Featuring: Human Torch and Thing Release: October 8, 1964 Cover: January 1965 12 cents Monumental story by: Stan Lee Magnificent pencilling by: Dick Ayers Masterful inking by: Frank Ray Melancholy lettering by: Artie Simek 12 pages
I appreciate that Simek has come up with logos for Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Some wooshes over Quicksilver’s name. Some frayed edges for the Scarlet Witch.
Frank Giacoia
We see a new name in the credits. Frank Ray is the inker. Frank Ray is a pen name for Frank Giacoia. He wil become a frequent Marvel inker, initially under the name Frank Ray or Frankie Ray.
Featuring: Dr. Strange Release: September 8, 1964 Cover: December 1964 12 cents Story by: Stan Lee, master of macabre menace Art by: Steve Ditko, weaver of wondrous witchraft Lettered by: S. Rosen, sultan of speedball sorcery 10 pages
Last issue saw the build-up to Dr. Strange’s fight with Dormammu. It established pretty clearly that Dormammu is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, on a level we can’t even comprehend. Dr. Strange has no chance against Dormammu. Last issue was quite clear on that, but then cut off just as they were about to battle.
The promised battle does not immediately commence. Dormammu gives Strange a chance to reconsider first, as this would be more slaughter than battle.
The girl from last issue finds Dr. Strange again, this time to show him the moral complexity of the situation. Dormammu poses a threat to Earth; that is why Dr. Strange must stop him. But Dormammu also rules his realm. Early indications are that he’s something of a tyrant, imprisoning people who question him or fail him.
He may be a tyrant; he may be evil; he may be about to destroy our world… but he’s also the only force standing between his subjects and the Mindless Ones. Whatever else he may be, he keeps his people safe. Even if Dr. Strange somehow succeeded in defeating Dormammu, the mystic shields sustained by Dormammu’s will would break, allowing the Mindless Ones to enter the Dark Realm, where they would proceed to kill all the inhabitants. Quite the moral quandary.
Featuring: Human Torch and Thing Release: September 8, 1964 Cover: December 1964 12 cents Written by the Overlord of Originality… Stan Lee Illustrated by the Archduke of Action… Dick Ayers Inked by the High Priest of Highlights… Paul Reinman Lettered by the Lama of Lexicography… Art Simek 12 pages
Recall from Strange Tales #126 that Dr. Strange was about to battle the Dread Dormammu. And Human Torch and Thing had just defeated Puppet Master for the 7th time or so. Let’s follow up on Human Torch and Thing first. After all, they get most of the cover space, while one of Marvel’s single greatest stories ever is fit into a tiny little box on the cover.
This story is titled, “The Mystery Villain!” Mystery villains always give me a crisis of conscience. The format I use for these posts necessarily spoils such things. And I wouldn’t want to take away the joy of reading this “excellent” Human Torch adventure fresh.
Maybe this time, if I’m careful, I can avoid explicitly revealing the identity of the mystery villain. Mind you, I can’t actually avoid revealing the identity of the mystery villain (given that I want to stick to my standard format), but I can leave it a little bit subtle, make you have to think if you want the spoiler.
Featuring: Dr. Strange Release: August 11, 1964 Cover: November 1964 12 cents Written by: Stan Lee Prince of Prestidigitators! Illustrated by: Steve Ditko Lord of Legerdemain! Lettered by: Art Simek Nabob of Necromancy! 10 pages
The last few issues of Dr. Strange have essentially been filler. Forgettable stories, with Ditko not even supplying his own finishes on the art. I begged your indulgence, promising they had something good in the works. They did. This is it.
Lee and Ditko’s work on Dr. Strange is recognized as one of the best runs of comic books ever. For the next 20 issues, we’ll see why.
Generally speaking, Ditko does the heavy lifting on this series. But, assuming all the narration is attributable to Stan, he does his share here with some evocative prose.
There is a world half-hidden between the real and the imaginary!
A world in which the impossible is believable, and the incredible is commonplace…
Original
Dr. Strange enters the Realm of Darkness, ruled by the Dread Dormammu. Dormmamu is a powerful sorcerer the Ancient One himself had once fought and been unable to defeat. Now, Dormammu plans to expand his domain and conquer Earth. Only Dr. Strange can stop him.
Featuring: Human Torch and Thing Release: August 11, 1964 Cover: November 1964 12 cents Stan Lee is our inspired writer Dick Ayers is our admired penciller Paul Reinman is our desired inker S. Rosen is our tired letterer 13 pages
Mad Thinker and Puppet Master team up to destroy the Fantastic Four; the plan is to use puppets to manipulate Thing and Human Torch into fighting.
I swear we’ve already read this story. Maybe I’m thinking of Strange Tales #116 where Puppet Master used puppets to manipulate Thing and Human Torch into fighting. Or Fantastic Four #28 where the Mad Thinker and Puppet Master teamed up to destroy the Fantastic Four.
Stan refers to the alliance of the Puppet Master and Mad Thinker as the “Deadly Duo”. That’s what Stan called the alliance of Dr. Doom and Namor in Fantastic Four #6. I guess there are so many alliterative appellations for abhorrent alliances.
Featuring: Dr. Strange Release: July 9, 1964 Cover: October 1964 12 cents How proud we are that Stan Lee wrote this sensational thriller! How fortunate we are that Steve Ditko drew these magical masterpieces! How triumphant we are that Geo. Bell inked these priceless panels! How ecstatic we are that Artie Simek lettered these deathless phrases! 10 pages
This is the actual first page for the comic, found online. The Masterworks version colors the characters white, as though both in their astral form. Marvel Collectors’ Item Classics #16, where most of the scans below come from, colors all the astral forms a weird bluish color, and the front page from that issue follows suit.
The Masterworks also colors Mordo’s disciples white. They are garbed in green in the original and light blue in the scan below.
This is the last of the “filler” issues of the Dr. Strange stories. One more issue until Ditko returns to full art duties and the series kicks into high gear. As these go, this issue’s actually pretty good. Despite the story where Dr. Strange and Mordo battle for the 77th time.
The most egregious coloring error in my reprint is the coloring of Dr. Strange’s cloak. It is quite possibly an intentional error, aimed at consistent marketing to match Dr. Strange’s cloak at the time of the reprint. But, quite obviously, Dr. Strange’s cloak should be blue, as it is in any other reprint of this story.
Featuring: Human Torch and Thing Release: July 9, 1964 Cover: October 1964 12 cents Written by: Word-slingin’ Stan Lee Drawn by: Picture-sketchin’ Dick Ayers Inked by: Ink-splatterin’ Paul Reinman Lettered by: Pen-pushin’ S. Rosen 13 pages
Dr. Strange gets a mention, but the cover real estate is again mostly devoted to Human Torch and Thing.
Thing and Human Torch battle Namor at sea, where they really are completely outmatched.
This turns out to be an issue of misunderstandings.
Featuring: Dr. Strange Release: June 9, 1964 Cover: September 1964 12 cents Written inside a haunted house by: Stan Lee Illustrated inside a gypsy’s tent by: Steve Ditko Inked inside a hidden cave by: Geo. Bell Lettered inside… because it was raining outside by: S. Rosen 9 pages
Dr. Strange gets more than his usual amount of cover real estate. Some 15% of the page devoted to his story. Enough to actually depict the story within. The second time that’s happened. Strange’s day will come.
For the second of three issues, we have to put up with George Roussos finishing Ditko’s art. There’s a payoff that makes it all worth it, though. When Ditko resumes the full art duties in two issues, he’ll give us 20 of the best comics ever made.
The first page asks, “Can you guess the identity of the Lady from Nowhere??” This puts me in a bind I’ve been in before. The issue reveals her identity on the final page. I’m not a fan of spoilers and don’t want to spoil things for you. That said, this comic is over 55 years old, so it’s not like you haven’t had ample time to read it.
Even if I don’t spoil the ending in my write-up, I do like to give a listing of all the characters in this issue afterward, which would reveal who the Lady is. Tell you what. I’ll give you some hints and see if you can guess before we reach the character listing below. This is her second Marvel Age appearance, after the Iron Man story in Tales of Suspense #44. (Clicking the link will probably give away the answer.)
We’d actually already met her in one of our PRELUDE posts, when we read Venus #1. It’s not absolutely clear how or if these three versions of the character are related.
Featuring: Human Torch and Thing Release: June 9, 1964 Cover: September 1964 12 cents Written by: Smilin’ Stan Lee Illustrated by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers Inked by: Peerless P. Reinman Lettered by: Adorable Art Simek 14 pages
Starting with last issue, Thing and Human Torch are costars in this space, though last issue still described Thing as a guest star. Now Thing goes right in the title: “The Human Torch and The Thing Team Up to Battle The Menace of… Paste-Pot Pete.” Of course, Human Torch still gets top billing. This was his title first after all.
Paste-Pot Pete gets a new look this issue, a step toward becoming a more serious foe. He’s clean-shaven. He’s got on a real battle suit, almost like armor, from which he… well, from which he still just shoots paste.
Featuring: Dr. Strange Release: May 12, 1964 Cover: August 1964 12 cents Written by: Stan (Miracle Man) Lee Illustrated by: Steve (Marvel Man) Ditko Inked by: George (Mystical Man) Bell Lettered by: Art (Magical Man) Simek 9 pages
This is the most cover real estate Dr. Strange has yet gotten. A full vertical half of the page. Really moving up in the world.
Stan’s “clever credits” aren’t entirely original this time. He refers to himself as Miracle Man… but that was already a name he himself gave to a Fantastic Four villain. Marvelman is the British superhero who is not actionably copied from Captain Marvel.
For the entirety of the series, as well as of Amazing Spider-Man, Ditko has done all his own art. For the best. For the next three issues, George Roussos will be inking Ditko on Dr. Strange. It is a sad sight to see.
Stan the narrator often speaks directly to the audience, and he often apologizes to them. I haven’t taken note of any apologies prior to this, but it almost seems like he’s trying to apologize that Thor looks different from normal. Because Ditko’s style isn’t Kirby’s.
