jack kirby – Page 18 – Coke & Comics

Fantastic Four #28

We have to fight the X-Men!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: April 9, 1964
Cover: July 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee (The leader!)
Drawn by: Jack Kirby (The king!)
Inked by: Chic Stone (The master!)
Lettered by: Art Simek (The letterer!)
22 pages

Stan’s been doing “clever credits” for a while now, giving all sorts of nicknames to the creators. This one happens to be Kirby’s most famous nickname. He is generally known today as Jack “King” Kirby. This is the first time we’ve seen the “king” nickname in our reading. Can’t confirm whether it’s been used anywhere else before. This project began 20 years into Jack’s rather prolific career.

We turn now to the story, where the Fantastic Four and X-Men meet for the first time. (Well, Human Torch and Iceman had already met…)

We begin with a statue of Thing that has been sculpted by the brilliant Alicia, working by touch alone.

Avengers #6

Masters of Evil!

Featuring: Avengers
Release: May 5, 1964
Cover: July 1964
12 cents
Written by the inspired typewriter of: Stan Lee
Drawn by the enchanted pencil of: Jack Kirby
Inked by the gifted brush of: Chic Stone
Lettered by the scratch pen of: S. Rosen
23 pages

As if it wasn’t hard enough trying to figure out how to fit the Avengers’ solo adventures around this title, issue 5 ended with an urgent call from the Teen Brigade to go on a mission unrelated to the Lava Men adventure they just had, which itself was unrelated to the Hulk adventure that started that issue. Leaving almost no space for solo adventures.

Here, the narration informs us they are still on the way to New York to respond to the urgent call, but needed to refuel in Chicago.

Between New York and Chicago, Iron Man and Giant-Man have gotten new costumes, and Wasp has a new hairdo and headpiece.

Captain America meanwhile has new glove magnets and miniature transistors installed in his shield that allow him to control its motion.

Iron Man designed the shield transistors. He is apparently an engineering genius on par with Tony Stark, the man nobody has ever seen him with, despite being Stark’s bodyguard.

And then Thor gives Captain America his mail. Wait? What? I thought this was a refueling stop in Chicago. Where did they get the mail? Where are they?

Not many details in the scene. Some equipment makes it look like a lab. Cap is sitting on a chair, so they seem to not be on a plane or at a refueling station.

Fantastic Four #27

The Search for Sub-Mariner!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: March 10, 1964
Cover: June 1964
12 cents
Author and illustrator extraordinary: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Inked by: Geo. Bell
Lettered by: S. Rosen
23 pages

The opening of this story is somewhat different from the norm. A little… sexier.

To make the opening image more amusing, we learn it’s not an actual projection of Sue, but rather a projection of what happens to be on Reed’s mind at the moment. Sexy Sue, apparently.

We then get the issue’s big news. Reed is planning to go buy a ring in order to ask Sue to marry him. Giant-Man recently bought a ring for the same reason, but chickened out. Let’s see if Reed can do any better.

Sandman #19

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess

Things have changed and will change more; and Gaia no longer welcomes us as she once did.

But he did not understand the price. Mortals never do. They only see the prize, their heart’s desire, their dream… But the price of getting what you want is getting what once you wanted.

Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot.

Thirty years ago today, one of the finest comics I have ever read was published. I would like to take a moment to reflect on Sandman #19, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”; admittedly at some considerable length.

Due to its length, the post is broken into 3 pages. The first page gives an overview of the Sandman series, and some background. The second page discusses this issue in depth, as well as Sandman #13 and #75, which serve as prologue and epilogue respectively. The third page examines particular themes of this issue and how they resonate throughout the entire series.

Please find the buttons at the bottom of each page to navigate.

Pages: 123

Sgt. Fury #7

The Court-Martial of Sergeant Fury

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: March 3, 1964
Cover: May 1964
12 cents
Powerfully written by: Ex-Sergeant Stan Lee
Brilliantly drawn by: Ex-Infantryman Jack Kirby
Inked by: Geo. Bell
Lettered by: Art Simek
22 pages

We’re losing track of time a little because we’ve already read four comics from March and even one from April, but we are now actually finished with February and officially starting our March reading with this issue. So let’s take a moment to see what else is going on in the comics world in March 1964.

Our reading began in 1961 with Fantastic Four #1. We haven’t been covering every Marvel title; we’ve skipped all the western and humor comics that predate FF#1. We’ve been reading parts of all the horror titles as they have slowly transitioned to being superhero titles. We’ve read every new series Marvel has put out since, all superhero comics except for this title, Sgt. Fury. A new Marvel title premieres this month, the first new title that will be outside our scope: Monsters to Laugh With. It’s a comic I’ve never read and don’t have easy access to. The comic uses actual stills from monster movies and adds humorous word balloons to them, for some definition of “humorous”. Taint the Meat has a good description of the series.

This month also sees a significant comic show up at the Distinguished Competition. Detective Comics #327 debuts the “new look” Batman with the now-famous yellow oval around the logo and a new style of storytelling to go with it. Upping their game a bit, perhaps to compete with Marvel.

But this is also a significant issue in the history of Sgt. Fury. As Jack Kirby bids the series goodbye. Now that he’s the regular artist on Thor, it makes sense that something had to give. But it’s too bad it’s this. I think this series has so far been Lee and Kirby’s best work, and Kirby seemed to have a real passion and enthusiasm for these characters and stories. I am sad to see him go.

Strange Tales #120

The Torch Meets the Iceman!

Featuring: Human Torch
Release: February 11, 1964
Cover: May 1964
12 cents
Deftly written by: Stan Lee
Dazzlingly drawn by: Jack Kirby
Dramatically inked by: Dick Ayers
Distinctively lettered by: S. Rosen
14 pages

Been a little while since Kirby has deigned to draw a Human Torch story. I assume we owe his presence to the guest appearance of Iceman, just like a Captain America crossover motivated his last visit.

Mr. Fantastic notes the X-Men are hard to contact because nobody knows their identities. Iron Man was able to contact them just fine, and they all have access to a government-provided superhero communications network.

X-Men #5

Trapped: One X-Man!

Featuring: X-Men
Release: March 3, 1964
Cover: May 1964
12 cents
Spell-binding story by: Stan Lee
Dazzling drawing by: Jack Kirby
Inking: Paul Reinman
Lettering: S. Rosen
24 pages

They’ve redesigned the cover box to make room for Beast.

The story begins right where the last issue left off, but then has a bit of time jump mid-story. It opens with a strange piece of narration. The narrator tells us Professor X “seemed” to lose his powers. Interesting phrasing. Why not just say Professor X lost his powers? Unless you know something about this issue’s twist ending I don’t.

I would warn you that spoilers follow, but I would argue the opening page narration has already spoiled the whole story.

Avengers #5

The Invasion of the Lava Men!

Featuring: Avengers
Release: March 3, 1964
Cover: May 1964
12 cents
An epic tale told with high drama and heroic dignity by: Stan Lee
Illustrated with deep sincerity and dazzling beauty by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: Paul Reinman
Lettered by: S. Rosen
23 pages

Rick Jones gets his name on the cover and on the opening page alongside the book’s actual stars. He i fact is given billing over Giant-Man and Wasp in both places. His placement suggests he comes with Captain America, as though they are partners.

This tale is getting closer to what I feel like a traditional Avengers tale should be. There should be some menace to the world, a threat so great that no single hero can stand against it. Mostly so far, they’ve just fought Hulk over and over again. And he just wants to be left alone.

In this issue, the Lava Men invade Earth. When last we met them, they were referred to as Lava People; not sure how the unneeded gendering crept in.

Almost what I’m looking for. Only two problems. The first is that the Lava Men/People invaded before and Thor stopped them all by himself. So it’s not clear they’re an Avengers-worthy threat. The second is that in addition to fighting the Lava Men, the Avengers also all attack Hulk again. They really should just give the guy a break. This is now their fifth battle with the Hulk, and they all end in a stalemate.

Journey Into Mystery #104, Story C

Heimdall, Guardian of the Mystic Rainbow Bridge

Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: March 3, 1964
Cover: May 1964
12 cents
A tale told in splendor by: Stan Lee
A drama drawn in glory by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: Don Heck
Lettering: Art Simek
5 pages

I appreciate that the Tales of Asgard stories are willing to try different things. The initial offerings concerned Odin and the early days of creation. Then we got a series of stories about Thor as a youth. Now we will get a series focused on Heimdall. Stories about Balder will follow. The series feels it has the freedom to explore a variety of characters and eras of Asgard.

Heimdall was briefly introduced to us in Journey Into Mystery #85, where we learned he was the Warder of the Bifrost. We are given the general sense that he is very good at his job and that almost nothing slips past him. However, we haven’t seen much evidence of that. Indeed, we’ve seen Loki fool him twice. In issue 88, Loki disguised himself as a snake to escape Asgard. In an ancient tale told in issue 101, young Loki created a hole in Asgard’s defenses without Heimdall realizing it.

We now learn the story of how Heimdall was awarded his post. The right to stand eternal watch at a station is not something I would have competed for, but Heimdall did. Agnar the Fierce and Gotron the Agile both presented their cases to Odin. But they could not compete with Heimdall’s heightened senses. He could hear a plant growing far away in hills thought to be barren, and his eyes that can scan time and space could see an approaching army of Storm Giants still two days away.

Journey Into Mystery #104

Giants Walk the Earth!

Featuring: Thor
Release: March 3, 1964
Cover: May 1964
12 cents
…only the inspired talent of Stan Lee could have written it…
Only the gifted hand of Jack Kirby could have illustrated it!!
Inked by: Chic Stone
Lettered by: S. Rosen
13 pages

As with last month’s Tales of Suspense, this issue sees Thor take a more significant place on the cover. He gets his own logo, prominent on the cover, with the series’ title taking a subordinate position. “Journey Into Mystery with The Mighty Thor”. This is Thor’s comic now.

Thor has spent most of this series battling threats that really should be beneath his notice. Cobra with his slithering power? Finally, Thor’s mettle gets tested. In fact, it’s a test too great for him. He’ll need the help of Balder and his father Odin to overcome this threat.

The story begins soon after the end of the previous issue. Loki is chastising Enchantress and Executioner for their recent failure. If Enchantress could only have waited a few seconds to turn Executioner into a tree…

We really need to talk about Loki. I mean, we already did, but it’s getting more confounding. Odin had sentenced him to eternal imprisonment. I really must stress the word “eternal”. But then suddenly Loki was seemingly Odin’s most trusted advisor. No explanation was offered. Loki manipulated the supposedly wise Odin into causing Thor’s most recent grief, both his battles against Zarrko and the Enchantress. Now, Loki not only convinces Odin to travel to Earth, but Odin lets Loki rule in his stead, and grants him extra power to do so.