Featuring: Watcher
Release: March 10, 1964
Cover: June 1964
12 cents
Story plot by: Stan Lee
Script + Art by: Larry Lieber
Inking: Chic Stone
Lettering: Art Simek
5 pages
As I mentioned in the last post, this is the first comic in our reading I actually own an original copy of. This story is the reason I have it. I had the Iron Man story already in the Essential Iron Man and Iron Man Omnibus. But at the time, nearly 20 years ago, I couldn’t find the Watcher story anywhere else. So I tracked down the original comic, shelling out several dollars for it, maybe as much as 7 or 8. Definitely more than the 12 cents it should have cost.
The Watcher is unusually passionate at the moment. I think of him as more reserved. Here, he plans to stick to his oath, but it torments him.
That makes me think this tale is set in very ancient times. The modern Watcher is a little more accepting of his role, and this tale takes place in his youth, when he struggled a bit more with his oath.
As I’ve expressed before, the Watcher’s conclusions about morality are wrong. It’s better to act. That said, they fascinate me. Especially stories like this that attempt to explore the morality of his oath.
Continue reading “Tales of Suspense #54, Story C”