Fantastic Four #29
Title: It started on Yancy Street
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Red Ghost
Regulars: Alicia Masters
Guests: The Watcher
The Red Ghost, last seen in Fantastic Four #13, captures the Fantastic Four and takes them to the Moon. He hopes that they will suffocate, but they find their way to the Moon's Blue Area, home of the Watcher, which is full of oxygen. The Watcher is forbidden to interfere, but he finds a loophole. Nobody is allowed to remain where he is, so he sends them back to Earth.
By the way, don't you think that's a beautiful cover?
The Crazy Credits subtly belittle Sam Rosen's talent.
Amazing Spider-Man #15
Title: Kraven the Hunter
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Villain: Chameleon, Kraven
Regulars: Aunt May, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant
The Chameleon, who fought with Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #1, returns to take revenge. He thinks he can defeat Spider-Man with the help of an old friend, a big game hunter called Kraven. He's no ordinary hunter, because an African witch-doctor's potion has given him supernatural strength and speed.
In this issue we have the first mention of Mary Jane Watson as the niece of Peter Parker's neighbour Mrs. Watson. Aunt May arranges a date because she thinks that Peter needs a girlfriend.
Doesn't Aunt May know what's going on in her nephew's life. He's having a sort-of relationship with Betty Brant. Liz Allen, Flash Thompson's girlfriend, also likes Peter, which makes Betty jealous.
Peter does his best to reassure Betty that Liz means nothing to him.
Now things get complicated. Peter Parker is supposed to go on a date with Mrs. Watson's niece, but she cancels because she has a headache. Peter rings up Betty to take her out, but Betty turns him down because she's still annoyed. Peter rings up Liz on the rebound to ask for a date, but Liz is going out with Flash. Teenage love is complicated.
In the Crazy Credits it looks like Stan Lee wants to put down letterer Artie Simek, but it backfires.
Maybe Stan should have made more of an effort to chide Artie Simek. Look at what Kraven says on page 20. It doesn't make sense. Did Stan Lee make a grammatical error? Or did Artie get mixed up and write "most" instead of "move"? I suspect the latter.
Tales to Astonish #58
Title: The Coming of Colossus
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Dick Ayers
Villain: Colossus (an alien from the planet Vega)
Guests: Captain America
Giant-Man and the Wasp travel to Africa to challenge a 30-foot being called Colossus by the natives. We find out that he's a scout from the planet Vega. Does that mean he's a Vegan?
This month's Crazy Credits box is kind to Artie Simek. That's only because Stan Lee couldn't think of an insult that rhymes with completely, neatly and discreetly.
Title: The Magician and the Maiden
Writer: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber
Artist: Larry Lieber
Villain: Magician
Regulars: Giant-Man
The Magician returns, who we last saw in Tales to Astonish #56. After being defeated by Giant-Man he thinks he can defeat the Wasp by herself. Big mistake! The Wasp defeats him easily. She's tougher than she looks.
Journey into Mystery #107
Title: When the Grey Gargoyle Strikes
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Grey Gargoyle (Paul Duval)
Regulars: Jane Foster
Paul Duval is a scientist who accidentally spills a potion on his hand which turns it to stone. Everything he touches with his hand turns to stone. If he touches himself, his body is a strong and flexible stone. Any other person that he touches becomes solid and immovable like a statue for 60 minutes.
In the Crazy Credits Stan Lee disowns Artie Simek. He shouldn't do that. Sam Rosen can't do all the work by himself.
Title: Balder the Brave
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Gods: Balder, Loki, Norn Queen
In the second story about Balder Loki seeks a way to kill him. The Norn Queen tells Loki that only mistletoe can harm Balder. This is a legend told in Norse mythology.
Tales of Suspense #56
Title: The Uncanny Unicorn
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Unicorn
Regulars: Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan
Guests: Thor, Giant-Man, Wasp
Tony Stark grows frustrated with being dependent on his chest plate to stay alive. He decides to give up being Iron Man. When the Avengers ring him to say they need Iron Man's help with a menace in New York he tells them that he has sent Iron Man on a long vacation.
A Communist villain called the Unicorn attacks Tony Stark's factory with a suit designed by the Crimson Dynamo. He kidnaps Pepper Potts and badly injures Happy Hogan. When he hears about this Tony Stark changes his mind and becomes Iron Man again.
Poor Sam Rosen is subjected to ridicule in the Crazy Credits.
Tales of the Watcher
Title: The Watcher's Sacrifice
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Larry Lieber
Guests: Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
As in this month's Fantastic Four #29, the Watcher finds another loophole to interfere while doing nothing. He witnesses a battle and falls in love with Queen Kalthea, the leader of one of the armies. He appears silently, which scares her enemies away. The Queen declares her love for him, but he speaks coldly to her to prevent her getting involved with him.
In a brief epilogue we see the Fantastic Four discussing the Watcher's easy life.
This issue also contains a short anthology story.
Strange Tales #123
Title: The Birth of the Beetle
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Carl Burgos
Villain: Beetle (Abner Jenkins)
Regulars: Ben Grimm, Doris Evans, Alicia Masters
Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm take their girlfriends on a double date in the Fantasti-Car. They encounter the Beetle, a former mechanic who has super-human strength enhanced by a costume that also enables him to fly.
From this issue onwards the Human Torch and the Thing fight together.
This story was drawn by Carl Burgos, the artist who drew the original Human Torch in the 1940's. In the last panel he draws himself talking to Stan Lee. Supposedly. That doesn't look like Stan to me.
In the Crazy Credits Stan Lee is on his best behaviour. He doesn't want to say anything bad about Sam Rosen in front of Carl Burgos.
Title: The Challenge of Loki
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Villain: Loki
Guest: Thor, Odin
Loki tricks Doctor Strange into stealing Thor's hammer. When he realises he's been tricked Doctor Strange fights with Loki. Loki is much more powerful than Doctor Strange, unlike in the films, and only flees when Thor is about to arrive.
The Crazy Credits aren't too cruel to Artie Simek this month.
The Avengers #7
Title: Their Darkest Hour
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Avengers: Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Giant-Man, Wasp
Villains: Zemo, Enchantress, Executioner
Regulars: Rick Jones
Guests: Odin, Loki
The Avengers punish Iron Man for ignoring their call in this month's Tales of Suspense #56. The punishment is to suspend him for a week, which seems like an illogical punishment. "You didn't come to us when we called you, so you aren't allowed to be with us now".
In the last issue The Black Knight, the Melter and the Radioactive Man were arrested after being defeated by the Avengers. Zemo forms a new Masters of Evil team with the Enchantress and the Executioner, who have been banished from Asgard by Odin.
The Crazy Credits seem to be praising Artie Simek this month.
Daredevil #3
Title: The Owl, Ominous Overload of Crime
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Joe Orlando
Villain: Owl
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page
A crooked millionaire businessman "whose name is long forgotten" has the physical appearance and powers of an owl. His jacket and cape allow him to glide like an owl.
Karen Page begins to notice similarities between Matt Murdock and Daredevil.
The Crazy Credits are relatively kind to Sam Rosen.
Other comics published this month:
Modeling with Millie #32 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Patsy Walker #116 (Stan Lee, Al Hartley)
Patsy and Hedy #95 (Stan Lee, Al Hartley)
Rawhide Kid #41 (Stan Lee, Jack Keller)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #9 (Stan Lee, Dick Ayers)
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