Featuring: Thor Release: May 4, 1965 Cover: July 1965 12 cents A story steeped in splendor by: Stan Lee Artwork bathed in beauty by: Jack Kirby Inking dipped in drama by: Vince Colletta Lettering couched in clichés by: Artie Simek 16 pages
We are now 2 months ahead of everything else in our Thor reading because it’s all just flowing together. Thor still hasn’t returned to Asgard with the Norn Stones that will prove Loki cheated in the Trial of the Gods.
He is still flying with Kim, whose entire family was recently killed by her Communist brother.
In the early (generally awful) Thor stories (#83-100), the villains were pretty lame. Loki was the only real stand-out. A couple others, like Radioactive Man, had potential. When Kirby became the primary artist and the stories started to improve, we got some better villains: Executioner, Enchantress, and Grey Gargoyle.
Now that the series is kicking into high gear, we are getting great villains. We recently met Absorbing Man and now get introduced to the Destroyer.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: April 1, 1965 Cover: June 1965 12 cents By: Stan Lee + Jack Kirby Inking: Vince Colletta Lettering: Artie Simek 5 pages
For 20 issues, these Tales of Asgard stories have been short stories that resolved in 5 pages. Now, a large saga begins. At least 11 parts, and even then it just rolls into the next saga.
For reading order, I like to keep story-arcs together. Based on that, I could read all 11 parts at once. This is what the CMRO recommends. It actually recommends reading the next 17 back up stories together.
But I also like to keep issues together. It seems weird to get out a comic, read half of it, put it away, then get it out again later to read the other half. Though we have done that sometimes in the name of keeping arcs together. For example, we read the last 5 Human Torch stories from Strange Tales without reading the corresponding Dr. Strange stories. We’ll have to get the comics back out of the box.
How to balance these two goals (keep a story together vice keep a physical comic together) is subjective, and I’m making a subjective call here: reading these Tales of Asgard stories together doesn’t improve the story in any way. I think they read best as they were published, as episodes in the back of the main Thor comic, to be read after that month’s Thor story. And that’s how we’ll read them. We’ll keep Thor story arcs together as best we can and let the main stories set the reading rhythm. That means it may take us a while to finish the Odinsword Saga. I think that will be okay.
We’re still spinning out of the events of issue 114, when Loki kidnapped Jane. This led directly to last issue’s Trial of the Gods, a challenge which Loki won by cheating, right as last issue closed.
We pick up precisely where we left off. For continuity’s sake, Thor is still without his cape. He’ll get another one when they get home.
This issue, Thor finds himself entangled in the Vietnam war. Marvel heroes have been fighting Communists for as long as we’ve been reading, often in Vietnam. The nature of US involvement in Vietnam was changing drastically, as this comic was published just 7 months after the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Here, we see the civil war that ravages South Vietnam, as South Vietnamese farmers face the terror of the Viet Cong, guerilla forces supported by the North Vietnamese.
Before we get to Viet Nam, we have unresolved plot points from last issue. Who won the Trial of the Gods? Will Jane be rescued from Enchantress and Executioner?
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: March 4, 1965 Cover: May 1965 12 cents Story: Stan Lee Pencilling: Jack Kirby Inking: Vince Colletta Lettering: Artie Simek 5 pages
Another early scheme of Loki. While Thor flirts with Princess Rinda, Loki schemes with King Hymir. Hymir issues two challenges Thor is honor-bound to accept. Those who fail Hymir’s challenges become his slaves.
Featuring: Thor Release: March 4, 1965 Cover: May 1965 12 cents Written by imperial Stan Lee Illustrated by impregnable Jack Kirby Inked by implacable Vince Colletta Lettered by impossible Artie Simek 16 pages
Colletta graduates from inking the backup stories to the main Thor feature. He will be the Thor artist for a very long time to come. For better or worse. In fact, he will ink the next 52 consecutive Thor stories, and a good many of the next 50 after that over the course of an 8-year run.
We’ll reserve commentary on the his style for now. Let’s spend a few issues taking in this new art style before we try to see how we think Colletta compares to Chic Stone.
Another compelling Thor title. “The Trial of the Gods!”
We’ve known the phrase since we read Avengers #16, which was actually published a week after this, but took place earlier. At least, Thor’s appearance in the story took place before this issue.
Kirby seemed to use the same concept for cover and first page.
I’ve never really understood Odin and never will. Everybody seems to agree he is wise, but his wisdom must be too much for my mortal intelligence to grasp. Thor claims Loki kidnapped Jane to Asgard; Loki claims Thor brought Jane to Asgard because he loves her. Who is lying? The God of Thunder or the God of Lies?
Only one way to find out, says Odin. The Trial of the Gods!
Featuring: Daredevil Release: February 4, 1965 Cover: April 1965 12 cents Written by the master of the spoken word: Stan Lee Drawn by the master of the printed picture: Wally Wood Lettered by the monster of the blurb balloon: Artie Simek 20 pages
Interviewed in London about 7 years back, Stan Lee was asked what his favorite story he ever wrote was. At first he claimed they were all his favorites. But after a moment’s reflection, he began to describe a comic he wrote where Daredevil and Sub-Mariner fought. His description contained some inaccuracies; he was 92 at the time and never renowned for his memory. Yet his description of the ending was pretty much spot on.
And in the end the Sub-Mariner went… back to the ocean and he left Daredevil kind of lying exhausted on the sand, and he said something like, “You were a noble competitor…” I enjoyed the way I think I made them both seem heroic, even though they were fighting each other.
Stan Lee, London Film and Comic Con, 2014
Stan Lee wrote hundreds of superhero comics and in many interviews could barely keep any two characters straight. Yet somehow he spoke with a nostalgic fondness about a single moment at the end of this particular story 50 years later, a single page that he did seem to remember rather clearly.
This is Wally Wood’s third issue of Daredevil. Wood is an artist and storyteller on par with Kirby and Ditko, but won’t be at Marvel long enough to leave the same mark on the characters they did. His greatest contribution to the nascent Marvel Universe will be this issue.
Let’s start with the obvious. Right from the cover, we see Daredevil has a new costume. It’s not really that different from a penciler’s perspective than the one he wore last issue. It’s mostly the color scheme that’s changed. The costume is all red now. Fitting for a devil.
And somehow it makes all the difference in the world. From the worst Marvel costume to an iconic look that will be forever associated with the character. This is the look of Daredevil that endures.
Wood puts more detail into the world than either Kirby or Ditko. We’ve never seen Atlantis quite like this in Kirby’s rendering. Kirby drew beautiful and bold and bizarre shapes in Atlantis, but Wood makes it feel full, like there’s a real city there fading into the background. His cityscapes of New York will be equally impressive.
Namor gets an impressive array of titles.
In next month’s Avengers, which we have already read, Namor turns down a request to join the Avengers because he has vowed to conquer the surface world. This story must take place shortly after that encounter, despite being published earlier.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: February 4, 1965 Cover: April 1965 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Illustrator: Jack Kirby Delineator: Vince Colletta Letterer: Artie Simek 5 pages
This is the third Loki-centric story. Not really sure why this is a significant chapter in his life. I guess it’s an early example of him being evil. They seem to make a big deal that this is his first time forming an evil alliance.
Featuring: Thor Release: February 4, 1965 Cover: April 1965 12 cents Story by: Stan Lee the sage of the Marvel Age! Penciling by: Jack Kirby the rage of the Marvel Age! Inking by: Frankie Ray for his wage in the Marvel Age! Lettering by: Artie Simek from his cage in the Marvel Age! 16 pages
Recall last issue Thor and Absorbing Man were locked in battle when Balder transported Thor away to Asgard because Loki had imprisoned Jane Foster.
I noted that starting just about last issue, the Thor title is finally getting good. In the old stories, Mr. Hyde or Cobra would kidnap Jane and Thor would fight them.
Admittedly the plot of this issue is that Loki kidnaps Jane and Thor fights him. But it’s good.
At least Loki imprisoning Jane makes sense, as Loki is well aware of Thor’s secret identity– which makes one question the value of the secret identity. Mr. Hyde would just pick the right victim by chance.
Admittedly the plot of next issue is that Enchantress and Executioner kidnap Jane, but I still maintain these stories are getting better.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: January 5, 1965 Cover: March 1965 12 cents By: Stan Lee + Jack Kirby Inking: Vince Coletta [sic] Lettering: Artie Simek 5 pages
Featuring: Thor Release: January 5, 1965 Cover: March 1965 12 cents Written at white heat by: Stan Lee Drawn with purple passion by: Jack Kirby Inked with golden serenity by: Chic Stone Lettered on a blue Monday by: Sam Rosen 16 pages
Well, damn. That’s maybe the most compelling title yet. It turns out to also make complete sense into the context of the story. I like it.
“souped up bucket racing car”
This is the issue Thor finally gets good.
Quality-wise, Thor’s been turning around since about a dozen issues back. It went from being the single worst title to a pretty decent one. The stories still haven’t been much to speak of, but the art and action have been excellent. There’s been great storytelling of late, even if not applied to many stories worth telling.
The great storytelling has been owed to the pairing of Kirby and Stone. We just bid farewell to Stone’s tenure on FF. Now we must bid farewell to him on Thor (recall we’ve jumped back in time, so this is a month before his final FF issue). Vince Colletta will graduate from the Tales of Asgard backups and start on the main strip. There are those who love Colletta’s work on Thor, and there are many others who… don’t. We’ll see what we think in the months to come.
We are jumping back in time a couple months. Thor is changing. It has so far mostly consisted of identifiable discrete stories, usually one or two issues long. No more. Stories will flow into each other; it will be hard to tell where one begins and ends. It will be hard to identify where Thor gets enough of a breather to go be an Avenger. (Though we know that soon won’t be an issue.) We’re already behind on our Dr. Strange and Hulk reading because they’ve started the “saga” approach to storytelling.
To that end, the plan is to read the next 6 issues of Thor basically together, pausing only to check in on Daredevil, because it’s relevant to the happenings in Thor.
Most of the issue is dedicated to Thor’s battle against the Absorbing Man, but it ends indecisively. It’s over for the moment, but Thor’s foe remains at large. Meanwhile, we get a second conflict in the final pages. Loki has kidnapped Jane and holds her in his stronghold. Thor must go battle Loki and rescue Jane. Next issue will pick up both of these plots, but the Absorbing Man story still won’t conclude, and it will bleed into the Trial of the Gods” arc, which has already been hinted at in our Avengers reading because we got 2 months ahead.
We’ll talk in more detail about chronology next issue, but my loose idea is that this story takes place between the pages of Avengers #15. After the first Thor scene but before the second. The MCP disagrees, placing this squarely after Avengers #16.
