tales of suspense – Page 4

Tales of Suspense #72, Story B

The Sleeper Shall Awake!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: September 9, 1965
Cover: December 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee, sultan of script!
Jack Kirby, lord of layout!
George Tuska, archduke of art!
Sam Rosen, tired of lettering!
10 pages

Previous	#450	Next
Captain Atom #78	INTERLUDE
Amazing Spider-Man #33	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #73
Tales of Suspense #72	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #73

You’re too late! You can’t… threaten me… now! There are three sleepers… and… when they awake… the Third Reich will rise again!

The story’s title is, “The Sleeper Shall Awake!”

Coincidentally the exact thing my cat says to me every morning when she wants breakfast.

While I would prefer to read whole comics at once, we read the first half of the issue a little bit earlier, because the Captain America and Iron Man stories of this issue align differently with the Avengers series.

This marks a turning point in Captain America’s adventures, as we’d spent the last several issues focused on Captain America’s adventures in World War II, which don’t create any editorial headaches regarding continuity with Cap’s appearances in Avengers. But now Stan claims readers have demanded modern Cap stories.

So we jump back to the present and see Cap relating the Greymoor Castle saga of last issue to the Avengers. They even answer some plot questions about the story.

Bewilderingly, Hawkeye did not know Bucky was dead.

And then is quite insensitive about it. “It happened more than 20 years ago!” Two notes. It was less than 20 years. Captain America slept for most of those.

Tales of Suspense #72

Hoorah for the Conquering Hero!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: September 9, 1965
Cover: December 1965
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Don Heck
Inker: Mickey Demeo
Letterer: Artie Simek
12 pages

Previous	#431	Next
	PRELUDE	Weird Science #20
Avengers #22	Reading order	Sgt. Fury #22
Tales of Suspense #71, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #72, Story B

The nation asks– no, it demands to know the true identity of one of its greatest heroes! We must learn– Who is Iron Man?

Let’s start with a bit of an apology to Iron Man. His character was introduced in Tales of Suspense #39, released December 10, 1962. So we just passed his 60th birthday and failed to mark the occasion with appropriate fanfare. Happy belated 60th, Iron Man.

Iron Man returns to America and cheering crowds, having triumphed over Titanium Man. But the victory was costly, as Happy now hovers on the edge of death.

Reporters seem eager to get the scoop on Iron Man’s true identity. I don’t really think it’s that hard if you want to do any amount of investigating.

Nobody ever seems concerned how casually Iron Man walks into Stark’s office and makes himself at home.

Tales of Suspense #71, Story B

When You Lie Down with Dogs…!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: August 10, 1965
Cover: November 1965
12 cents
Written with the passion of Stan Lee
Laid-out with the power of Jack Kirby
Pencilled with the punch of George Tuska
Inked with the prowess of Joe Sinnott
Lettered with the penpoint of Sam Rosen
10 pages

Previous	#409	Next
Tales of Suspense #71	Reading order	Avengers #19
Tales of Suspense #71	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #72

In a war, Bucky, many people suffer! It isn’t necessary to be in the armed forces.. to be a casualty!

Because this Greymoor Castle story is a 3-part saga, we’ve gotten a little ahead in Cap reading. This comic premieres the same day as Fantastic Four #44. They share an inker, Joe Sinnott. This is an important development, and I have a lot to say about Joe Sinnott. But I’m going to save it for when we get to FF#44. Stay tuned.

The FF comic will feature Sinnott properly inking Kirby. While Kirby did the layouts for this issue, the art is really Tuska/Sinnott.

It’s time now for the conclusion of this tale. Dr. Rawlings has betrayed his country to the Nazis. His sister Celia is opposed to this.

When the Nazis try to kill Celia, Rawlings at last turns against them.

Tales of Suspense #71

What Price Victory?

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: August 10, 1965
Cover: November 1965
12 cents
A study in splendor by Stan Lee, writer!
A muse of majesty by Don Heck, artist!
A glimmer of glory by Wally Wood, inker!
A nice lettering job by Art Simek, bon vivant!
12 pages

Previous	#408	Next
Tales of Suspense #70, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #71, Story B
Tales of Suspense #70, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #71, Story B

My heart must remain as cold as the armor I wear– forever!

Wally Wood on inks. He’s just about done with Marvel, so this will be a rare treat.

He teams up with Kirby for an excellent cover. Iron Man getting a solid Kirbyesque punch in. With Happy dead or dying in the background.

We haven’t seen Wood on Heck before. I think the team works really well.

Last issue featured Happy’s apparent death. So now Iron Man isn’t just fighting Titanium Man for national pride. Now it’s personal.

Tales of Suspense #70, Story B

If This Be Treason!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: July 8, 1965
Cover: October 1965
12 cents
Story by Stan Lee
Layouts by Jack Kirby
Lettering by S. Rosen
Art by George Tuska
10 pages

Previous	#407	Next
Tales of Suspense #70	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #71
Tales of Suspense #70	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #71

My own nation has refused to recognize my talents! But the Nazis are willing to pay me handsomely for my help!

We get a new artist, George Tuska. “One of the giants from the golden age of comics”, says Lee. As with most new artists, Lee still needs Kirby to lay out the story for them.

Tuska has worked in the industry since 1939, and became well known in the 1950s for his stellar work on crime comics. His first work with Marvel was in 1949. Lately, he’s been focused on newspaper strips, having taken over Buck Rogers in 1959. Here’s a sampling of his earlier work.

Zanzibar the Magician, Mystery Men Comics #1, Fox, 1939
Tom Barry of the Royal Mounted, Wonderworld Comics #4, Fox, 1939
Cosmic Carson, Science Comics #1, Fox, 1940
Shark Brodie, Fight Comics #1, Fiction House, 1940
64 Pages of New Captain Marvel Adventures #2, Fawcett, 1941
Uncle Sam Quarterly #3, Quality, 1942
Crime Does Not Pay #48, Lev Gleason, 1946
Casey – Crime Photographer #1, Marvel, 1949
My Love #2, Marvel, 1949
Strange Tales #1, Marvel, 1951
Kid Colt Outlaw #18, Marvel, 1952
War Adventures #1, Marvel, 1952

And here’s an example of his work on Buck Rogers.

Back to Captain America now. They Greymoor Castle saga continues.

Tales of Suspense #70

Fight On! For a World is Watching!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: July 8, 1965
Cover: October 1965
12 cents
Story: Scribbled and scrawled by: Stan Lee
Illustration: Doodled and dawdled by: Don Heck
Delineation: Battered and blotted by: Mickey Demeo
Lettering: Mumbled and jumbled by: Sam Rosen
12 pages

Previous	#406	Next
Tales of Suspense #69, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #70, Story B
Tales of Suspense #69, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #70, Story B

That tone in her voice… I never heard it before!! It’s like she really cares! No matter what happens to me now… that makes it all worth it!

Here we go. Forget the space race. The real question is who can build the better fighting suit of armor. America of the Soviet Union. It’s on!

We get a recap that just samples panels from last issue.

Iron Man’s armor is more than capable of standing against Titanium Man’s onslaught. It’s Tony Stark’s heart that may be unable to take the strain.

Tales of Suspense #69, Story B

Midnight in Greymoor Castle!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: June 8, 1965
Cover: September 1965
12 cents
Script by: Friendly Stan Lee
Layouts by: Frolicksome Jack Kirby
Rendering by: Frivolous Dick Ayers
Lettering by: Fearless Artie Simek
10 pages

Previous	#405	Next
Tales of Suspense #69	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #70
Tales of Suspense #69	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #70

Cedric, even if you care nothing for yourself or me– think of your country! You’re betraying us all!

Kirby does the layouts. He’s been doing a lot of that this month as he is over-stretched. Ayers is credited with the rendering. The difference from the previous issues with proper Kirby art really shows.

The plot here is that a scientist has a radiation experiment the Nazis can use to kill Captain America and Bucky. But it will only work if they are first helpless captives. At which point a gun would probably suffice.

Tales of Suspense #69

If I Must Die, Let It Be With Honor!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: June 8, 1965
Cover: September 1965
12 cents
Story by: Stan Lee, the idol of Millions!
Art by: Don Heck, the toast of two continents!
Inking by: V. Colletta, the pride of the bullpen!
Lettering by: Sam Rosen, the last angry letterer!
12 pages

Previous	#404	Next
X-Men #16	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #69, Story B
Tales of Suspense #68, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #69, Story B

But, Iron Man must accept the challenge! It’s a matter of national pride… of prestige!

There are many stories I consider iconic. And, usually, who knows how this impression forms. Decades of reading comics and talking about comics has given me a sense of some stories that stand out.

I think of this as an iconic story and I know exactly why I think that. Very early in my Marvel reading, I also collected Marvel cards. The 1990 set had a set of famous battles. This was one of the chosen battles.

We’ve seen one famous battle (per that card deck) before, the Hulk/Thing fight from Fantastic Four #25–26. And are currently in the middle of another, the “Nick Fury vs. Hydra” battle begun in Strange Tales #135.

Of course, Titanium Man has one other claim to fame. Paul McCartney selected him alongside Magneto as villains to write a song about. (He also references Crimson Dynamo.)

The MCP wants Iron Man to attend the wedding in the middle of the events of this issue. I don’t see why it can’t just be before this issue. Maybe I’m missing some subtlety. As the issue opens, he’s spent weeks working on this sub-miniature reverser. He could have taken a brief break to attend a wedding.

Continuity does get complicated here though. Avengers #20 is concurrent to Tales of Suspense #70. Avengers #19 takes place in the middle of the Hydra Saga, yet Tony Stark’s life gets complicated starting now, so issue 69 or before is the best chance for his appearances in Strange Tales, including his appearances after the Hydra saga. And of course Iron Man shares a comic with Cap. As Nick Fury does with Dr. Strange, the latter of which we are months behind on reading.

For a reading order, we’ll read the Iron Man/Cap stories, then the Avengers stories, then the Dr. Strange/Nick Fury stories. But we’ll talk about what must be concurrent and what must fit where as we go.

Titanium Man is the Soviet answer to Iron Man. He issues a public challenge to prove Soviet superiority. Titanium is more powerful than Iron, so his armor is more powerful, but also slower and bulkier.

Tales of Suspense #68, Story B

The Sentinel and the Spy!

Featuring: Captain America
Release: May 11, 1965
Cover August 1965
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Frank Ray
Letterer: Sam Rosen
10 pages

Previous	#359	Next
Tales of Suspense #68	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #25
Tales of Suspense #68	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #69

The story’s title, “The Sentinel and the Spy”, seems to refer to Captain America’s nickname, “The Sentinel of Liberty”. It’s not clear to me how established that nickname is at this point. It’s been associated with the character since his first appearance in 1941, as the Sentinels of Liberty was the name of his fan club.

At the end of last issue, Cap still seemed to be brainwashed, but he’s snapped out of it by the opening splash page.

Tales of Suspense #68

If a Man Be Mad!

Featuring: Iron Man
Release: May 11, 1965
Cover August 1965
12 cents
Edited by: Stan Lee (who hasn’t slept since!)
Written by: Al Hartley (who could never sleep!)
Art by: Don Heck (who was under sedation!)
Inked by: Mickey Demeo (who couldn’t have visitors!)
Lettered by: Sam Rosen (who knows!)
12 pages

Previous		Next
Tales of Suspense #67, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #68, Story B
Tales of Suspense #67, Story B	Tales of Suspense	Tales of Suspense #68, Story B

This is the third Al Hartley story we’ve read. He wrote last month’s Giant-Man finale and drew a Thor story way back. He is a Marvel regular, just normally on the humor titles this blog hasn’t focused on.

We can still count on one hand the number of stories Stan hasn’t claimed writing credit on. But he gets his name at the top of the credits anyway.

From the title page, this almost seems like the same story as last issue. Last issue, Count Nefaria took over Iron Man’s dreams to make him fight visions of his enemies. Now it looks like Iron Man is seeing visions again. Turn the page, and we learn Count Nefaria is involved again.