count bornag royale – Coke ⊕ Comics

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 #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.

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.

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.