Featuring: Iron Man Release: September 9, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Penciller: Don Heck Inker: Mickey Demeo Letterer: Artie Simek 12 pages
The nation asks– no, it demands to know the true identity of one of its greatest heroes! We must learn– Who is Iron Man?
Let’s start with a bit of an apology to Iron Man. His character was introduced in Tales of Suspense #39, released December 10, 1962. So we just passed his 60th birthday and failed to mark the occasion with appropriate fanfare. Happy belated 60th, Iron Man.
Iron Man returns to America and cheering crowds, having triumphed over Titanium Man. But the victory was costly, as Happy now hovers on the edge of death.
Reporters seem eager to get the scoop on Iron Man’s true identity. I don’t really think it’s that hard if you want to do any amount of investigating.
Nobody ever seems concerned how casually Iron Man walks into Stark’s office and makes himself at home.
I was chosen to be– keeper of the flame! But now– the torch has– gone out!
Captain America is certain there is somebody behind Power Man. Since he knows nothing about Power Man, I’m not sure where that certainty comes from.
The Avengers have been ordered to disband by the city. That’s enough for most of the team, but not for Captain America. He thinks they stand for something bigger than obeying laws.
This leads the Avengers to fight amongst themselves. They do this a lot. But this time, the fight dissolves the team.
Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD Release: October 12, 1965 Cover: January 1966 12 pages Senses-shattering story by: Stan Lee Power-packed presentation by: Jack Kirby Drama-drenched drawing by: Don Heck Dreamy-designed delineation by: Joe Sinnott Booboo-bulging balloons by: Sam Rosen 12 pages
Mankind cannot live in fear of Hydra! In the name of SHIELD… in the name of universal freedom… I cannot fail!
Kirby. Heck. Sinnott. That’s a lot of artists to draw 12 pages of comic. (A heck of a lot.)
“Booboo-bulging balloons” took a bit of deciphering. I think Stan’s claiming the letterer makes a lot of mistakes. The word balloons are bulging fit to burst with mistakes.
Hydra could have served as a looming background threat for some time to come. But they decided it was time to settle it up. This is part 6 of the “Hydra Saga”. SHIELD agents are swarming Hydra’s headquarters for the final battle.
Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD Release: September 9, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Sensationally written by: Stan Lee Spectacularly laid-out by: Jack Kirby Superbly illustrated by: Joe Sinnott Silently lettered by: Artie Simek 12 pages
You know that no insurance company would give a policy to a SHIELD man! There’s only one thing we won’t die of– and that’s old age!
I think you can tell at a glance my copy of this comic has seen better days.
The cover’s an interesting gimmick. It’s mostly just the first page of the issue, but then it has Dr. Strange holding the page. The caption tells us, “Amost everybody reads SHIELD!”
The Dr. Strange figure is drawn by Marie Severin, sister of John Severin, who drew the last couple issues of SHIELD. She’s been doing staff work at Marvel, but will soon enough be chosen to draw Dr. Strange herself.
You kind of get the sense that they didn’t have a cover at all, and this got thrown together by staff. But they get a nice test run for Ms. Severin on the Doctor.
The story opens with Nick Fury in outer space being pursued by…err… that… thing.
Ah, he’s being subjected to some virtual reality thing designed to pry from his mind the secrets of Stark’s new weapon, the, err, braino-saur.
Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD Release: August 10, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents Written by: Stan Lee, sultan of script! Laid out by: Jack Kirby, master of melodrama! Drawn by: Johnny Severin, archduke of art! Lettered by: S. Rosen, prince of penmanship! 12 pages
And knock off that “Colonel” jazz, Mister! I keep thinkin’ ya mean someone else!
Nick Fury gets the cover again, even though the Dr. Strange story is one of the single greatest issues of all time.
Last issue, we watched three SHIELD agents sacrifice their lives in an attempt to find Hydra’s Betatron Bomb. Nick reflects on that as he realizes they are just moments too late to prevent the launch. And Hydra can now hold the world hostage.
Even Hydra has an org chart in every presentation.
Tony Stark has a secret invention which can help, but before he shows it to Fury, Hydra attacks the Stark plant. Tony is able to save himself, but not Fury, who is captured by Hydra.
Featuring: Iron Man Release: August 10, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents A study in splendor by Stan Lee, writer! A muse of majesty by Don Heck, artist! A glimmer of glory by Wally Wood, inker! A nice lettering job by Art Simek, bon vivant! 12 pages
Featuring: Iron Man Release: July 8, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Story: Scribbled and scrawled by: Stan Lee Illustration: Doodled and dawdled by: Don Heck Delineation: Battered and blotted by: Mickey Demeo Lettering: Mumbled and jumbled by: Sam Rosen 12 pages
Featuring: Iron Man Release: June 8, 1965 Cover: September 1965 12 cents Story by: Stan Lee, the idol of Millions! Art by: Don Heck, the toast of two continents! Inking by: V. Colletta, the pride of the bullpen! Lettering by: Sam Rosen, the last angry letterer! 12 pages
But, Iron Man must accept the challenge! It’s a matter of national pride… of prestige!
There are many stories I consider iconic. And, usually, who knows how this impression forms. Decades of reading comics and talking about comics has given me a sense of some stories that stand out.
I think of this as an iconic story and I know exactly why I think that. Very early in my Marvel reading, I also collected Marvel cards. The 1990 set had a set of famous battles. This was one of the chosen battles.
We’ve seen one famous battle (per that card deck) before, the Hulk/Thing fight from Fantastic Four #25–26. And are currently in the middle of another, the “Nick Fury vs. Hydra” battle begun in Strange Tales #135.
Of course, Titanium Man has one other claim to fame. Paul McCartney selected him alongside Magneto as villains to write a song about. (He also references Crimson Dynamo.)
The MCP wants Iron Man to attend the wedding in the middle of the events of this issue. I don’t see why it can’t just be before this issue. Maybe I’m missing some subtlety. As the issue opens, he’s spent weeks working on this sub-miniature reverser. He could have taken a brief break to attend a wedding.
Continuity does get complicated here though. Avengers #20 is concurrent to Tales of Suspense #70. Avengers #19 takes place in the middle of the Hydra Saga, yet Tony Stark’s life gets complicated starting now, so issue 69 or before is the best chance for his appearances in Strange Tales, including his appearances after the Hydra saga. And of course Iron Man shares a comic with Cap. As Nick Fury does with Dr. Strange, the latter of which we are months behind on reading.
For a reading order, we’ll read the Iron Man/Cap stories, then the Avengers stories, then the Dr. Strange/Nick Fury stories. But we’ll talk about what must be concurrent and what must fit where as we go.
Titanium Man is the Soviet answer to Iron Man. He issues a public challenge to prove Soviet superiority. Titanium is more powerful than Iron, so his armor is more powerful, but also slower and bulkier.
Featuring: Everybody Release: August 21, 1996 Cover: October 1996 $2.95 Scintillating script by Stan Lee Prurient plot by Fabian Nicieza Pulse-pounding pencils by Sal Buscema, John Buscema, John Romita, Sr., Steve Ditko, Gene Colan, Marie Severin & Ron Frenz Incredible inks by Tom Palmer, Joe Sinnott, Terry Austin, Bill Reinhold, Marie Severin & Al Milgrom Kaleidoscopic colors by John Kalisz (with perfect page one and colossal cover coloring by Paul Becton) Lascivious letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft/ad Effervescent edits by Matt Idelson Aching assistant edits by Paul Tutrone Evil editing-in-chiefing by Bob Harras Very special thanks to: Mariano Nicieza, Darren Auck, Scott Koblish, Gil Kane, The Raiders, and the many terrific talents of the Mighty Marvel Bullpen Based on Fantastic Four Annual #3 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby 48 pages
Just between us, Alicia– I’ve been ready ever since I met the man!
I’m not trying to include too many POSTLUDE entries, but don’t have a clear standard for when I do. Having a copy of the comic in my living room as opposed to in storage somewhere is a good motivator. Plus, I actively used this comic as a reference when making my Fantastic Four Annual post, in deciding who might have been present at the wedding but off-panel.
Heroes & Legends is a loving retelling of the wedding of Sue and Reed from 1996, by continuity nerd Fabian Nicieza with a rotating cast of classic artists and a script by Stan Lee.
We know Steve Ditko very well by this point. We’ve seen some early work of John Romita, but he’s just about to join our regular cast of artists. Gene Colan just started drawing Namor’s adventures. Marie Severin has been working behind the scenes, and we’ll see her artwork soon enough. We’ve already seen some artwork of her brother John. John and Sal Buscema will be shaking things up eventually, and Ron Frenz in the more distant future. We’ll see Tom Palmer soon enough. We’ve briefly met Joe Sinnott a couple times, but he’s just about to become a regular. I’d bemoaned he wasn’t the original inker on the annual. It came out just one month too early. The other inkers will be coming along later.
This tells the same story as the Fantastic Four Annual, but with over twice as many pages.
In a short while, we’ll also read Marvels #2, which includes yet another take on this wedding to contrast with these two takes.
We’ll compare the new comic to the original and note the artist on the new comic. The original art is all by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta. As noted above, for everything but the first page, John Kalisz did the colors in the new one.
The opening page deliberately mirrors the original.
New art by Sal Buscema & Tom Palmer with colors by Paul Becton
The big addition is a kid named Mark, a superhero fan who gets separated from his father in the commotion, and targeted by villains and saved by heroes. He serves as the centerpiece for this retelling.
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
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.
