Fantastic Four #44
Title: The Gentleman's Name is Gorgon!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Gorgon
Guests: Medusa, Dragon Man
After the rather chaotic wedding in last month's Fantastic Four Annual #3 Reed and Susan Richards are settling down to married life in the Baxter Building. Why should they think of moving out if they already rent four floors?
Medusa, a former member of the Frightful Four, approaches Johnny Storm and asks for help. She's being hunted by someone she calls Gorgon. He's a large costumed man who can create shock waves by stamping his foot. After driving to open land near the campus of State University Johnny and Medusa are surprised by Dragon Man, who has been hiding there since Fantastic Four #35. Dragon Man protects Medusa from Gorgon because he likes her hair.
It's getting difficult to differentiate between Villains and Guests in my reviews. Medusa used to be a villain, now she isn't, even though a short fight takes place because of a misunderstanding. Dragon Man fights on the side of someone who's on the Fantastic Four's side, which makes him a guest. Gorgon is against Medusa, making him a villain this issue, but he'll soon be a guest. It's complicated.
From this issue on the Fantastic Four's adventures take on more of a soap opera quality. The stories run into one another with no smooth break.
At least the Thing has the opportunity to yell his battle cry: It's clobbering time!
I don't understand what the Crazy Credits are trying to say, apart from the fact that Stan Lee is the one at the centre of the whole creative process.
Amazing Spider-Man #30
Title: The Claws of the Cat
Writer: Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Villain: Cat (a cat burglar)
Regulars: Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Frederick Foswell, Ned Leeds, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan
Sit and look at the splash page for a few minutes. It's simple, but it's beautiful. This is what we've come to expect from Steve Ditko.
A petty cat burglar is having some success, but he considers himself too insignificant to be bothered by Spider-Man. He steals from J. Jonah Jameson's safe, and the Bugle editor offers a $1000 reward for his capture. Spider-Man pursues the burglar to get the money.
Peter Parker graduated in Amazing Spider-Man #28, but there's still contact with his old school friends. He bumps into Flash Thompson and Liz Allan in the street. He'll be seeing a lot of Flash in the future, because they both have scholarships to the same university, Empire State University. Liz Allan says that she now has a job, but she doesn't say where.
In this issue Ned Leeds proposes to marry Betty Brant. She visits Peter Parker to talk about it. She tells Peter that she wants to marry a normal hard-working man like Peter, not a costumed adventurer like Spider-Man. Peter doesn't know whether to accept her interest or push her away, but he errs towards the latter.
The final picture, expertly drawn by Steve Ditko, sums up the story.
The Crazy Credits tell us that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko are literary greats, but Artie Simek is only a fast worker. Good for him! In an army not every soldier can be a general.
Strange Tales #138
Title: Sometimes the good guys lose!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Severin
Villain: Hydra
Regulars: Dum Dum Dugan, Gabriel Jones
Guests: Tony Stark
SHIELD is too late to prevent the Betatron Bomb (TM) being launched into orbit. Hydra attacks SHIELD headquarters and captures Nick Fury while he's in a meeting with Tony Stark. Tony is unable to help him because he left his Iron Man suit at home.
There's a sub-plot about the supreme leader of Hydra having differences of opinion with his daughter, who's also a Hydra member.
Hydra is divided into ten divisions. Cut out this picture and hang it on your wall for future reference.
The Crazy Credits tell us that everyone who worked on the comic is royalty. Even Sam Rosen is a prince!
Title: If Eternity should fail!
Writer: Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Villain: Dormammu, Baron Mordo
Regulars: Ancient One, Hamir (unnamed)
Steve Ditko is once more credited as this story's plotter.
This is the ninth part of the Doctor Strange-Dormammu-Baron Mordo epic. Doctor Strange finally meets the being known as Eternity to request power to battle Dormammu, but the request is refused. Eternity tells Doctor Strange that all he needs is wisdom.
The artwork in this comic is so stunning that I feel tempted to reproduce all of it, but I'll restrict myself to this one picture. If you want to see more I advise you become an Unlimited Member at www.marvel.com.
The Crazy Credits say that Stan Lee is incredible and Steve Ditko is invincible, while Sam Rosen is indelible. If it had only been his lettering that's indelible I would have shrugged and said "Of course it is", but if Sam himself is indelible that raises him to the level of Steve Ditko.
Tales to Astonish #73
Title: By Force of Arms!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan (as Adam Austin)
Villain: Krang
Regulars: Dorma
Prince Namor continues on his quest to find Namor's trident. As the next stage he has to battle a powerful undersea being, the Demon of the Diamonds. After defeating him he temporarily abandons his quest to aid Lady Dorma.
With Stan Lee's usual alliteration the Crazy Credits tell us that Artie Simek is angelic. I always new it! I wonder what Gene Colan would have been called if he'd used his real name. Geriatric Gene Colan?
Title: Another world, another foe!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Bob Powell
Villain: Leader
Guests: Watcher
After the Hulk falls unconscious from the strain of preventing his change back to Bruce Banner, the Leader examines him. He finds the bullet in the Hulk's brain and removes it. He also gives the Hulk a large gamma ray dose which makes him even stronger.
The Leader sends the Hulk to the Watcher's homeworld to retrieve a device he calls the Ultimate Machine, with which he can become the master of the Earth. First, it's an amazing feat to have developed a telescope able to observe what's happening on planets in other galaxies, millions of light years away. If I had a telescope like that I'd be the ultimate voyeur. Second, how does the Leader know that this machine is so powerful? It only looks like a small metal ball, without any markings.
Stan Lee uses the Crazy Credits to admit that he's forgotten what Artie Simek does. He's just a weird looking guy in the bullpen who sits in a cage watching television.
Tales of Suspense #71
Title: What price victory?
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Titanium Man
Regulars: Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan
This is the conclusion of the battle between Iron Man and the Titanium Man. Iron Man wins with the help of the Reverser Ray delivered by Happy Hogan.
At the end of the last story it seemed that Happy was dead. Now we find out that he's still alive, but barely.
Tony Stark rushes to Happy's bedside immediately after defeating the Titanium Man. Pepper Potts is disgusted with him for not being there earlier.
Sometimes the Crazy Credits contradict one another. A few months ago we read that Artie Simek is kept in a cage, but now we hear that he lives the good life. Maybe it's a luxurious cage with comfortable fittings?
Title: When you lie down with dogs!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: George Tuska
Villain: Nazis
Captain America escapes and also frees Bucky Barnes. After his daughter is shot by the Nazis the traitor Dr. Rawlings decides to help Captain America by firing his new missile at the Nazis who are attacking Steve Rogers' regiment. Ironically, even though he's considered a deserter he's the one who saves them.
This is the last Captain America story set in World War Two. From the next issue onwards the stories will take place in the present. Can anyone spell continuity problems?
The Crazy Credits tell us that the other creators work with passion and power, while all Sam Rosen has to his name is a penpoint.
Journey into Mystery #122
Title: Where mortals fear to tread!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Loki, Absorbing Man
Regulars: Odin, Jane Foster
The tide turns and Thor finally manages to defeat the Absorbing Man. Before Thor can strike the finishing blow Loki transports him to Asgard to challenge Odin for the throne.
The mystery man who kidnapped Jane Foster is revealed to be Harris Hobbs, the reporter that Thor met in Journey Into Mystery #114. He suspected that Don Blake might be Thor, so he kidnapped Jane Foster to get the proof when he came to rescue her. At first he says he will reveal Thor's story to the world, but after being threatened by Thor he backs down. He asks merely for permission to see Asgard in exchange for keeping the secret.
I don't understand why Thor is bothered about Harris Hobbs seeing him changing from Thor into Don Blake. We saw in Journey Into Mystery #115 that he has the power to make mortals forget, simply by talking to them while they're asleep. So Hobbs wasn't asleep? No trouble. A little tap on the head would have knocked him out.
Everyone at the bullpen has different motivation for his work, but this is the second issue of Journey Into Mystery in a row in which the Crazy Credits tell us that Artie Simek is only in it for the money.
Title: The grim spectre of mutiny!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Gods: Odin, Thor, Loki, Balder, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
The quest continues to find the one responsible for damaging the Odinsword. Loki leads a mutiny against Thor, but the rebellion is overthrown with the assistance of Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg.
The Avengers #22
Title: The Bitter Taste of Defeat
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Don Heck
Avengers: Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch
Villain: Enchantress, Power Man, Masters of Menace (Ringmaster, Princess Python, Clown, Cannonball, Great Gambonnos)
The Avengers disbanded at the end of the last issue. They try in vain to find new jobs.
In Amazing Spider-Man #22 the Ringmaster was thrown out by his fellow circus acts, but now he's back with them. He invites Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch to join his circus. When they find out it's a criminal affair they fight against the circus artists. The Ringmaster calls the police and accuses the Avengers of attacking him.
Captain America visits Power Man and the Enchantress in disguise to get proof that they were the ones who made the Avengers look like crooks.
The Marvel staff are shining stars in the firmament, but the Crazy Credits tell us that Artie Simek does his lettering in seclusion. That's not just because he's locked in a cage, it's because he's a man of modesty. I admire him!
X-Men #14
Title: Among us stalk the Sentinels!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Werner Roth (as Jay Gavin)
X-Men: Cyclops, Angel, Beast, Iceman, Marvel Girl
Villain: Sentinels
Regulars: Professor X, Zelda
A scientist called Dr. Bolivar Trask has designed robots that he calls Sentinels to hunt and kill mutants. Professor X appears on a television talk show to discuss whether mutants are menaces or not. Live on the air the Sentinels rebel against their creator and take him prisoner. Professor X summons the X-Men to pursue the Sentinels to their lair.
Over the years the Sentinels became the X-Men's most deadly foes, destined to enslave not just mutants but all of mankind at some point in the future. For me personally they were never credible foes. If all the super-heroes, not just the X-Men, had united against them they would have been reduced to scrap metal within a few months.
Bobby Drake asks the waitress Zelda out on their first date.
From this month onwards the X-Men comics are published monthly.
The Crazy Credits say that everyone in the bullpen is highly qualified, except for Artie Simek who's tired of lettering. Maybe he wants a bigger job. He should be happy with what he does. Calligraphy is a forgotten art.
Other comics published this month:
Millie the Model #132 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Modelling with Millie #43 (Sol Brodsky, Stan Goldberg)
Kid Colt Outlaw #125 (Larry Lieber, Jack Keller)
Two Gun Kid #78 (Larry Lieber, Dick Ayers)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #24 (Stan Lee, Dick Ayers)
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