dr. doom – Coke ⊕ Comics

Fantastic Four #60

The Peril and The Power!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: December 8, 1966
Cover: March 1967
12 cents
Dazzlingly depicted by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Inking by: Joe Sinnott
Lettering by: Sam Rosen
20 pages

Previous	#635	Next
Fantastic Four #59	Reading order	X-Men #27
Fantastic Four #59	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #61

I… never felt… pain.. like this… before..! ..Never knew anything… could hurt… so much… But… can’t let go… can’t knuckle down…! All I got is… my strength..! If I let that fail me… there’s nothin’ left…! Nothin’..! Fight it, Ben… fight it!! Fight… ya ugly , good-fer-nothin’ orange-skinned meathead… fight..! What’s a little bit… of pain… to a big beautiful slob… like you..!

Black Bolt has spoken, and his voice had the power to destroy the Negative Zone surrounding the Great Refuge. And now he along with the Royal Family and Court of the Inhumans venture forth into the wider world. Meanwhile, Dr. Doom continues to wield the cosmic power of the Silver Surfer.

As noted, I’m here for Doom on a surfboard. That’s what this story is about to me. And this is the best image of that yet.

The Human Torch tries to take on Dr. Doom by himself. It won’t go well.

Fantastic Four #59

Doomsday

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: November 10, 1966
Cover: February 1967
12 cents
A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby modern day masterwork!
Delineation by: Joe Sinnott
Lettering by: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#634	Next
Fantastic Four #58	Reading order	Fantastic Four #60
Fantastic Four #58	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #60

But now– with an entire planet looming before us– what do we do? Where do we go? Is the human race yet ready for us–??

The title of this comic is Doomsday. That’s also the name of an upcoming superhero movie.

Dr. Doom has the powers of the Silver Surfer and may be unbeatable. However, Ben disagrees, at least out loud.

Like ol’ Stretcho would say– as long as a guy still has a brain– and some backbone– he aint never beaten ‘less he wants’a be!

Mr. Fantastic coordinates with all nations on Earth, suggesting differences must be put aside against the threat of Doom.

Fantastic Four #58

The Dismal Dregs of Defeat!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: October 11, 1966
Cover: January 1967
12 cents
A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby powerhouse production
Inked by: Joe Sinnott
Lettered by: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#633	Next
Fantastic Four #57	Reading order	Fantastic Four #59
Fantastic Four #57	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #59

“Hah! The once-mighty Silver Surfer! Now, barely able to move a muscle since your new master has stripped you of your power!”
“Master? Galactus had been– my master! You– are but– a flea!”

Dr. Doom’s head appears in the air. I appreciate that Reed just thinks it’s a random pattern from the electrical storm. Smartest man in the world.

But then the pattern randomly looks like Dr. Doom again, and Reed begins to do the math on the odds of that.

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?

Fantastic Four #56

Klaw the Murderous Master of Sound!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: July 7, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
Produced by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Delineated by: Joe Sinnot
Lettered by: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#610	Next
	PRELUDE	Marvel Mystery Comics #2
Fantastic Four #55	Reading order	Fantastic Four Annual 4
Fantastic Four #55	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #57

Our biggest problem seems to be keeping the somewhat disoriented Marvel Universe in some semblance of order! But, when you constantly mess around with space/time warps, and continuums, negatives zones, intra-cosmic deviationary fields, and universes beyond the reached of infinity, you’re apt to get a little bit confused! So bear with us, erudite one, for verily thou hast the seeming of a true believer!

Two notes about the credits. The first is that there are two Ts in Sinnott.

The second is that the credits will stop specifying Stan Lee as the writer, when Kirby is doing most of the writing. The compromise is the nebulous “produced by” credit. Ditko had fought for a similar credit in his comics before leaving.

Sue is upset that Reed is always working, and not spending enough time with his wife. Not the first time we’ve seen this complaint.

Reed has all kinds of fancy technology, including a visi-phone which connects to his lab. Wow. A visi-phone. Imagine being able to talk to someone remotely and see them at the same time!

Eh. I’d rather just send a text.

Avengers #25

Enter… Dr. Doom!

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

Previous	#442	Next
Sgt. Fury #25	Reading order	Fantastic Four #44
Avengers #24	Avengers	Avengers #26

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.

Who is Kang?

That which is written, is written… and an eternity of raging will not alter one instant of that which will be. Only one maddening enigma remains! Who knows that which is written? Who knows what will be — in the end?

This post was requested by a reader, Bill. Actually, what Bill requested was a brief history of Kang. But brevity is not my strong suit. So I’ll do what I can, which is a comprehensive history of Kang from 1962-2007, the year I stopped reading Marvel regularly.

Who is Kang? In short, he is Kang the Conquerer. He’d conquered the world of the future, and while Alexander wept for there were no new worlds to conquer, Kang found new worlds by setting his sights on conquering history. His story only gets confusing because he’s also gone by other names, like Rama-Tut, Immortus, Scarlet Centurion, Nathaniel Richards, Victor Timely, Whisperer, Iron Lad, and maybe Dr. Doom. And because there is a whole multiverse of Kang variants out there.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we met Kang in Loki, portrayed by Jonathan Majors, and he plays a significant role in Ant-Man and Wasp: Quantumania.

This post is broken into 3 pages.

1962-1969 Meet Rama-Tut, Kang, Immortus, Ravonna, and the Scarlet Centurion.
1974-1990 Learn the truth about Immortus; witness the death of Immortus; meet He Who Remains, the Time-Keepers, Marcus, Nathanial Richards, and Nebula; witness the death of Immortus again; then learn the real truth about Immortus. (Still not the real truth)
1990-2005 Meet Mr. Mobius of the Time Variance Authority, learn the actual truth about everything, and meet Iron Lad of the Young Avengers.

Pages: 123

Fantastic Four Annual 3

Bedlam at the Baxter Building!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: July 1, 1965
Cover: 1965
25 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: Vince Colletta
Lettered by: Artie Simek
23 pages

Previous	#400!	Next
	POSTLUDE	Marvel: Heroes & Legends #1
Journey Into Mystery #123, Story B	Reading order	X-Men #14
Fantastic Four Annual 2, Story C	Fantastic Four Annual	Fantastic Four Annual 4

I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss your bride!

It’s the wedding of the century. Today’s the day. Half the Marvels have been invited! And the rest of them are turning up anyway!

This issue represents by far the largest gathering of heroes and villains yet, forever binding these disparate characters into a universe.

This issue represents the idea that there is no status quo, that these characters are at their best when they change and grow. Forward momentum is an essential ingredient to storytelling. Genuine, non-illusionary, change.

This is the most significant moment in the early Marvel Universe.

I think I’d have come up with a better title than “Bedlam at the Baxter Building”.

I wish Chic Stone or Joe Sinnott had been the inker. A few months too late to have Stone and one month too early to have Sinnott. Also, Colletta is uniquely suited to a long special issue with many characters because he’s famously expedient.

I appreciate that the headline takes for granted the public knows who Reed and Sue are without the need for surnames or superhero identities. The cover does the same for its audience.

Pretty cool this worked out to be the 400th story in our reading order. Currently on track to also have the 500th story be a particularly special issue of Fantastic Four as well. When we read Avengers #1, it was the 100th story, but then I went and retroactively mucked with the ordering.

Fantastic Four #43

Lo! There Shall Be an Ending!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: July 8, 1965
Cover: October 1965
12 cents
Daringly written by Stan lee
Dazzlingly drawn by Jack Kirby
Dramatically inked by Vince Colletta
Docily lettered by Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#374	Next
Fantastic Four #42	Reading order	Daredevil #9
Fantastic Four #42	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #44

You thought you were the equal of the Fantastic Four– and nobody is!

Another great cover, and showing off Kirby’s versatility. Last issue had a cover beautiful in its simplicity, focused on two men locked in combat. Now we see a lot of complexity, that intricate machinery Kirby is so famous for drawing, but where the complexity frames the emotion of a defeated Fantastic Four.

When we left off, the Frightful Four had brainwashed Ben and Johnny into joining them. Now it’s up to Reed and Sue to fight off 6 enemies and restore their teammates’ minds. The startling conclusion of a 3-part battle.

Fantastic Four #40

The Battle of the Baxter Building

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: April 8, 1965
Cover: July 1965
12 cents
Spellbinding script by: Stan (The Man) Lee
Astonishing artwork by: Jack (King) Kirby
Inked by: V. Colletta
Lettered by: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#368	Next
Fantastic Four #39	Reading order	Daredevil #8
Fantastic Four #39	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #41

Stan’s repeaing himself here. He used those same credits in Journey Into Mystery #107 the previous year. Stan (The Man) Lee. Jack (King) Kirby. Basically every comic has had a different nickname for the creators. These may be the first repeats. They are certainly the most famous and today recognized as the semi-official nicknames of the two creators.

Dr. Doom purloins Reed’s remote-control TV eye. Basically what we today would call a drone. Now readily available. Invented 60 years ago by Reed Richards. Reed refers to the drone as a “flying spotter”. Another invention Reed refers to is the “electronic stimulator”. I wonder if that resembles any modern devices?

We’ve seen Daredevil’s billy club has some neat tricks, like becoming a grappling hook. But now we see it’s a gun. That’s new.