Iron Man #1
Two new comics last month, another three this month! This is truly the Golden Age of Marvel, whatever other people decide to call it.
Title: Alone against AIM!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Big M (Whitney Frost), Whiplash, Mordius, AIM
Guests: Jasper Sitwell, Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones
The AIM submarine carries Iron Man to land, to a castle used by the AIM leader Mordius. He analyses Iron Man's suit and creates three copies for AIM members. Safety measures installed by Tony Stark make the copies defective. Iron Man escapes after destroying the castle.
Meanwhile, Jasper Sitwell rescues the mystery woman that we've seen in the last few issues (Tales Of Suspense #98 and #99) from the sinking casino ship. Her name is Whitney Frost, but she's also Big M, the leader of Maggia.
There's a three page backup story retelling of Iron Man's origin from Tales Of Suspense #39.
Sub-Mariner #1
Title: Years of Glory, Day of Doom!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Destiny, Byrrah (flashback)
Guests: Fantastic Four (Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm) (flashback)
Like all the other new comics, Sub-Mariner #1 retells the origin of the lead character. Prince Namor is lying below the ice, fearing he might die. He remembers the tale of how his mother, Princess Fen of Atlantis, met Captain Leonard McKenzie. His ship accidentally caused damage to the city of Atlantis beneath the surface. Princess Fen swam to the surface, fell in love with him and married him. The Atlanteans came to rescue Fen and unknowingly killed her husband. Namor was born a few months later.
As a young man he attacked New York in the 1940's. Then he allied himself with America to fight against Germany and Japan. This was the end of his so-called Golden Age adventures. Next we see an attack on Atlantis some years later. Namor investigates, and he finds that the explosions were caused by Destiny testing his new powers. Destiny made Namor lose his memory and sent him to New York. There he lived as a homeless man until the events of Fantastic Four #4 took place.
After remembering these things Namor breaks out of the ice and sets off to pursue Destiny.
After praising the other creators the Crazy Credits merely state that Sam Rosen's lettering is legible. I would call it magnificent.
Captain Marvel #1
Title: Out of the Holocaust, a Hero!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Sentry 459
Regulars: Yon-Rogg, Una, Carol Danvers, Ronan the Accuser
Captain Marvel battles the Sentry because he thinks that its random rampage would endanger his mission to learn about the human race.
Captain Marvel has to protect Carol Danvers from the Sentry. That must confuse people who only know the films.
After a long battle Captain Marvel defeats the Sentry. Yon-Rogg sees this and reports to the Kree Empire that Mar-Vell is a traitor. Ronan answers, saying he's observed the battle and knows it was initiated by Yon-Rogg. He considers Mar-Vell to be insignificant, but he warns Yon-Rogg against doing anything else which is harmful to the mission on Earth.
The Crazy Credits say that the fire extinguishers were supplied by Honest Irving Forbush. It's just as well they weren't needed. I'm worried that he might have been cutting costs.
The Incredible Hulk #103
Title: And now the Space Parasite!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Marie Severin
Villain: Space Parasite (Randau)
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Rick Jones, Betty Ross
Yet again, this comic features outstanding artwork by Marie Severin. She's got into her stride now.
In the last issue Odin sent the Hulk back to Earth. Of all places, he's sent to the middle of Times Square. I suppose that's the centre of the Earth, as far as New Yorkers and Asgardian Gods are concerned.
In an orbiting spaceship a one-eyed being who calls himself the Space Parasite is watching. He was formerly Randau, the king of a far distant peaceful planet. In order to save his planet from attack he bathed in solar rays to make himself stronger. This also made him addicted to fighting. He absorbs the strength of everyone he defeats. He sees the Hulk as his ideal victim. They battle in the city centre, ending up in Yankee Stadium. The Hulk wins the battle, so the Space Parasite teleports back to his ship. At this moment the people of his planet make his ship explode to stop him becoming any more powerful.
Police surround the Hulk. Before he can escape he turns back into Bruce Banner.
Captain America #101
Title: When wakes the Sleeper!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Red Skull
Regulars: Agent 13
Guests: Nick Fury
Captain America recognises Werner Von Krimm, a Nazi war criminal, in New York and attempts to take him captive. Nick Fury interrupts and says that he's an innocent citizen and should be released. Captain America complains, but Nick Fury tells him that he's placed a tracking device on him, so that he can be followed to a more important criminal.
Werner Von Krimm takes a plane to a small island in the Atlantic Ocean. Captain America pursues him, in constant radio contact with Nick Fury. He meets the Red Skull, who seemingly died in Tales Of Suspense #91. Werner Von Krimm has a key that the Red Skull needs to activate the fourth Sleeper. There were three Sleepers in Tales Of Suspense #72 to #74.
The Sleeper awakes, but the Red Skull can't control him. Its mission is to destroy the Earth.
After fighting one another Captain America is left swimming in the sea. He has the control key, but he doesn't know what to do with it.
Fantastic Four #74
Title: When calls Galactus
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Galactus, Punisher
Regulars: Alicia Masters, Crystal
Guests: Silver Surfer
The Thing visits his girlfriend Alicia and finds her talking to the Silver Surfer. He's seeking advice, because Galactus wants him to become his herald again. This can only mean that Galactus is desperately hungry.
Galactus was last seen briefly in Thor #134, but his last full appearance was in Fantastic Four #50.
Galactus sends the Punisher to Earth. Reed, Ben and Johnny face him while Crystal looks after Sue. The Punisher seems to be winning the battle when Galactus calls him back. He's now close enough to the Earth to search for the Silver Surfer.
The Thing yells his battle cry: It's clobbering time!
Amazing Spider-Man #60
Title: O Bitter Victory!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Villain: Kingpin
Regulars: Aunt May, Anna Watson, Mary Jane Watson, Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant
Spider-Man is unable to defeat the Kingpin, so he flees. Captain Stacy has been completely hypnotised by the Kingpin. In the Gloom Room-A-Go-Go Mary Jane Watson tells Harry and Gwen that she saw men fighting Spider-man, but Captain Stacy tells her it was nothing serious.
Spider-Man is suffering after the fight and has double vision, so he needs to take a few hours rest. Late in the evening he visits Gwen as Peter Parker to talk to her father about the Kingpin. Captain Stacy denies any criminal activity took place and attacks Peter. Gwen walks in to see Peter knocking her father on the floor. She says she never wants to see Peter again.
Captain Stacy phones the Kingpin and tells him about the conversation with Peter. The Kingpin sends men to kill him, but they can't find him.
The next day Spider-Man follows Captain Stacy and sees him stealing police files. Peter Parker delivers photos to the Daily Bugle for an exclusive report. When Gwen sees the special newspaper edition she hates Peter even more.
Strange Tales #168
This is the last issue of Strange Tales for now. It will be briefly revived in 1973. Next month Nick Fury and Doctor Strange will have their own comics.
Title: Today Earth died!
Writer: Jim Steranko
Artist: Jim Steranko
Villain: Vaengr
Regulars: Dum Dum Dugan, Countess Valentina, Jimmy Woo
For months I've been praising Jim Steranko's artwork. Here's more proof that he was Marvel's best artist in 1968:
Was that enough for you? If not, look at this page:
Nick Fury invites Jimmy Woo to join SHIELD. It's not sure he will accept, because he blames Nick for Suwan's death in Strange Tales #166.
There's a report of a visitor from another planet called Vaengr. Nick Fury goes to greet him, but it's a trap. Dum Dum Dugan and Countess Valentina are both reduced to dust. Then Nick wakes up. It was just a dream. Or was it?
Title: Exile!
Writer: Dennis O'Neil
Artist: Dan Adkins
Villain: Yandroth
Regulars: Victoria Bentley, Ancient One
Doctor Strange finally defeats Yandroth. The Ancient One transports him and Victoria Bentley back to Earth.
Thor #152
Title: The Dilemma of Dr. Blake!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Loki, Norn Queen, Destroyer, Ulik
Regulars: Odin, Sif, Balder
This story's title is nonsensical. Doctor Blake does not appear. In fact, we haven't seen Doctor Blake since way back in Thor #143.
Thor continues to battle the Destroyer, unable to win even now his full Asgardian powers have returned. He doesn't realise that if he defeats the Destroyer Sif will die, because her life force is powering it. The battle ends abruptly when Karnilla the Norn Queen removes Sif's life force and the Destroyer collapses. She has done this in return for Balder protecting her against Ulik the Troll.
Balder is no match for Ulik, so the Norn Queen transports Thor into her realm to continue the fight. Thor barely wins, but when he wants to celebrate he realises that Loki has stolen his hammer.
Title: While the City Shrieks!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inhumans: Triton, Black Bolt
Triton runs around New York, confused by the city. Everyone runs from him in fear. When he stands in the road cars drive at him, making him think he's being attacked. He returns to Attilan and reports to Black Bolt that the surface world is a world of madness, and the Inhumans should make sure they're never discovered.
The Avengers #52
Title: Death calls for the Arch-Heroes!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Avengers: Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Black Panther, Thor (cameo), Iron Man (cameo), Captain America (cameo), Hercules (mentioned), Quicksilver (mentioned), Scarlet Witch (mentioned)
Villain: Grim Reaper, Wonder Man (flashback)
Regulars: Black Widow
Guests: Jasper Sitwell
This is another comic this month in which the title doesn't make sense. What's an "arch-hero"? The word doesn't exist. An arch-villain is the supreme villain or most powerful villain. An arch-angel, usually spelt without a hyphen, is the supreme angel. (Only one angel, Michael, is called an archangel in the Bible). An arch-hero, if the word existed, would presumably be the greatest hero, so why is the word used in the plural? As I said, the title doesn't make sense.
That's enough nit-picking for today. Let me move on and write about this excellent story.
The Black Panther arrives at Avengers Mansion to take up his new position as an Avenger. Nobody answers the front door, so he enters by stealth. He has to overcome the electronic devices defending the building. When he enters he finds the other three active Avengers, Hawkeye, Goliath and the Wasp, lying dead. At this moment Jasper Sitwell enters and accuses him of murder.
I wonder where Jarvis was when all of this happened. He must have been enjoying a well deserved night off.
The Black Panther lets himself be arrested, even though he could easily escape. He doesn't even claim diplomatic immunity. He goes along with the system, hoping to find out what's happened.
In a flashback we see that a villain called the Grim Reaper defeated the Avengers. He's the brother of Simon Williams aka Wonder Man. He (wrongly) blames the Avengers for his brother's death in Avengers #9.
The Black Panther surmises that the Avengers' real killer must still be in Avengers Mansion, so he breaks out of the police station and returns to the scene of the crime. The Grim Reaper tells him that the Avengers aren't dead. His scythe has put them into a state of near-death, and they will die after three hours. Who can understand the logic of super-villains? Why didn't he kill them straight away? And why did he tell the Black Panther about the delayed death? The Black Panther defeats him and takes the scythe with him to the hospital morgue. One tap makes them fully conscious again.
After officially accepting the Black Panther as an Avenger, they say that they want to find Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch.
This story is slightly out of sync with the current Captain America adventures. In a cameo appearance Captain America says he has just defeated the Sleeper, so the Avengers story must take place after next month's Captain America #102.
X-Men #44
For a few issues the cover of the X-Men will announce that one or more of the X-Men are featured inside. This is in addition to the monthly origin story. At this time the X-Men comics were struggling with poor sales figures. These changes were presumably intended to give the comics a boost. I don't understand why this comic was less popular than the others, but maybe I'm biased. I think all the current Marvel super-hero stories being written are brilliant, with the possible exception of Doctor Strange.
Title: Red Raven, Red Raven!
Writer: Roy Thomas, Gary Friedrich
Artist: Werner Roth
X-Men: Cyclops, Angel, Beast, Iceman, Marvel Girl
Villain: Magneto, Toad, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Red Raven
The X-Men have been defeated by Magneto. They're left alive in the hope that they'll join Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Some hope. The Angel escapes and attempts to fly to New York to enlist the help of the Avengers.
Stan Lee has forgotten when Quicksilver learnt how to fly. He should have asked me. It was Avengers #43. Does that earn me another No-Prize?
The Angel rests on a small island, presumably in the north Atlantic Ocean. He's attacked by a man with artificial wings who calls himself Red Raven. There used to be a race of birdmen who lived on a island floating in the clouds above the Atlantic. 40 years ago a plane crashed on the island, and the only survival was a small baby. He was adopted by the birdmen. He wasn't told where he had come from until he was an adult. He found out that the birdmen intended to conquer the surface world, so he activated a defence procedure which put all of the island's inhabitants apart from himself into a deep sleep for 20 years. He also dropped the island into the sea, just below the surface, to keep it hidden.
Red Raven has no ill intentions. He just wants to protect his people while avoiding a pointless war. He knocks out Angel, but saves his life by putting him out to sea on a raft. When he wakes up he continues his flight towards the Avengers.
There seems to be some chaos in the production of this issue. Roy Thomas left the comic after writing the plot. Don Heck has supplied the layouts for Werner Roth's artwork. In later years Roy Thomas claimed that Werner Roth was an unsuitable artist for the X-Men. I know I'm not an expert, but I disagree.
Title: The Iceman Cometh!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: George Tuska
X-Men: Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman
This story reveals how Iceman's powers first became public. His powers were already known to his parents, but they insisted that he keep them secret. Bobby Drake was out on a date with his girlfriend Judy. He was threatened by local bullies. To protect Judy he froze one of the bullies, scaring the others away.
The police came to arrest him. Professor X read about the incident in a newspaper and told Cyclops to go and free him.
Daredevil #40
Title: The Fallen Hero!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Exterminator, Ape-Man, Bird-Man, Cat-Man
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Debbie Harris
In this issue Ape-Man, Bird-Man and Cat-Man are no longer referred to as the Unholy Three. That's just as well. I hated that name.
Daredevil finds the ABC Gang – don't you think that's a much better name? – robbing a bank. He does well against them until one of them hits him with a Time Displacement Ray (TM). He finds himself in a parallel universe with Debbie Harris and the ray's other victims. One by one they fade away and return to the real world, leaving Daredevil alone. He fears that he's received a stronger blast and won't ever return.
Marvel Super-Heroes #14
Captain Marvel was the lead story in the last two issues of Marvel Super-Heroes. Now that he's been given his own comic a different character will be featured every month. How do I know? It's because Stan Lee said so. Nuff said!
This issue features Spider-Man. According to the notes on the splash page:
"When John Romita sprained his wrist our old pal Ross Andru came to the rescue with this replacement Spidey yarn. But then Johnny made his deadline after all. Since we can't bear to leave this mixed-up little masterpiece slumbering on the shelf, here it is, pilgrim. A once-in-a-lifetime treat for you".
That's a neat little story, but I don't believe it for a moment. Stan Lee can't fool me so easily. Everyone knows that Stan is the writer, so if John Romita really were indisposed the replacement artist would draw Stan's regular story, not a completely new story. Stan's just testing his readers to see if they're paying attention. I've just bagged myself yet another No-Prize!
Title: The Reprehensible Riddle of the Sorcerer!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Ross Andru
Villain: Sorcerer, Synthetic Man / Hollow Man
Regulars: Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn
A sorcerer who calls himself the Sorcerer wants to defeat Spider-Man anonymously. With his ESP powers he influences Spider-Man to take a plane trip to New Orleans during Mardi Gras. He guides him to a warehouse where a stretchy, bendy monster is in a box. The Sorcerer refers to it both as the Synthetic Man and the Hollow Man. Did the Sorcerer make it himself? No idea! The Sorcerer controls it by using an electronic Psycho Intensifier (TM) to strengthen his natural ESP powers.
Spider-Man is unable to defeat the monster, but when the Sorcerer's doorbell rings there's a feedback and the Psycho Intensifier kills him. Without mental control the monster wanders into the sea.
Other comics published this month:
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #54 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders #3 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tick the box "Notify me" to receive notification of replies.