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Tales to Astonish #85

–And One Shall Die

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: August 2, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
Script written by: Stan Lee
Drawings pencilled by: Gene Colan
Inking rendered by: Bill Everett
Panels lettered by: Artie Simek
Confusion compounded by: Irving Forbush
12 pages

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Amazing Spider-Man Annual 3	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #85, Story B
Tales to Astonish #84, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #85, Story B

“Who is it, Phil?”
“We’ll probably never know! From the looks of things, I’d say he was pretty much beyond recognition!”

Colan has been the regular penciller on Namor’s adventures of late. Bill Everett is the creator of Namor, and this is his second time working as Colan’s inker on the series.

Where were we? The head of the ruined Secret Empire had tricked an amnesiac Namor into being his pawn, until a blast from Krang’s ship sent Namor into the ocean, where he regained his memory. We pick up with Krang flying away, thinking he has killed Namor.

Dorma has been with Krang for a while now. Originally she had agreed to marry him in exchange for saving Namor’s life. Namor doesn’t know this and is mad at Dorma for betraying him. Krang keeps trying to kill Namor anyway, and Dorma keeps staying with him, so it’s all a bit confusing.

Also confusing that Number One blames Hulk for the destruction of the Secret Empire, when the Hulk had nothing to do with it. It was a combination of internal strife and infiltration by Gabe Jones of SHIELD that took them down.

Tales of Suspense #83, Story B

Enter… The Tumbler!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: August 9, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
A Stan Lee Jack Kirby pandemonium-packed production!
Delineated by: Richard Ayers
Lettered by: Samuel Rosen
(Or: How formal can ya be?)
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #83	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #84
Tales of Suspense #83	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #84

What can be wrong? I’ve adapted everything about Captain America… and yet… there is still a quality lacking!

AIM has fallen, but a dying Count Royale warned SHIELD that their creation the Adaptoid may yet finish their work.

The Adaptoid, a pantograph, infiltrated Avengers headquarters by assuming Jarvis’ form, then drugged Captain America, and assumed his form. He has also stolen Captain America’s shield.

Unfortunately for the Adaptoid, if you look like Captain America, his enemies become yours. The Tumbler has come to challenge Captain America and prove his superiority. So now he’s the Adaptoid’s problem.

Tales of Suspense #82, Story B

The Maddening Mystery of the Inconceivable Adaptoid!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: July 7, 1966
Cover: October 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee authored the script
Jack Kirby pencilled the story
Frank Giacoia inked the drawings
Artie Simek lettered the panels
Irving Forbush sharpened the pencils
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #82	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #83
Tales of Suspense #82	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #83

I consider it a rare privilege to serve the mighty Avengers, sir!

Bucky was Captain America’s partner in World War II, killed by Zemo, who was working for the Red Skull.

But he seems to be back somehow?

No, it’s just a photograph.

Jarvis is the butler to the Avengers. He’d previously worked for Tony Stark, but Stark has been loaning his mansion to the Avengers for some time, and has lent Jarvis with it.

We don’t yet know much about Jarvis. He was introduced to us in Tales of Suspense #59, but presumably had been serving the Avengers since early on. He probably had second thoughts about the job when Hawkeye tried to prove his merits to join the team by attacking their butler.

This issue is the most lines he’s had yet. He notes it’s a privilege to serve the Avengers.

He offers to draw a bath for Cap, but Captain America can shower by himself. He’s a big boy.

Strange Tales #149

The End of AIM!

Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD
Release: July 7, 1966
Cover: October 1966
12 cents
Edited by: Stan Lee
Layouts by: Jack Kirby
Script by: Denny O’Neil
Art by: Ogden Whitney
Lettering by: Artie Simek
Ammunition by the Forbush Pyrotechnic Co.
12 pages

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Strange Tales #148, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #149, Story B
Strange Tales #148, Story B	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #149, Story B

Hydra can never be killed! Althrough you have captured Hydra’s body, its head is still free… It shall last forever! It has resources you have not dreamed of… resources that will insure its ultimate triumph!

It’s rare that the scripter doesn’t get credited ahead of the artists. When Lee was scripting, his name always came first. Now that Lee is editing, the editor’s name comes first. But then he put Kirby’s layouts ahead of the scripting and art in the credits.

The credits claim this issue’s writer and artist are surprises.

At this point, we know Denny O’Neil. He’s been taking over the scripting duties on Dr. Strange. But the name Ogden Whitney is new to us.

Strange Tales #148

Death Before Dishonor!

Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD!
Release: June 9, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Edited (in absentia) by… Stan Lee
Layouts and script by… Jack Kirby
Pencilling and inking by… Don Heck
Lettering by… Sam Rosen
12 pages

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Avengers #33	Reading order	Strange Tales #148, Story B
Strange Tales #147, Story B	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #148, Story B

But Nick Fury… plays every game… his way!

Part of the month when Stan is on vacation. Kirby did the script. Stan still claims to have edited the comic while also claiming to not be in the office. His name still comes first in the credits.

The first script we’ve seen Kirby get credit for in our Marvel reading.

Certainly not the first script Kirby deserved credit for.

The battle against AIM/Them continues. I’d almost gotten in my head that AIM and Them were just different names for the same organization. But then last issue AIM was described as a branch of Them.

Now the narrator tells us AIM is in league with Them.

After a failed attempt to kill Nick Fury, Count Bornag Royale notes that AIM must improve its prestige with Them. That suggests there really is a distinction. My current thinking is that AIM is a branch of Them.

Avengers #32

The Sign of the Serpent!

Featuring: Avengers
Release: July 7, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee, writer and raconteur
Don Heck, artist and bon vivant
Artie Simek, letterer and patron des artes
Irv Forbush, scapegoat, junior grade
20 pages

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Strange Tales #147, Story B	Reading order	Avengers #33
Avengers #31	Avengers	Avengers #33

Freedom belongs to all– or else it isn’t worthy of the name!

Goliath appears to be undressing his enemy on the cover.

The Avengers are caught in their own intruder system, but Hawkeye disables it with ease. Doesn’t seem all that effective.

Strange Tales #147

The Enemy Within!

Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD
Release: May 10, 1966
Cover: August 1966
12 cents
Script: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Mickey Demeo
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Weapons: Forbush Novelty Co.
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #83, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #147, Story B
Strange Tales #146, Story B	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #147, Story B

…we of AIM feel we simply cannot deal with such an unlettered oaf! We find his very appearance offensive! The idea of America’s highest-priority counter-espionage leader going around in his shirtsleeves… unshaven, unkempt, and making a mockery of your own language– shocking!

Shadowy organizations. These secret power-hungry cabals. Hydra had been the big one, but they fell to SHIELD in Strange Tales #141. The Secret Empire seemed to collapse from within in Tales to Astonish #83. An unnamed shadowy cabal was behind Batroc in Tales of Suspense #75. Not sure if they are connected to one of these others, or their own thing.

Most relevant is the organization called Them. We learned they had employed the Fixer in Strange Tales #145. In Tales of Suspense #78, Fury warns Captain America that Them is a group of scientists looking to overthrow the government. We see they have beekeeper-like uniforms and work for someone called the Imperator. They send a Chemical Android after Captain America.

AIM (Advanced Idea Mechanics) is a defense contractor looking to supply the US government weapons to make up for the shutdown of Stark Industries. Count Bornag Royale is their representative, and has claimed SHIELD needs someone more sophisticated than Nick Fury at its helm.

AIM and Them seem to be the same organization, with AIM the public-facing front. In Tales of Suspense #79, we see Them/AIM is responsible for the return of the Red Skull and the creation of the Cosmic Cube. Fortunately, Captain America dealt with both threats. Seemingly for good.

We open with Fury returning from having led a successful mission against a swamp headquarters for Them.

Tales of Suspense #80, Story B

He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube

Featuring: Captain America
Release: May 10, 1966
Cover: August 1966
12 cents
Stupifying script: Stan Lee
Electifying illustration: Jack Kirby
Dazzling delineation: Don Heck
Luminiferous lettering: Artie Simek
Frantic fund-raising: Irv Forbush
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #80	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #81, Story B
Tales of Suspense #80	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #81

So long as evil lives– to muster the forces of bigotry, greed, and oppression– the fight goes on! So long as men take liberty for granted– so long as they laugh at brotherhood– sneer at honesty– and turn away from faith– So long will the forces of the Red Skull creep ever closer to the final victory!

Them is an evil organization. AIM is an ordinary defense contractor. But Fury suspects a connection. Captain America remains unaware of this.

Eisenhower did warn us about the military industrial complex.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. . . .Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. . . . In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

Tales of Suspense #79, Story B

The Red Skull Lives!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: April 12, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Script: Smilin’ Stan!
Art: Jolly Jack
Inks: Frantic Frankie
Lettering: Agonized Artie
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #79	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #80
Tales of Suspense #79	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #80

My oldest enemy! The most dangerous menace to freedom and democracy that the world has ever known!! Then– this must be why fate has spared me so long–?! It’s my destiny to battle him– to stand between the Red Skull and free men everywhere!

Well, that’s a compelling title.

Costumed assassins attack a power plant in the heart of New York.

They seemed to expect Captain America to show up. How do villains set these traps to target a particular superhero in New York. “If I commit a crime in New York I’m bound to attract precisely the superhero I intend!” Green Goblin just had a bank robbery, trusting Spider-Man would show up to foil it. Would Daredevil turning up ruin these plans?

But nobody but Cap saw these villains. Is he going insane?

Strange Tales #146

When the Unliving Strike!

Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD
Release: April 12, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Far-fetched script by Stan Lee
Fantastic layouts by Jack Kirby
Fabulous pencilling by Don Heck
Fanciful inking by Mickey Demeo
Freehand lettering by Sam Rosen
12 pages

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Fantastic Four #51	Reading order	Strange Tales #146, Story B
Strange Tales #145, Story B	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #146, Story B

We’re dealin’ with an outfit that can turn out artificial men to do any kinda job… just like Marvel can grind out comic books!

The word of late has been Them. Them financed the Fixer. Them sent a chemical android to attack Nick Fury and Captain America. Them consists of several brilliant scientists.

Spinning right out of the Captain America adventure, Nick Fury has traced that android to this swampland.

In a bit of bravado, and a wink at the other titles, Fury notes that SHIELD agents aren’t superheroes. They don’t always win.