tales to astonish – Coke ⊕ Comics

Tales to Astonish #91, Story B

Whosoever Harms the Hulk..!

Featuring: Hulk
Release: February 14, 1967
Cover: May 1967
12 cents
By: Stan (The Man) Lee and Gil (Sugar Lips) Kane
Lettered by: Artie Simek
10 pages

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Tales to Astonish #91	Reading order	X-Men #30
Tales to Astonish #91	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #92

This is your chance– to finally make everyone know that you’re not really a menace! You can become a hero–!!

The Stranger had taken control of Hulk to use as a weapon to destroy the world. But the Stranger’s control ended as soon as Hulk reverted to Banner. A spy used the Gamma Ray machine to transform himself into a Hulk-like creature that Betty dubbed the Abomination. Banner turned back into Hulk to stop the Abomination, but Hulk was defeated. And the Abomination absconded with Betty.

Now, General Ross thinks he has no choice but to try to save the life of the Hulk.

Tales to Astonish #91

Outside the Gates Waits.. Death!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: February 14, 1967
Cover: May 1967
12 cents
A shocking submersible saga by: Smilin’ Stan Lee and Wild Bill Everett
Inked by Dandy Danny Adkins
Lettered by Swingin’ Sammy Rosen
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #90, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #91, Story B
Tales to Astonish #90, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #91, Story B

But ’tis no longer any concern of Namor’s! My subjects have forsaken me! Thus, they are deserving of their fate!

Dan Adkins is a mostly new name to us, though we’d seen his work when we checked out the THUNDER Agents. He was new to comics then, and has been Wally Wood’s assistant and artistic partner since. In addition to Tower, the pair has been doing work for Warren, Gold Key, and Harvey. Here’s a sampling of Adkins’ work after just over a year in the industry, all art drawn with Wally Wood in some combination.

THUNDER Agents #3, Tower, 1966
Creepy #9, Warren, 1966
The Munsters #8, Gold Key, 1966

Having defeated Namor in combat, Byrrah is crowned Prince Byrrah, Lord of Atlantis. Krang and Attuma join Byrrah by his side.

Imagine electing a leader who sides with your nation’s enemies so blatantly.

Tales to Astonish #90, Story B

The Abomination!

Featuring: Hulk
Release: January 10, 1967
Cover: April 1967
12 cents
An heroic, hulkish handiwork, by: Stan (The Man) Lee and Gil (Sugar Lips) Kane
Lettered by Swingin’ Sammy Rosen
10 pages

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Tales to Astonish #90	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #91
Tales to Astonish #90	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #91

Only one thing will insure the safety of mankind.. The Hulk must die! Even though it means the death of Bruce Banner, as well!

We did leave off on a bit of a cliffhanger. Hulk is under the mental command of the Stranger and is going to go on a global rampage to weaken Earth enough for Stranger to conquer.

It’s the type of cliffhanger that usually makes me skip ahead to read the next issue promptly.

But I find the resolution here so anticlimactic, that it didn’t feel worth it.

As the situation is resolved by page 2.

Hulk reverts back to Banner. Stranger had taken control of Hulk’s brain. Not Banner’s. So therefore Earth is saved. And we can get on to the issue’s main plot points.

Tales to Astonish #90

To Be Beaten By Byrrah!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: January 10, 1967
Cover: April 1967
12 cents
Produced with pageantry– presented with pride– by: Stan Lee and Bill Everett
Lettered by: Sherigail
Water ballets staged by: Irving Forbush
12 pages

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Sub-Mariner #35, Story B	PRELUDE
Tales of Suspense #88	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #90, Story B
Tales to Astonish #89, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #90, Story B

For years, Prince Namor has kept Atlantis on the brink of war! His reign has been a series of endless battles– battles against the surface men– against the savage hordes of Attuma, the barbarian– even against Warlord Krang, who had once been our Prince’s most trusted military leader! I say the time is come to put an end to the tyranny of this war monger– this power-mad despot who wears the glorious crown of Atlantis! The reign of Namor has been one of danger– disaster– and never ending despair! We, the free citizens of Atlantis, are weary of Namor, the war-monger!

The rare lettering not from Sam or Artie. We’ve seen the lettering of Sherigail a couple times before, an alias for Morrie Kuramoto, the alias being a concatenation of his wife and daughter’s names.

We had just read the 1950s stories that introduced Byrrah. Now we see his return.

Here, he’s described as Namor’s cousin, and later his “blood-cousin”. Hmm… Byrrah is the Emperor’s stepson and Namor is his grandson, son to the Emperor’s daughter Fen. So maybe Byrrah is Namor’s… step-uncle?

He also gets referred to as Lord Byrrah this issue, when he had been Prince Byrrah before.

It’s honestly never made sense to me that Namor is still Prince Namor. It made sense in the 1950s when the Emperor was still around, but now that he’s the monarch, is “Prince” still the right title?

Tales to Astonish #89, Story B

…Then, There Shall Come a Stranger!

Featuring: Hulk
Release: December 8, 1966
Cover: March 1967
12 cents
Handled with Hulktitude by Stan (The Man) Lee and Gil (Sugar) Kane
Lettered by: Sam Rosen
10 pages

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Tales to Astonish #89	Reading order	Daredevil #25
Tales to Astonish #89	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #90

For, it is my intention to cleanse the Earth… to purify this tortured planet… in the only way possible… Civilization… as you know it… must be obliterated! The works of man… indeed, man himself, must be all but wiped out! Only then… with the planet scourged clean… scourged of the seeds of evil… can a new day dawn! Then, these humans who have survived the coming holocaust, shall build a better world… under my command! But I sense your thought! You are concerned about the fate of the millions who must perish! That can be of no concern to me! Human life means nothing to the Stranger! If all the solar system must be destroyed to bring peace to the universe, I would not shed a single tear at its passing! For I am the Stranger! I walk ever alone!

Boomerang is dead. Bruce Banner lies unconscious.

The Stranger had previously collected Magneto and Toad for his zoo. Has he come for the Hulk? Not for his zoo, apparently.

Tales to Astonish #89

The Prince and the Power!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: December 8, 1966
Cover: March 1967
12 cents
Story by Smilin’ Stan Lee
Art by Wild Bill Everett
Lettering by Adorable Art Simek
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #88	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #89, Story B
Tales to Astonish #88, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #89, Story B

I? I am Prince of the Realm! I am Atlantis! Thus, here do I stand!

Recall that passing aliens accidentally dropped a robot on Earth, which landed in the ocean. Attuma has taken control and turned it into a weapon against the Sub-Mariner. I think that’s literally all that happened last issue.

This issue Namor actually fights the robot.

My life belongs to the people– to the Realm Eternal! I do what I must– I cannot do less!

Tales to Astonish #88

A Stranger Strikes from Space!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: November 3, 1966
Cover: February 1967
12 cents
Written by: Stan the Man Lee
Illustrated by: Wild Bill Everett
Lettered by: Swingin’ Sammy Rosen
12 pages

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Ghost Rider #1	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #89
Tales to Astonish #87, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #88, Story B

There must be no new battle till our fighting strength has been restored! Else, the death knell of fair Atlantis may be at hand!

We read the second half of this issue some time ago. It’s a thing that happens. Namor and Hulk share a title. When there are ongoing stories, I try to group a few issues together, looking for decent pause points within the series. But what happens when a good pause point for Namor isn’t a good pause point for Hulk?

Well, I make the reluctant decision to read an issue ahead for one of the characters. Even though that means picking up this comic, flipping to the middle, putting it down, then later picking it up again and reading from the beginning. Almost certainly what nobody reading this comic in 1966 did.

Ah well. I try to balance a lot of things when choosing the reading order and some things have to give.

Tales to Astonish #88, Story B

The Boomerang and the Brute!

Featuring: Hulk
Release: November 3, 1966
Cover: February 1967
12 cents
Hulkamorous script by: Stan (The Man) Lee
Hulkitudinous art by: Gil (Sugar) Kane
Hulkifying lettering by: Sammy (Dozin’) Rosen
10 pages

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Tales to Astonish #87, Story B	Reading order	Sgt. Fury #33
Tales to Astonish #88	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #89

The poor, lumbering brute! He was guilty only of being feared– and misunderstood!

Gil Kane is going to become a big name at Marvel. We’ve seen him once before on a Hulk story a dozen issues back under the alias of Scott Edward and we reviewed his career at the time.

It’s possible this is his first properly credited Marvel work.

He brings a distinctive style, a very different take on Hulk from that of John Buscema the past two issues.

It’s been 7 issues since Boomerang entered Hulk’s life. We finally see that saga reach a conclusion. It’s been a long road, and I summarize in painstaking detail that road below. These past 6 months have been the most interconnected the Marvel Universe has yet been. Perhaps fittingly we will soon see that the phrase “Marvel Universe” also debuted in that timespan.

At this point it seems like everybody knows Hulk’s secret identity. But the first person to learn it after Rick was the President of the United States, presumably President Johnson. And that is presumably President Johnson now interceding on Hulk’s behalf.

Unfortunately, Boomerang intervenes and drives Hulk to a rampage and another conflict with the military.

Tales to Astonish #87, Story B

The Humanoid and the Hero!

Featuring: Hulk
Release: October 11, 1966
Cover: January 1967
12 cents
Story: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Art: Big John Buscema
Inks: Mighty Mickey D.
Lettering: Adorable Artie S.
10 pages

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Tales to Astonish #87	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #88, Story B
Tales to Astonish #87	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #88

“Have you gone mad?”
“I hope so! It’s what I’m counting on!”

Every issue has a nickname for these creators. I claim the most enduring for Lee is Stan (The Man) Lee. Though I might guess that in our reading so far, Smilin’ Stan Lee is the most common nickname.

This is only John Buscema’s second month in his return to Marvel, and Stan has already found the nickname that will stick. Big John Buscema is the one I most associate with him.

Adorable Artie is also one of the more common ones. Stan loves his alliteration.

We left Hulk in Manhattan battling the Leader’s Hulk-Killer Humanoid. The Secret Empire is defeated. Boomerang is still up to stuff.

Tales to Astonish #87

Moment of Truth!

Featuring: Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner
Release: October 11, 1966
Cover: January 1967
12 cents
Story: Stan (The Man) Lee
Illustration: Wild Bill Everett
Lettering: Adorable Artie Simek
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #86, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #87, Story B
Tales to Astonish #86, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #87, Story B

Rise, my lady! Let your head be lifted– avert not your eyes! From this moment forth–by imperial decree– the Lady Dorma may never again kneel in the presence of her liege! She stall stand at my side–with all due honor– as one who shall someday be princess of the realm! –As one who is truly a peer! And, know you, my lady– whatever befalls– the gratitude– the trust– and the heart of your prince shall be yours– while Atlantis endures!

Big day for Bill Everett, creator of the Sub-Mariner. He had half-returned to his creation, supplying finishes to other artists’ pencils. But starting this issue, he becomes the regular artist on the character who in any world with sensible laws would have belonged to him all along.

We’ve been following not quite a story, but let’s call it a sequence of events that has propelled us from issue 77 to here. Across 11 issues, Namor has had a lot of misadventures unified by the scheming of Krang, and his kidnapping of Dorma, which Namor mistook for Dorma’s betrayal. It finally comes to and end, and we can put Namor’s arc down for a while.

Krang and Dorma have been captured by the military. Krang’s serum has worn off, revealing their blue skin, and leaving them unable to breathe on land. Namor comes to them, but the military has a trap for him. Because they blame Namor for Krang’s flooding of Manhattan.