The Quest for the Mystic Mountain!
Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: January 3, 1967
Cover: March 1967
12 cents
A Stan Lee and Jack Kirby super-spectacular
Inking: Vince Colletta
Lettering: Sam Rosen
5 pages
| Previous | #561 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor #138 | Reading order | Thor #139 |
| Thor #138 | Thor | Thor #139 |
If he wouldst fight as valiantly as he doth snore…
Last issue we learned Hogun’s origin, and met his arch-nemesis, Mogul of the Mystic Mountain. Hogun and his friends now seek the legendary Mountain.
Continue reading “Thor #138, Story B”The Flames of Battle!
Featuring: Thor
Release: January 3, 1967
Cover: March 1967
12 cents
Garnished with grandeur by Stan (The Man) Lee and Jack (King) Kirby
Inked by: Vince (The Prince) Colletta
Lettered by: Artie (The Smartie) Simek
16 pages
| Previous | #560 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor #137, Story B | Reading order | Thor #138, Story B |
| Thor #137, Story B | Thor | Thor #138, Story B |
To thine avenging master, eternal Mjolnir!
While they get a different nickname every issue, these nicknames we’ve seen several times and they are the nicknames which will endure. Stan The Man Lee. And Jack King Kirby.
An army of Trolls attacks Asgard, while Ulik attacks Manhattan. Thor has chosen to confront Ulik to save Sif and Midgard.
Continue reading “Thor #138”The Tragedy of Hogun!
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
| Previous | #559 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor #137 | Reading order | Thor #138 |
| Thor #137 | Thor | Thor #138 |
“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.
Continue reading “Thor #137, Story B”The Thunder God and the Troll
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
| Previous | #558 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #43 | Reading order | Thor #137, Story B |
| Thor #136, Story B | Thor | Thor #137, Story B |
The invasion is begun! Asgard must fall!
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.
Continue reading “Thor #137”Rhino on the Rampage!
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
| Previous | #557 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #42 | Reading order | Thor #137 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #42 | Amazing Spider-Man | Amazing Spider-Man #44 |
Petey-O, you’re right from Groovesville!
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?
Continue reading “Amazing Spider-Man #43”The Birth of a Super-Hero!
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
| Previous | #556 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #41 | Reading order | Amazing Spider-Man #43 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #41 | Amazing Spider-Man | Amazing Spider-Man #43 |
Oh well… I guess I better meet her and get it over with! She may not be as bad as I expect! She’ll probably be worse!
For the first few issues of his tenure, Romita has been inked by Mike Esposito. This issue we get to see Romita on his own to compare.
I claim this is a good comic. Even a very good comic. Lots of good things about it.
But it’s mostly remembered for a single panel that ends the issue. We’ll get there. Let’s see what else is going on first.
Continue reading “Amazing Spider-Man #42”The Horns of the Rhino!
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
| Previous | #555 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Daredevil #21 | Reading order | Amazing Spider-Man #42 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #40 | Amazing Spider-Man | Amazing Spider-Man #42 |
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.
Continue reading “Amazing Spider-Man #41”The Trap is Sprung
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
| Previous | #554 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Daredevil #20 | Reading order | Amazing Spider-Man #41 |
| Daredevil #20 | Daredevil | Daredevil #22 |
“Daredevil!! B-but how–??”
“Would you believe– blind luck??”
The credited inkers are Frank, Dick, and Bill. I presume that means… Frank Giacoia, Dick Ayers, and Bill Everett.
Is Colan the regular artist now? It suggested last issue was a fill-in. But he’s now drawn 2 issues in a row and is set to draw the next 80 or so.
On a personal note, this is the earliest issue of Daredevil that I own.
Continue reading “Daredevil #21”The Verdict is Death!
Featuring: Daredevil
Release: June 30, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Pencilling: Gentleman Gene Colan
Inking: Fearless Frank Giacoia/Melancholy Mickey Demeo
Lettering: Adorable Artie Simek
Bad-Guy Booer: Honest Irving Forbush
20 pages
| Previous | #553 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor Annual 2 | Reading order | Daredevil #21 |
| Daredevil #19 | Daredevil | Daredevil #21 |
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.
Continue reading “Daredevil #20”If Asgard Falls…
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
| Previous | #552 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| X-Men #24 | Reading order | Daredevil #20 |
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.
