Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: January 11, 1966 Cover: March 1966 12 cents Story by: Stan Lee Art by: Dick Ayers Inking by: John Tartaglione Lettering by: Sam Rosen 20 pages
Without weapons, without organization, even without hope, the spirit of free Frenchmen cannot be snuffed out!
We come to Stan Lee’s final issue as writer on this title. It ends with a cliffhanger, though a rather exciting one.
We see some conflict between Hitler and Strucker. Baron Strucker is an aristocrat who hates Hitler, who thinks him a madman. But Strucker follows orders to crush the resistance in Cherbeaux, even if he must kill the entire town to do so.
Featuring: X-Men Release: January 4, 1966 Cover: March 1966 12 cents A fair story by: Stan Lee Adequate art by: Jay Gavin Tolerable inking by: Dick Ayers The world’s greatest lettering by: Artie Simek (Marvel’s birthday boy of the month) 20 pages
The final X-Man– the youngest– and weakest of them all! He dares to challenge me!!!
The joke in the credits is a reversal. Usually, Artie is the punchline. Here, everyone else is.
Art Simek was born January 1916. He turned 50 the month this comic was released. He would unfortunately pass away too young at age 59.
The birthday note gives us a bit of insight into production. Stan knew when this comic would be released to give the birthday wish. The comic is cover-dated March 1966, and was likely prepared a few months prior to January 1966, but Stan knew it would go on sale in January.
As Lee brings in more and more new (to Marvel not the industry) artists, we see a similar pattern. At first he doesn’t trust their storytelling abilities, though he trusts their draftsmanship. So Kirby does layouts for the comic, and the artist fills in the art. That has happened with Werner Roth for the last several issues. Kirby laid out the story. Roth filled in the art. Now Stan is ready to give Roth a proper go, laying out the story himself. Stan is still the credited writer, so it’s at least plausible he’s giving Roth guidance on what the story is about.
Featuring: X-Men Release: December 12, 1965 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Story: Stan Lee Layouts: J. Kirby Pencils: Jay Gavin Inks: Dick Ayers Lettering: A. Simek 20 pages
Somehow, when I’m high in the sky this way, I feel there is no danger I cannot face– no problem I cannot solve– no enemy I cannot defeat!! Everything seems clean– and pure– and right! The way it ought to be! The way it must be one day, if man is ever to fulfill his promise– his glorious destiny!
I quite like the red glow of the cover. The cover warns me not to spoil the ending, but, well, I’m gonna do that anyway. Be warned.
Thoughts on the reading order. When books are published is a key factor, as is the order in which characters appear, as are story-arcs. What I’m not considering closely is the calendar date within the stories, as I don’t often know. We paused our X-Men reading because the Sentinels story ended and the next one was about to begin. This gave us a chance to catch up on other titles.
But this story begins the same day as the Sentinels story ended. Similarly, the X-Men had fought the Stranger and Juggernaut on the same day, with a short gap of time while the X-Men were injured between these momentous days.
In particular, it must now be within a couple days of Reed and Sue’s wedding, while most of our stories have jumped forward a bit more from that day.
While it’s been more than a year since the Stranger story was published, it’s only been a few weeks for the X-Men.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: December 9, 1965 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Script: Stan Lee Art: Dick Ayers Delineation: John Tartaglione Lettering: S. Rosen 20 pages
The guys who give me orders have what it takes! They’re my kinda Joes! I’m proud to salute ’em… to fight with ’em… an’ to die with ’em if I haveta!
This issue promises the origins of Fury’s eypatch. The idea is that he has an eyepatch in his modern 1960s adventures as Colonel Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD, but not in these 1940s adventures as Sgt. Fury of the Howling Commandos. We have seen him fighting in Korea in the 1950s, and he didn’t have an eyepatch then. And we have seen him team up with the Fantastic Four in the 1960s, before the founding of SHIELD. And he didn’t have an eyepatch then either. So presumably this issue will tell us he got it some time in the 1960s. It would seem silly to tell us it happened in the 1940s, so I imagine that’s not what they’re about to do.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: November 11, 1965 Cover: January 1966 12 cents Written with block-buster force by Stan Lee! Drawn with machine-gun power by Dick Ayers! Inked with dive-bomber impact by Carl Hubbell! Lettered with bloodshot eyes by Artie Simek! 20 pages
We last saw Dum Dum two issues back. He was wounded in America and sent to the hospital. The Howlers couldn’t wait for him because they were urgently recalled to base to battle (maybe) the Red Skull. Dum Dum was in for a worse fate, because his wife and mother-in-law were going to visit him in the hospital.
This will be Dum Dum’s chance to shine in a largely solo feature.
We see the rest of the team in the beginning for a mission brief that fills us in on what Dum Dum has been up to since his recovery.
Featuring: Avengers Release: December 9, 1965 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Penciller: Don Heck Inker: Dick Ayers Letterer: Sam Rosen 20 pages
The blind fools! They do not realize that Doom cares nothing for them! He merely plays a role for purposes of his own! Truly, he is evil incarnate! If only the simple peasants could see it!
The Avengers fight Dr. Doom!
For maybe the first time, unless you count Avengers #1½–published in 1999 but set before Avengers #2–as canon: the untold first meeting of the Avengers and Dr. Doom.
Either way, it’s the first time any of these Avengers have met Dr. Doom.
Dr. Doom decides to trap the Avengers. Basically just because. His motivation shifts slightly over the course of the issue. At first, it’s because humiliating the Avengers will inspire fear in the Fantastic Four. Then it’s to take them prisoner and use them as bait for the Fantastic Four.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: October 12, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Written in rage by: Stan Lee Pencilled in panic by: Dick Ayers Delineated in despair by: John Tartaglione Lettered in the office by: Sam Rosen 20 pages
They seek a simple Nazi spy… an impersonator… nothing more! Little do they dream that they have the Fuehrer’s most dangerous agent in their midst! How they would tremble if they knew their foe is actually– the Red Skull!
Evocative cover not in Kirby’s usual mold for Sgt. Fury covers. Brings to mind the war comics covers of Joe Kubert, which this title owes many a debt to.
This is the first time we’ve seen John Tartaglione. He’s worked for Marvel on and off since the 1950s, with most of his work being in the romance genre. He’s going to become Ayers’ regular inker on this title for the next couple years.
Here’s an early example of his inking, over Pierce Rice from Marvel’s Amazing Detective Cases #6 (1951), and a contemporaneous example from Patsy Walker #124 (1965), over Al Hartley’s pencils.
Here are two examples of his pencil art, from Young Men #11 (1951) and True Secrets #13 (1952), both from Marvel.
Recall last issue, the Howlers were on furlough in America when they got urgent orders to return to Europe, with sealed instructions to be opened on the plane. Dum Dum was wounded and so remained in America. And Hans has gone to live with the Ralstons until the war ends.
Featuring: Avengers Release: November 11, 1965 Cover: January 1966 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Penciller: Don Heck Inker: Dick Ayers Letterer: Artie Simek 20 pages
Let us each meet our fate with valor– and heaven bless you all!
When we left off, Ravonna had rejected Kang’s offer of marriage, so he’s now sending his armies to invade her kingdom.
This treatment of Kang makes more sense to me than his previous appearances, and it better conveys his title of “…the Conqueror”. That he commands a legion of troops ready to invade kingdoms. His last attempt to conquer the 20th century involved sending a robot Spider-Man against the Avengers. Invading with an army just makes more sense to me.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Relase: September 9, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents Written by: Stan Lee, Army Vet! Pencilled by Dick Ayers, Air Force Vet! Inked by Frank Ray, Air Force Vet! Lettered by S. Rosen, Teacher’s Pet! 20 pages
Stan and Dick want to take this opportunity to give a heartfelt thanks and well done to the countless wonderful guys and gals who did so much under the banner of the U.S.O., to keep up the morale of lonely Allied fighting men, both near and far from home! We’ll never forget ’em!
Happy Sam orders the Howlers on a furlough back to the States, including Percy and Hans.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: August 10, 1965 Cover: 12 cents Stirring story by: Stan Lee Powerful pencilling by: Dick Ayers Bold brushwork by: Frank Ray Lilting lettering by: Artie Simek 20 pages
Years from now, when our grandchildren tell stories of those who came before them, I rawther suspect that the exploits of Percy Pinkerton will be those that endure the longest!
I always have a general concern about Marvel’s depiction of Asian people during this era, which comes into play when the Commandos encounter the Japanese army on the Burma Road. I’m more on the fence about it than usual here.
The Commandos use racial slurs to refer to the Japanese, and the Japanese officers are depicted attempting to commit horrible atrocities. However, the language likely accurately (if tamely) reflects language soldiers of the time used. And the Japanese military really is responsible for countless atrocities during World War II, many far more horrific than the accusations here. There are certainly ethnic stereotypes in place, but it’s very similar to how the German soldiers are depicted.
The Commandos are sent to rescue Sister Theresa and a group of children who had been living at her mission. The Japanese had burned the mission and are seeking to kill the nun and children.
