tales of suspense – Page 2

Tales of Suspense #82, Story B

The Maddening Mystery of the Inconceivable Adaptoid!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: July 7, 1966
Cover: October 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee authored the script
Jack Kirby pencilled the story
Frank Giacoia inked the drawings
Artie Simek lettered the panels
Irving Forbush sharpened the pencils
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #82	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #83
Tales of Suspense #82	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #83

I consider it a rare privilege to serve the mighty Avengers, sir!

Bucky was Captain America’s partner in World War II, killed by Zemo, who was working for the Red Skull.

But he seems to be back somehow?

No, it’s just a photograph.

Jarvis is the butler to the Avengers. He’d previously worked for Tony Stark, but Stark has been loaning his mansion to the Avengers for some time, and has lent Jarvis with it.

We don’t yet know much about Jarvis. He was introduced to us in Tales of Suspense #59, but presumably had been serving the Avengers since early on. He probably had second thoughts about the job when Hawkeye tried to prove his merits to join the team by attacking their butler.

This issue is the most lines he’s had yet. He notes it’s a privilege to serve the Avengers.

He offers to draw a bath for Cap, but Captain America can shower by himself. He’s a big boy.

Tales of Suspense #82

By Force of Arms!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: July 7, 1966
Cover: October 1966
12 cents
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Gene Colan
Inks: Frank Giacoia
Lettering: Artie Simek
Emergency first aid: Irving Forbush
12 pages

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Captain America Comics #6, Story B	PRELUDE
Tales of Suspense #81	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #82, Story B
Tales of Suspense #81, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #82, Story B

And now, you loud-mouthed, thick-skinned, empty-headed Volga Boatman–

Tony Stark’s testimony to Congress is delayed yet again when Titanium Man attacks.

We get an all-out battle between the armored foes.

Tales of Suspense #81

The Return of the Titanium Man!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: May 3, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee… writer
Gene Colan… artist
Gary Michaels… inker
Sam Rosen… letterer
Irving Forbush… armor polisher
12 pages

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	PRELUDE	Captain America Comics #6, Story B
Strange Tales #150, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #82
Tales of Suspense #80, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #81, Story B

This feeling of total freedom… of being air-borne under your own power… like some great metal bird… makes all the hardhip, all the danger of the past, utterly meaningless… as inconsequential as some dim, half-forgotten nightmare!

We already read the second half of this issue to finish off Captain America’s battle with Red Skull. We held off on this first half as it starts a new arc for Iron Man with Titanium Man.

Where were we? Senator Byrd has insisted for a while that Tony Stark appear before Congress to reveal Iron Man’s secrets. Stark has been conveniently avoiding this summons by doing things like get kidnapped by the Mandarin. Growing impatient, Byrd had Stark factories closed. But now, after a battle with Sub-Mariner, he’s called Senator Byrd to offer to testify.

At some point, perhaps around the time he made this phone call, Stark also took a call from Hank Pym, and recommended his employee Bill Foster to help Pym’s research.

Earlier, an Iron Man in need of help had sought out the Avengers and found them not at home. An editor’s note suggested they were across town fighting Power Man and Swordsman, but I prefer to think they were in a hidden South American kingdom.

Elsewhere in the Marvel Universe, SHIELD has just defeated AIM and the Secret Empire, and deduced both were branches of Hydra returned. Dr. Strange has defeated Kaluu. Thor has won the Troll War. The Avengers have defeated the Sons of the Serpent. Daredevil has escaped the Owl’s island. Peter Parker has met a hot redhead. Sub-Mariner remains a pawn of Number One from the Secret Empire, on a mission to destroy Hulk. And Hulk just wants to be left alone.

Tales of Suspense #81, Story B

The Red Skull Supreme!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: May 3, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Script: Stan (The Man) Lee
Art: Jack (King) Kirby
Inking: Frank (Good Guy) Giacoia
Lettering: Artie (Smarty) Simek
Recruiting: Irv (Fall Guy) Forbush
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #80, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #82
Tales of Suspense #81	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #82

There is nothing I cannot do! The universe itself must bend to my wishes, so long as I hold the Cosmic Cube! My every wish– my every command– must be instantly obeyed!

At this point, of the many many nicknames we’ve seen in credits, Stan the Man Lee, and Jack King Kirby are by far the most common.

I’m doing a thing I don’t like doing and skipping into the middle of this comic, skipping the Iron Man story at the start.

We had a choice as we have at least two cliffhangers to resolve. See what happens between Namor and Iron Man or between Cap and the Red Skull? I’ve chosen the latter. The fight between Iron Man and Namor continues in Namor’s title, so we have to read that before we get to this Iron Man story. And I was eager to see the resolution of this Captain America story.

Also, this issue’s Iron Man story begins a new saga, one I don’t want to entangle with the web of comics we’re in the middle of.

Red Skull has the Cosmic Cube, giving him godlike power.

He gets in a good villain monologue we use for the pull quote above.

While Cap’s thoughts form a good heroic response.

My life means nothing! The fate of all mankind is at stake! If he isn’t stopped– humanity itself is doomed!

Red Skull creates a creature called the Man-Thing to menace Cap. Won’t be the last Marvel character to use this name.

Tales of Suspense #80, Story B

He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube

Featuring: Captain America
Release: May 10, 1966
Cover: August 1966
12 cents
Stupifying script: Stan Lee
Electifying illustration: Jack Kirby
Dazzling delineation: Don Heck
Luminiferous lettering: Artie Simek
Frantic fund-raising: Irv Forbush
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #80	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #81, Story B
Tales of Suspense #80	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #81

So long as evil lives– to muster the forces of bigotry, greed, and oppression– the fight goes on! So long as men take liberty for granted– so long as they laugh at brotherhood– sneer at honesty– and turn away from faith– So long will the forces of the Red Skull creep ever closer to the final victory!

Them is an evil organization. AIM is an ordinary defense contractor. But Fury suspects a connection. Captain America remains unaware of this.

Eisenhower did warn us about the military industrial complex.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. . . .Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. . . . In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

Tales of Suspense #80

When Fall the Mighty!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: May 10, 1966
Cover: August 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee, Sovereign of Script
Gene Colan, Prince of Pencilling
Gary Michaels, Imperator of Inking
Artie Simek, Lord of Lettering
12 pages

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Tales of Suspense #79, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #80, Story B
Tales of Suspense #79, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #80, Story B

At last! I’m at the peak of my power! This is the moment that makes all the agony of the past more than worthwhile! This is the supreme sensation which no other living being can ever experience– the feeling which none can ever fully comprehend– the triumphant moment when the strength of a thousand transistors flows thru me and I stand once more ready for battle– as the invincible Iron Man!

Namor attacks Iron Man. Superheroes do that when the meet, generally. And Namor has always walked that superhero/supervillain line.

Superhero brawls are a well-established trope by this point. A one-on-one battle between Namor and Iron Man was due. Of course they’ve fought before, but then Iron Man had all the Avengers on his side. And Namor still held them at bay.

The battle will exploit their respective weaknesses. They both need the occasional charge. Iron Man needs to plug in. Namor needs water.

Tales of Suspense #79, Story B

The Red Skull Lives!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: April 12, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Script: Smilin’ Stan!
Art: Jolly Jack
Inks: Frantic Frankie
Lettering: Agonized Artie
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #79	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #80
Tales of Suspense #79	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #80

My oldest enemy! The most dangerous menace to freedom and democracy that the world has ever known!! Then– this must be why fate has spared me so long–?! It’s my destiny to battle him– to stand between the Red Skull and free men everywhere!

Well, that’s a compelling title.

Costumed assassins attack a power plant in the heart of New York.

They seemed to expect Captain America to show up. How do villains set these traps to target a particular superhero in New York. “If I commit a crime in New York I’m bound to attract precisely the superhero I intend!” Green Goblin just had a bank robbery, trusting Spider-Man would show up to foil it. Would Daredevil turning up ruin these plans?

But nobody but Cap saw these villains. Is he going insane?

Tales of Suspense #79

Disaster!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: April 12, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Drama-drenched script by: Stan Lee
Power-packed pencilling by: Gene Colan
Fantasy-filled inking by: Jack Abel
Twelve pages of lettering by: Artie Simek
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #81, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #79, Story B
Tales of Suspense #78, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #79, Story B

Sometimes I feel as though this iron head shield actually has a life of its own! I find myself thinking of Iron Man as someone else– almost as if it’s a separate entity– as though we’re really two men!

This is all getting confusing (to me, at least). Hulk has just escaped from the subterranean realm where Mole Man and Tyrannus were at war. The Secret Empire have employed Boomerang to steal the Orion Missile. Phase 1 of his plan was to kidnap Betty Ross. To save Namor, Dorma agreed to marry Krang. Namor only knows half this story, and ruthlessly pursues Dorma and Krang to the surface. Nick Fury recently teamed up with Captain America against Them. Fury suspects Them is connected to the supposedly benign scientific organization called AIM. Iron Man was kidnapped by Mandarin and brought to the Orient to fight Ultimo. He thus missed his summons to Congress, and has had his contracts revoked, factories closed, finances impounded, while a warrant has been placed for his arrest. This is all thanks to the zealous Senator Byrd. Before his factories were closed, Stark Industries was able to create a special suit for Colonel John Jameson, infected by space spores.

Of course, lots of other stuff is happening around the Marvel Universe, but that’s the most relevant for the next several issues.

We find Tony on the edge of collapse, recent events being a strain on his heart.

He’s in need of a charge.

Pepper and Happy are both not home. Are they out together? Tony is jealous.

Tales of Suspense #78, Story B

Them!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: March 10, 1966
Cover: June 1966
12 cents
Wondrous words by: Stan Lee
Awesome art by: Jack Kirby
Incredible inking by: Frank Giacoia
Lop-sided lettering by: Artie Simek
10 pages

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Tales of Suspense #78	Reading order	Fantastic Four #48
Tales of Suspense #78	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #79

…the world will soon tremble before the power of– Them!

In Captain America’s recent battle with Batroc, Batroc was working for some secret cabal. In the pages of Strange Tales, we learned the Fixer was working for some secret cabal called Them. They had some plot involving miniature brains. I don’t know if these two cabals are connected.

Nick Fury confronts Captain America at Avengers HQ. This is their first meeting in the present. Captain America refers to him as “Sarge”, but it’s Colonel Fury now. They reference fighting together, presumably referring to Sgt. Fury #13. That is the only prior meeting we know of.

When Fury notes Cap hasn’t aged much, Cap says Fury seems pretty well-preserved himself. Is this just a compliment? Or a first hint that Fury uses some form of special formula to keep himself young. They last met 20 years ago. Fury could have been in his ’20s then and ’40s now.

Tales of Suspense #78

Crescendo!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: March 10, 1966
Cover: June 1966
12 cents
Spectacular story by Stan Lee
Pace-setting pencilling by Gene Colan
Indescribable inking by Gary Michaels
Lonesome lettering by Artie Simek
12 pages

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Tales of Suspense #77, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #78, Story B
Tales of Suspense #77, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #78, Story B

Ultimo, who never really lived– is now truly dead!

Stark factories are closed because Senator Byrd has cancelled the Defense contracts. Tony Stark is missing because Iron Man is in Asia battling Ultimo, the android creation of the Mandarin.

We get a cool time lapse splash page. Ditko often did these time lapse panels in his Spider-Man stories.

Of course, the flip side of all these splash pages and large panels is we get fewer panels to tell the story.