Featuring: Watcher
Release: June 9, 1964
Cover: September 1964
12 cents
Story plot by: Stan Lee
Script + Art by: Larry Lieber
Inking by: Geo. Bell
Lettering by: Art Simek
5 pages
Larry Lieber celebrated his birthday last week. 89 years young. I think he is the only still-living creator we have encountered thus far. The Marvel superheroes of this era have become a cornerstore of our culture, but we have few remaining connections to those who helped make them. The most notable of those connections is Larry Lieber, younger brother of the late Stan Lieber, better known as Stan Lee.
Space pirates set to attack a world run afoul of the Watcher. Like the last would-be attacker to do so, they think the Watcher won’t be a problem, due to his oath. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t read the fine print of the oath.
Watcher’s oath isn’t complete passivity, but rather to not interfere with the fate of other worlds, as those worlds are less advanced than his own. It thus has similarity to the Prime Directive which will be introduced by Star Trek in a couple years. A directive Kirk will follow about as diligently as the Watcher does his oath.
These pirates chose the wrong world to attack.
The Watcher transforms the pirates into negative beings. He explains this means reversing their physical and chemical make-up. I for one am quite glad he explained it. Because Loki was turning people into negative beings in Journey Into Mystery #85, but I had no idea what that meant. My scientific training is limited.
It is a bit weird that Delta-Rays power the cannon the pirates thought they would attack the Watcher world with; given that we learned in Tales of Suspense #53 that the Watchers bathe in Relta-Rays and this is the secret of their immortality.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 55/100
Significance: ★★☆☆☆
The scans are taken from a reprint in Marvel’s Greatest Comics #23 (1969).
You can find this story on Kindle.
Characters:
- Watcher
Story notes:
- Space Pirates aim Delta-Ray cannon at Planet T-37X.
- Watcher sworn never to interfere in destiny of other races.
- Planet T-37X rich in gold and uranium.
- Watcher teleports pirates to a harsh, forbidding planet, a volcanic world inhabited by savage metal beasts.
#230 story in reading order
Next: Strange Tales #124
Previous: Tales of Suspense #57
