Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: September 2, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Devastating drama by: Stan Lee Shattering spectacle by: Adam Austin Explosive embellishment by: Vince Colletta Cataclysmic Calligraphy by: Sam Rosen 12 pages
Though I am an Ancient of Atlantis, this one last deed can I do for the land we hold so dear!
After five pretty repetitive issues, finally we’re getting somewhere. Still two more issues after this one to resolve Namor’s dust-up with Krang, but at least the structure is starting to change.
Namor has abandoned his quest to save Dorma from the Faceless Ones. Since he had no idea where to go next in his quest anyway, why not.
Featuring: Hulk Release: July 1, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Thrills, as only Stan Lee’s story can provide them! Power, as only Jack Kirby’s layouts can create it! Drama, as only Mickey Demeo’s artwork can present it! Sound effects, as only Sam Rosen’s pen point can letter them! 10 pages
I mustn’t change… I won’t let myself change…!! For… if I change… I die!!
Where were we. Banner has a bullet in his brain. Only alive so long as he stays in Hulk form. He has Banner’s intelligence, but his personality seems darker, more like Hulk’s. The equipment he needs to maintain his Hulk state is in his secret lab, which has been uncovered by the military, who are closing in.
His only way out is to accept an offer of help from his enemy, the Leader.
The Leader is Hulk’s opposite. Both exposed to gamma radiation, Hulk received the world’s most powerful body, while Leader received the world’s most powerful brain. Together, they could be unstoppable.
The Leader transforms Hulk into electro-waves to transport him to Italy. “Matter-portation”, he calls it. Star Trek premieres next year; did the writers read this comic?
I appreciate the Leader’s science experiments; they’ll get this story a higher score. His ambition is to create a new life.
He secretly exposed Hulk to a gas that he himself has built up an immunity to. Similar to what one might do with iocaine powder.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: July 1, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Written in majesty by: Stan Lee Drawn in grandeur by: Adam Austin Inked in splendor by: Vince Colletta Lettered in the suburbs by: S. Rosen 12 pages
A Prince of the Blood must be true to his duty… though the sorrow in his breast be more than he can endure!
Once again, Namor gets to dominate the cover. Only the slightest mention that this is also Hulk’s comic.
To be completely honest, stories with a repetitive format get a bit dull to discuss. I can only make fun of how identical the plots are in so many different ways. Last issue, Namor defeated the creature guarding a clue on his quest, found the clue, went to the next spot, found a creature guarding the next clue. To be continued. Guess the plot of this issue?
Meanwhile, the Krang/Dorma drama continues. We get a new development there as he banishes her to the realm of the Faceless Ones for rejecting him.
Featuring: Spider-Man Release: June 1, 1965 Cover: 1965 25 cents Written and edited by the toast of Marvel: Stan Lee Plotted and drawn by the boast of Marvel: Steve Ditko Lettered and bordered by the ghost of Marvel: Sam Rosen 20 pages
“May the Vishanti watch over thee!” “And may your amulet never tickle!”
This is a great comic, but it seems like they forgot to make a cover for it. It’s actually a decent picture by Ditko with the many Spider-Men of various poses and sizes. But a picture of Spider-Man and Dr. Strange would be in order. A missed opportunity as Dr. Strange gets so few cover appearances, sharing his title with Human Torch or Nick Fury.
Next week, we will read Strange Tales #136, except not the entire issue. We’ll skip the Dr. Strange story, just as we have skipped the Dr. Strange Stories from #130-135. And I appreciate your patience, I really do.
I decide what order to read these in based on when they came out and when the stories take place, sometimes heavily weighting either one over the other on a whim.
Because Dr. Strange appears in this story and an upcoming Fantastic Four story, and I judged there’s no room for him to do so after #130, we are holding off on the Dr. Strange stories until after these two guest appearances.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think Dr. Strange and Spider-Man are Marvel’s two best titles at the moment, courtesy of the fact that I think Steve Ditko is the greatest graphic storyteller of all time.
They finally meet. For sort of the first time. They had a brief meeting in the last Amazing Spider-Man Annual.
Now that’s what the cover should have looked like.
As far as Dr. Strange knows, this is the first meeting between him and Spider-Man. He and Peter Parker have briefly crossed paths, and it seems likely that Peter would remember the encounter while Strange would not.
Featuring: Spider-Man Release: June 8, 1965 Cover: September 1965 12 cents Written and edited with loving care by Stan Lee Plotted and drawn with talent rare by Steve Ditko Lettered and bordered with a vacant stare by Sam Rosen 20 pages
Check out that cover. It’s based on effects Ditko has used before, of letting the blue of Spider-Man’s costume blend into black shadow and disappear, but here fully realized. The negative space defines the cover.
The issue opens picking up on a subplot from last issue. Flash and Peter had a fight; Peter was in trouble until Flash went to the Principal and accepted blame. The matter resolves itself. But leads into Peter and Flash noticing that something is bothering Liz.
Weirdly, Peter calls her Liz Hilton. He knows her name is Liz Allan, but must have been momentarily confused. Mrs. Watson shows some similar confusion later in the issue, referring to her niece Mary Jane as her daughter. Weird.
Featuring: Thor Release: June 1, 1965 Cover: 1965 25 cents Mighty story by: Stan Lee Majestic art by: Jack Kirby Masterful inking by: Vince Colletta Mostly lettered by: Sam Rosen 15 pages
Thus, the Thunder God falls.. for time without end.. through a vast void of heavy nothingness… of shimmering energy barriers and mystic space disrupters…
This is the first Thor Annual. Your 25 cents is mostly buying you reprint stories. But you also get a 15 page new Thor story, which is perhaps more properly a Tales of Asgard story, focused as it is on an early adventure of Thor. In those tales, Loki is always scheming to kill him, but Thor seems blissfully unaware.
We’ve reviewed some early history of Hercules and Zeus. Marvel introduced a gigantic superhero named for Hercules then weeks later introduced a comedic hero named Little Hercules. A mythologically-confused version of Hercules gave his powers to Marvel Boy in 1940 and then to another Marvel Boy in 1943. Tommy Tyme witnessed the mythological Hercules’ legendary battle against Antaeus, which bore quite the resemblance to a Thor story we read where he battled Sigurd.
Jupiter was a recurring character in Venus, and the Jupiter of Roman myth is very similar to the Zeus of Greek myth. We saw Zeus unleash a Fury in a 1955 fantasy story. We know Zeus had given Pandora her box from a 1961 Tales of Suspense story. And that Pandora’s Box was later used by the Sorcerer to menace Johnny Storm. In the early days of our reading, we read a weird tale where Zeus came to Earth to prove his power, and was offered movie deals.
But those appearances of Hercules and Zeus are not necessarily part of our canon. This issue represents the proper Marvel Universe introductions of Hercules and Zeus.
Featuring: Daredevil Release: June 1, 1965 Cover: August 1965 12 cents Fundamental plot and script by Smilin’ Stan Lee Basic layouts and delineation by Wondrous Wally Wood Comprehensive pencilled graphics by Bouncy Bobby Powell Balloons, orders and blurbs by Sammy Rosen 20 pages
I can’t let them shoot me at sunrise! I hate getting up so early!
Wally Wood took over as artist on Daredevil with issue 5. In the coming issues, he introduced Daredevil’s iconic costume, some of his trademark weapons and moves, and told one of the greatest Marvel stories ever as Daredevil fought Sub-Mariner.
Now his short but impactful run is wrapping up. Because he did not get along with Stan Lee.
He was an industry veteran. He knew what the breakdown of responsibilities between artist and writer was. He knew he was doing a writer’s work on this comic, but only being paid as an artist.
The credits claim Stan Lee plotted this issue. Wally Wood would disagree. He admitted he and Stan did get together for plotting sessions to work out the stories together, but he described these sessions as them staring at each other in silence until Wood would suggest a plot. Which Stan then took credit for.
He’s not quitting just yet. We’ll see next issue he’ll get the credit and the pay for writing the issue, but that won’t become a regular practice. Wood will leave instead.
In some sense, Wood’s proper run on Daredevil is over, as this issue is really drawn by Bob Powell. Powell is a veteran artist as well, but one of the non-superstar artists we’ve been seeing on the weaker titles. Wood is credited with layouts and delineations, sketching out the story and character positions, but leaving it to Powell to draw the details.
Wood will be associated with the title for 2 more issues, but last issue was the final time we’ll really see Wood’s full artwork on Daredevil.
A short, but memorable run. His greatest contribution to early Marvel is probably to walk out the door. Marvel’s other superstar artists will do the same soon enough.
Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: June 8, 1965 Cover: September 1965 12 cents Produced by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Inking: V. Colletta Lettering: S. Rosen 20 pages
Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: May 11, 1965 Cover: August 1965 12 cents Story by: Stan Lee, who has never lost his touch! Art by: Jack Kirby, who has never lost his magic! Inking by: Vince Colletta, who has never lost his flair! Lettering by: Sam Rosen, who has never lost Artie Simek! 20 pages
You did this to me, Richards!! You turned me into somethin’ so ugly that they can only call me… a Thing!
I appreciate that they use Ben’s real name in the title, rather than his superhero name. It adds a certain something, though I suspect Stan did it for alliterative purposes: brutal, betrayal, Ben.
Notice this picks up right where the last issue left off, so no time has passed. Yet we’ve read 7 other comics in the meantime. The idea is all this stuff is happening close to concurrently.
Ben had been turned human again, but Reed felt they needed him to be super strong again to defeat Dr. Doom, so without permission, Reed fired a ray to turn him back into the Thing.
Ben is justifiably angry and quitting the Fantastic Four.
Featuring: Spider-Man Release: April 8, 1965 Cover: July 1965 12 cents Stealthily scripted by: Stan Lee Painstakingly plotted and drawn by: Steve Ditko Lovingly lettered by: S. Rosen 20 pages
The issue credits Ditko for the plot. Ditko has probably plotted most of these stories and has been largely responsible for the writing. But he has only so far been credited as the artist, with Lee taking the writer’s credit. Lee’s role is that of editor and making the final script off Ditko’s notes. Most of the storytelling is done through the art, which is entirely by Ditko, accompanied by notes as to what is happening and what type of thing each character might be saying.
The first page serves as a detailed teaser for the comic. Crime-Master is a new character to us, but we are told his identity will be a mystery. Green Goblin was introduced in issue 14; he’s yet to be caught, and his face has always been hidden from us, so his identity remains a mystery. Issue 10 revolved around the mystery of the Big Man’s identity. He turned out to be meek Frederick Foswell of the Daily Bugle. Ditko’s noting this plot will resemble plots we’ve seen, but also take its own twists. We now have three crime bosses or former crimes bosses with a secret.
