Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Release: June 8, 1965 Cover: August 1965 12 cents Story by: Smilin’ Stan Lee Pencilling by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers Inking by: Cheerful Carl Hubbell Lettering by: Adorable Artie Simek 20 pages
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: 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
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.
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: 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
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.
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: 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
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 prettyawfulnarratively. 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.
