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Tales of Suspense #80

When Fall the Mighty!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: May 10, 1966
Cover: August 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee, Sovereign of Script
Gene Colan, Prince of Pencilling
Gary Michaels, Imperator of Inking
Artie Simek, Lord of Lettering
12 pages

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Tales of Suspense #79, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #80, Story B
Tales of Suspense #79, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #80, Story B

At last! I’m at the peak of my power! This is the moment that makes all the agony of the past more than worthwhile! This is the supreme sensation which no other living being can ever experience– the feeling which none can ever fully comprehend– the triumphant moment when the strength of a thousand transistors flows thru me and I stand once more ready for battle– as the invincible Iron Man!

Namor attacks Iron Man. Superheroes do that when the meet, generally. And Namor has always walked that superhero/supervillain line.

Superhero brawls are a well-established trope by this point. A one-on-one battle between Namor and Iron Man was due. Of course they’ve fought before, but then Iron Man had all the Avengers on his side. And Namor still held them at bay.

The battle will exploit their respective weaknesses. They both need the occasional charge. Iron Man needs to plug in. Namor needs water.

Tales of Suspense #79

Disaster!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: April 12, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Drama-drenched script by: Stan Lee
Power-packed pencilling by: Gene Colan
Fantasy-filled inking by: Jack Abel
Twelve pages of lettering by: Artie Simek
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #81, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #79, Story B
Tales of Suspense #78, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #79, Story B

Sometimes I feel as though this iron head shield actually has a life of its own! I find myself thinking of Iron Man as someone else– almost as if it’s a separate entity– as though we’re really two men!

This is all getting confusing (to me, at least). Hulk has just escaped from the subterranean realm where Mole Man and Tyrannus were at war. The Secret Empire have employed Boomerang to steal the Orion Missile. Phase 1 of his plan was to kidnap Betty Ross. To save Namor, Dorma agreed to marry Krang. Namor only knows half this story, and ruthlessly pursues Dorma and Krang to the surface. Nick Fury recently teamed up with Captain America against Them. Fury suspects Them is connected to the supposedly benign scientific organization called AIM. Iron Man was kidnapped by Mandarin and brought to the Orient to fight Ultimo. He thus missed his summons to Congress, and has had his contracts revoked, factories closed, finances impounded, while a warrant has been placed for his arrest. This is all thanks to the zealous Senator Byrd. Before his factories were closed, Stark Industries was able to create a special suit for Colonel John Jameson, infected by space spores.

Of course, lots of other stuff is happening around the Marvel Universe, but that’s the most relevant for the next several issues.

We find Tony on the edge of collapse, recent events being a strain on his heart.

He’s in need of a charge.

Pepper and Happy are both not home. Are they out together? Tony is jealous.

Tales to Astonish #81

When a Monarch Goes Mad!

When a Monarch Goes Mad!
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: April 5, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Amazing story: Stan Lee
Astonishing art: Gene Colan
Astounding inking: Dick Ayers
Agonizing lettering: Sam Rosen
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #80, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #81, Story B
Tales to Astonish #80, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #81, Story B

The color of one’s skin is but a chance accident of fate! It alters nothing else about the person!

Namor was fighting a Behemoth last issue, and Krang convinced Lady Dorma that Namor’s only chance for survival was for him to relinquish his control on the Behemoth, which he would only do if Dorma agreed to wed him.

This issue picks up right where that left off. Dorma had told Vashti she was to wed Krang, but not why. And Vashti has just delivered the news to Namor.

Namor declares the mention of Dorma’s to name to be treason. Rational. Namor claims he has the fury of youth. He had been a youth 25 years earlier when introduced in 1939. Not sure how long he can use that excuse. Vashti notes Namor had been the gentlest and noblest of monarchs. I am not sure that is true.

Daredevil #21

The Trap is Sprung

The Trap is Sprung
Featuring: Daredevil
Release: August 2, 1966
Cover: October 1966
12 cents
Spellbinding script: Stan Lee
Phenominal pencilling; Gene Colan
Dynamic delineation: Fearless Frank * Darlin’ Dick * Wild Bill
Laudatory lettering: Artie Simek
Bombastic bird-watching: Irving Forbush
20 pages

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Daredevil #20	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #41
Daredevil #20	Daredevil	Daredevil #22

“Daredevil!! B-but how–??”
“Would you believe– blind luck??”

The credited inkers are Frank, Dick, and Bill. I presume that means… Frank Giacoia, Dick Ayers, and Bill Everett.

Is Colan the regular artist now? It suggested last issue was a fill-in. But he’s now drawn 2 issues in a row and is set to draw the next 80 or so.

On a personal note, this is the earliest issue of Daredevil that I own.

Daredevil #20

The Verdict is Death!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: June 30, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Pencilling: Gentleman Gene Colan
Inking: Fearless Frank Giacoia/Melancholy Mickey Demeo
Lettering: Adorable Artie Simek
Bad-Guy Booer: Honest Irving Forbush
20 pages

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Thor Annual 2	Reading order	Daredevil #21
Daredevil #19	Daredevil	Daredevil #21

In this court– presided over by the Owl– I make my own laws!

I’m a little confused about who the inker is. GCD claims Esposito, who we see credited in the reprint below by his standard pen name, Mickey Demeo. The GCD also claims the original comic has this credit. UHBMCC claims that the original comic credits Giacoia. Earth’s Mightiest Blog has a scan of what looks like the original credits, and it’s Giacoia.

Looking at various collections on my shelves, the Epic Collection and Marvel Masterworks volumes credit Frank Giacoia; but the Essential Daredevil credits Esposito.

Here’s the original art for the issue, which has Giacoia, though you can see it appears to be a last minute change over a whited-out name.

Note about pencilling that John Romita is too busy polishing off the Amazing Spider-Man Annual. Though he only does the layouts for that comic.

In fact, Colan turns out to not just be filling in. As of this issue, he’ll be the regular penciler on Daredevil for the next several years, freeing Romita to focus on Spider-Man.

Fantastic Four #54

Whosoever Finds the Evil Eye–!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: June 9, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Art: Jolly Jack Kirby
Inking: Jovial Joe Sinnott
Lettering: Snarlin’ Sam Rosen
20 pages

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Sgt. Fury Annual 2	Reading order	X-Men #24
Fantastic Four #53	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #55

My name is Prester John… and long have I travelled the world, seeking to unravel the mysteries of mankind! That is why men have ever called me… the Wanderer! And, the sights I beheld… the secrets upon which I stumbled… were far beyond description… yea, almost beyond belief itself… Can I ever forget those lonely mountain peaks from which I barely escaped with my life… after finding a savage race who thrived only in the land of endless snow…? And, I wonder if time has erased the glory of Cathay… where I witnessed the flight of giant projectiles… like roaring comets, soaring high into the heavens! Even madness did I encounter… such as the time I crossed the angry sea only to find a tribe who studied the stars… and who insanely proclaimed Earth to be round, like some great spinning egg shell! But, the greatest triump of my life was finding the fabled isle of Avalon! Avalon… hidden realm of miracles without end! Avalon… whose wizards created mighty machines which harnassed the natural forces of the universe!! Alas, that those same forces should have destroyed their own land… causing them to vanish forever from the sight of men!

Still in Wakanda, the Fantastic Four and Black Panther play a baseball game.

When Reed and Sue go off to “shmooze”, Ben exclaims, “What a revoltin’ development!” Not the first time he’s used the phrase in response to Reed and Sue going off to shmooze. We’d seen it before in Fantastic Four #35. Brian Cronin traces the evolution of the phrase from Life of Reily to Daffy Duck to Ben Grimm here.

Tales of Suspense #78

Crescendo!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: March 10, 1966
Cover: June 1966
12 cents
Spectacular story by Stan Lee
Pace-setting pencilling by Gene Colan
Indescribable inking by Gary Michaels
Lonesome lettering by Artie Simek
12 pages

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Tales of Suspense #77, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #78, Story B
Tales of Suspense #77, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #78, Story B

Ultimo, who never really lived– is now truly dead!

Stark factories are closed because Senator Byrd has cancelled the Defense contracts. Tony Stark is missing because Iron Man is in Asia battling Ultimo, the android creation of the Mandarin.

We get a cool time lapse splash page. Ditko often did these time lapse panels in his Spider-Man stories.

Of course, the flip side of all these splash pages and large panels is we get fewer panels to tell the story.

Tales of Suspense #77

Ultimo Lives!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: February 10, 1966
Cover: May 1966
12 cents
Homerically written by: Stan Lee
Heroically pencilled by: Adam Austin
Historically inked by: Gary Michaels
Hysterically lettered by: Sam Rosen
12 pages

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Strange Tales #145, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #77, Story B
Tales of Suspense #76, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #77, Story B

This is a grave moment in hour nation’s history! A time for patriotism… for dedication to the cause of freedom! There must be no special privileges for self-seeking opportunists like Stark, who flout their country’s laws!

Adam Austin has long since been unmasked as Gene Colan, but he is going back and forth between the two aliases. It’s worth noting that his art seems to improve each month.

Gary Michaels is a pseudonym for Jack Abel. He’s been working with Colan on this series off and on for a few issues now.

When we left off, Tony Stark was a prisoner of the Mandarin and Ultimo is rising. Confusingly, we’ve also seen Tony Stark filling in as the head of SHIELD since then. It’s hard to balance all the things one might want to in a reading order, and sometimes the chronology has to give. Stark’s appearances with SHIELD must take place either before or after this adventure. It’s hard because Tony’s just been pretty busy, and I like to keep the reading order relatively close to publication date.

Mandarin had thrown Stark’s attache case out the window, not realizing it contained the Iron Man armor. What can Stark do without his armor?

Mandarin kidnapped Stark from America to Asia via teleportation. Stark at the time had been in Senator Byrd’s car on the way to Congress to testify about the identity of Iron Man.

Tales to Astonish #80

To the Death!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner!
Release: March 3, 1966
Cover: June 1966
12 cents
Story by Smilin’ Stan Lee
Pencils by Grinnin’ Gene Colan
Inks by Dazzlin’ Dick Ayers
Lettering by Snarlin’ Sam Rosen
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #79, Story B	Reading order	Avengers #26
Tales to Astonish #79, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #80, Story B

I am still the Lord of the Seven Seas!

Where were we. Krang and Puppet Master have teamed up to control the Behemoth. Hank Pym and Janet were around at some point. We’ll catch up with them next time in the pages of Avengers.

We’re supposed to believe that because Krang is controlling the Behemoth through the clay puppet, the creature has better reflexes than it would otherwise. That makes little sense to me.

Tales to Astonish #79

When Rises the Behemoth

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: February 3, 1966
Cover: May 1966
12 cents
Now this is a story! By: Stan Lee
Now this is pencilling! By: Adam Austin
Now this is delineation! By: Bill Everett
Now this is lettering! By: Artie Simek
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #78, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #79, Story B
Tales to Astonish #78, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #79, Story B

Back, you mortal rabble– back!!

Without much fanfare, we have Bill Everett inking Gene Colan. Bill Everett is the creator of the Sub-Mariner. Of course, for whatever reason, it’s the publisher and not he that controls the character. So Marvel gets to publish and profit off Sub-Mariner stories, and he only gets paid if he does more work. So here he is inking Colan’s pencils with Stan adding dialogue. Once Everett wrote and drew Namor’s adventures entirely on his own.

He’s slowly coming back to do more work for Marvel. The last thing he did for them was create Daredevil. But his Daredevil comic was drawn with immaculate detail and unfortunately not within deadline. So he got immediately removed from his own character, and only now 2 years later is starting to get regular work with Marvel again.

As of last issue, he’s the regular finisher on the Hulk stories within this title. He’s just filling in on this Namor story, but will be returning to Namor regularly soon.

I was down to two choices for the pull quote at the top of this quote. I went with one that best exhibited Namor’s personality. I could have gone with the more standard Stan Lee heroic purple prose: There is a time to flee– and a time to fight! While life endures–I shall ever choose the latter course!

I’m never quite clear on what the powers of all these characters are. Namor sometimes seems like Superman. But we see here he’s not bulletproof. He gets shot in the shoulder, and is wounded and losing blood.