This is an exciting month for Marvel. There are FOUR new comics on the newsstands. The first comic is Amazing Adventures, which is split into two stories each month. The first story features the Inhumans, and the second the Black Widow. Fans have been begging for an Inhumans series for months, and now they finally have what they want. Adding to the excitement is the fact that this is the first series written by Jack Kirby in the Silver Age. He'll only write the first few issues, but it's still a pleasure to see him return to writing after 10 years. His last story was Battle #70 in 1960.
The second new comic is Astonishing Tales, another split comic. The first story features Ka-Zar, and the second Doctor Doom. This is unique for being the first series featuring a villain rather than a hero.
The third new comic is Western Gunfighters. This is a mixed comic with new stories and reprints. The new stories include a Ghost Rider story that continues from the cliffhanger in Ghost Rider #7, which was very abruptly cancelled.
The fourth new comic is Ka-Zar. Isn't he already featured in Astonishing Tales? Yes, but this is primarily a reprint comic. I'll write about it because it has backup stories which are original.
Let me repeat my monthly categorisation of Marvel's comics.
1. Marvel super-hero canon. I write reviews of these comics.
2. Marvel non-canon comics. I list these in the "other comics" section at the end of the month.
3. Marvel reprint comics. I ignore these comics, usually not even mentioning their existence.
The third group may lead to some irregularities. From this month on the Sergeant Fury comics will alternate between original and reprint stories. I'll only list the comics with original stories. Some comics, such as X-Men, began with original stories, then became reprint comics, and then returned to printing original stories. Again, I'll only list the comics with original stories. Some comics, like Ka-Zar, are a mixture of original and reprint stories. I'll review the original stories and briefly mention that the rest is reprints.
A more difficult case is comics where I'm not sure whether the stories are new or reprints, because I don't have access to them. The only example at the moment is Mad About Millie. In cases like that I'll assume that the comics contain original stories, unless someone informs me otherwise. Comics like these are of lesser significance to Marvel fans, so mistakes won't have much importance.
At some point in the 1970's I'll introduce a fourth group, Marvel super-hero non-canon comics. These are comics which I consider to be in contradiction to other Marvel stories, either in content or in style. They're not necessarily bad comics, they might be very good stories, but if I consider that a series is in any way contradictory to what was written in the past, I'll strike it from the canon. I shan't eliminate individual comics from the canon, only entire series. I'll state my reasons when I get to the comics, and I invite criticism from anyone who disagrees with me.
Amazing Adventures #1
Title: The Inhumans!
Writer: Jack Kirby
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inhumans: Black Bolt. Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, Crystal
Rebels: Maximus, Stallior (Centaurius), Timberius, Leonus (Lionus), Aerio (Aeolus)
Guests: Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Maximus, who has been exiled with the rebel Inhumans who serve him, fires rockets at the Great Refuge. He plants evidence on the second rocket that it was fired by the Fantastic Four.
Crystal is still a member of the Fantastic Four in this issue, so the opening scene must have taken place a few months ago, possibly before Fantastic Four #95 (February 1970).
Jack Kirby must be getting rusty as a writer. He's forgotten the names of the rebel Inhumans. He calls Stallior Centaurius, Aerio Aeolus and Leonus Lionus.
This is a comic that I didn't read when it was first published. It's possible that it wasn't distributed in England. In the 1970's there were frequent problems with the availability of Marvel comics in England. Sometimes whole series weren't distributed, sometimes individual comics like Fantastic Four #176 were missing.
Title: Then came the Black Widow
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: gangsters
Guests: Spider-Man (flashback)
We find the Black Widow, calling herself Madame Natasha, is living in luxury in New York City. In past stories she never seemed to be wealthy. I would have assumed the opposite, because she was sent from Russia as a spy. Maybe she inherited something from rich relatives.
The new Black Widow is sleek and sexy, wearing a skin-tight leather outfit that makes her look like Emma Peel. She has a delicious attitude. When she recalls her battle with Spider-Man in Spider-Man #86, she she says that the laws of nature determine the superiority and deadliness of the female over the male. I agree. What else would you expect from a woman who names herself after a spider that eats the male after mating?
Natasha's cleaning lady complains that her son has borrowed money from very bad people. She defeats the gangsters and leaves them for the police. They can be happy that she didn't want to mate with them.
Astonishing Tales #1
Title: The Power of Ka-Zar!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Kraven the Hunter
Ka-Zar, whose legal name is Kevin Plunder, has inherited a castle in England, but this series shows him back in the Savage Land where he grew up. I assume that the castle is too boring for him.
Kraven the Hunter, who we haven't seen since Amazing Spider-Man #49, is fascinated by Zabu, Ka-Zar's sabre tooth tiger. As the last of its species, it's a trophy that he must have. He travels to the Savage Land and captures Zabu after a battle with Ka-Zar. Kraven ships Zabu to America. Ka-Zar pursues him.
This is another comic that I've read today for the first time.
Title: Unto you is born the Doomsman!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Wally Wood
Villain: Prince Rudolfo, Doomsman
Wally Wood returns as artist for this series, after working at Marvel as an inker for the last few months. We can expect some incredible artwork in this series.
A rebellion is staged by Prince Rudolfo, who calls himself the rightful ruler of Latveria. Even those who hate Doctor Doom don't trust Rudolfo. The rebellion fails.
Doctor Doom creates a living being (an android?) that he calls the Doomsman. He gives it a copy of his own brain. Instead of serving him when it awakens, it walks away from the castle.
Ka-Zar #1
Title: Unto you is born the Doomsman!
Writer: Allyn Brodsky
Artist: Frank Springer
Villain: Huntsman
Regulars: Zeus, Ares
Guests: Avengers (Black Panther, Goliath, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Vision)
The Ka-Zar stories in this comic are reprints of his first two adventures in the X-Men and Daredevil comics. The only original story is an 11-page Hercules adventure.
Hercules is chided by his father Zeus for his insolence. Instead of listening to him he turns his back and climbs down Mount Olympus to Earth. Even his lover, who isn't named in this comic, can't persuade him to stay.
Zeus sends the Huntsman to capture Hercules and bring him back to Olympus. Hercules goes to the Avengers to tell them of his plight. When the Huntsman arrives, Hercules flees, so that his friends won't be harmed.
Judging by the membership of the Avengers, this story probably takes place before last month's Avengers #78.
Fantastic Four #101
Title: Bedlam in the Baxter Building!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Villains: Maggia, Top Man, Gimlet
Regulars: Crystal, Alicia Masters, Franklin Richards
Crystal is still wearing her Fantastic Four uniform, even though she's no longer a member of the team. Or is she? I've lost track.
The Maggia have bought the Baxter Building and demand that the Fantastic Four move out. The intention of the Maggia's leader, the Top Man, is that he can take control of all of Reed Richards' inventions. He'll have a big surprise when he opens the door to the Negative Zone!
The Top Man wants to act legally, but one of his lieutenants, Gimlet, prefers to battle the Fantastic Four. Using a gang armed with advanced weapons he defeats Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm and Crystal. Wow! Susan Richards returns later and fights Gimlet's gang to a standstill. That shows why she's a rightful member of the Fantastic Four.
The Top Man returns, disguised as a doorman, and shoots Gimlet before he can go any further. When his true identity is revealed, he's arrested as a murderer.
If this had happened in England, the Top Man would have remained owner of the building even after being imprisoned, and he could have sold it to one of the other Maggia members on the outside. Maybe American law is different.
Thor #179
Title: No more the Thunder God!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Loki
Regulars: Odin, Balder, Sif, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
The rebuilding of Asgard begins after the desolation caused by Surtur. Odin orders Thor to go to Earth to search for Loki.
Loki has a new weapon which he calls a Living Mask. He throws it at Thor when they meet, and it clings to his face. Thor and Loki exchange appearances.
Sif and Balder travel to Earth to look for Thor. When they see Thor, they think he's Loki and attack him. It isn't until Thor shows mercy in battle that they realise who he is.
The Avengers #79
Title: Lo! The Lethal Legion!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Avengers: Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, Goliath, Vision, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch
Villain: Lethal Legion (Man-Ape, Grim Reaper, Living Laser, Power Man, Swordsman)
Thor and Iron Man join the other Avengers to discuss the capture of the Black Panther. Unfortunately, they're sent off on a wild goose chase in Greenwich Village and don't join the battle.
Goliath and the Scarlet Witch are captured by Swordsman and Power Man. Captain America, Quicksilver and Vision are captured by Man Ape and the Living Laser. They're carried back to the Grim Reaper's lair. The Grim Reaper reads in the stolen Avengers files that Vision has the brain patterns of Simon Williams, the Grim Reaper's brother, so he refuses to kill him. The Avengers regroup, because they were pretending to have been defeated. They overcome the Lethal Legion with little difficulty.
Vision says that he's no man's brother, so he wants to quit the Avengers.
The appearance of Thor in this comic causes some problems for continuity. The only solution is to say that the issues Thor #175 to Thor #181 take place before Avengers #79.
Captain America #128
Title: Mission: Stamp out Satan's Angels!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Satan's Angels, Red Skull
Still angry at being called a traitor, Steve Rogers decides to take some time off being Captain America and take a ride on a motorcycle.
Steve is arrested for not wearing a helmet. He should have known better! Satan's Angels see this and decide to break him out of prison because he's a bike brother. They break open his cell, but he doesn't leave with them, because he wants to help the injured police guard.
Soon after this the Satan's Angels gang goes to a music festival to attack the peace-loving flower children. Captain America is there to confront them. He stops the attack.
The Red Skull is watching the action on his viewing screen.
Iron Man #28
Title: The Controller Lives!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Controller
Regulars: Jasper Sitwell
Tony Stark travels to a sanitarium after receiving a distress message from Meredith McCall, a childhood lover of his who now works there. Jasper Sitwell insists on accompanying him, because it's the sanitarium where the severely injured Controller (Basil Sandhurst) is being kept. The sanitarium's head doctor convinces them that Basil Sandhurst is no longer any danger. Jasper Sitwell leaves, and the orderly unmasks to reveal that he's the Controller in disguise. He forces Tony Stark to build his controlling apparatus into his helmet, to remove his dependency on a large device.
Iron Man defeats the Controller in a much too short battle.
Amazing Spider-Man #87
Title: Unmasked at last!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Regulars: Gwen Stacy, Captain Stacy, Harry Osborn, Mary Jane Watson, Randy Robertson, Hobie Brown
Peter Parker is weak and delirious. He has trouble balancing on window ledges as Spider-Man, and he can't think clearly. He comes to the conclusion that he's losing his powers. He's too late for Gwen's birthday party, so he turns up after it's finished, before the last guests have left, and he announces that he's Spider-Man.
That's dramatic. He stumbles away and heads to a hospital to find out if the radiation in his blood is killing him. The doctor says that it's only a case of the flu. After a night's rest he's feeling well again. Now he regrets having revealed his secret identity and wants to take it back. He asks his friend Hobie Brown, who had a short career as the Prowler until Amazing Spider-Man #79, to impersonate him.
Hobie doesn't know Spider-Man's identity, so Peter Parker covers his face with a mask to disguise himself. Then he tells Hobie to go to Captain Stacy's house and talk to Peter Parker.
Peter tells his friends that he only confessed to being Spider-Man because he was delirious. Hobie Brown's appearance as the fake Spider-Man backs it up.
But wait! Shouldn't Hobie be able to guess who Spider-Man is now? Brown jacket, yellow shirt, green trousers... that should be enough to give it away.
Daredevil #67
Title: Stilt-Man stalks the Soundstage
Writer: Roy Thomas, Gary Friedrich
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Stilt-Man
Regulars: Karen Page
Karen Page is asked if she can contact Daredevil to appear in the pilot for a new TV series. Fortunately, Matt Murdock is still with her. He turns up at the studio in person and is offered $50,000 to battle the Stunt-Master in front of the camera.
The Stilt-Man, who we last saw in Daredevil #48, attacks the Stunt-Master and takes his place. He's not as skilled as a cyclist as the Stunt-Master and almost crashes his bike. Daredevil defeats him in a short battle. I'm getting fed up of the single-issue stories.
Matt Murdock returns to New York, leaving Karen behind.
Sub-Mariner #28
Title: Youthquake!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Regulars: Diane Arliss, Dorma
Prince Namor walks through New York City with Diane Arliss, angered by the pollution created by the surface dwellers. He sees young people protesting against the destruction of a park to make room for new factories. The building developer is Sam Westman, and his son Jerry is among the protesters.
Jerry invites Namor to speak at a protest meeting. I believe that this is the first time an exact date has ever been names in Marvel's comics, apart from big events like the Moon landing.
At the event Namor attempts to destroy a construction machine called the Brutivac (TM), but he's too weak because of spending extended time out of water. Jerry helps him by squirting water at him with a fire hose. The Brutivac almost kills Jerry, which makes Sam Westman repent.
In Atlantis Dorma is furious at Namor spending time with Diane Arliss, saying she hates him.
Captain Marvel #21
Title: Here comes the Hulk!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gil Kane
Regulars: Rick Jones
Guests: Hulk
The Hulk is about to attack Rick Jones, but then restrains himself because he never attacks weaklings. So he has an element of compassion in him after all.
The Hulk relaxes and reverts to Bruce Banner. He begins to search for ways to separate Captain Marvel and Rick Jones. He can't find a solution, so he contacts an old professor, Professor Weller, who is an expert in the Negative Zone. He can't help because he's caught in the middle of protests on campus by students who believe his research will be used for military purposes.
I believe this is the first time that Bruce Banner has been called Robert Bruce Banner in Marvel comics.
(Robert) Bruce Banner is agitated by the attacks on his old professor, so he turns into the Hulk. Without knowing why, he jumps to the campus to attack the students. Ah ha! So he does pick on some weaklings after all!
Rick Jones calls Captain Marvel back from the Negative Zone to battle the Hulk. He's no match for the Hulk's strength. His three hour period on Earth runs out, and he's replaced by Rick Jones again. When the Hulk sees him he's confused and walks away.
After only two months, the Captain Marvel comic is cancelled again. It will be two years before the next issue is published.
The Incredible Hulk #130
Title: If I kill you, I die!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross
After jumping around and smashing random objects the Hulk finally turns back into Bruce Banner. He remembers that he visited Professor Weller in this month's Captain Marvel #21, so he returns to the university to check that he's all right. Instead of Professor Weller he meets his previous fellow student, Dr. Raoul Stoddard. Dr Stoddard has invented a Gammatron (TM) which he thinks will cure Bruce Banner of turning into the Hulk. Bruce stands in front of the Gammatron, and there's an unexpected result. He's split into two beings, Bruce Banner and the Hulk, at the same time.
The Hulk recognises Bruce Banner as his enemy and tries to kill him. Only the intervention of the US army attacking the Hulk protects him.
Wherever Bruce Banner goes, the Hulk heads directly towards him, making Bruce suspect that they're still somehow linked. He thinks that the only solution is for the two of them to return to the Gammatron together, but Dr. Stoddard intends to kill Bruce Banner. The army soldiers save his life, and the Hulk leaps away.
I left this notice until the end of the post, because it's a big shock. Jack Kirby will leave Marvel after 30 years with the company (and its predecessors), on and off, and working exclusively for Marvel since 1958. One of the main reasons for his departure was jealousy over the way Stan Lee was being praised for Marvel's success. Jack thought he should receive more credit. I've read reports of his arguments with Marvel, and I feel that they don't tell the whole story. In later years he had legal battles with Marvel considering the ownership of his original artwork, which led to him becoming very bitter with Stan Lee on a personal level.
Other comics published this month:
Millie the Model #185 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Mad About Millie #14 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Chili #16 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Our Love Story #6 (Stan Lee, John Buscema)
Rawhide Kid #79 (Archie Goodwin, Werner Roth)
Western Gunfighters #1 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Chamber of Darkness #6 (Len Wein, Sal Buscema)
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