Featuring: Hulk Release: November 4, 1965 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Script: Stan Lee Layout: Jack Kirby Pencilling: Scott Edward Inking: Mickey Demeo Lettering: Artie Simek 10 pages
Stay back!! Back!! You’re just a pack of men– but me, I’m the Hulk!
I like to think I know Marvel decently well, but I’ve never heard of Scott Edward. Usually means a regular DC artist is moonlighting at Marvel on the down low. Indeed, Scott Edward is the already legendary Gil Kane. He’s got some great work at Marvel ahead of him. Of course, Gil Kane isn’t actually his name either. His birth name is Eli Katz, but we all know him as Gil Kane.
But let’s see what he’s done in his 20+ years in comics before getting here. We technically did meet him as one of the artists working with Wood on Thunder AGENTS.
By this point in his career, his biggest claim to fame is the creation of the new Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.
As well as the new Atom, Ray Palmer.
Inks by Murphy Anderson
Arguably, the sleek stylish sci-fi looks of Gil Kane– along with those of Carmine Infantino– are what gave birth to DC’s Silver Age of comics.
Featuring: Hulk Release: October 5, 1965 Cover: January 1966 12 cents Story: Stan Lee Layouts: Jack Kirby Illustrations: M. Demeo Lettering: S. Rosen Enjoying: That’s your job, pussycat! 10 pages
At last I got somethin’ to smash out against… somethin’ to fight… a chance to do the thing I can do better than anything that lives!
This picks up right where the last issue left off, though we paused for a bit since reading the last issue and since reading the earlier half of this comic.
Hulk had just acquired the Ultimate Machine for the Leader from the Watcher’s world. Leader’s attempt to use the machine resulted in his death.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: November 4, 1965 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Story: Stan Lee Pencilling: Adam Austin Delineation: Vince Colletta Lettering: Sam Rosen 12 pages
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: October 5, 1965 Cover: January 1866 12 cents Story by: Smilin’ Stan Lee Pencilling by: Admirable Adam Austin Delineation by : Valorous Vince Colletta Lettering by: Sagacious Sam Rosen 12 pages
Though I hold life most dear to me, I shall show how a Prince faces death!
It turns out abandoning the quest was the way to complete the quest.
Per Neptune: Every attribute of a Prince is yours… courage, strength, honest… and, most important of all… a heart which can love… a soul which can sacrifice!
Featuring: Hulk Release: September 2, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Dreamed up by: Stan Lee! Designed by: Jack Kirby! Drawn by: Bob Powell! Delineated by: Mickey Demeo! Doodled by: S. Rosen 10 pages
I am the Watcher! That is enough! That answers all!
Tales of Suspense #60 was released in September 1964, a full year earlier. That began Marvel’s first extended saga. The threat of the Leader has united the disparate threads and arcs from that issue until this one. At the time, Marvel stories were self-contained things. Just a few years earlier, they tended to fit into under 10 pages. The full-issue 20-page long Fantastic Four epics stood out in their length. Since then we’ve had the occasional 2-part arc, often two standalone issues that tie together. Because Dr. Octopus or Dr. Doom hadn’t quite been defeated in the previous issue.
This month, Dr. Strange begins a proper 2-part arc against Dormammu. About 4 months after the debut of Tales of Suspense #60, Thor’s title followed suit. Journey Into Mystery #114 moved away from discrete stories to a series of interconnected threads, which we are still untangling 6 issues later and nowhere near done with. Three months later, Dr. Strange’s story (also by Ditko) would follow suit, beginning a 17-part saga we are almost ready to sit down to read.
Thor and Dr. Strange have the benefit of a consistent creative team. Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Vince Colletta have brought consistency to Thor, just as Lee and Ditko have with Dr. Strange.
This saga opened with a variety of artists attempting the impossible task of inking Ditko before Kirby took over again briefly, before moving to the current state where Kirby does the layouts for another artist to fill in with art. Too many artists across these 15 issues. No consistency of anything.
Let’s review the story so far. It began with an unnamed spy stealing a robotic suit of armor Banner had designed for the military. Hulk dealt with the robot, but found himself a prisoner of General Ross. Meanwhile, Major Talbot joined the base with the express intention of learning Banner’s secrets, and also possibly stealing Betty’s heart. Then Chameleon attacks the base, working for the mysterious Leader, whose face we don’t see. We learn the spy from the previous issues had also been an agent of the Leader. See how the loose connections work? We finally meet the Leader, and learn he is also a victim of a Gamma-based accident, which gave him green skin and a powerful mind. He has created something called the Humanoid, which he sends against the Hulk. Rick reveals Hulk’s secret to the President to clear Bruce’s name. When Banner is conducting his next military experiment, more Humanoids attack. In the wake of the battle, he finds himself a prisoner aboard a Soviet sub and taken behind the Red Curtain. His adventures there don’t have much to do with the Leader, but it spins directly out of and into confrontations with the Leader. There’s always a cliffhanger to tie the arcs together. Hulk breaks free of the Soviets and ends up in Mongolia. And soon becomes a prisoner of the Leader. The military raid the Leader’s complex and shoot and kill Banner. By transforming into Hulk and staying that way, Hulk is able to stay alive. But then the military raid Hulk’s lab and he has no choice but to turn to the Leader for help. This time, Hulk willingly joins the Leader. The Leader sends Hulk to the planet of the Watcher to steal the Ultimate Machine. But first he will have to battle the most powerful creature in the galaxy.
Whew. That’s almost a story. Let’s see how it all ends.
Hulk is famous for battling monsters. But he hasn’t had much of a chance to yet in his career, usually facing off against the US military. Here we go. Finally. A Hulk-sized foe for the Hulk.
The Watcher relocates their battle to a barren land. While this might seem like an act of interference from one forbidden to interfere, there’s an explanation…
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: September 2, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Devastating drama by: Stan Lee Shattering spectacle by: Adam Austin Explosive embellishment by: Vince Colletta Cataclysmic Calligraphy by: Sam Rosen 12 pages
Though I am an Ancient of Atlantis, this one last deed can I do for the land we hold so dear!
After five pretty repetitive issues, finally we’re getting somewhere. Still two more issues after this one to resolve Namor’s dust-up with Krang, but at least the structure is starting to change.
Namor has abandoned his quest to save Dorma from the Faceless Ones. Since he had no idea where to go next in his quest anyway, why not.
Featuring: Hulk Release: August 3, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents You’ll never forget Stan Lee’s script! You’ll never forget Jack Kirby’s layouts! You’ll never forget Bob Powell’s art! You’ll never forget Artie Simek’s –eh– let’s see now, what did Artie do? 10 pages
I’m no good to anyone– including myself! The world hates me– fears me–
Mike Esposito has drawn the last few issues over Kirby’s layouts. This time the art goes to Bob Powell, a semi-regular name by this point. Powell brings a distinctive level of details to Hulk’s facial expressions. The failure to find a consistent creative team over this extended story arc is one of the things keeping Hulk from greatness. It would have been better if Ditko could have stayed on, but he clearly never had his heart in this title. Still, the work Ditko phoned in was enough to lay a foundation for the character that writers have spent decades building on.
Notice these need longer and longer exposition boxes at the beginning to explain the plot so far. Hulk is about to turn back into Banner, at which point the bullet in his brain will kill him. But he is also helpless against the Leader’s Humanoids.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: August 3, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee Art: Amiable Adam Austin Inks: Valiant Vince Colletta Lettering: Angelic Artie Simek 12 pages
Featuring: Hulk Release: July 1, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Thrills, as only Stan Lee’s story can provide them! Power, as only Jack Kirby’s layouts can create it! Drama, as only Mickey Demeo’s artwork can present it! Sound effects, as only Sam Rosen’s pen point can letter them! 10 pages
I mustn’t change… I won’t let myself change…!! For… if I change… I die!!
Where were we. Banner has a bullet in his brain. Only alive so long as he stays in Hulk form. He has Banner’s intelligence, but his personality seems darker, more like Hulk’s. The equipment he needs to maintain his Hulk state is in his secret lab, which has been uncovered by the military, who are closing in.
His only way out is to accept an offer of help from his enemy, the Leader.
The Leader is Hulk’s opposite. Both exposed to gamma radiation, Hulk received the world’s most powerful body, while Leader received the world’s most powerful brain. Together, they could be unstoppable.
The Leader transforms Hulk into electro-waves to transport him to Italy. “Matter-portation”, he calls it. Star Trek premieres next year; did the writers read this comic?
I appreciate the Leader’s science experiments; they’ll get this story a higher score. His ambition is to create a new life.
He secretly exposed Hulk to a gas that he himself has built up an immunity to. Similar to what one might do with iocaine powder.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: July 1, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Written in majesty by: Stan Lee Drawn in grandeur by: Adam Austin Inked in splendor by: Vince Colletta Lettered in the suburbs by: S. Rosen 12 pages
A Prince of the Blood must be true to his duty… though the sorrow in his breast be more than he can endure!
Once again, Namor gets to dominate the cover. Only the slightest mention that this is also Hulk’s comic.
To be completely honest, stories with a repetitive format get a bit dull to discuss. I can only make fun of how identical the plots are in so many different ways. Last issue, Namor defeated the creature guarding a clue on his quest, found the clue, went to the next spot, found a creature guarding the next clue. To be continued. Guess the plot of this issue?
Meanwhile, the Krang/Dorma drama continues. We get a new development there as he banishes her to the realm of the Faceless Ones for rejecting him.
