Comic Books – Page 33 – Coke & Comics

Fantastic Four #34

A House Divided!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: October 8, 1864
Cover: January 1965
12 cents
Rapturously written by: Stan Lee
Deliciously drawn by: Jack Kirby
Impeccably inked by: Chic Stone
Lavishly lettered by: Art Simek
20 pages

Previous	#284	Next
Sgt. Fury #13	Reading order	Strange Tales #128
Fantastic Four #33	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #35

We begin with Ben and Johnny fighting as usual.

Then Ben trying on the Beatles wig he received from the Yancy Street Gang.

Mr. Gideon is a ruthless multi-billionaire financial wizard. By his reckoning, he is about 3 years away from buying out his top competitors and gaining financial control of the world. Impatient, he proposes they speed things up with a gamble. They propose the challenge. If he wins, they sell out now; if he loses, he stops trying to conquer the world. The challenge they propose: the defeat of the Fantastic Four.

Sgt. Fury #13

Fighting Side-By-Side With… Captain America and Bucky!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: October 8, 1964
Cover: December 1964
12 cents
Written and drawn by the Titanic Two: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Inked by: Dick Ayers
Lettered by: A. Simek
23 pages

Previous	#283	Next
Amazing Spider-Man #20	Reading order	Fantastic Four #34
Sgt. Fury #12	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #14

Jack Kirby returns for one final issue of Sgt. Fury, likely motivated by the choice of guest star. Under Kirby, this was one of Marvel’s best titles. It’s perhaps lost a step under Ayers, though remains one of the better series we are reading.

So far, one could almost question why we are reading this World War II series along with all the superhero ones. It is certainly the odd duck in my reading list. We have had two points of crossover so far. The Commandos teamed with a young Mr. Fantastic when he was Major Richards of the OSS, and we saw an older Colonel Fury team up with the Fantastic Four. This is the third point of crossover between Nick Fury and the superhero titles. There will be more.

Amazing Spider-Man #20

The Coming of the Scorpion!

Featuring: Spider-Man
Release: October 8, 1964
Cover: January 1965
12 cents
Illustrated by: Steve Ditko
Written by: Stan Lee
Lettered by: S. Rosen
20 pages

Previous	#282	Next
Tales to Astonish #63	Reading order	Sgt. Fury #13
Amazing Spider-Man #19	Amazing Spider-Man	Amazing Spider-Man #21

I find the credits interesting. I know that eventually Stan and Steve will fall out over a number of problems, including Stan not giving Steve proper credit for his role in the book. I don’t know where they are at this moment in time. Not long ago, we read the Amazing Spider-Man Annual in which Ditko illustrated a story that poked fun at their working relationship. It seemed in good humor and implied to me a mostly positive working relationship.

The credits for this issue also seem to be in good humor. But Ditko has no involvement with the credits. They’d be added after he turns in the art. They are all Stan and Sam. Perhaps Steve appreciated the humor… or perhaps he did not. I have no way of knowing.

“Many readers have asked why Stan’s name is always first on the credits! And so, big-hearted Lee agreed to put Stevey’s name first this time! How about that?!!”

“…But we still have a feeling that sneaky Stan put something over on us!”

In a similar vein, the letters page notes that Steve is drawing 40 pages a month and “still finds time to argue with Stan for a few hours each week”. Again, seems good-humored on Stan’s part, at least.

Tales to Astonish #63

The Gangsters and the Giant!

Featuring: Giant-Man and Wasp
Release: October 1, 1964
Cover: January 1965
12 cents
Sensationally superb story by: Stan Lee
Absolutely adorable art by: Carl Burgos
Incredibly imaginative inking by: Chic Stone
Logically lovable lettering by: S. Rosen
12 pages

Previous	#281	Next
Daredevil #5	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #20
Tales to Astonish #62, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #63, Story B

Giant-Man was the clumsiest superhero, but he’s been working really hard to improve that image, learning to shrink and grow really fast while practicing gymnastics.

Daredevil #5

The Mysterious Masked Matador!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: October 1, 1964
Cover: December 1964
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Illustrator: Wallace Wood
20 pages

Previous	#280	Next
Journey Into Mystery #111, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #63
Daredevil #4	Daredevil	Daredevil #6

The covers have rarely (never?) mentioned the creative team, yet this one is quite proud to have the already legendary Wally Wood on the team. Joe Orlando had done the last 3 issues of Daredevil, but has now left Marvel forever. The narration takes the time to thank the creators that helped start this series: Everett, Orlando, Colletta.

Wally Wood will be on board for 6 issues of Daredevil.

The letterer, presumably Sam Rosen, goes uncredited.

Daredevil gets a new logo. Rather than the boring “D” on his chest, it’s the slightly more interesting “DD”. The first notable change that Wally Wood will bring to the character of Daredevil. Still not the best logo, but one that will basically endure.

Journey Into Mystery #111, Story B

The Secret of Sigurd!

Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: October 1, 1964
Cover: December 1964
12 cents
Superbly written by: Stan Lee
Supremely drawn by: Jack Kirby
Savagely inked by: Vince Colletta
Sagatiously lettered by: Artie Simek
5 page

Previous	#279	Next
Journey Into Mystery #111	Reading order	Daredevil #5
Journey Into Mystery #111	Journey Into Mystery	Journey Into Mystery #112

The theme of many of these early Thor stories is that Loki is still considered a friend and ally by Thor, yet Loki is always secretly trying to get Thor killed, usually in pretty non-subtle ways. This has been going on since they were children.

Loki has recommended a short cut through a forbidden forest, then goads Sigurd and Thor into battle. Balder is suspicious.

Journey Into Mystery #111

The Power of the Thunder God!

Featuring: Thor
Release: October 1, 1964
Cover: December 1964
12 cents
Written with the mastery of: Stan Lee
Illustrated with the genius of: Jack Kirby
Delineated with the delicacy of: Chic Stone
Lettered with the India ink of: Artie Simek
16 pages

Previous	#278	Next
Journey Into Mystery #110, Story B	Reading order	Journey Into Mystery #111, Story B
Journey Into Mystery #110, Story B	Journey Into Mystery	Journey Into Mystery #111, Story B

It is a pretty cover. I would argue the box about not having captions counts as a caption.

The two panels devoted to the love of Odin’s youth is far more interesting than the many pages devoted Thor fighting Cobra and Mr. Hyde.

It’s tantalizingly sparse in details. Balder sings a song of Odin’s youth and own forbidden love, until Loki interrupts, fearing Balder is trying to sway Odin to be fairer to Jane. Odin and the unnamed girl he was forbidden to marry took “one last ride over the eternal chasm together”. What does that even mean?

Journey Into Mystery #110, Story B

The Defeat of Odin!

Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: September 1, 1964
Cover: November 1964
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Illustrator: Jack Kirby
Delineator: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Art Simek
5 pages

Previous	#277	Next
Journey Into Mystery #110	Reading order	Journey Into Mystery #111
Journey Into Mystery #110	Journey Into Mystery	Journey Into Mystery #111

King Rampok is dead. The meek Prince Rivvak must now lead their forces against Asgard. Armies gather, and not for tea.

During the battle, Odin repeatedly employs questionable tactics and does not seem to bring his full power to bear. Ultimately, the Asgardians retreat in defeat.

Journey Into Mystery #110

Every Hand Against Him!

Featuring: Thor
Release: September 1, 1964
Cover: November 1964
12 cents
Spectacularly written by: Stan Lee
Magnificently drawn by: Jack Kirby
Powerfully inked by: Chic Stone
Eventually lettered by: Art Simek
16 pages

Previous	#276	Next
Avengers #10	Reading order	Journey Into Mystery #110, Story B
Journey Into Mystery #109, Story B	Journey Into Mystery	Journey Into Mystery #110, Story B

This image of Thor holding the wounded Jane resembles an extremely common trope in superhero comics. It’s a standard way to depict a character as dead while another mourns them. This is the first time we’ve seen it in our Marvel reading. The Distinguished Competition had a cover with a similar pose a year earlier to depict the death of Robin.

Generally, these are described as “pieta covers”, referring to the resemblance to La Pieta by Michelangelo, in which Mary holds the body of her dead son, Jesus.

This blog post on metropolisplus gives an overview of the trope. Depending on how much of a purist you are, this Thor cover might not quite fit the pieta trope. As Jane is wounded, not dead; and Thor is protecting her, not mourning her. But it’s pretty close.

Tales of Suspense #60, Story B

The Army of Assassins Strikes!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: September 8, 1864
Cover: December 1964
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inked by: Chic Stone
Lettered by: Art Simek
10 pages

Previous	#274	Next
Tales of Suspense #60	Reading order	Avengers #10
Tales of Suspense #60	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #61

Last issue, Captain America fought a gang of generic villains in purple jumpsuits. This issue, the generic villains are wearing green jumpsuits and work for Zemo. “Army of Assassins” may be their official name, as it’s used repeatedly.

There really won’t be much in the way of a story here, so what value we find will have to be in dramatic expressions and posing, and of course in the high energy action on display. I suspect Kirby will come through.