August 1965 was a month that brought big changes to Marvel Comics. Until now the comics Tales To Astonish and Strange Tales have contained two stories each. Tales To Astonish had a main story about Giant Man and the Wasp (usually 12 pages long) and a second story about the Hulk (usually 10 pages long). Strange Tales had a main story about the Human Torch and the Thing (usually 12 pages long) and a second story about Doctor Strange (usually 10 pages long). I almost called the second stories backup stories or B-Stories, but that would be an unnecessary insult. Ever since these backup stories began I've considered them to be the best stories, despite being slightly shorter. The Hulk and the Doctor Strange features both push the boundaries of comic book adventures in their respective ways.
From this month on the main story of Tales To Astonish was the Sub-Mariner, while the main story of Strange Tales was Nick Fury, Agent of Shield.
Both were logical additions to the Marvel roster. The more important question is why the other titles were removed.
In the case of the Human Torch and the Thing it's obvious. Originally, from Strange Tales #101 onwards, the stories were about the Human Torch alone, a second teenage super-hero alongside Spider-Man. After the Thing began to appear regularly, from Strange Tales #123 onwards, they were half of the Fantastic Four. Why should they exist in a parallel story? This could only lead to continuity problems when the Fantastic Four began to have longer multi-issue stories.
This is almost certainly the same reason that the lineup of the Avengers changed in Avengers #16. The Avengers began as a group that was made up of heroes who also had their own comics and their own battles. The heroes were removed who had their own comics to prevent continuity errors in multi-issue stories. Stan Lee wanted Marvel's readers to get the impression that the stories were taking place in quasi-real time. If a new reader went to the store and bought all eight of Marvel's monthly super-hero comics he should know that they all took place at the same time as one another.
Captain America was able to remain in the Avengers because his stories take place during World War Two.
As for Giant-Man losing his solo story, that has to do with his imminent return to the Avengers that will take place less than a year from now.
Tales to Astonish #70
Title: The Start of the Quest
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan (as Adam Austin)
Villain: Krang
Regulars: Dorma
This story begins immediately after Daredevil #7. Warlord Krang has rebelled against Prince Namor (the official regal title of Sub-Mariner) and become the new leader of Atlantis. When he returns to Atlantis Namor is imprisoned. Only Lady Dorma remains loyal to Namor and releases him. Namor begins a quest to find Neptune's trident, which will establish him as the the true contender for the throne.
Forgetting for a moment the typical belittling of Artie Simek in the Crazy Credits, there's a further curiosity in the credits box. The artist is listed as Adam Austin. If you search for him you'll find that he didn't exist. It's a pseudonym for Gene Colan.
This is rooted in the atmosphere of the mid-1960's. The two comic companies Marvel and DC were at war. Gene Colan worked for DC, and it wasn't considered acceptable that he worked for Marvel at the same time. He might be accused of reporting company secrets from one company to the other. In order to keep his work for Marvel secret he adopted a pseudonym. I don't know how long he expected this to last. He had a very distinctive style.
Title: To Live Again
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Leader
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross, Rick Jones
In the last issue Bruce Banner was shot, and he died. That's about as final as any comic could end. In this issue we find out that he was shot in the end. Can it get any worse?
Stan Lee has an answer to every problem. Rick Jones steals Bruce Banner's body and drives it to Bruce's secret underground laboratory. Rick reasons that even if Bruce is dead the Hulk might be able to survive. He puts Bruce Banner under the gamma ray machine that induces a change, and it works. The Hulk wakes up, still alive.
There's a change in the Hulk. He now has Bruce Banner's intelligence, presumably a side effect of the bullet hitting his brain.
The Hulk reasons that if he changes back to Bruce Banner the bullet will kill him irreversibly. He has to find a way to remain the Hulk.
The answer is a potion – a gamma ray potion? – that will make him remain the Hulk for at least 48 hours.
When the Leader is trying to destroy a military base with a 500 foot tall android, the Hulk uses a statement which will later become his standard line: "The madder I get, the stronger I get".
Strange Tales #135
Title: The Man for the Job
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Hydra, Agent H
Regulars: Anthony Stark
Nick Fury, now a colonel, is invited to the Pentagon. He's driven to a secret location where he's asked to become the leader of a top secret organisation called SHIELD (Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Division). At first he turns down the offer, but when a booby-trap is discovered in the conference room he instinctively takes control to get rid of the bomb. This convinces everyone, including Fury himself, that he's the right man for the job.
We're told nothing about the background of SHIELD, except that it's an international organisation and its weaponry has been supplied by Tony Stark.
Title: Eternity Beckons
Writer: Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Villain: Dormammu, Baron Mordo
Regulars: Clea (unnamed)
Steve Ditko is credited as this issue's plotter, but we can be sure that he wrote the story in close conjunction with Stan Lee.
This is the sixth part of the Doctor Strange-Dormammu-Baron Mordo epic. Doctor Strange searches for information about Eternity, a word murmured by the Ancient One while lying in a coma.
The Crazy Credits are kind to Sam Rosen, assuming that being cuddlesome is a job requirement for a letterer.
Tales of Suspense #68
Title: If a man be mad
Writer: Al Hartley
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Count Nefaria, aliens
Regulars: Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan
After Count Nefaria failed to kill Iron Man last issue as the Dream-Master, he attempts another strategy. He bribes Tony Stark's cousin Morgan to use a vision projector to make Tony see things, making others think he's gone mad.
To complicate things, Iron Man stumbles on the advance scouts of an alien invasion force. Due to their similarity to Tony Stark's visions he's cleared of the suspicions of madness.
The Crazy Credits call everyone who worked on this comic mad. Stan Lee runs out of words to describe Sam Rosen, which is just as well.
Title: The Sentinel and the Spy
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Red Skull
This story continues from the last issue. The Red Skull sends a spy to attempt to steal a vanishing ray that was being developed in England.
The ray wasn't stolen, and England evidently didn't manage to complete it, because it was so powerful that it would have won the war within days.
Fantastic Four #41
Title: The Brutal Betrayal of Ben Grimm
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Frightful Four (Wizard, Trapster, Sandman, Medusa)
Regulars: Alicia Masters
In Fantastic Four #38 the Wizard's Q-Bomb took away the Fantastic Four's powers, which also turned the Thing back into Ben Grimm. In last month's issue Reed Richards used the Stimulator Ray to turn Ben back into the Thing, because his strength was needed to battle Doctor Doom. Now that the fight is over the Thing is angry that he lost his power to become human again, so he quits the Fantastic Four.
The Wizard finds the Thing when he's sleeping by the roadside and carries him back to the Frightful Four's headquarters. He brainwashes the Thing into believing that Reed Richards is his enemy and he must destroy him.
What I like about this comic is the portrayal of the Frightful Four. Just like the Fantastic Four, they squabble among themselves about who should be the leader. They even fight one another. No other team of villains have been shown in such detail before now.
The Crazy Credits tell us that Sam Rosen never lost Artie Simek. Does that mean that they were a pair? Were they ever bold enough to come out of the bullpen's closet?
Amazing Spider-Man #27
Title: Bring back my Goblin to me
Writer: Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Villain: Green Goblin, Crime-Master (Nick Lewis)
Regulars: Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Frederick Foswell
This issue was plotted by Steve Ditko.
At the end of the last issue the Green Goblin carried the unconscious Spider-Man into the gang meeting arranged by the Crime-Master. Spider-Man wakes up and fights his way out. He pursues the Crime-Master while the Green Goblin flees.
Peter Parker sells his latest photos of Spider-Man in action to the Daily Bugle's competition, the Daily Globe. It's interesting that they're writing an article about the MMMS.
The Crazy Credits are kind to Sam Rosen, but they accuse Steve Ditko of scowling. Is Stan Lee getting jealous because Steve is doing too much of the plotting himself?
The box in the top left corner uses the name Marvel Pop Art Productions instead of Marvel Comics Group. This was an official change to the company's name in the middle of this month. The change was unpopular with Marvel's fans, leading to the name being changed back a few months later.
Journey into Mystery #119
Title: The Day of the Destroyer
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Loki, Norn Queen, Destroyer
Regulars: Odin
Thor continues his battle against the Destroyer. He can only win by using the mortal body of the hunter whose mind is controlling the Destroyer as a human shield.
Thor is unable to return to Asgard after the battle because his hammer has been damaged.
The Crazy Credits tell us that only Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Vince Coletta could have created this comic. I agree. They also tell us that only Artie Simek could be called Artie Simek. Is his name really so rare?
Title: Gather, Warriors!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Gods: Odin, Thor, Loki, Balder, Fandrel, Hogun, Volstagg
The quest to find the one responsible for damaging the Odinsword continues. Among the warriors accompanying Thor and Loki are Fandrel, Hogun and Volstagg. In later comics they're called the Warriors Three. After the Tales Of Asgard feature ends they become regulars in Thor's regular stories. Odin reveals that if the sword is destroyed Ragnarok will take place.
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Vince Coletta are great men, while the Crazy Credits tell us Artie Simek has to keep a straight face. What's the joke?
The Avengers #19
Title: The Coming of the Swordsman
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Don Heck
Avengers: Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch
Villain: Swordsman
This is another Marvel Pop Art Productions comic.
An old colleague of Hawkeye from the circus now calls himself the Swordsman. He wants to join the Avengers as a means of becoming famous. With this attitude it's obvious that he soon gets into a fight with the Avengers and has to run away. After that he captures Captain America and holds him hostage, telling the other Avengers he'll kill him if he's not made the new leader of the Avengers.
In Avengers #15 Captain America wrote a letter to Nick Fury asking if he could assist him in counter-espionage. We find out in this comic that Nick Fury never received the letter because he's left his office to become the head of SHIELD.
You see what I mean? This is what I've been saying all along! Month after month Artie Simek and his colleague Sam Rosen have been attacked in the Crazy Credits. Now even Stan Lee has to admit that Artie Simek is a poor, innocent letterer. If I'd been in New York in 1965 I would have taken him out to dinner to comfort him.
Daredevil #9
Title: That he may see
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Wally Wood
Villain: Klaus Kruger (a monarch)
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page
This is another Marvel Pop Art Productions comic.
Matt Murdock travels to the tiny Kingdom of Lichtenbad to visit an eye specialist who may be able to cure his blindness. The kingdom's leader, Kraus Kruger, is a tyrant who is suppressing his people. In addition, he has plans for world domination. Only Daredevil can stop him.
Lichtenbad is a fictional kingdom, but it's obviously modelled on Liechtenstein.
According to the Crazy Credits everyone in the bullpen is happy. Even Sam Rosen is happy when Stan Lee is nice to him.
Other comics published this month:
Modeling with Millie #40 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Patsy Walker #122 (Al Hartley, Al Hartley)
Patsy and Hedy #101 (Stan Lee, Sol Brodsky)
Rawhide Kid #47 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #21 (Stan Lee, Dick Ayers)
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