read that story right after this one.)
Gorgon has captured Medusa. Dragon Man has captured Sue. The remaining FF members are caught in a collapsing building caused by Gorgon’s shock wave kick.
Thing seems particularly down on himself: “I’ve been nothin’ but a thorn in yer sides for months anyway!” In fairness, he did quit the team and join the Frightful Four.
The Torch too. “I failed you–both of you–when you needed me the most!” Quite the pity party here.
Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: August 10, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents Dreamed up by: Stan Lee Sketched down by: Jack Kirby Inked in by: Joe Sinnott Lettered around by: S. Rosen 20 pages
I’ve had enough of this domestic bliss bit! Hanging around here is like being on the set of Ozzie and Harriet!
“The world’s greatest comic magazine!” That’s what is says on the cover. Despite being a comic not as good as the company’s own Dr. Strange or Spider-Man stories. But it’s always been one of Marvel’s best comics and has gotten continually better. We’ve noted assorted leaps forward in quality, such as in issues 13, 29, 35, 36, 38, 39… At some point, we enter into the great era of Fantastic Four. And if we weren’t there already, we’re definitely there now.
One missing ingredient was Joe Sinnott on inks. Often cited as Kirby’s best inker. He’s not entirely new, as he inked the introduction of Dr. Doom back in issue 5. He’d also been the regular artist on Thor for a bit, but did a pretty terrible job. He later recalled in interviews that he hadn’t realized at the time anybody expected these comics to be good. He took the Thor assignment as a job to churn out some disposable work. He seems to take this Fantastic Four assignment more seriously.
Featuring: Avengers Release: December 9, 1965 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Penciller: Don Heck Inker: Dick Ayers Letterer: Sam Rosen 20 pages
The blind fools! They do not realize that Doom cares nothing for them! He merely plays a role for purposes of his own! Truly, he is evil incarnate! If only the simple peasants could see it!
The Avengers fight Dr. Doom!
For maybe the first time, unless you count Avengers #1½–published in 1999 but set before Avengers #2–as canon: the untold first meeting of the Avengers and Dr. Doom.
Either way, it’s the first time any of these Avengers have met Dr. Doom.
Dr. Doom decides to trap the Avengers. Basically just because. His motivation shifts slightly over the course of the issue. At first, it’s because humiliating the Avengers will inspire fear in the Fantastic Four. Then it’s to take them prisoner and use them as bait for the Fantastic Four.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: October 12, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Written in rage by: Stan Lee Pencilled in panic by: Dick Ayers Delineated in despair by: John Tartaglione Lettered in the office by: Sam Rosen 20 pages
They seek a simple Nazi spy… an impersonator… nothing more! Little do they dream that they have the Fuehrer’s most dangerous agent in their midst! How they would tremble if they knew their foe is actually– the Red Skull!
Evocative cover not in Kirby’s usual mold for Sgt. Fury covers. Brings to mind the war comics covers of Joe Kubert, which this title owes many a debt to.
This is the first time we’ve seen John Tartaglione. He’s worked for Marvel on and off since the 1950s, with most of his work being in the romance genre. He’s going to become Ayers’ regular inker on this title for the next couple years.
Here’s an early example of his inking, over Pierce Rice from Marvel’s Amazing Detective Cases #6 (1951), and a contemporaneous example from Patsy Walker #124 (1965), over Al Hartley’s pencils.
Here are two examples of his pencil art, from Young Men #11 (1951) and True Secrets #13 (1952), both from Marvel.
Recall last issue, the Howlers were on furlough in America when they got urgent orders to return to Europe, with sealed instructions to be opened on the plane. Dum Dum was wounded and so remained in America. And Hans has gone to live with the Ralstons until the war ends.
That which is written, is written… and an eternity of raging will not alter one instant of that which will be. Only one maddening enigma remains! Who knows that which is written? Who knows what will be — in the end?
This post was requested by a reader, Bill. Actually, what Bill requested was a brief history of Kang. But brevity is not my strong suit. So I’ll do what I can, which is a comprehensive history of Kang from 1962-2007, the year I stopped reading Marvel regularly.
Who is Kang? In short, he is Kang the Conquerer. He’d conquered the world of the future, and while Alexander wept for there were no new worlds to conquer, Kang found new worlds by setting his sights on conquering history. His story only gets confusing because he’s also gone by other names, like Rama-Tut, Immortus, Scarlet Centurion, Nathaniel Richards, Victor Timely, Whisperer, Iron Lad, and maybe Dr. Doom. And because there is a whole multiverse of Kang variants out there.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we met Kang in Loki, portrayed by Jonathan Majors, and he plays a significant role in Ant-Man and Wasp: Quantumania.
This post is broken into 3 pages.
1962-1969 Meet Rama-Tut, Kang, Immortus, Ravonna, and the Scarlet Centurion.
1974-1990 Learn the truth about Immortus; witness the death of Immortus; meet He Who Remains, the Time-Keepers, Marcus, Nathanial Richards, and Nebula; witness the death of Immortus again; then learn the real truth about Immortus. (Still not the real truth)
1990-2005 Meet Mr. Mobius of the Time Variance Authority, learn the actual truth about everything, and meet Iron Lad of the Young Avengers.
Featuring: Avengers Release: November 11, 1965 Cover: January 1966 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Penciller: Don Heck Inker: Dick Ayers Letterer: Artie Simek 20 pages
Let us each meet our fate with valor– and heaven bless you all!
When we left off, Ravonna had rejected Kang’s offer of marriage, so he’s now sending his armies to invade her kingdom.
This treatment of Kang makes more sense to me than his previous appearances, and it better conveys his title of “…the Conqueror”. That he commands a legion of troops ready to invade kingdoms. His last attempt to conquer the 20th century involved sending a robot Spider-Man against the Avengers. Invading with an army just makes more sense to me.
The crown is still yours by my leave only! ‘Tis Kang who is the power here! Though countless worlds have fallen before my banner, yours have I spared… but only because of love for you!
Serendipitous timing. We get to see a major battle between Kang and the Avengers just in time for Kang to make his big screen debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania this Friday, portrayed by Jonathan Majors. We had met Jonathan Majors as Kang before in the Loki series.
This story is particularly notable for introducing Kang’s great love, the Princess Ravonna. She was portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the Loki series.
John Romita is a new name in the modern Marvel reading, but we’d seen him before in our looks back, as he was the Captain America artist in the 1950s. We’ll be seeing more of him, and have more to say soon.
Sherigail we recall is an alias for for Morrie Kuramoto. We haven’t seen him in a while, with Rosen and Simek dividing up most lettering between them. He married Gail Masuoka in 1955, and they had a daughter Sheri– hence the pen name. As a young adult, Morrie had seen his possessions confiscated and his family sent into prison camps by the US government for having Japanese ancestry. He was able to enlist in the military to escape imprisonment. He worked as a letterer after the war, and continued to do irregular lettering work until his death in 1985.
Someday I’m gonna marry this adorable gal… but I’ve got to wait until she gets this career idea out of her system!
No credits are given. This was a production error as the title usually includes credits. Pencils are by Stan Goldberg with inks by Frank Giacoia and Joe Giella. The script is by a young man named Roy Thomas.
It seems like Millie’s dreams have come true when she, Tony, and Chili are sent to Paris by Mr. Hanover to model for Jacques D’eau, the most famous fashion designer in the world.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Relase: September 9, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents Written by: Stan Lee, Army Vet! Pencilled by Dick Ayers, Air Force Vet! Inked by Frank Ray, Air Force Vet! Lettered by S. Rosen, Teacher’s Pet! 20 pages
Stan and Dick want to take this opportunity to give a heartfelt thanks and well done to the countless wonderful guys and gals who did so much under the banner of the U.S.O., to keep up the morale of lonely Allied fighting men, both near and far from home! We’ll never forget ’em!
Happy Sam orders the Howlers on a furlough back to the States, including Percy and Hans.
