The Incredible Hulk #108
Title: Monster Triumphant!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Mandarin
Guests: Nick Fury, Yuri Brevlov
Stan Lee returns as the regular writer for the Incredible Hulk! That's a good reason for people to be dancing in the streets.
We finally find out who Yuri Brevlov is. He's a soldier who fought alongside Nick Fury in World War Two, but now they've been separated by the Cold War. Yuri isn't a bad person. He's not a Communist, but he's a Russian patriot, so he prefers to remain in Russia and change the system from the inside.
The Mandarin attaches a device to the Hulk's neck that puts him under his control. He sends him to attack a Chinese army base. He wants China to blame the USA for this attack and start a nuclear war.
Nick Fury and Yuri Brevlov team up to attack the Mandarin in his castle. They damage the device that the Mandarin is using to control the Hulk, so the Hulk returns and destroys the Mandarin's castle.
In this issue we see Mao Tse Tung blaming America for the Hulk's attack.
The Incredible Hulk Annual #1
This month the first Hulk annual was published, containing an original 51-page and no reprints. This is the second longest story in a single comic so far, second only to the 52-page story in Spectacular Spider-Man #1. That was a b/w story, so this is the longest full colour story so far. The record will be broken next month, but let's not talk about it yet.
Title: A Refuge Divided!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Marie Severin
Villain: Maximus, Aireo, Falcona, Leonus, Nebulo, Stallior, Timberius
Guests: Black Bolt, Gorgon, Lockjaw
This story takes place after the Hulk escapes from the Mandarin's castle in this month's Incredible Hulk #108. The Hulk is wandering aimlessly in China, probably close to the Himalayas, where the homeland of the Inhumans (the Great Refuge) is located. He scares the people in the mountains, which is to be expected.
A few miles away we see Black Bolt returning to the homeland for the first time since Fantastic Four #59, when he decided that the royal family should explore the outside world. The second text box incorrectly states that the Inhumans live in the Alps, which is nowhere near China.
Black Bolt has been called back to judge the treason of six Inhumans who have attempted to become the rulers in his absence: Aireo, Falcona, Leonus, Nebulo, Stallior and Timberius. We saw Aireo briefly in Fantastic Four #47, but the other characters are new. Stallior claims that he's not guilty and regrets being talked into conspiring with the other five. The others are all defiant. Black Bolt finds them all guilty and imprisons them in the Un-Place, whatever and wherever that is. Only Lockjaw can get in and out of the Un-Place, so he transports them there. Good dog!
When Lockjaw returns he materialises near the Hulk. The Hulk obviously isn't a dog person and feels threatened. After a short fight Lockjaw transports the Hulk to the Un-Place on his own initiative. Not so good dog!
The Hulk rejects the offer of friendship from the six exiled Inhumans, but he batters the wall of the Un-Place until he breaks through. Maximus, Black Bolt's evil brother, transports them back into the Great Refuge. He wants them to help him become king. With the help of the Hulk he retrieves a deadly weapon created by an Inhuman called Ramnor, which can absorb people. Stallior opposes Maximus to prove his loyalty to Black Bolt, the other five Inhumans support Maximus, and the Hulk smashes the city at random.
After defeating Maximus, Black Bolt realises that the Hulk isn't evil and offers to let him live in the city. The Hulk sees fear and distrust in the eyes of the other Inhumans, so he turns down the offer and returns to China.
The Avengers #57
Title: Behold the Vision!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Avengers: Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Black Panther
Villain: Ultron-5
Regulars: Black Widow, Vision
I'm a Stan Lee fan. I'd even call myself Stan Lee's biggest fan, if that didn't make me sound like a stalker. However, I consider that this comic, written by Roy Thomas, is the best comic of the month. Roy Thomas wrote 70 issues of the Avengers, from Avengers #35 to #104, and these are some of the best comics ever written. Steve Englehart, also a Stan Lee fan, calls them the best ever.
Roy Thomas got off to a slow start. The first three comics that he wrote, Avengers #35 to #37, were so-so. He was just warming up. The magic began in Avengers #38, and from then on he kept getting better. Avengers #57 is a new peak in his creative genius, and please take my word for it, he'll kepp getting better.
The Wasp is attacked by a creature that can walk through walls. She calls it a vision, and he adopts this word as his name. Unexpectedly, the Vision collapses unconscious. When the Avengers assemble they examine the Vision, and in Hank Pym's words, "He's every inch a human being, except that all his bodily organs are constructed of synthetic materials".
The Vision says that he was sent to kill the Avengers by his creator Ulton, who we last saw in Avengers #55. Now he says he doesn't want to carry out this mission, so he'll lead the Avengers to Ultron to attack him.
Ultron defeats the Avengers, but the Vision destroys Ultron. Seemingly.
Captain America #106
Title: Cap Goes Wild!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Mao Tse Tung
The story opens with Captain America in the middle of a fight with Chinese agents. They're trying to steal something from a local SHIELD building. Captain America stops all the agents, and they're arrested by SHIELD, but the box that they stole is carried away in a helicopter.
The operation has been planned by Mao Tse Tung. That's the second time he's appeared in a comic this month, after Incredible Hulk #108. He's a real life super-villain! The box contains information about creating Life Model Decoys (LMDs). He intends to replace Captain America with an imitation under his control.
Captain America is lured to Hollywood by a film that shows him committing murder. When he arrives at Infinity Studios, owned by the Lucas brothers, he's attacked by a newly created LMD. Captain America defeats the LMD, but Willie Lucas sacrifices himself to help Captain America. In the last panel Cyril Lucas is shot by an unidentified assailant.
Fantastic Four #79
Title: A Monster Forever?
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Android Man
Regulars: Crystal, Alicia Masters
Ben Grimm is elated that he's no longer the Thing, and he can't wait to see his girlfriend Alicia.
Meanwhile, Reed Richards goes to visit his wife in hospital. He doesn't want to tell her that the cosmic rays in her blood are causing complications, but Susan guesses something is wrong. That's a beautiful portrait by Jack Kirby.
For some reason, Ben Grimm takes the Wizard's Wonder Gloves (TM) with him when he goes to meet Alicia. Any other man would take flowers.
The police ransack the Mad Thinker's deserted laboratory and confiscate his equipment. They open a crate that contains a life-size android. This activates it. It's programmed to follow a signal, and kill whoever is wearing or carrying the device emitting the signal. The Wizard's Wonder Gloves are responsible for the signal.
When the android arrives at the luxury restaurant, Ben is showing the gloves to Alicia. The android first attacks Ben, then attempts to kill Alicia. Ben is no match for the android, so he puts on the gloves and turns up the power to give himself a shock. This turns him back into the Thing.
The first thing he does is yell his battle cry: It's clobbering time!
The android is easily defeated, but Ben Grimm can never return to his human form.
Daredevil #45
Title: The Dismal Dregs of Defeat!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Jester
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Debbie Harris
After being framed for murder last issue, Daredevil is on the run from the police. While fighting with the Jester the police come to arrest him, so he has to flee.
Stan Lee awards himself a No-Prize for the succinctness of his caption. He deserves it. Shakespeare couldn't have said it better.
Daredevil borrows a raincoat so that he can travel home incognito. He just happens to catch the same subway as Jonathan Powers, the Jester. This earns Stan Lee yet another No-Prize. I hope that all his shiny No-Prizes were buried with him, so that one day, a thousand years from now, archaeologists will uncover his remains and recognise he was a great man.
The Jester exposes him to the other travellers, so Daredevil has to flee again, towards the Statue of Liberty. A fight ensues. Daredevil rescues a policeman who falls out of a helicopter, but the ungrateful officer tranquillises Daredevil and he's arrested.
At the prison infirmary a trustee prisoner decides to remove Daredevil's mask. To be continued.
Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #5
Title: Whatever happened to Scorpio?
Writer: Jim Steranko
Artist: Jim Steranko
Villain: Scorpio
Regulars: Dum Dum Dugan, Countess Valentina
Wow! What a splash page! Only Jim Steranko could draw something like that.
Unfortunately, this is the last issue of Nick Fury that Jim Steranko produced. Apart from a few upcoming issues of Captain America, this is the end of his time as Marvel. It's a tragedy.
Nick Fury is searching for someone. It's so secret that he doesn't tell anyone at SHIELD. He hires the services of a detective called Pickman.
Nick Fury is due to preside over an LMD test, but first he follows the leads of the SHIELD ESP department, searching for Scorpio. Nick Fury is outmatched. He was foolish to go alone. Scorpio disguises himself as Nick Fury, and he disguises Nick Fury as an LMD. Together they return to SHIELD.
Nick Fury's life is in danger in the LMD test, but he survives. When he unmasks he's recognised as the real Nick Fury.
Pickman breaks into a building in his quest to aid Nick Fury. This building, unknown to him, is SHIELD headquarters, and he's shot in the middle of the battle between Nick Fury and Scorpio.
Nick pursues Scorpio. He rips off his mask and is shocked when he sees who it is. Scorpio jumps through a window and flees.
The untimely exit of Jim Steranko leaves loose ends that aren't tied up in the following issues. Who is Nick Fury looking for? Who is Scorpio? Jim should at least have told the next writers what he was planning. I suspect that he left Marvel on bad terms.
Scorpio doesn't return for another 10 years, so we have to wait a long time to find out who he is. I'm pretty sure that the identity revealed isn't the one that Jim Steranko originally planned.
Doctor Strange #173
Title: While a World Awaits!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Dormammu, Umar
Regulars: Clea, Victoria Bentley, Wong
Even though Doctor Strange's powers are slowly returning, he's still no match for Dormammu. He's trapped while Dormammu enters the Earth's dimension.
Clea and Victoria Bentley, now safe in Doctor Strange's sanctum sanctorum in Greenwich Village, use the Eye of Agamotto to influence Umar and make her release Doctor Strange. He follows Dormammu to Earth, where Dormammu is unusually weak. Doctor Strange reveals that Dormammu is under his own curse for breaking his promise (in Strange Tales #141) not to return to Earth.
Iron Man #6
Title: Vengeance Cries the Crusher!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: George Tuska
Villain: Crusher, Whitney Frost
Regulars: Jasper Sitwell, Janice Cord
In Tales Of Suspense #91 the Crusher was defeated when Tony Stark's Centrifuge Machine (TM) made him so heavy that he sank into the Earth. That wasn't the end. The effects wore off. Using materials he found in a laboratory abandoned by Tyrannus, he's managed to return to the surface, and he wants revenge.
On the romance front, Tony Stark is trying to contact Janice Cord, who he hasn't seen since Iron Man #2. Jasper Sitwell is still in love with Whitney Frost, not knowing that she's the Maggia's leader, Big M.
Crusher attacks Iron Man in Tony Stark's factory. He threatens Whitney Frost, who is snooping around. Iron Man defeats Crusher by throwing him into the sea. He's too heavy to rise to the surface.
Sub-Mariner #6
Title: And to the Vanquished, Death!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Doctor Dorcas, Tiger Shark, Destiny
Regulars: Dorma, Vashti, Warlord Seth
Tiger Shark believes Sub-Mariner to be dead. He forces Dorma to lead him to Atlantis to become king.
Tiger Shark's sister, Diane Arliss, searches for her brother. She's accidentally injured by Sub-Mariner when he breaks out from under the wreckage of Dorma's vessel. Sub-Mariner carries her back to Doctor Dorcas and demands that he heal her.
In Atlantis Tiger Shark fights and defeats Warlord Seth to become the new king of Atlantis. Then Sub-Mariner arrives and defeats him.
Captain Marvel #6
Title: In the Path of Solam!
Writer: Arnold Drake
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Solam, Quasimodo
Regulars: Ronan the Accuser, Yon-Rogg, Una, Carol Danvers
The monster shown on the splash page doesn't really exist. Captain Mar-Vell is in the orbiting Kree space ship battling an illusion for his regular training. Yon-Rogg deliberately turns the machine's intensity factor up to maximum, hoping that Mar-Vell will die.
After the training session, Mar-Vell returns to Earth to assume his identity as Dr. Walt Lawson. Shortly after he leaves the ship, it's necessary for the ship to land on Earth for essential repairs. Carol Danvers sees the ship in the sky, but Dr. Lawson mocks her.
When the two are caught in the wind blast of the Kree ship taking off, he mocks her even more. At least he's a gentleman and is careful where he puts his hands. If it had been me I would have allowed myself a little accident. Nevertheless, this incident makes her distrust Dr. Lawson even more.
Back at the base, Dr. Lawson is told of a plan to harness solar power for space travel. He knows immediately that it's dangerous, because the Kree have already had problems with this technology, but he can't explain the problems without giving himself away. When the solar light cannon is fired, it creates a being made out of pure energy called Solam. Dr. Lawson changes into his uniform and fights with the monster. He can only defeat it by firing even more energy at it with the solar light cannon. The exact amount has to be calculated with a hookup of four giant computers. That was 1968. Today my mobile phone would have the answer within seconds.
At the end of the comic, Quasimodo, who we last saw in X-Men #48, detects the computer energy and says he wants to feed on it.
Amazing Spider-Man #65
Title: The Impossible Escape
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Villain: Prisoners
Regulars: Aunt May, Mary Jane Watson, Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson
Guests: Foggy Nelson
In the last issue Spider-Man fell unconscious onto the road after defeating the Vulture. The people want to unmask him, but Captain Stacy says this would be against his legal rights.
J. Jonah Jameson also wants Spider-Man to be unmasked, and he argues with Captain Stacy. This dialogue gives us insight into JJJ's thoughts. Anyone who insists on legal rights must be a religious fanatic.
Spider-Man wakes up in the prison infirmary, and when he realises he won't be unmasked he decides to remain where he is while he regains his strength.
A gang of prisoners wants to stage a jailbreak. They take Captain Stacy hostage. Spider-Man knows he's still too weak to take them on, so he pretends to be on their side. When he feels strong enough he picks them off one by one in the dark. Then he leaves the prison.
Thor #157
Title: Behind him, Ragnarok!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Loki, Norn Queen, Mangog
Regulars: Odin, Sif, Balder, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
Guests: Recorder
Take a good look at the picture on the splash page. This is typical for Jack Kirby's artwork in the late 1960's and beyond. I can only describe Mangog's face as Kirbyesque. I'm not a big fan of Jack Kirby like many others. I appreciate his artwork, but he was never up to the standard of artists like Steve Ditko, Gene Colan and Jim Steranko. I also think that Kirby's early art, up to the mid 1960's, was better. He used to draw with minimal efficiency, but now he's started drawing bloated monsters with horrific faces. However, he still has the old Kirby magic when he puts his mind to it. Look at the beautiful portrait of Reed and Sue Richards in this month's Fantastic Four.
Karnilla still refuses to let Balder go, but the imprisoned warriors that she's set against him refuse to fight him any more. They're impressed by his bravery. They offer to follow Balder back to Asgard to fight the Mangog. Karnilla allows this, but she swears vengeance on Balder for spurning her love.
Loki is the opposite. When he sees Mangog approaching he flees.
Thor and Balder are the last stand against Mangog in the chamber of the Odinsword. Mangog begins to draw the sword, when Odin awakes. He undoes the spell which imprisoned the whole of the Mangog's race in a single person. The Mangog himself ceases to exist, and Ragnarok has been averted.
In case you didn't know, 157 is my lucky number.
X-Men #49
This issue's cover is drawn by the amazing Jim Steranko. It's a shame it was only the cover.
Title: Who dares defy the Demi-Men!
Writer: Arnold Drake
Artist: Werner Roth
X-Men: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast, Iceman
Villain: Mesmero, Demi-Men, Magneto (vision)
Regulars: Lorna Dane
The Angel visits the now deserted school. He finds that Cerebro is reporting a large number of mutants, so he calls Cyclops and Marvel Girl back to investigate.
A mutant called Mesmero has gathered a small army of mutants around him who worship Magneto, who died in Avengers #53. As far as they know, he died. You remember what I said about Bucky Barnes and Uncle Ben. Mesmero is using a Psyche Generator (TM), invented by Magneto, to allow him to send out a message to draw all latent mutants in America to San Francisco.
Bobby Drake rescues a mesmerised girl in San Francisco called Lorna Dane. She's 1200 miles from home and doesn't remember how she got here. Bobby takes her back to the apartment that he's renting with Hank McCoy. They're soon joined by the remaining X-Men.
Mesmero and his Demi-Men attack, but when they see Lorna they fall on their knees and worship her.
Welcome to Marvel's newest letterer, Herb Cooper. This is the first of many comics that he'll letter for Marvel, and the Crazy Credits are fast to put him in his place. It's stated that his lettering is execrable. That's not a common word, but take it from me, it's not a compliment. After a greeting to the Bullpen like that I'm surprised that he turned up to work the next day.
Title: A Beast is Born
Writer: Arnold Drake
Artist: Werner Roth
X-Men: Beast
We're introduced to Hank McCoy's parents, Norton McCoy and Edna McCoy née Adams. Norton works at an atomic energy plant. After an accident in which he's bombarded with radiation, Edna insists that he gets a new job. A few years later they have a baby who is unnaturally strong and can hold his milk bottle with his feet.
Silver Surfer #2
The Silver Surfer series written by Stan Lee was something special. The brooding alien wandered the Earth speaking philosophical utterances wherever he went. Apart from that, he had a cool surfboard. He captured the imagination of 1960's comic readers like none other. Here are the contents of this month's "Stan's Soapbox":
You can see from this that the Silver Surfer is at the centre of Marvel comics. I wish Stan Lee had written more than 18 issues of this phenomenal series. I also wish the Silver Surfer had been better adapted to cinema. Let's try it again. Can you spell reboot?
Titles: When lands the Saucer!
Let Earth be the Prize!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Badoon
Regulars: Shalla Bal
This is a single 40-page story split into two parts with different titles. Judging by the split in the middle, it seems like Stan Lee was keeping his options open to publish the story in two normal length comics.
The story begins with the Silver Surfer looking for a place on Earth to live. He wants the company of fellow beings around him. First he goes to a small European village, then to a large American city, but wherever he goes he's rejected because he's different. Stan's Soapbox, shown above, promises a statement on bigotry next month.
The Silver Surfer continues to philosophise, putting the needs of others above himself. This is just one page of many. The action itself doesn't start until page 12, so it's good that the comic is so long.
The Badoon come to Earth in a cloaked spaceship that only the Silver Surfer can see. They tell him they come in peace, but he soon sees through them. They want to invade the Earth. He defeats them, but because they're invisible the people below think that the Silver Surfer is on a mad rampage of destruction.
The Badoon leave the Earth, but Stan Lee promises they will return in a new series that will start soon. I wonder what series he means. It never happened, even though he signed the text box Sincere Stan.
Title: The Coming of the Krills!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
From this month on the Tales of the Watcher retell stories that have already been printed. Gene Colan redraws the stories, and they're extended from the original five pages to ten pages. Apart from adding an introduction by the Watcher, the plot is the same, and the dialogue is almost the same.
This story is a retelling of a story from Amazing Adult Fantasy #8, published in January 1962. Here are two excerpts for the sake of comparison.
This is the original, drawn by Steve Ditko.
This is the new version, drawn by Gene Colan.
The story is about alien invaders who visit a radar station. They ask the operators to turn off their radar to facilitate their invasion. Only one of them agrees to cooperate, so they give him the most beautiful woman in the universe, their king's daughter, as a prize. The invasion fails, but he can keep his bride. Unfortunately, the women that the Krills find beautiful look ugly to us on Earth.
Other comics published this month:
Millie the Model #163 (Stan Lee, Sol Brodsky)
Rawhide Kid #66 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #59 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders #7 (Archie Goodwin, Dick Ayers)
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