Trapped by the Carbon-Copy Man!
Featuring: Thor
Release: January 3, 1963
Cover: March 1963
12 cents
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: Larry Lieber
Art: Al Hartley
13 pages
I read this comic in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1.
As has been the theme of recent posts, Jack Kirby seems to be on a bit of a break, letting Al Hartley fill in on this Thor story. As far as I can tell, this is Hartley’s only credit for Marvel superheroes. He’d been working with Stan Lee for at least 14 years at this point, in a variety of genres. Most notably, he’d been working on Marvel’s Patsy Walker since 1958. He’s quoted as saying he was more comfortable in the humor and teen drama genres than the superhero genre.
Patsy Walker is herself actually quite relevant to our stories, as she will one day put on a superhero outfit herself (who doesn’t?) and join the Avengers. She’s recently crossed media with a role in the Jessica Jones series, played by Rachael Taylor.
However, we have not been reading the Patsy Walker comics, as it’s just too much of a rabbit hole. Both Patsy Walker and Patsy and Hedy ran for over 100 issues, and reading them would pull us into other longrunning titles like Kathy and Millie the Model. It’s a project in and of itself.
Also of note besides the new artist is that it’s now 1963. We began our adventures back in 1961. We’ve already met the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, Thor and Iron Man. 1963 is a big year for Marvel as it will introduce us to the Watcher, Dr. Strange, Sgt. Fury, the Wasp, the X-Men… plus, many of the heroes we’ve already met will team up to form the Avengers. Also be on the lookout this year for a new identity for Ant-Man and a new costume for Iron Man.
That’s enough preamble and foreshadowing. Let’s talk more about this comic. Earth gets invaded by aliens. Again.
Are we keeping count? I think we’re up to 5 invasions from space.
- Skrulls in Fantastic Four #2
- Toad Men in Incredible Hulk #2
- Stone Men from Saturn in Journey Into Mystery #83
- Invaders from Planet X in Fantastic Four #7
Not to mention the interdimensional invasions.
This time we are invaded by Xarta, led by Ugarth and his son Zano. They possess “the great power”, which will ensure their victory. What is the great power? They can change shape. Just like the Skrulls. These are not the first shape-changing aliens to invade earth in the last year. The Skrulls were beaten when Mr. Fantastic convinced them to transform into cows; the Xartans get defeated when Thor makes them transform into trees.
Also, as is the case with every other invasion, there is an entire fleet surrounding earth which looks large enough to decimate the population, but instead retreats, with minimal impetus . In this case because their leader lost in single combat to someone on earth.
Another common theme is inconsistent spelling. The cover tells us Thor will fight Carbon Copy Man, while the issue title tells us it’s Carbon-Copy Man. In general usage, there is no hyphen in “carbon copy”.
Perhaps because Hartley comes out of romance comics, we finally get something close to forward motion on the Don/Jane relationship. Most of the Thor comics have been plot-heavy, only able to spare a panel or two to Jane and Blake reflecting on their feelings. Hartley is willing to spend most of a page on Thor monologuing about his feelings. (I should note that Kirby also has a romance background, often seen as the founder of the romance genre; but his style of storytelling is very momentum-focused.
But the pages amount to no progress, as Don resolves to tell Jane his secret identity, but is stopped by Odin. The relationship between Odin and Don is unclear, as the relationship between Thor and Don is unclear. But Odin appears in some type of psychic vision to Don to forbid him from revealing his identity to any mortal. He offers no explanation for this.
Though it’s not quite forward progress, it’s the biggest thing to happen with Jane since they changed her last name to Foster.
The inconsistency in Thor’s characterization is somewhat maddening. When he first became Thor, he spoke of Thor in the third person, as someone he read about in school. Now, as Thor, he remembers his childhood in Asgard mostly clearly.
Hartley does a good job with the contrast between Blake and Thor. He exaggerates how thin and frail Dr. Blake looks, and draws Thor with smooth classical features.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆, 39/100
Significance: ★★☆☆☆
Characters
- Dr. Don Blake/Thor
- Ugarth
- Zano
- Odin
- Jane Foster (Nelson)
Story notes:
- Planet Xarta describes as warlike
- Ugarth is Warlord of Xarta; will retire after this conquest, and then name his son Zano as Warlord.
- Dr. Blake depicted as very sickly
- Odin commands Thor can never reveal his identity to any other mortal
- Thor and the the mayor are good friends
- Oddities around town caused by Xartan impersonators: cars on sidewalk; billboard on side of building; polka dot bridge; people not allowed to lock doors; treating charity patients for free illegal.
- Thor has clear memories of his childhood
- Xartans can change shape, become ice creatures, turn invisible…
- Xartans imitate the Mayor, Jane, Dr. Blake, and others
- Xartans defeated by being convinced to turn into trees
- I am uncertain who the Carbon Copy Man is. Presumably Ugarth, but it could just as easily be Zano.
#53 story in reading order
Next: Incredible Hulk #6
Previous: Strange Tales #106
