Coke ⊕ Comics

Fantastic Four #57

Enter… Dr. Doom!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: September 8, 1966
Cover: December 1966
12 cents
Panoramically produced by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Inking: Joe Sinnott
Lettering: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#632	Next
Sgt. Fury #36	Reading order	Fantastic Four #58
Fantastic Four #56	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #58

It is you I wish to learn about! For power has ever been my god– And, in all the universe, there can be no greater truth than– knowledge is power!

One thing we’ve seen going back to issue 36 is a tighter continuity amongst a larger cast. These aren’t isolated adventures anymore, but part of a larger whole. I mention issue 36 because it introduced the Frightful Four. The character of Medusa led us to the Inhumans, who have essentially become supporting characters on this title, as we check in with them often. The FF have had three battles against the Frightful Four, but now Sandman and Wizard are attempting a prison break.

After the Inhumans saga, we met the Silver Surfer, who has also become a supporting cast member in essence.

Sandman is an interesting character, as he was created to be a Spider-Man villain but at this point seems to have been adopted by the Fantastic Four. Which leads me to a question. Is Sandman a Jack Kirby creation?

Sandman was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man by Steve Ditko. But I believe Ditko has been quoted that he got occasional help on Spider-Man’s villains from Jack. And I wonder if that refers to the Sandman.

Ditko’s first Spider-Man super-villains were: Chameleon, Vulture, Dr. Octopus, Lizard… and Sandman. Who stands out in the group. Spider-Man has an excellent rogues gallery, and Stan and the other artists have brought many of them around to threaten other heroes… but Kirby has shown no interest in using any of them in his comics… except for Sandman, who is essentially a regular Fantastic Four character at this point.

I don’t know any of this. I’m just speculating out loud. But at this point, Sandman has been adopted by the FF as a villain… and I wonder if Jack Kirby created him?

Sgt. Fury #36

My Brother, My Enemy!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: September 8, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
Block-buster editing by Stan Lee
Bullet-scarred script by Roy Thomas
Battle-ready art by Dick Ayers
Bomb-happy inking by John Tartaglione
Ballpoint-pen lettering by Sam Rosen
20 pages

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Captain Atom #83, Story B	INTERLUDE
Daredevil #23	Reading order	Fantastic Four #57
Sgt. Fury #35	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #37

A traitor? Nein, I think not! If there be any traitor to the Fatherland, it is rather those who would lead it to the brink of disaster for the sake of their own personal glory!

The stories from this title had fallen into a pattern. The premise was always location-based. The Howlers had some mission in a new location. They completed it and went home.

Since taking over, Thomas has been trying to tell actual stories and have character arcs.

This issue is location-based. The Howlers go to the neutral territory of Switzerland, breaking any number of laws and treaties.

But there’s a premise and a larger character arc as well.

We met Eric in Sgt. Fury #27, when he defected from the Germans and came to Britain. But last issue it was decided Eric (whose last name we learned was Koenig) should join the Howlers, since Manelli was injured and recovering back in the States. This is his first mission with the Howlers.

So Thomas writes about a couple things pertaining to that, ideas that are more than “the Howlers have a mission and succeed”. The first is that he’s eager to prove himself, sometimes too eager and to everyone’s detriment.

I must prove myself… show the Commandos I am as good as any of them! I must! For, only thus will I ever be certain that they look on me as a man… not as an ex-Nazi!

INTERLUDE: Captain Atom #83, Story B

The Blue Beetle

Featuring: Blue Beetle
Release: August 9, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
Concept and art: Steve Ditko
Script: Gary Friedrich
7 pages

Previous		Next
Daredevil #23	Reading order	Sgt. Fury #36

Guess that wraps up the first episode in the life of the new Blue Beetle! Wonder what Dan Garret would say if he could see me today?

I’d like to see what Steve Ditko is up to since leaving Marvel. And in 1966, he introduces a new version of the Blue Beetle.

Let’s review the history of the Blue Beetle before we dive in.

Blue Beetle was created in 1939 by Charles Wotjkoski and introduced in Mystery Men Comics #1, published by Fox Comics. Wotjkoski was credited as Charles Nicholas. The GCD suggests Will Eisner may have been involved with the scripting. I can’t intelligently weigh in on that.

Dan Garrett is a police officer who occasionally dons a mask and calls himself Blue Beetle to handle cases in his own way. Blue Beetle is considered a fugitive from justice.

Daredevil #23

DD Goes Wild!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: October 11, 1966
Cover: December 1966
12 cents
Story: Stan (The Man) Lee
Art: Gentleman Gene Colan
Inks: Fearless Frank Giacoia
Lettering: Swingin’ Sam Rosen
20 pages

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	INTERLUDE	Captain Atom #83, Story B
Daredevil #22	Reading order	Sgt. Fury #36
Daredevil #22	Daredevil	Daredevil #24

Surrender, Daredevil… or suffer the fatal consequences!

We seem to have two very similar opening splash pages.

Stan explains that Gene had drawn both, and they liked both, so they used both. I think Gene just likes his splash pages because it’s less pictures to draw.

As part of a brilliant plan to protect his secret identity, Matt told Karen he was going to pretend to be Daredevil. And he put on a Daredevil costume in front of her. They then went to the arena, where the real Daredevil showed up. And then she couldn’t find Matt in his Daredevil costume.

Daredevil #22

The Tri-Man Lives!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: September 1, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
Written with rapture by: Stan Lee
Drawn with drama by: Gene Colan
Delineated with delight by: Giacoia & Ayers
Lettered with the ball game on by: Sam Rosen
20 pages

Previous	#629	Next
Avengers #35	Reading order	Daredevil #23
Daredevil #21	Daredevil	Daredevil #23

I know it’s utterly insane, but I can’t help thinking of Daredevil every time I look at Matt! I know a blind attorney can’t possibly be a costumed super-hero… and yet…!

We checked in with Daredevil at the start of the Secret Empire mess because his story was entangled with Spider-Man’s battle against the Rhino. We paused, but now need to look back and remind ourselves where we were some.

Matt Murdock was wanted for Rhino’s defense council, but he couldn’t be found, because he was a prisoner of the Owl. When the Rhino broke out of prison, we saw that Matt had returned safely from the Owl’s island, and considered going after the Rhino, but decided to let Spider-Man handle it.

We now go back in time a bit as this issue opens with Daredevil just escaping from Owl’s island.

But by page 3, we are back in the present, in a scene set after his appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #43. So, the first two pages took place a few days back. But it’s been quite the few days in the lives of the Marvel heroes. And starting on page 3, a longer saga begins.

I hope this is the last time I refer to the continuity of the Secret Empire saga.

Avengers #35

The Light that Failed!

Featuring: Avengers
Release: October 11, 1966
Cover: December 1966
12 cents
Edited (ecstatically) by Stan Lee
Scripted (surprisingly) by Roy Thomas
Drawn (dynamically) by Don Heck
Lettered (legibly) by Sam Rosen
20 pages

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Avengers #34	Reading order	Daredevil #22
Avengers #34	Avengers	Avengers #36

To be an Avenger is to surrender a part of one’s life… to be ever at the beck and call of humanity! Still, in these quiet moments, each of the others has another human being to whom he can reach out… only I have no one… no life, except behind the mask of the Red-White-and-Blue Avenger!

This begins a 70-issue run on Avengers by Roy Thomas. Thomas will have his highs and lows over those 70 issues, and it will take him a minute to warm up and get into the groove, but on the whole I think his Avengers will be much better than Stan Lee’s.

We’ll try to note along the way milestones marking an increase in quality. I’ll offer a hint that a new artist is going to help a lot.

The slow move of Stan off scripting duties, and the expanding bullpen of artists… this is a transition into the next era of Marvel Comics. Where it’s not Stan and Jack and Steve making most of the comics.

Avengers #34

The Living Laser!

Featuring: Avengers
Release: September 8, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
Spellbinding story: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Awe-inspiring artwork: Dashin’ Donnie Heck
Lots of little lettering: Adorable Artie Simek
20 pages

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Tales of Suspense #86, Story B	Reading order	Avengers #35
Avengers #33	Avengers	Avengers #35

The larger the beam, the more damage I can do…

This is Stan Lee’s final credited issue of The Avengers. He may have had a hand in next issue. But starting next issue, the official scripting duties will be passed to Roy Thomas.

He leaves without much fanfare. Especially for a man so known for talking to his audience. No goodbye, no notes about it. He wrote 34 issues of one of the most beloved superhero teams of all time, and then just handed off the duties.

And he doesn’t try to go out with a bang, not really. It’s the first part of a two-part story. I wonder if he does that intentionally, thinking it’s easier for a new writer to finish off a story than come up with a new one. His final Spider-Man (comic book) story will have a similar flavor, introducing a new villain and then leaving the second part to the incoming writer.

Last issue’s blurb about this issue, went “Next: Goliath changes!”

I took that to mean he was going to finally change his clothes and wash this outfit. The blurb in the letters page hinted at more, that this would relate to Goliath’s efforts to return to normal size. It also hinted we’d see the return of Bill Foster, and of Wanda and Pietro.

We do get the return of Bill Foster, not seen since, well, last issue. But nothing else along those lines happens in this issue, and we get an editor’s note apologizing and assuring us that a big change is coming for Goliath. I think the pun is intended.

Tales of Suspense #86, Story B

The Secret!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: November 10, 1966
Cover: February 1967
12 cents
Produced with pandemonium by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Inking by: Frank Giacoia
Lettering by: Artie Simek
10 pages

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Strange Tales #155, Story B	Reading order	Avengers #34
Tales of Suspense #86	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #87

…you were one of the greatest! Don’t ever forget that!

Before we start, I’d like to note the date. Tomorrow, December 20 2025, marks 85 years since the introduction of Captain America, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

December 20, 1940, almost a year before Pearl Harbor, at a time American policy and popular sentiment was still against involvement in the war in Europe, here was Captain America punching Adolf Hitler in the face.

There are those on the internet who claim comics have become too political in recent years. To my mind, they’re not political enough. This cover was a bold political statement, and remains one of the greatest comic covers of all time, a fine introduction to one of Marvel’s greatest superheroes.

Superheroes should stand for what is right, not for what is popular. That’s how they become timeless.

Captain America is on a mission in the Orient, trying to rescue a double agent.

Strange Tales #155, Story B

The Fearful Finish–!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: January 10, 1967
Cover: April 1967
12 cents
A mystical Marvel masterwork by: Stan Lee and Marie Severin
Lettered by: Artie Simek
10 pages

Previous	#625	Next
Strange Tales #155	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #86, Story B
Strange Tales #155	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #156

So long as this bridge endures– this bridge which is not a bridge– and yet, which is more a bridge than any other– Just so long shall hope of escape remain alive within us–

In an opening page clearly meant to evoke Ditko, Dr. Strange hurtles at the speed of thought to outrace the death spell Umar has sent toward Clea.

At last, Dr. Strange has rescued Clea, but it’s a long road to get her to Earth. They encounter many hazards along the way. Perhaps too many for a ten page comic, as each is too easily evaded.

But some of them are cool, like when they get caught in a road of repetition, stuck in a loop.

Strange Tales #155

Death Trap!

Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD
Release: January 10, 1967
Cover: April 1967
12 cents
Edited by: Stan Lee (Marvel’s James Bond)
Written and drawn by: Jim Steranko (Marvel’s Man Flint)
Letted by: Sam Rosen (Marvel’s Secret Squirrel)
12 pages

Previous	#624	Next
Strange Tales #154, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #155, Story B
Strange Tales #154, Story B	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #155, Story B

And so saying, the SHIELD agent’s finger begins to tighten on the trigger… his trance-like face telling of the incredible turmoil seething within… Then, the overwhelming force of the spell sweeps over his ego, as once again, the Supreme Hydra’s command echoes through his mind…

Jim Steranko is now writing and drawing Nick Fury, Agent Of SHIELD, and credited for doing so. Wally Wood had wanted that for Daredevil but was turned down.

Does this show Lee’s faith in the newcomer Steranko? Or is it just that he’s busy and become somewhat indifferent?

Steranko delivers quite the opening splash page, so maybe he’ll do okay with this assignment.

What are we looking at? It’s called the Vortex Beam. It seems to be like a tractor beam they use as a fancy elevator. Best as I can tell, people get onto a disc on the ground and then get lifted onto the Heli-Carrier. We see some VIPs and a strange device coming on the ship that way.