sam rosen – Page 18 – Coke & Comics

Amazing Spider-Man #11

Turning Point

Featuring: Spider-Man
Release: January 10, 1964
Cover: April 1964
12 cents
None but Stan Lee could have written this epic tale!!
None but Steve Ditko could have drawn such gripping scenes!
Lettered by S. Rosen
21 pages

“None but Stan Lee could have written this epic tale!!” I don’t know, Stan. I have my suspicions that’s not precisely accurate. There’s at least one other person who could have, and perhaps did.

With a title like “Turning Point”, this is probably going to be good.

This story has been building for two issues now, and won’t quite resolve in this one. Let’s remind ourselves of what’s been happening.

Two issues back, Peter and Betty were getting closer, but Betty had concerns, and those concerns seemed to hint at larger troubles.

"You're beginning to enjoy the danger-- the excitement! Just like--someone else I once knew--"

"Peter, I never told you why I left high school last year and took a job! I never told you about someone I once knew who-- who remind me of you! But I don't want to be hurt again!"

Last issue, we learn she had been in debt to a loan shark, which leads to her running afoul of the Enforcers. For Peter’s protection, she decides to leave town.

This issue, we see the return of Spider-Man’s greatest villain, Dr. Octopus. Dr. Octopus marks Spidey’s second recurring villain, after the Vulture. (Of course, not counting his persistent nemesis, J. Jonah Jameson.)

Strange Tales #119

The Torch Goes Wild!

Featuring: Human Torch
Release: January 10, 1964
Cover: April 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Dick Ayers
Lettered by: S. Rosen
13 pages

No picture this time, but at least the covers are now consistently mentioning that Dr. Strange exists.

The title of this story is, “The Torch Goes Wild!” Not quite sure what that leads me to expect. Maybe Johnny will take his top off, show a little skin.

Our more observant readers might be wondering if we completely forgot about Avengers #4. We did not. For various reasons about story flow and chronology and such, we will be waiting a bit to read it. I promise a future post that explains all these decisions in excruciating detail.

Our story begins with Johnny having a bad day. Perhaps the Rabble Rouser is to blame.

Journey Into Mystery #101

The Return of Zarrko, the Tomorrow Man!

Featuring: Thor
Release: December 2, 1963
Cover: February 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: G. Bell
Lettered by: S. Rosen
13 pages

We are one week late reading this comic because it begins a two-part battle against Tomorrow Man. How this comic fits in with Thor’s appearances in Avengers is pretty complicated, and we’ll be addressing that in a later post.

I’ll remind readers that the Avengers really do have some urgent business to get back to. Both Hulk and Namor remain at large. It should also be noted that Giant-Man recently fractured his ankle, but seems better now.

Jack Kirby is back and here to stay. Perhaps he’ll be able to turn around what up to this point has been one of the worst comics. Perhaps not, as he was there for the earliest issues of Thor and they were still of low quality. But Stan Lee was also farming out the writing to a variety of people. Now, for the first time, Stan and Jack will be the team on this book, just like on Fantastic Four and Sgt. Fury. They’ve also reached the point in their working relationship where their “coplotting” of the stories likely involves Stan less and less. Kirby will be taking greater control of the storytelling going forward. We’ll see how it goes.

Now that Lee is scripting, there is a detectable difference in Thor’s speech patterns. Under other writers, he had slowly evolved from talking like he was Don to talking like he was Thor. Now, there’s a certain haughty regality to the language. Words like “naught”.

Tales of Suspense #51, Story C

The Primitive!

Featuring: Watcher
Release: December 9, 1963
Cover: March 1964
12 cents
Story plot: Stan Lee
Script and art: Larry Lieber
Inking: G. Bell
Lettering: S. Rosen
5 pages

In general, these science fiction tales are a poor fit for the Marvel Universe. They do better as standalone stories. Within the context of the Marvel Universe, a scientist wouldn’t be desperately trying to prove there are advanced alien civilizations out there… we already know that because dozens have invaded Earth.

We know the Watcher is part of the Marvel Universe, and he claims to be telling us a story of the future. But perhaps it is not the future of our Marvel heroes. Perhaps it is another future, maybe even our own. It is set in the far-off 21st century.

Amazing Spider-Man #10

The Enforcers!

Featuring: Spider-Man
Release: December 9, 1963
Cover: March 1964
12 cents
Written by: Smiling Stan Lee
Illustrated by: Swinging Steve Ditko
Lettered by: Sparkling Sam Rosen
22 pages

Warning that spoilers follow. You may not want to read this post until you go read the comic and learn the shocking identity of the Big Man! Otherwise it will be revealed unceremoniously in my character listing.

Once again, we see clever credits. Several comics released this month had them.

The Enforcers remind me somewhat of Dr. Doom’s henchmen we met in last month’s Fantastic Four. But the Enforcers are the better team of henchmen and will prove more enduring. In fact, Big Man is the “big” villain of this issue, with the Enforcers his henchmen. But the Enforcers will become the more famous villains.

Strange Tales #118, Story B

The Possessed!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: December 9, 1963
Cover: March 1964
12 cents
Written by: Magical Stan Lee
Drawn by: Mystical Steve Ditko
Lettered by: Mysterious Sam Rosen
8 pages

As we noted in the last post, this issue represents the first time Dr. Strange has appeared on the cover of a comic. He’s allotted a small horizontal strip at the bottom of the cover. He’s on his way to becoming a star.

We again see Dr. Strange’s adventures no longer bear the “Master of Black Magic” subtitle. In fact, I think the stories will soon stop using the phrase “black magic” completely, even though the first several issues mentioned it constantly.

We also get some “clever credits”. It seems to be Stan’s new thing. We just saw it in our last Fantastic Four story (released the same day) and we’ll see it again in other stories out this month.

Strange Tales #118

The Man Who Became the Torch!

Featuring: Human Torch
Release: December 9, 1963
Cover: March 1964
12 cents
Story: Stan Lee
Art: Dick Ayers
Lettering: S. Rosen
13 pages

What? Is that Dr. Strange on the cover of a comic? Not just buried in the back of the comic somewhere where they hope nobody will notice?

Congratulations to Dr. Strange on his first cover appearance. 8 issues after his introduction.

This marks the fourth battle between Human Torch and Wizard. Perhaps this solidifies the Wizard as his “archfoe”.

The Wizard of these stories hasn’t quite been the character I know from my own youth. A key difference gets resolved this issue. While in prison, Wizard was given the necessary equipment to build an anti-gravity power unit that allows him to fly. I definitely think of flying as being a key Wizard trait.

Fantastic Four #24

The Infant Terrible!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: December 9, 1963
Cover: March 1964
12 cents
Lovingly written by: Stan Lee
Tenderly drawn by: Jack Kirby
Heroically inked by: Geo. Bell
Neatly lettered by: S. Rosen
23 pages

The most notable thing about this comic is the credits. “Lovingly written”, “Tenderly drawn”,… Stan is starting to insert a little creativity into that box. This will become a pretty regular thing for him. It begins here. The closest we’ve seen to any embellishment before was in the “Tales of Asgard” story from Journey Into Mystery #99, which was “Presented with pride…”.

The Fantastic Four pose for a photoshoot with Life Magazine. We’ll get to see Alex Ross’s rendering of a Life cover when we get to Marvels #2.

Tales to Astonish #53

Trapped by the Porcupine!

Featuring: Giant-Man and Wasp
Release: December 2, 1963
Cover: March 1964
12 cents
Story by: Daring Stan Lee
Art by: Dazzling Dick Ayers
Lettering by: Dynamic S. Rosen
18 pages

Porcupine is only Dr. Pym’s second recurring villain. Egghead was the first.

Giant-Man’s costume seems to be undergoing frequent slight alterations. I’m not sure what’s going on with the black suspenders. They may be adjustable. Whatever is going on, this issue they seem to form an “x” on his back.

Strange Tales #117, Story B

The Many Traps of Baron Mordo!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: November 12, 1963
Cover: February 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Illustrated by: Steve Ditko
Lettered by: S. Rosen
8 pages

All the original Dr. Strange stories, except for the origin story, bore the subtitle “Master of Black Magic”. He was Dr. Strange, Master of Black Magic. It’s gone now. In this comic, he’s just Dr. Strange. That tagline will never return. However, the narrator remembers it, possibly for the last time.

We get some nice clear exterior shots of Dr. Strange’s house. Before Mordo sends it to another dimension. Note the distinctive window.

I quite like this shot of Dr. Strange, shrouded in shadow, walking down the street with an aura of mystery about.