john romita – Page 2 – Coke & Comics

Tales to Astonish #77, Story B

Bruce Banner is the Hulk!

Featuring: Hulk
Release: December 2, 1965
Cover: March 1966
12 cents
Script by: Stan Lee
Layouts by: Jack Kirby
Pencilling + inking by: Johnny Romita!
Lettering by: Sam Rosen
10 pages

Previous	#487	Next
Tales to Astonish #77	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #78
Tales to Astonish #77	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #78

Why shouldn’t I tell? It’s time the world learned the truth…!

That’s a damn compelling cover, a collaboration between Kirby and Romita, with the Romita influence coming in heavy, but a unique look for the Hulk that is very distinctive compared to either man’s style. Dramatically, we shockingly hear Rick Jones tell an officer (presumably Talbot) Hulk’s secret. We’ll see how that plays out.

John Romita took over as the regular artist on Daredevil last month. He’s just filling in here, as the series has floundered without a regular artist for the last 10 months. Bill Everett will be taking over next issue. We also saw Romita filling in on last month’s Captain America

As we noted in our recent Daredevil post, John Romita just recently passed away in June 2023 at the age of 93. One of the greatest comic artists of all time.

It is a compelling title. “Bruce Banner is the Hulk!” Is this the issue where his secret identity is finally revealed? Secret identities have been revealed on occasion before, but the learner of the identity usually develops amnesia or dies.

Recall from last issue the army built Banner’s T-Gun without knowing what it did. They hit Hulk with it and now everybody assumes Hulk is dead. In fact, Hulk has been transported to the future.

Tales of Suspense #76, Story B

The Gladiator, the Girl, and the Glory!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: January 11, 1966
Cover: April 1966
12 cents
Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Art: Jazzy Johnny Romita
Lettering: Adorable Artie Simek
10 pages

Previous	#483	Next
Tales of Suspense #75, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #75, Story B
Tales of Suspense #76	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #77

Is this my destiny? To have been given a second chance at life– only to lose everything I ever held dear? First, it was Bucky, the greatest sidekick a man ever had! Then, those many years ago, I can still remember her– promising to wait– no matter how long it might be-! Now– when I thought I had found her reborn– I’ve lost her again! And perhaps this time– it will be– forever!

For a story that’s introducing a pretty woman to Cap’s world, the late John Romita seems like the perfect artist. Though the woman is barely in this comic.

In fact, we’ve seen John Romita’s work on Captain America before way back in the 1950s, in his early days as an artist.

Romita won’t be returning to Cap regularly. He’s just filling in for Kirby here. He’s already the regular artist on Daredevil and may be taking over another title soon.

Recall where we left off. This Agent of SHIELD may be the younger sister of Cap’s WWII sweetheart. We don’t know her name. She has Inferno 42 and is protecting it from Batroc, but doesn’t realize it’s cracked and set to destroy New York within half hour. Cap and Batroc have teamed up to save the city.

Daredevil #15

And Men Shall Call Him… Ox!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: February 3, 1966
Cover: April 1966
12 cents
Unsurpassed story by: Stan Lee
Unexcelled pencilling by: John Romita
Unparalleled inking by: Frankie Ray
Unabashed lettering by: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#474	Next
Sgt. Fury #29	Reading order	X-Men #19
Daredevil #14	Daredevil	Daredevil #16

The cover is evocative of Kirby’s style with the high melodrama and sense of characters leaning forward out of the page, but it is by the now regular Daredevil artist, John Romita, with inks by Frank Giacoia.

John Romita passed away last month. I thought about making a note of it on this blog at the time but didn’t quite have the words.

I didn’t really know John Romita. Never met him or spoke to him. I just know his work. So my reaction to his death isn’t the same as that of his family, or even those professionals or fans who knew him better. The question is, what does the death of someone I just know through their work mean to me.

I’ve had cause to ask this too many times in the last several years. Tom Palmer. George Pérez. Steve Ditko. Stan Lee. The first artist death to really hit me was John Buscema about 20 years ago. What do these people I only know through their work mean to me?

Everything. They mean everything. Their deaths fill me with a profound sense of sadness and loss.

That said, John Romita was 93 when he passed. He lived a full and good life and leaves behind an extraordinary legacy. Not the least of which is his son, John Romita Jr., a legendary comic artist in his own right.

Daredevil #14

If This Be Justice…!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: January 4, 1966
Cover: March 1966
12 cents
Story: Stan Lee
Pencilling: John Romita
Inking: Frankie Ray
Lettering: Artie Simek
20 pages

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Daredevil #13	Reading order	Journey Into Mystery #124
Daredevil #13	Daredevil	Daredevil #15

There it is– the most valuable ore of all time!

The kids are growing up. After two issues with Kirby layouts, Lee is ready to let Romita stand on his own feet and draw the comic from scratch, which likely means a lot of the plotting for this issue is also owed to Romita. Frank Giacoia is brought in to finish.

This will wrap up the Ka-Zar saga. Bit of a recap of the key points. Ka-Zar and the Plunderer are brothers. Ka-Zar’s original name was Kevin Plunder. Their father Lord Plunder had been an explorer who discovered a Vibrating Ore with strange and powerful properties. The secret of the mound lies in having the completed medallion that he gave half of to each son.

Plunderer has brought Ka-Zar and Daredevil to his castle in England, and called the local authorities on them, taking advantage of his nobility to accuse them of murder.

Daredevil #13

The Secret of Ka-Zar’s Origin!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: December 12, 1965
Cover: February 1966
12 cents
Dastardly story by: Stan Lee
Demonic layouts by: Jack Kirby
Devastating artwork by: John Romita
Dilapidated lettering by: Sam Rosen
20 pages

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Daredevil #12	Reading order	Daredevil #14
Daredevil #12	Daredevil	Daredevil #14

No man is ever helpless… not while he lives… not while he dares!

The title promises the secret of Ka-Zar’s origin. The narration seems to hedge a bit, promising only new clues to his origin.

Recall, we had a bit of confusion last time. In name and appearance, Ka-Zar appears to be a character we’d met long before. David Rand, a jungle lord in the Congo introduced in Marvel Comics #1. This Ka-Zar looks the same and also goes by Ka-Zar, but lives in a hidden dinosaur-laden land in Antarctica. Is this Ka-Zar David Rand? And if so, how did we get to Antarctica?

We left off with Ka-Zar in peril from a plant and Daredevil in peril from Maa-Gor, last of the Ape Men, whom we met alongside Ka-Zar in X-Men #10.

Daredevil #12

Sightless, in a Savage Land!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: November 4, 1965
Cover: January 1966
12 cents
Story: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Lettering: Sam Rosen
.. and introducing: the matchless artistic wizardry of Marvel’s newest, and most eagerly-awaited, illustrator… the inimitable John Romita!
20 pages

Previous	#458	Next
Sgt. Fury #26	Reading order	Daredevil #13
Daredevil #11	Daredevil	Daredevil #13

Ka-Zar have you, Zabu… Need no other! You are wisest… bravest… swiftest of all!

John Romita’s arrival is greeted enthusiastically by Stan. Kirby does layouts, as is common when welcoming new artists, as Stan doesn’t yet trust their storytelling chops (or his own).

Daredevil has a lack stability with revolving doors of legendary superstar artists. Bill Everett only made it one issue because he struggled with deadlines. Joe Orlando left after 3 issues because he got angry with Stan. Wally Wood left after 5 issues because he got angry with Stan. Good luck, John.

We’ve seen John Romita before in our “Prelude” posts. He was a regular artist on Captain America’s short-lived 1950s revival. His art has improved a lot in the intervening 10 years. He found his niche with the romance genre, and then left comics for a successful career in advertising. He draws good-looking people, in a way that artists like Kirby and Ditko don’t. Stan talked him into coming back to comics.

We talked about Romita’s career when we read Captain America #78. This is his new regular gig as a main artist at Marvel, but we’d seen him before providing finishes for Don Heck in Avengers #23, released 3 months earlier.

The story picks up where last issue left off, with Matt leaving Nelson & Murdock. The characters have lots of thoughts. Matt is leaving to let Foggy and Karen be together. Karen is sad because she loves Matt. Foggy thinks Matt is his best friend, but is happy that Karen can now be his. Matt doesn’t recognize that Karen loves him; he thinks her affection is just pity for a blind man. Matt books an ocean cruise to the other side of the world.

Avengers #23

Once an Avenger…

Featuring: Avengers
Release: August 10, 1965
Cover: December 1965
12 cents
Stan Lee, Rollickin’ writer!
Don Heck, prancin’ penciller!
John Romita, dazzlin’ delineator!
Sherigail, liltin’ letterer!
20 pages

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Modeling with Millie #44	INTERLUDE
Sgt. Fury #24	Reading order	Avengers #24
Avengers #22	Avengers	Avengers #24

The crown is still yours by my leave only! ‘Tis Kang who is the power here! Though countless worlds have fallen before my banner, yours have I spared… but only because of love for you!

Serendipitous timing. We get to see a major battle between Kang and the Avengers just in time for Kang to make his big screen debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania this Friday, portrayed by Jonathan Majors. We had met Jonathan Majors as Kang before in the Loki series.

This story is particularly notable for introducing Kang’s great love, the Princess Ravonna. She was portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the Loki series.

John Romita is a new name in the modern Marvel reading, but we’d seen him before in our looks back, as he was the Captain America artist in the 1950s. We’ll be seeing more of him, and have more to say soon.

Sherigail we recall is an alias for for Morrie Kuramoto. We haven’t seen him in a while, with Rosen and Simek dividing up most lettering between them. He married Gail Masuoka in 1955, and they had a daughter Sheri– hence the pen name. As a young adult, Morrie had seen his possessions confiscated and his family sent into prison camps by the US government for having Japanese ancestry. He was able to enlist in the military to escape imprisonment. He worked as a letterer after the war, and continued to do irregular lettering work until his death in 1985.

POSTLUDE: Marvel: Heroes & Legends #1

For Better and For Worse!

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

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Fantastic Four Annual 3	Reading order	X-Men #14

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.

PRELUDE: Young Men #27, Story B

The Return of the Red Skull!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: January 25, 1954
Cover: April 1954
10 cents
7 pages

Previous		Next
Young Men #24, Story B	Prelude
Sgt. Fury #16	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #65

No credits given. The GCD credits Don Rico and John Romita.

With a big sigh of relief, we come to the last Red Skull story from the pre-Marvel era. By my count he made 13 appearances, and we’ve read 11 of them, all to get ready for his triumphant return in 1965. That was more than I meant to read, but there was a particular reason for each choice.

Captain America and Red Skull, now a card-carrying Communist, battle one final time.

PRELUDE: Young Men #24, Story B

Back from the Dead!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: August 19, 1953
Cover: December 1953
10 cents
6 pages

Previous		Next
Captain America’s Weird Tales #74	Prelude	Young Men #27, Story B
Sgt. Fury #16	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #65

No credits are given. The GCD attributes the story to Don Rico and John Romita, except the first panel which it attributes to Mort Lawrence.

It is 1953, 4 years since the final Captain America story, which itself brought and end to the company’s entire line of superhero books, the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner sagas having ended a little sooner.

Marvel’s only nod to the superhero genre in the time since is their science fiction hero, Marvel Boy, whose series lasted 6 issues.

They’re ready to try again. Now generally branded as “Atlas Comics”, the company that had been known as “Timely” and would be best known as “Marvel” offers this superhero revival, bringing back their 3 most successful superheroes of the 40s: Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, and Captain America.

All three return in this very issue. We read the Sub-Mariner story previously. Spinning out of this Young Men series, all three will soon get their own titles as well. Sub-Mariner’s return will last 10 issues, while Human Torch and Captain America each get three issues, before again being consigned to oblivion for another decade.

We read several issues of the Captain America revival to prepare to read Captain America’s lasting return in 1964. Those posts met with the sharpest criticism in the comments section I have yet received. I was called naive, arrogant, ignorant about comics… The internet can be a cruel place sometimes.