Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: June 9, 1966 Cover: August 1966 12 cents Stan Lee, editor Roy Thomas, writer Dick Ayers, artist John Tartaglione, inker Sam Rosen, letterer Irving Forbush, camp mascot 20 pages
My countrymen, the much-vaunted invincibility of our so-called Aryan conquerors is but a myth! They can be stopped… but only by a united front! Do not let petty jealousies divide you in this time of crisis!
Greece. You get the sense these stories are written by looking at a map of where the Howlers haven’t been yet.
We open with a fight between the Howlers and Maulers. A typical Tuesday.
Besides Sgt. McGiveney, we’ve not learned the names of any of the Maulers; we first met the group in issue 7. We now learn that one of them is named “Rickets” Johnson. It’s not clearly identified which one. Izzy claims he started the fight by slugging Rickets.
Featuring: Hulk Release: August 2, 1966 Cover: November 1966 12 cents Script: Stan Lee Pencils: John Buscema Inks: John Tartaglione Lettering: Ray Holloway Hulk’s pants-pressing: Irving Forbush 10 pages
Featuring: Hulk Release: June 30, 1966 Cover: October 1966 10 pages Script… Stan (The Man) Lee Art… Almost the whole blamed bullpen Lettering… Artie (Smarty) Simek Therapy… Honest Irving Forbush 10 pages
Can a green-skinned introvert, with anti-social tendencies, find happiness and fulfillment in a modern materialistic society?
I leave it to your eagle eyes to determine who drew what in this issue. Some artwork may or may not be due to Bill Everett, Jerry Grandenetti, Gene Colan, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, John Tartaglione, Mike Esposito, Sol Brodsky, or others.
Can a green-skinned introvert, with anti-social tendencies, find happiness and fulfillment in a modern materialistic society?
We’d seen a similar question posed at the beginning of Hulk’s current series in issue 60.
Can a man with green skin and a petulant personality find true happiness in today’s status-seeking society?
In this issue’s Namor story, we learned Hulk was in the city. And this story is conveniently titled “Rampage in the City”.
Hulk thinks saving Betty from Boomerang means people won’t hate him anymore. Good luck with that.
Hulk used to be an Avenger, so he goes to New York to ask them to help him find Betty.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: June 9, 1966 Cover: 1966 25 cents Stan Lee, editor extaordinary Roy Thomas, scripter superlative Dick Ayers, penciler pre-eminent John Tartaglione, inker infallible Sam Rosen, letterer lamentable 24 pages
Countless ships… squadrons of high-flying B-17’s, and medium-range bombers…170,000 American and British troops– all part of the mightiest armada ever assembled by man! All dedicated to the overthrow of the most unholy empire ever conceived by man… or demon!
We’ve been hanging out in 1943-44 for this whole series. It’s been pointedly pre-D-Day. The Howlers are based in England because there is no major Allied presence in Europe. They keep sneaking into Europe for their adventures.
These annuals aren’t necessarily set with the monthly comics, so there may be several pre-D-Day comics yet to come. For example, the first annual showed the Howlers reunite in Korea, and the next one will take us to Viet Nam. And we have several more pre-D-Day stories to come in the main title.
June 5. 1944. Normandy. Hitler believes his wall around Europe to be impenetrable. The Howlers once again sneak into France on their most important mission.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: May 10, 1966 Cover: July 1966 12 cents Exquisitely non-edited by: Stan Lee Ecstatically scripted by: Roy Thomas Excitedly drawn by: Dick Ayers Elatedly inked by: John Tartaglione Eventually lettered by: Sam Rosen 20 pages
“Now lissen, ya blasted goldbricks, and lissen good! This medic’s come all the way from the States to find out what makes us Howlers tick, an’ anybody that gives him trouble will answer to me! The doc’s here to see to it that none’a you jaw-flappin’ hyenas conks out on a mission! Like the sayin’ goes, a chain’s only as good as its weakest link!” “Ain’t that pretty, Reb?” “It sho’ nuff is, Gabe! Hey, Sarge… y’all think up that li’l ol’ speech by yoahself?” “Shuddup!”
Stan has something of a mixed reputation amongst fans today. One of the common complaints against him is that he took more credit than was due, that he accepted the credit and pay of a writer on works where his role was closer to that of an editor.
As he’s been handing off scripting duties to folks like Thomas and O’Neil, he’s stopped taking writing credit. But still gets his name first in the credits, now as an editor. (Interestingly, Roy Thomas is facing a bit of controversy lately for claiming to much creative credit from his later role as an editor.)
Amusingly, the credits admit Stan is now on vacation and wasn’t able to edit this particular book. So he claims credit for not editing the comic.
And still gets his name at the top of the credits!
We’d recently read a Daredevil comic from the same month where O’Neil had to finish the script because Stan took a vacation.
This actually may be the first comic we’ve come across that Stan Lee claims no credit for.
It’s possible this was Stan’s first vacation in five years.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandoes Release: April 12, 1966 Cover: June 1966 12 cents Written by: Roy Thomas Illustrated by: Dick Ayers Inked by: J. Tartaglione Lettered by: Sam Rosen 20 pages
I guess these big bad nazis plain scared me so much I couldn’t remember a thing!
This is an above-average Sgt. Fury story. It’s got a more intricate plot than usual with some clear stakes. Captain Sawyer gets a larger role, allowing his character to be fleshed out some. And it’s notable for introducing us finally to General Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander. I like that guy.
We saw in last issue’s text box that D-Day was approaching. We see the Howlers training underwater for that mission, dubbed Operation Overlord.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: March 10, 1966 Cover: May 1966 12 cents Energetic editing by: Stan Lee Rambunctious writing by: Roy Thomas Actionistic art by: Dick Ayers Dynamic delineation by: John Tartaglione Lethargic lettering by: Sam Rosen 20 pages
Awright you yardbirds… keep firin’! You want the Fascisti ta forget we’re here?
The Howlers parachute into Italy. This is momentous for Dino. We knew he was Italian-American, but we learn a couple new facts, including that he was born in Italy, but moved to America as a baby. We also learn he loves spaghetti.
Unusually, Sgt. Fury orders the Commandos to surrender, and they are taken to a prison camp. The Canadian Captain in charge has been planning a great escape. But Sgt. Fury has other plans.
Featuring: Captain America Release: December 9, 1965 Cover: March 1966 12 cents Stan Lee, script Jack Kirby, layout Dick Ayers, pencil J. Tartaglione, inks Artie Simek, lettering Irving Forbush, cheerleader 10 pages
But, there was one other! Our lives touched for only a short time– but I’ve never forgotten her! I can still remember our final date– when she whispered to me thru trembling lips… “I’ll wait till you return, Steve! No matter how long– no matter what happens– I’ll wait for you, my darling…!”
We read this issue’s Iron Man story a little while ago, in which Happy had turned into a Freak. We saved this story to make sure it tied into to the issue of Strange Tales that referenced it.
It was a tricky call for reading order, as I don’t like to separate issues, so I’d prefer to have read this story with the Iron Man story, and continuity-wise, the issue of Strange Tales we’re tying into doesn’t fit in where we left off with the Iron Man story. But I just couldn’t find a good way to juggle all the things I’m juggling to assemble a reading order.
This is a good comic with lots going on to talk about. I had to make a checklist for myself to ensure I covered the 10 most important points.
Though we’d taken a pause in reading Cap’s story, there is no break between the beginning of this story and the end of the last. As we open, Cap is hurtling toward the sea after the defeat of the Sleepers.
Except last seen, he had a working parachute. Sometime between the issues, his parachute seems to have failed, so we get a dramatic opening.
We cut to some shadowy figures observing a test of Inferno 42. Nick Fury was aware of this item and had sent an agent to retrieve it. We learned this in Strange Tales #142. Also in that story, Fixer referred to a mysterious organization that was his benefactor, known as Them. Is that who these shadowy figures are?
Back to Cap, we get a great moment. The sailors are in awe of him. One had idolized him as a child.
I have a notion in my head of who these characters are, formed from reading decades of comics beyond these. Cap inspiring awe in those around him is part of my basic image of Cap. But it’s not necessarily something we’ve seen a lot of in these early comics. We did see examples in Cap’s return in Avengers #4. But it’s not yet that common, so every such example is notable, as together they will form the basis for that aspect of Cap’s character.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: February 10, 1966 Cover: April 1966 12 cents Explosive editing by: Stan Lee Seething script by: Roy Thomas Pulsating pencils by: Dick Ayers Invigorating inking by: John Tartaglione Lacksadaisal lettering by Sam Rosen 20 pages
Armageddon… that the day when good and evil are supposed ta lock horns for the last time… with the good guys comin’ out on top! ‘Course, I know we went through that ‘war to end war’ jazz before! Still, a guy can’t help hopin’–! Yeah, every once in a while, I get ta thinkin’… mebbe this one will be the last war! Mebbe—
We met Roy Thomas in his first Marvel story featuring Millie the Model. He’s since done other work for Millie and for Kid Colt Outlaw. He has a couple other credits out there because he’d submitted some story ideas to other companies before landing the Marvel gig, and they’re now seeing print. We saw him a second time on a confusingly credited issue of Iron Man that seemed like they’d recruited everybody around.
This will be his first ongoing series. He’ll script the next 12 issues of Sgt. Fury. And the first time any of these Marvel titles have seen Stan Lee take a break of longer than a couple issues. Stan Lee has penned his last Sgt. Fury script. Without much fanfare.
Of course, Stan Lee still gets his name first in the credits. He is indeed the editor for this and all the titles.
It’s worth noting that right away Thomas will start referencing the continuity of earlier issues.
Thomas picks up where Lee left off with a tense face-off between Fury and his archnemesis, Baron Strucker. Strucker has a switch which will blow up the entire city; Fury a trigger to blow the building they are both in.
Except Fury is bluffing. His explosives aren’t wired yet.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: January 11, 1966 Cover: March 1966 12 cents Story by: Stan Lee Art by: Dick Ayers Inking by: John Tartaglione Lettering by: Sam Rosen 20 pages
Without weapons, without organization, even without hope, the spirit of free Frenchmen cannot be snuffed out!
We come to Stan Lee’s final issue as writer on this title. It ends with a cliffhanger, though a rather exciting one.
We see some conflict between Hitler and Strucker. Baron Strucker is an aristocrat who hates Hitler, who thinks him a madman. But Strucker follows orders to crush the resistance in Cherbeaux, even if he must kill the entire town to do so.
