Featuring: X-Men Release: August 2, 1966 Cover: October 1966 12 cents Edited by: Stan Lee Scripted by: Roy Thomas Illustrated by: Werner Roth Inked by: Dick Ayers Lettered by: Sam Rosen Imitated by: Brand Echh 20 pages
At some point, we are faced with the question, are all these heroes interchangeable, or are their distinctions amongst the titles, making some stories more suitable for one title than another.
There are hints here of what I think the X-Men are about. Moments.
Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: August 2, 1966 Cover: November, 1966 25 cents Conceived and created by: Stan Lee (scenarist) & Jack Kirby (illustrator) Inked and lettered by: Joe Sinnott (Delineator) & Sam Rosen (Calligrapher) Recited and ignited by: Irving Forbush (part-time non-entity) 19 pages
The Original Human Torch! Reborn– only to die again!
We began our Marvel reading with Fantastic Four #1, released in August 1961. But Marvel had 22 years of history predating that comic. What is the relationship between those older comics and the modern 1960s ones? We’ve seen some impacts.
Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: July 7, 1966 Cover: October 1966 12 cents Scripted with a smile by: Stan (The Man) Lee Pencilled with a passion by: Jack (King) Kirby Delineated with a dignity by: Jovial Joe Sinnott Lettered with a lilt by: Swingin’ Sammy Rosen Applauded with Aplomb by: Honest Irving Forbush 20 pages
I have seen men build… and destroy! I have seen this world, which could be paradise, reduced to a planet of greed, and fear, and hatred! I have seen humanity with its heritage betrayed!
When Galactus came to devour Earth, Silver Surfer was his herald. But Silver Surfer met Alicia Masters, and she convinced him that humanity was worth saving. So Silver Surfer betrayed his master. As punishment, Galactus took Silver Surfer’s space-time powers from him. This presumably means he cannot fly faster than light speed, so is practically confined to within a lightyear or so of Earth.
Thing hadn’t been happy that Alicia seemed so impressed by the Silver Surfer, and spent some time moping in the rain about it.
Johnny and Wyatt have been on their way to the Great Refuge of the Inhumans since they left Wakanda. Along the way, they came across Prester John and the Evil Eye, which Johnny thought might break the Negative Zone barrier around the Great Refuge. But that didn’t work out.
Shouldn’t Johnny and Wyatt be in school?
Reed still owes Sue a proper honeymoon. Though he has taken her to the Great Refuge and Wakanda. But I guess she wants somewhere just the two of them where they don’t battle evil. Women, eh.
Berlin Breakout! Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: August 9, 1966 Cover: October 1966 12 cents Edited by Stan Lee Scripted by Roy Thomas Drawn by Dick Ayers Inked by John Tartaglione Lettered by Sam Rosen Picketed by Baron Strucker 20 pages
I am not a traitor to my homeland! I want to save it… to free it from the tyranny of a madman like Adolf Hitler!
The Howlers are in custody in Berlin, set to be executed. Nick Fury intends to rescue them, but he’ll need help.
Part of that help will come from Fury’s good friend, Bull McGiveney. As well as Corporal Rickets Johnson from the Maulers. We learned his name two issues back, but now we get to put a face to it.
The other person is Eric, a German we met in Sgt. Fury #27. He’d been an aide to Goering, but defected to join the Allies. We didn’t get his surname then, but we now learn his full name is Eric Koenig.
Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: July 7, 1966 Cover: September 1966 12 cents The peerless editing of Stan Lee The preciocious scripting of Roy Thomas The power-packed pencilling of Dick Ayers The pulse-pounding inking of John Tartaglione The pussycat lettering of Sam Rosen 20 pages
“I don’t like Hitler’s goose-steppers any more’n you do, but as long as he don’t attack America, it ain’t my war!” “It’s everybody’s war, Mister… I just hope they realize it before it’s too late!”
Recall last issue the Howlers were separated from Nick Fury during a mission in Greece. He is back in England now without them.
With nothing to do but wait for G-2 to bring back word on the fate of the Commandos, Captain Sawyer reflects on how he first met Nick Fury, and the group’s beginnings.
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: November 3, 1966 Cover: February 1967 12 cents Hulkamorous script by: Stan (The Man) Lee Hulkitudinous art by: Gil (Sugar) Kane Hulkifying lettering by: Sammy (Dozin’) Rosen 10 pages
The poor, lumbering brute! He was guilty only of being feared– and misunderstood!
Gil Kane is going to become a big name at Marvel. We’ve seen him once before on a Hulk story a dozen issues back under the alias of Scott Edward and we reviewed his career at the time.
It’s possible this is his first properly credited Marvel work.
He brings a distinctive style, a very different take on Hulk from that of John Buscema the past two issues.
It’s been 7 issues since Boomerang entered Hulk’s life. We finally see that saga reach a conclusion. It’s been a long road, and I summarize in painstaking detail that road below. These past 6 months have been the most interconnected the Marvel Universe has yet been. Perhaps fittingly we will soon see that the phrase “Marvel Universe” also debuted in that timespan.
At this point it seems like everybody knows Hulk’s secret identity. But the first person to learn it after Rick was the President of the United States, presumably President Johnson. And that is presumably President Johnson now interceding on Hulk’s behalf.
Unfortunately, Boomerang intervenes and drives Hulk to a rampage and another conflict with the military.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: March 2, 1967 Cover: May 1967 12 cents A glory-drenched masterwork by: Stan (The Man) Lee and Jack (King) Kirby Inking: Vince Colletta Lettering: Sam Rosen 5 pages
As we’ve discussed, I just read these Thor back-up stories along with the Thor comic they appear in. With the main stories, I try to combine story arcs into one or otherwise think through the continuity.
Because of that, we’re just kind of reading the middle chapter of this Arabians Nights saga in isolation.
I found the story doesn’t really read any better if I tried to condense it.
So we need to remember what happened, but not much happens in these stories.
Featuring: Thor Release: March 3, 1967 Cover: May 1967 12 cents Conceived and created by the noblest collaborative combo in comicdom: Stan (The Man) Lee and Jack (King) Kirby Inking by: Vince Colletta Lettering by: Sam Rosen 16 pages
Thanks to thy valor– thy matchless devotion– Asgard endures! But, many are the battles that lie ahead! Many are the foes we yet must face! Many the dangers to be overcome! Yet, verily I say unto thee– Whate’er may befall… we shall face it together!!!
We are pretty far ahead in Thor’s story compared to the rest of the characters. This comic is from March 1967, but we’re still in July 1966 in the other comics.
This is really because Thor attends an Avengers meeting in an August 1966 comic. And there’s just no space in Thor’s saga for that to happen in a long window of time. A lot happened at once for Thor, involving Hercules, Tana Nile, Ego, and the High Evolutionary. It was go, go, go for lots of issues. Things calmed down a few issues back. But it was clear that Thor was in Asgard chilling with his new crush, Sif. And not on Earth. And then the Troll War broke out.
So we jump ahead to this comic which at last returns Thor to Earth and gives him enough breathing room to attend an Avengers meeting. We’ll discuss as we go through the issue what clues there are as to how long he’s been away.
We open with celebrations marking the end of the Troll War.
Featuring: Iron Man Release: November 10, 1966 Cover: February 1967 12 cents Story: Stan Lee Art: Gene Colan Inking: Frank Giacoia Lettering: Sam Rosen Nail-biting: Irv Forbush 12 pages
