Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: September 2, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents A Stan Lee story spectacular! A Jack Kirby pencilling panorama! A Vince Colletta delineation drama! An Artie Simek lettering landmark! 5 pages
Featuring: Thor Release: September 2, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents Written with compassion by: Stan Lee Drawn with comprehension by: Jack Kirby Inked with competence by: Vince Colletta Lettered for compensation by: Artie Simek 16 pages
I gave him strength to challenge a god– but even Loki could not give him valor to match that of Thor!
Odin gets the center stage on a pretty awesome cover.
Thor had been merely stunned at the end of last issue. Absorbing Man really seems unable to best Thor, so Loki brings him to Asgard.
It is of course against the law of Odin to bring mortals to Asgard.
Three basic dangling plot threads: Absorbing Man; Jane’s kidnapping; the lost Norn Stone. Plus the general overarching plot that Loki is probably scheming. We won’t check in on the Norn Stone this issue. After all, it’s a rock. It’s just sitting there where Thor dropped it. We’ll resolve the Jane subplot.
Let’s look to that now. We saw Jane’s kidnapper last issue in a hood, his identity unrevealed.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: August 3, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Illustrator: Jack Kirby Delineated by: Vince Colletta Lettered by: Artie Simek 5 pages
According to the legends, the Pillars are merely the feet of the Utgard Dragon! Beneath the waves his jaws lie open, waiting for every ship that passes!
It’s not obvious to me how this ship knows where it’s going. All we’ve been told is they are searching for some hidden evil. Not much of a clue. Undeterred by his own ignorance, Thor decides the “Sea of Fear” is as good a place to start as any.
I expect better of the Asgardians, but maybe the Sea of Fear has some effect on people.
After 5 issues of waiting for the ship to set sail, now it has. The issue opens with the ship caught in a storm headed toward these deadly Pillars, and ends… with the ship caught in a storm headed toward these deadly Pillars.
Featuring: Thor Release: August 3, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Another towering triumph for Stan Lee, writer! Another fabulous feat for Jack Kirby, illustrator! Another amazing achievement for Vince Colletta, delineator! Another day, another dollar for Artie Simek, letterer! 16 pages
But, no matter how awesome the odds may be, I am son of Odin, Prince of Asgard! I would ever choose the eternal sleep, rather than a moment’s cowardice!
Kirby’s taken some artistic license with that cover. He metaphorically depicts Thor as gigantic compared to the city and bystanders caught in their battle. Absorbing Man is literally gigantic. But Thor is not, and I don’t think forced perspective is enough to justify Thor’s apparent size compared to those buildings.
As the length of stories is expanding, so is the length of action scenes. We pointed out that Fantastic Four #42 was entirely action start to finish, with the set-up and wrap-up in surrounding issues. This isn’t entirely that, as there are some interludes. We need to check on Jane. And Loki. And that lost Norn Stone. But most of the page count is just Thor battling Absorbing Man.
“What madness is this, Volstagg!!? I thought thou feared neither man nor beast!!” “In truth, I do not–!! But that is neither man nor beast– It is– my wife!!”
This is the fourth chapter of the Odinsword Saga. Let’s recap. The Odinsword was cracked by a mysterious enemy, so Thor is embarking on a quest to discover who is responsible. They are almost ready to leave.
Featuring: Thor Release: July 1, 1965 Cover: September 1965 12 cents Written in the fire of inspiration by: Stan Lee Drawn in the flame of dedication by: Jack Kirby Inked in the heat of devotion by: Vince Colletta Lettered in the other room by: Artie Simek 16 pages
There! It is done! My hammer can strike once more!
Continuity. How do these many titles all fit together? At present, Thor is the character making it the most difficult. It’s been over 6 issues since his title has given him a chance to breathe, yet we squeezed his last Avengers adventure in there somehow. We’re going to have to squeeze in a wedding somewhere. By the time of the wedding, his hammer should be intact, and he should have formally resigned from the Avengers.
At present, his hammer is broken and he is not yet aware of the new Avengers.
There will be difficulties and contradictions to come, so just remember where we are. Loki cheated in the Trial of the Gods. Thor must get the Norn Stones to Odin as proof. En route, he encountered the Destroyer, who destroyed his hammer. Loki has been punished and sentenced to serve Ularic for his role in awakening the Destroyer. Prior to the Trial of the Gods, Thor had defeated the Absorbing Man by turning him into helium and sending him drifting into space. Somewhere in all that, he also fought the Viet Cong and joined the Avengers against the Masters of Evil. He has not been in contact with the Avengers since that battle, and much has changed. He has not returned to Asgard since the Trial of the Gods.
We open with Thor at a Pittsburgh factory, repairing his hammer. I would have guessed more mystical means would be needed. With Dwarves or such. Maybe Pittsburgh is more mystical than I think. (I have at least one regular reader from Pittsburgh; perhaps he can tell me.)
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: 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: 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
