Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: December 1, 1966 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Fabulously presented at its full flavor peak by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Inked by: Vince Colletta Lettered by: Artie Simek 5 pages
“By the sword I clutch– By the name I bear– I swear that Hogun’s fate shall be the fate of Fandral!” “So speaks Volstagg– the fearless flower of chivalry!” “In the name of Odin– so say we all!”
A new story arc begins. This will center on Hogun and his origins.
It begins with Thor and this three warrior friends coming upon a bound Saguta, whom Hogun recognizes as a warrior from his homeland. Saguta is dying, a victim of Mogul of the Mystic Mountain.
Featuring: Thor Release: December 1, 1966 Cover: February 1967 12 cents In all the unmeasurable universe, surely there be none, save Stan Lee and Jack Kirby who couldst create such wonderment! And, ne’er again shall we see the like of Vince Colletta, inker, and Sam Rosen, letterer 16 pages
Last issue ended with Thor and Sif meeting. We pick up here with them hanging out. It’s not impossible he went to Earth between that meeting and now, but there’s no evidence he did. And I will need him with the Avengers on Earth soon. A new 3-part arc begins here. Thor will briefly travel to Earth in this story, but be busy. In the next arc, he travels to Earth and seems like he might have a bit of time on his hands.
This is to explain why we’ve gotten a bit far ahead in our Thor reading. We’re about to reach February 1967 for Thor, when we’re still in March 1966 for Hulk. Thor’s just been too busy for an Avengers meeting…. and Peter Parker already has his motorcycle for that meeting… and Matt Murdock was captured by the Owl when Spider-Man fought the Rhino… before Senator Byrd shut down Stark’s factories…
As last issue, Thor describes Sif as the raven-haired sister of Heimdall he knew as a child. But again, when we met Sif in her youth in Journey Into Mystery #102, she was described as the sister of Balder, and appeared to be blonde. Unless they are implying Heimdall and Balder are also brothers, this seems to be a contradiction. Or maybe there are two different women named Sif, sisters to Heimdall and Balder respectively.
Featuring: Spider-Man Release: September 8, 1966 Cover: December 1966 12 cents Stan (The Man) Lee, writer John (Ring-a-ding) Romita, artist Artie (stout-hearted) Simek, letterer 20 pages
Aunt May had been trying to set up Peter with Anna Watson’s niece since he was in high school. Her matchmaking finally paid off, and Peter met Mary Jane Watson at the end of last issue.
She was not quite as ugly as he’d feared.
Dinner is going well, but there are other things going on that will affect Peter’s life. For example, the Rhino is breaking out of prison. They took him out easily with some smoke gas last issue. But maybe they ran out of smoke gas?
Featuring: Spider-Man Release: August 9, 1966 Cover: November 1966 12 cents Smilin’ Stan Lee, writer Jazzy Johnny Romita, artist Slammin’ Sammy Rosen, letterer 20 pages
Featuring: Spider-Man Release: July 7, 1966 Cover: October 1966 12 cents Stan Lee, writer John Romita, artist M. Demeo, inker Art Simek, letterer 20 pages
I realize now– we never had anything in common! It’s just that she was the first girl I ever thought i loved!
One of the great things Ditko did was come up with a seemingly endless stream of memorable and enduring villains for Spider-Man to fight. A good many were animal-themed: the Chameleon, the Vulture, Dr. Octopus, the Lizard, the Scorpion, and the lion-themed Kraven the Hunter.
Romita needs to score with a bold new villain in that vein. The Rhino suffices.
For much of the Ditko run, Aunt May had been trying to set Peter up with Aunt Anna’s niece, Mary Jane Watson. Peter never made time for that date, and we’ve still never even seen Mary Jane’s face. Now we learn Mary Jane is moving out of Aunt Anna’s to get her own place.
A lot of teenagers in that neighborhood living with elderly aunts. I wonder how long she’d lived across the street from Peter without him ever even glimpsing her.
The Trap is Sprung Featuring: Daredevil Release: August 2, 1966 Cover: October 1966 12 cents Spellbinding script: Stan Lee Phenominal pencilling; Gene Colan Dynamic delineation: Fearless Frank * Darlin’ Dick * Wild Bill Laudatory lettering: Artie Simek Bombastic bird-watching: Irving Forbush 20 pages
In this court– presided over by the Owl– I make my own laws!
I’m a little confused about who the inker is. GCD claims Esposito, who we see credited in the reprint below by his standard pen name, Mickey Demeo. The GCD also claims the original comic has this credit. UHBMCC claims that the original comic credits Giacoia. Earth’s Mightiest Blog has a scan of what looks like the original credits, and it’s Giacoia.
Looking at various collections on my shelves, the Epic Collection and Marvel Masterworks volumes credit Frank Giacoia; but the Essential Daredevil credits Esposito.
Here’s the original art for the issue, which has Giacoia, though you can see it appears to be a last minute change over a whited-out name.
Note about pencilling that John Romita is too busy polishing off the Amazing Spider-Man Annual. Though he only does the layouts for that comic.
In fact, Colan turns out to not just be filling in. As of this issue, he’ll be the regular penciler on Daredevil for the next several years, freeing Romita to focus on Spider-Man.
Featuring: Thor Release: June 30, 1966 Cover: 1966 25 cents Scripted in solemn splendor by: Stan Lee Illustrated in idealistic imagery by: Jack Kirby Delineated in delicious delicacy by: Vince Colletta Lettered in living luminescence by: Sam Rosen Unaffected by the unabashed utterances of Irving Forbush 30 pages
Would that I, too, might share the coming glory of clashing combat! But alas, it may not be! Imperial Odin must only be judge! To the young belongs the glory! Yet, well do I remember those hallowed days of yore… when the bludgeoning blade of Odin did strike with the fury of a thousand storms! ‘Twas then the summer of my life… when tall and straight as oak stood Odin! And now, though minstrels still sing of Odin’s feats… while campfires flicker…thy father has reached the twilight of his years… ‘Tis for the young to seize the torch of gallantry, and hold it high! Thus has it ever been! Thus shall it ever be! Even the aging lion must one day allow the eager cub to lead the hunt!
The Tournament of Titans is declared. Warriors from every land are summoned.
Featuring: Fantastic Four Release: June 9, 1966 Cover: September 1966 12 cents Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee Art: Jolly Jack Kirby Inking: Jovial Joe Sinnott Lettering: Snarlin’ Sam Rosen 20 pages
My name is Prester John… and long have I travelled the world, seeking to unravel the mysteries of mankind! That is why men have ever called me… the Wanderer! And, the sights I beheld… the secrets upon which I stumbled… were far beyond description… yea, almost beyond belief itself… Can I ever forget those lonely mountain peaks from which I barely escaped with my life… after finding a savage race who thrived only in the land of endless snow…? And, I wonder if time has erased the glory of Cathay… where I witnessed the flight of giant projectiles… like roaring comets, soaring high into the heavens! Even madness did I encounter… such as the time I crossed the angry sea only to find a tribe who studied the stars… and who insanely proclaimed Earth to be round, like some great spinning egg shell! But, the greatest triump of my life was finding the fabled isle of Avalon! Avalon… hidden realm of miracles without end! Avalon… whose wizards created mighty machines which harnassed the natural forces of the universe!! Alas, that those same forces should have destroyed their own land… causing them to vanish forever from the sight of men!
Still in Wakanda, the Fantastic Four and Black Panther play a baseball game.
When Reed and Sue go off to “shmooze”, Ben exclaims, “What a revoltin’ development!” Not the first time he’s used the phrase in response to Reed and Sue going off to shmooze. We’d seen it before in Fantastic Four #35. Brian Cronin traces the evolution of the phrase from Life of Reily to Daffy Duck to Ben Grimm here.
Featuring: Daredevil Release: June 2, 1966 Cover: August 1966 12 cents Script: Masterful Stan Lee Art: Magnificent Johnny Romita Inks: Melodramatic Frank Giacoia Lettering: Melancholy Sam Rosen 20 pages
“You’ve got to confess that it was a hoax!” “But then I’ll never have a chance with Karen!”
Hello. Happy new year. Welcome to this blog. We will be reading along with Daredevil #19, the 548th comic in the story that is the Marvel Universe, by our reckoning.
We’ve had a busy few months and found some complications in the Marvel Universe, which unfortunately delayed this latest entry. I thank the readers for their patience.
Without further ado, let’s try to recall that Foggy has recently been pretending he was Daredevil in order to impress Karen. The ruse led to Foggy finding himself in a Daredevil costume, battling a new super-villain called the Gladiator. This all began when Spider-Man mistook Foggy for Daredevil while searching for the Masked Marauder. The Masked Marauder remains at large.
Foggy does not seem to have learned a lesson from last issue’s shenanigans.
