stan lee – Page 25 – Coke ⊕ Comics

Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2

The Wondrous World of Dr. Strange!

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

Previous	#378	Next
Amazing Spider-Man #28	Reading order	Sgt. Fury #21
Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1, Story C	Amazing Spider-Man Annual	Amazing Spider-Man Annual 3

“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.

Amazing Spider-Man #28

The Molten Man!

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

Previous	#377	Next
Journey Into Mystery Annual 1	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2
Amazing Spider-Man #27	Amazing Spider-Man	Amazing Spider-Man #29

Your Uncle Ben would have been so proud of you.

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.

Journey Into Mystery Annual 1

When Titans Clash!

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

Previous	#376	Next
Mystic #39, Story B	PRELUDE
Daredevil #9	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #28

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.

INTERLUDE: Two-Gun Kid #77

The Panther Will Get You If You Don’t Watch Out!

Featuring: Two-Gun Kid
Release: June 1, 1965
Cover: September 1965
12 cents
Edited by: Stan Lee
Written by: Al Hartley
Pencilling by: Dick Ayers
Inking by: Carl Hubbell
Lettering by: Artie Simek
17 pages

Previous		Next
	PRELUDE	Mystic Comics #3, Story B
Daredevil #9	Reading order	Journey Into Mystery Annual 1

He wore two guns and a mask?

We are reading Marvel’s superhero line, which they started back up in 1961. We’ve occasionally read stories older than 1961 that seem vaguely relevant, and refer to those as PRELUDE posts. We occasionally read stories long after 1961 and call those POSTLUDE posts. We will also be doing INTERLUDE posts, which we will read at the time they came out, but are disconnected from the normal superhero universe.

If you’ve been following along, this will be the first INTERLUDE post you’ve come across. But I’ve retroactively made a few other posts be INTERLUDE posts. Those stories featuring Medusa, Merlin, Odin, or Zeus that weren’t really properly connected to the superhero reading.

Superheroes are on the rise and starting to crowd out other genres, but Marvel is still publishing its romance and western comics. Marvel had a single western hero, the Masked Raider, way back in the beginning in Marvel Comics #1. But they’ve been regularly publishing westerns since 1948, starting with Annie Oakley and the Two-Gun Kid.

That’s the original Two-Gun Kid, mind you. Not to be confused with the character we are about to read about. The original Two-Gun Kid was Clay Harder.

In 1962, Lee and Kirby introduced a new hero with the same name, lawyer Matt Hawk.

Marvel’s other continuing western titles are Rawhide Kid, and Kid Colt: Outlaw.

Former western heroes include Wyatt Earp, Apache Kid, Outlaw Kid, Blaze Carson, Tex Morgan, and Tex Taylor.

One of Two-Gun Kid’s steadfast allies is Boom-Boom Brown, a former boxer turned blacksmith.

His most trusted ally of course is his horse Thunder.

Daredevil #9

That He May See!

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

Previous	#375	Next
	INTERLUDE	Two-Gun Kid #77
Fantastic Four #43	Reading order	Journey Into Mystery Annual 1
Daredevil #8	Daredevil	Daredevil #10

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.

Fantastic Four #43

Lo! There Shall Be an Ending!

Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: July 8, 1965
Cover: October 1965
12 cents
Daringly written by Stan lee
Dazzlingly drawn by Jack Kirby
Dramatically inked by Vince Colletta
Docily lettered by Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#374	Next
Fantastic Four #42	Reading order	Daredevil #9
Fantastic Four #42	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #44

You thought you were the equal of the Fantastic Four– and nobody is!

Another great cover, and showing off Kirby’s versatility. Last issue had a cover beautiful in its simplicity, focused on two men locked in combat. Now we see a lot of complexity, that intricate machinery Kirby is so famous for drawing, but where the complexity frames the emotion of a defeated Fantastic Four.

When we left off, the Frightful Four had brainwashed Ben and Johnny into joining them. Now it’s up to Reed and Sue to fight off 6 enemies and restore their teammates’ minds. The startling conclusion of a 3-part battle.

Fantastic Four #42

To Save You, Why Must I Kill You?

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

Previous	#373	Next
Fantastic Four #41	Reading order	Fantastic Four #43
Fantastic Four #41	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #43

I am to blame for what happened to him! I can never escape that responsibility!!

Pretty awesome cover.

Last issue ended with Thing about to kill a helpless Mr. Fantastic. Let’s see what happens.

While his back is glued to the board, Reed’s plan of attack is to expand his belly. I didn’t need super powers to be able to do that.

Fantastic Four #41

The Brutal Betrayal of Ben Grimm!

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

Previous	#372	Next
Avengers #18	Reading order	Fantastic Four #42
Fantastic Four #40	Fantastic Four	Fantastic Four #42

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.

Avengers #18

When the Commissar Commands!

Featuring: Avengers
Release: May 11, 1965
Cover: July 1965
12 cents
Slyly written by: Stan Lee
Smoothly drawn by: Don Heck
Suavely inked by: Dick Ayers
Superbly lettered by: Artie Simek
Stoically read by: You (if you’ll ever turn the page…!)
20 pages

Previous	#371	Next
Sgt. Fury #20	Reading order	Fantastic Four #41
Avengers #17	Avengers	Avengers #19

I thought our purpose was to battle crime! Why need we concern ourselves with international affairs?

Of all the stories in the early Marvel Universe, these Cold War stories are the worst across the board. The very worst are the Cold War stories set in Asia, as they tend to mix in racism with the blatant US government pro-war propaganda.

It’s awful because they are aimed at children, with the seeming intent to indoctrinate them into supporting the war in Vietnam or whatever else.

If you remove all the ways they are plainly awful jingoistic racist propaganda, they still tend to be pretty awful narratively. The closest thing to an exception is the recent Thor story, which did have an actual narrative about a conflict between brothers and a family divided because one brother joined the Viet Cong.

But maybe this story where the Avengers invade an Asian nation at random to battle their Communist leader and overthrow the government will be the exception.

Spoiler. It won’t be.

This story is interesting because it’s both forgettable and forgotten… at least mostly forgotten for about 55 years… until 2019 when someone decided it should be one of the foundational cornerstones of the entire history of the Marvel Universe.

Sgt. Fury #20

The Blitz Squad Strikes!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos
Release: May 11, 1965
Cover: July 1965
12 cents
Smashing script: Stan Lee
Awesome art: Dick Ayers
Inspired inking: Frank Ray
Luscious lettering: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#370	Next
Strange Tales #135	Reading order	Avengers #18
Sgt. Fury #19	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #21

Mister, when it comes to being tough, us Commandos invented the word!! And we don’t need a ravin’ Fuehrer to remind us how good we are!! All we gotta do is pick up a history book!! Mebbe we don’t push our weight around like you Nazis do! But, mebbe it’s because we know we don’t haveta! We got all the muscle we need– when we need it! And the dictator don’t live who can push us around!! Waddaya think of us “inferior races” now? Answer me, ya creep!! And then answer all the innocent people, all over the world, that ya been tramplin’ on–!!

We just saw an eye-patched Colonel Fury take over the international spy agency, SHIELD in the 1960s. Let’s head back to the 1940s to see the adventures of Sgt. Fury with two good eyes.

The credits on these Sgt. Fury books have usually emphasized the creators’ status as former military. “Ex-Sgt. Stan Lee”, “Ex-Corp. Dick Ayers”, “Ex-Corp. Frank Ray”. In fact, I think they’ve done that in every one of the first 19 issues of this series, but seem to be done with the practice now. I wonder why. They’re not phasing it out; they’ll just never mention the military service of the creators again.

We see the return of Baron Strucker’s Blitzkrieg Squad, introduced in issue 14, the Nazi counterparts to the Howling Commandos.

That truck seems to have a target on it.

Unless somebody has a better explanation, I’m going to suggest the logo is the RAF roundel, simply miscolored here, and not indicative of the Target corporation. The Turkish Air Force roundels look like the Target logo, but no British ones that I can find.

A bit of poking fun at themselves here. Fury’s rival Bull McGiveney claims all Fury knows how to do is rip up shirts.

A torn chest-revealing shirt is basically Fury’s uniform.