Fantastic Four #112
Title: Battle of the Behemoths!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Regulars: Agatha Harkness, Franklin Richards, Alicia Masters
Guests: J. Jonah Jameson, Hulk
This is a typical Thing vs Hulk battle. They already fought in Fantastic Four #25, continuing briefly in Fantastic Four #26, but there have been other battles over the years. The Thing fights as hard as he can, but the Hulk is stronger and can't be defeated.
The Thing rips up a statue of General Forbush. I don't know much about American history. Was he a Civil War hero?
The Thing yells his battle cry: It's clobbering time! Unfortunately, it's not enough, and he ends up as the one who gets clobbered. While he's distracted by Alicia watching the battle, the Hulk hits him on the side of the head. Reed Richards and Johnny Storm arrive and find him dead.
The Crazy Credits tell us that Sam Rosen has a scratchy pen!
This story is slightly out of sync with the Hulk's own comic. It must take place after Incredible Hulk #139.
Amazing Spider-Man #98
Title: The Goblin's Last Gasp!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gil Kane
Villain: Green Goblin
Regulars: Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson
This is the third Spider-Man comic in a row without the CCA stamp. We don't see any drugs being taken, but we see drug dealers on the street, a taboo subject for the Comics Code Authority.
The Green Goblin breaks off his attack on Peter Parker when he sees his son Harry Osborn lying unconscious on the couch.
While Peter Parker is walking to the university campus he sees the drug dealer who has been selling Harry drugs. He beats him up and leaves him unconscious.
Peter patrols the city as Spider-Man, and the Green Goblin attacks him again. He has a new weapon that neutralises his ability to stick to walls and fire his web-shooter. Spider-Man leads the Green Goblin to the hospital where Harry is being treated. The shock of seeing him in such a bad way makes him black out. Spider-Man undresses the Green Goblin (!!!), then takes him back to Norman Osborn's apartment and lays him in bed.
Gwen Stacy returns from London and falls into Peter Parker's arms.
The Crazy Credits tell us that Artie Simek still has his hair. I'm jealous.
Thor #190
Title: And so, to die!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Hela, Karnilla, Loki
Regulars: Odin, Sif, Balder
Hela tells Thor that if he doesn't agree to die, all the humans standing around him in New York City must die. He surrenders and agrees to let Hela take him.
Meanwhile, Balder pleads with Odin to save Thor's life. Odin states, as I have also done in the past, that Hela isn't evil. She is who she is. However, isn't threatening innocent lives in New York City evil?
Odin repents and goes to Earth to stop Hela by slaying her. Thor tells Odin that without Hela the natural order of things will be upturned. Odin agrees, and he lets Hela live again. Hela is once more about to kill Thor, when Sif comes and offers her life in exchange for Thor's. Sif's love touches Hela, so she postpones his death.
In Odin's absence Loki found the Odinring, and with it he claims the throne of Asgard. It was silly for Odin to take it off while he was shaving.
Captain America and the Falcon #139
Title: The Badge and the Betrayal!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Villain: Grey Gargoyle
Regulars: Sharon Carter, Sgt. Muldoon, Leila Taylor
Guests: Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan
That's interesting. The Crazy Credits, mostly used to mock the letterer, have hardly been used for two years, but now they've returned in full force. Artie Simek is said to have lettered the comic with reckless abandon.
The police commissioner has had Captain America brought in to deal with a problem. Policemen have been disappearing without a trace. He wants Captain America to pose as a rookie cop to solve the mystery. Captain America likes the idea so much that he decides to remain on the police force as a regular job, to give him something to do when he's not in his super-hero uniform.
The picture on the front cover is deceptive. It's not an either-or choice. He can be both. But he should have told his friends what he's doing. Nick Fury asks the Falcon where Captain America has gone, and the Falcon has no idea.
Steve Rogers' boss at the precinct is Sgt. Muldoon. His appearance is based on Jack Kirby.
The one responsible for the policemen's disappearance is the Grey Gargoyle, who we last saw in Tales Of Suspence #96.
This issue features the first appearance of Leila Taylor, who becomes the Falcon's girlfriend.
The Avengers #90
Title: Judgement Day
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Avengers: Vision, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Goliath, Yellowjacket, Wasp
Villain: Ronan the Accuser, Sentry 459
Regulars: Jarvis
Guests: Captain Marvel, Rick Jones, Carol Danvers
Sentry 459 defeats the three Avengers (Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Vision), then carries away the unconscious Captain Marvel. They return to Avengers Mansion, where Rick Jones tells them what he knows about the Kree and Captain Marvel's past. It's also a recap for those who never read the Captain Marvel comics.
Goliath sends a message that he's gone to Alaska to answer a distress call sent by Janet Van Dyne, aka the Wasp. She was on a scientific mission with her husband Hank Pym, aka Yellowjacket, but now he's missing. The other Avengers rush to their quinjet to join him.
Poor Jarvis. They should at least shout "Avengers Assemble!" so that he knows they're coming.
Ronan the Accuser and the Sentry are in Aslaska, within the Arctic Circle. Ronan intends to implement Project Atavus, which will reverse the effects of evolution and make the Earth a primitive planet once more. Yellowjacket has already devolved into a brute.
The Incredible Hulk #141
Title: His name is Samson!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross
The Hulk has returned to his own world, and now he's searching for Jarella. He doesn't understand that she lives in a microscopic world inside a speck of dust.
A psychiatrist called Dr. Leonard Samson thinks he can cure Betty Ross by using the Hulk's energy. He persuades Bruce Banner to come to the army base. It involves him sitting in a huge chamber where he has to turn into the Hulk, after which his energy is immediately drained.
I don't trust Dr. Samson as a scientist. First of all, what psychiatrist has ever built such large machines? Secondly, why does he equate the Hulk's psychic force and his libidinal energy? Is he saying that the Hulk is driven by his sexual lusts? He doesn't know much about psychiatry.
However, the machine works. Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk and back again. His energy, whatever it's called, is fired at Betty Ross, and her body becomes human again.
After this Dr. Samson bathes in the remainder of the Hulk's energy. He becomes stronger, and his hair turns green. He designs a costume for himself to become a hero called Doc Samson.
Betty Ross feels attracted to Dr. Samson, and they go on dates. Maybe she can sense the Hulk's gigantic libido? Bruce Banner, who has been told he'll never become the Hulk again, is jealous. He's lost his mojo, baby! He sneaks into Dr. Samson's laboratory, bombards himself with gamma rays, and he becomes the Hulk again.
What??? That's just ridiculous! All this time he's been wanting to become a normal man again, and he gives it up just like that?
The Hulk battles Doc Samson. Eventually the Hulk triumphs. Betty Ross comes and begs the Hulk to spare him. She walks away with Doc Samson, arm in arm.
Sub-Mariner #39
Note: I included the review of this issue in my June 1971 post because of discrepancies in the release months of a crossover story.
Daredevil #78
Title: The Horns of the Bull!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Man-Bull
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page
Karen Page's first film, "Tender Affair", is in the cinemas. This adds to Matt Murdock's sorrow at losing her.
George Alec and his wife Diana, based on Gerry Conway's real-life friends, are in New York to visit a writer called Gardner. This is a subtle reference to Gardner Fox, one of DC's top writers. Maybe George was looking for a job. He must have been turned down, because a year from now, in July 1972, George Alec begins to write horror stories for Marvel in Creatures On The Loose.
A gang attempts to kidnap George and Diana, but they're rescued by Daredevil. He invites them to stay in Matt Murdock's apartment. Karen Page rings Matt when Daredevil has gone, and Diana answers the phone. This makes Karen think Matt has a new girlfriend.
Daredevil is surprised by the gang and taken back to their headquarters. One of them has turned into a creature with a face like a bull.
Gerry Conway is trying hard to put some emotion into his Daredevil stories, but he's not quite succeeding.
Iron Man #39
Title: A Twist of Memory, a Turn of Mind!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: White Dragon
Regulars: Kevin O'Brian, Jasper Sitwell
Guests: Avengers (Captain America, Goliath, Thor, Falcon)
Knockout gas is placed in Tony Stark's car. He drives off a bridge into the ocean. A mysterious organisation, led by White Dragon, places a chip in his head. This puts him under their influence and allows them to track him.
The White Dragon's organisation attacks Iron Man, and he's unable to defend himself because of the chip in his head. The Avengers are passing by and rescue him. It's a weird line-up to be walking the streets: Goliath, Thor, Captain America and the Falcon. There's no way that this can be built in to current Avengers chronology. Gerry Conway has screwed up.
Iron Man collapses at his factory. Kevin O'Brian pulls him indoors. White Dragon watches this and concludes that Tony Stark is Iron Man.
This is yet another poor story from Gerry Conway.
Amazing Adventures #7
Title: An Evening's Wait for Death!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Neal Adams
Inhumans: Black Bolt, Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton
Gerry Conway takes over both stories in Amazing Adventures this month.
In the last issue the Inhumans crash landed on a beach. It's not clear in which country they've landed, but the residents look oriental, possibly Chinese. An army tries to stop them, but they easily escape. Their rocket ship obviously wasn't too badly damaged, because they fly to the west coast of America, to the beach of San Francisco, where they believe Black Bolt is hiding. So that's "The City" which we saw in the last two issues!
Black Bolt is taken into a car by someone called Mr. Dibbs, who claims to be a friend. He's really part of a criminal gang.
The Inhumans find Black Bolt, and he seems to be on the side of the gang.
Title: The Sting of the Widow!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Astrologer
Regulars: Ivan
Guests: Goliath
The Black Widow visits the Avengers Mansion and spies on Goliath, who is alone on monitor duty. I doubt Gerry Conway gave it much thought, but this would fit in before this month's Avengers story.
Ivan faces the Astrologer's gang, He calls the Black Widow, and together they defeat the Astrologer, who dies after falling into the water.
This is another poor story. I wasn't happy with the direction the Black Widow's adventures were going with the previous writers, but Gerry Conway's inept writing has completely ruined the series. That's four different writers in seven issues. There's no continuity.
Other comics published this month:
Conan the Barbarian #7 (Roy Thomas, Barry Smith)
My Love #12 (Stan Lee, Enrique Montserrat)
Rawhide Kid #89 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Creatures on the Loose #12 (Al Hewetson, Syd Shores)
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