Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #1
This is the third month of Marvel's upgrade in 1968. There were two new comics in April (Captain America and the Hulk), three new comics in May (Captain Marvel, Iron Man and Sub-Mariner) and two new comics this month (Nick Fury and Doctor Strange). The eighth and final new comic of 1968 will begin in August. Do you know what it is? I'll keep you waiting.
Okay, there's one other experimental comic that Marvel tried out, starting next month, but it didn't succeed. Maybe I should include that as well.
Title: Who is Scorpio?
Writer: Jim Steranko
Artist: Jim Steranko
Villain: Scorpio
Regulars: Dum Dum Dugan, Countess Valentina
Of the new comics beginning this year, this is the craziest. Jim Steranko's psychedelic art assaults the reader on every page. Giving him a full 20 pages each month was the best thing Marvel could do. Unfortunately, the joy ride won't last long. Jim Steranko will leave Marvel at the end of this year. I've read that he didn't get on with Stan Lee. I don't know why, but I'm assuming it was artistic differences. Jim Steranko's style was too un-Marvel. Whatever the reason, it was a tragedy.
I expected this issue to continue from last month's only a dream story, but we move on into a new adventure. Nick Fury is targeted by a new villain called Scorpio who says he wants vengeance, but for what? At the same time, in a parallel story, a criminal called Mitch Hackett is preparing for a job in Las Vegas. He's double crossed by the mob.
I've read that this comic is a homage to the 1955 French film "Rififi". That's something I need to watch.
Doctor Strange #169
Title: The Coming of Dr. Strange
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Dan Adkins
Villain: Baron Mordo
Regulars: Ancient One
This is the first issue of Doctor Strange's own comic. It's numbered 169 because it's adopted the numbering of Strange Tales.
This is a retelling of Doctor Strange's origin, first presented in Strange Tales #115. It's interesting to consider the artwork of the two stories. Both Steve Ditko and Dan Adkins have unusual styles, but very different to one another.
This picture is a shock to me. Doctor Strange smokes cigarettes? That's devastating. He of all the Marvel characters should be able to resist an addiction.
Iron Man #2
Title: The Day of the Demolisher!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: Johnny Craig
Villain: Drexel Cord, Demolisher
Guests: Jasper Sitwell, Janice Cord
This comic is drawn by Johnny Craig, a new artist in Marvel's so-called Silver Age, although he sporadically worked for Marvel's precursor Atlas Comics in the Golden Age. Despite being a very good artist, he could never stay long at any comic company. He was a perfectionist, drawing every panel precisely, but for him artistic perfection was more important than adhering to deadlines. This was a luxury no artist could allow himself in the hectic world of comic books.
A scientist called Drexel Cord is jealous of Tony Stark, and especially jealous of his greatest invention, the Iron Man suit. He builds a robot that he calls the Demolisher to defeat Iron Man. At the end of the fight the robot goes out of control and endangers his daughter Janice, so he sacrifices himself to save her life.
In future issues Janice Cord becomes a regular as Tony Stark's girlfriend.
Sub-Mariner #2
Title: Cry Triton!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Plant Man
Regulars: Dorma, Vashti, Warlord Seth
Guests: Triton, Black Bolt, Medusa. Gorgon, Karnak, Fantastic Four (Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan Storm) (flashback)
The story starts with Sub-Mariner destroying the machines that belong to Destiny. Then he decides to visit the Fantastic Four to ask for their help finding him. He never gets that far.
The Plant Man, who has had a visual and technological upgrade since we last saw him in X-Men #23, is travelling in his submarine near the island where the Inhuman royal family live. Triton is sent to investigate. At the same time the Sub-Mariner is swimming nearby. The Plant Man broadcasts a message telling the Sub-Mariner to attack Triton. Prince Namor ignores this command, of course, but Triton hears it and assumes Namor is an enemy. When the two have weakened each other by fighting, the Plant Man takes them captive and sails towards London, which he intends to destroy with giant plants.
Captain Marvel #2
Title: From the Void of Space comes the Super-Skrull!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Super-Skrull
Regulars: Yon-Rogg, Una, Carol Danvers
Captain Marvel returns to his hotel room after defeating the Sentry. He realises that his Kree cylinder is missing. It was taken by the hotel owner, because he suspects his guest is a spy. Mar-Vell fears that the self-destruct mechanism might have been activated, which will detonate a nuclear bomb within two hours.
The Skrull king has been monitoring the activities on Earth. He is curious why the Kree are so interested in such a primitive planet, He summons the Super-Skrull to visit the Earth and investigate.
This is the first time that we find out that the Kree and the Skrulls are ancient enemies. It becomes important over the next few years.
Stan Lee and his colleagues in the bullpen have forgotten when the Super-Skrull was defeated by Thor and the Fantastic Four. I remember. It was Thor #142 and Fantastic Four #18. I doubt the king would have noticed the defeat in Fantastic Four #32, because it was a very low-key affair. I know for definite that he's not referring to Fantastic Four Annual #3, because his memory was wiped afterwards.
The Super-Skrull is first attracted to the hotel manager's car, because he detects the Kree cylinder, which he discards as useless. Then he fights and defeats Captain Marvel. He carries Mar-Vell away, not realising that the cylinder will soon explode.
The Incredible Hulk #104
Title: Ring around the Rhino!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Marie Severin
Villain: Rhino
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Rick Jones, Betty Ross
Is it just my imagination, or is Marie Severin's artwork getting better from issue to issue?
The Rhino returns after last being seen in Amazing Spider-Man #43. The Soviet spies who originally gave him his powers have made him even stronger. They want him to capture Bruce Banner, because they want to know the secret of the Hulk's strength.
Stan might not be sure about the acid, but I am. That's exactly how Spider-Man defeated him in Amazing Spider-Man #43.
Bruce Banner is being held in a maximum security prison in New York. He's being kept sedated to prevent him turning into the Hulk. They want to transfer him into military custody in New Mexico. The Rhino attacks the transport vehicle and puts him in a helicopter. Rick Jones rams the helicopter, and the shock changes Bruce Banner into the Hulk again.
After defeating the Rhino the Hulk grabs Betty Ross and carries her away.
Captain America #102
Title: The Sleeper Strikes!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Red Skull, Exiles
Regulars: Agent 13
Guests: Nick Fury
The Red Skull goes to his group of assassins, the Exiles, who have been in hiding since World War Two. Captain America defeats the first of them with the aid of Agent 13, but many more are still left. Captain America gives Agent 13 the crystal control key, and it attracts the fourth Sleeper to her. It's too powerful for Captain America to defeat it, but then it suddenly disintegrates. The key has directed Agent 13's emotions for Captain America against the Sleeper.
It's criticism time. This issue doesn't seem to match the previous story. In the last issue the Red Skull was afraid that the Sleeper would destroy the whole world, himself included, but his fear has disappeared and he calmly retrurns to his mission of killing Captain America. The other problem with this story is the key. Why did the Red Skull build a key that would amplify emotions, if he was the one who intended to use it? It all doesn't make sense. This is one of Stan Lee's less successful stories.
Fantastic Four #75
Title: Worlds within Worlds!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Galactus,
Regulars: Crystal
Guests: Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer has hidden himself from Galactus by shrinking small enough to fly into the worlds between atoms. Not knowing this, the three active members of the Fantastic Four (Mr. Fantastic, the Thing and the Human Torch) are left to face Galactus, who thinks they're hiding the Silver Surfer's whereabouts. Galactus creates duplicates of them to battle them into submission.
This gives the Thing a chance to yell his battle cry: It's clobbering time! Or is he singing it?
Reed Richards halts the fight by telling Galactus they will search for the Silver Surfer.
Amazing Spider-Man #61
Title: What a tangled web we weave!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Villain: Kingpin
Regulars: Mary Jane Watson, Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Norman Osborn, Aunt May (vision)
Captain Stacy's hypnosis is wearing off, but only slowly. He's unable to act against the Kingpin, but he's trying not to do anything for him. He decides to take a plane away from New York in the hope that the distance will free his mind. His daughter Gwen accompanies him to the airport. He's intercepted by the Kingpin's henchmen, who take them back to Osborn Laboratories. As we find out this issue, Dr. Winkler, who invented the hypnosis ray, works for Norman Osborn, Harry's father.
Spider-Man attacks the Kingpin, who slips away when the battle is lost.
Norman Osborn has been suffering from amnesia since Amazing Spider-Man #40. but now he's beginning to remember who he is.
The Crazy Credits tell us that Sam Rosen's lettering is lonesome. I don't blame him. He needs a quiet room to work in if he doesn't want to make any mistakes.
Thor #153
Title: But Dr. Blake can die!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Loki, Norn Queen, Ulik
Regulars: Odin, Sif, Balder
Loki stole Thor's hammer while he was fighting with Ulik. Now he will turn into Donald Blake after 60 seconds. Thor begs the Norn Queen to be sent to Earth to face Loki before the time runs out. She does this gladly, hoping that he will be killed. She also sends Sif to fight at his side.
Thor reverts to human form before the battle can begin. Sif fights in vain against Loki.
Donald Blake pretends to attack Loki, but all he wants is to grab the walking stick that Loki is still carrying. He bangs it against a wall and turns back into Thor. The battle begins. In the past they were evenly matched, but now Loki has additional power given him by the Norn Queen.
Note that Odin says that both sons, Thor and Loki, are blood of his blood and flesh of his flesh. In Norse legends Loki was adopted, but in the comics Loki is a biological son of Odin. It wasn't until late in the post-canon years (2009) that the stories were rewritten to make Loki an adopted son.
Odin interrupts the fight and calls Loki back to Asgard. He says that a great threat is coming.
X-Men #45
This is a crossover issue. The story continues in this month's Avengers #53.
Title: When Mutants Clash!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Werner Roth
X-Men: Cyclops, Angel, Beast, Iceman, Marvel Girl
Villain: Magneto, Toad, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch
Regulars: Professor X (flashback)
Guests: Avengers (Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Black Panther)
Cyclops manages to break free from his chains by firing his eye blasts stong enough to shatter the lead shield around his eyes. That was bad planning on Magneto's part. If the shield had been made out of ruby quartz he would never have escaped.
A battle ensues between Cyclops and Quicksilver while Magneto looks on.
Magneto blames the Toad for Cyclops' escape. Typical! Blaming someone else for his own mistake. But talking about mistakes, the new writer Gary Friedrich has slipped up in this panel. The word "not" in Magneto's first speech bubble should be omitted. Think about it.
At the end of the story Cyclops knocks Quicksilver unconscious with an eye blast. At that moment the Avengers arrive.
In this story Don Heck once more does the layouts for Werner Roth. Can't he do them himself?
Title: And the Mob cried Vengeance!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: George Tuska
X-Men: Cyclops, Iceman
Cyclops tries to free Bobby Drake from prison, but Bobby doesn't trust him. He thinks Cyclops is a criminal trying to lead him astray. He says that he's prepared to wait for his trial, because he knows he's innocent. What he doesn't know is that a lynch mob is already gathering outside.
The two mutants fight one another until they're exhausted. At the end of the story a man is about to shoot Bobby in the head.
The Avengers #53
Title: In Battle Joined!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Avengers: Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Black Panther
Villain: Magneto, Toad, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch
Guests: X-Men (Angel, Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, Marvel Girl)
This story continues from this month's X-Men #45. Is this another ruse to boost the flagging X-Men sales? Stan only knows.
The Angel has reached the Avengers and leads them to Magneto's island.
Here's a power that the Angel has that we've never heard mentioned before. It's a sense of direction, like homing pigeons. He can't get lost. It's interesting that we should hear this for the first time in an Avengers comic, of all places.
When they arrive at Magneto's lair the Avengers discover an electronic bug under the Angel's wings, so they don't trust him and leave him in their plane. They find Cyclops standing over the unconscious Quicksilver and demand that he explains. Scott Summers is a hot-headed teenager who doesn't let anyone demand anything from him, so there's a fight.
After this, Magneto uses a machine which can control mutants. He frees the X-Men and makes them attack the Avengers.
The only mutant who isn't being controlled is the Angel. He surprises Magneto, who decides to flee. The Toad turns against him and causes Magneto to fall into the sea to his death. Or so it seems.
Daredevil #41
Title: The Death of Mike Murdock!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Exterminator, Ape-Man, Bird-Man, Cat-Man
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Debbie Harris
This issue Ape-Man, Bird-Man and Cat-Man are called the Unholy Three again. What a horrible name! Although I've heard rumours that my alternate name, the ABC Gang, is even more unpopular!
Daredevil manages to escape from the alternate time continuum by using his super-senses to feel a way out.
Gene Colan says that if Jim Steranko can draw psychedelic art, so can he. I'm sorry, Gene, nobody can match Jim Steranko's psychedelia, but I still think you're one of Marvel's best artists.
Daredevil finds the T-Ray's power source in a building near his apartment. He overloads the power and makes the machine explode. He pretends that he died in the explosion, because it's getting too difficult to keep up his triple identity as Mike Murdock. Is it also the end of Daredevil? We'll find out the answer next month.
Other comics published this month:
Millie the Model #159 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Rawhide Kid #64 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #55 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Not Brand Echh #8 (Roy Thomas, John Verpoorten)
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