Fantastic Four #88
Title: A house there was!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, Crystal
Villain: Mole Man
Regulars: Susan Richards, Alicia Masters
It's usual for Stan Lee's stories to stretch credibility. There are parallel universes, beings who eat planets, and scientific devices that can snoop on anywhere in the world. Marvel fans have got used to that. However, this story stretches credibility so far that it snaps.
Susan Richards has been allowed to buy a new house while her husband Reed is away fighting super-villains. Okay, he trusts her, but is his trust in her well founded? This is the house she wants for her son to grow up in? There's just a small entry hatch on the surface, and the rest of the house is underground. What mother would want her baby to grow up in a house without sunlight?
And look at the internal architecture. It's hardly attractive. What was Susan thinking? In fact, what was Stan Lee thinking? After all the years he's spent writing about Millie the Model, Chili and Patsy Walker he should have some idea about what women want for themselves and their children.
Reed and Susan still haven't decided on a name for their eight-month-old baby, but in this issue we have the first two suggestions. Johnny Storm wants the baby to be called Johnny, and Ben Grimm wants the baby to be called Benjamin. That figures. I still think Victor would be a better choice. It might make Doctor Doom so sentimental and teary eyed that he'll never attack the Fantastic Four again.
But what about the house? It turns out that it was built by the Mole Man, and it contains a device that will make the whole of the human race blind, starting with those closest. When the Fantastic Four lose their eyesight and are attacked by the Mole Man, we all know what's going through Reed Richards' head:
"That's the last time I let my wife use my credit card!"
Captain America #115
Title: Now begins the nightmare!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Red Skull
Regulars: Rick Jones, Sharon Carter
Guests: Yellowjacket
The Red Skull has found the Cosmic Cube, which turns all his wishes into reality. He could easily kill Captain America, but he's too proud to give him an easy death. He wants Captain America to beg for mercy.
When he realises that he can do nothing to break Captain America's spirit, he swaps bodies with him. Then he teleports Sharon Carter to Captain America's hotel room and tells her that the Red Skull is threatening him.
This issue briefly mentions Rick Jones' Teen Brigade. It first appeared in Avengers #1, and since then it's occasionally shown, for instance in Tales To Astonish #97. This group of radio hams never seems to be very effective, except to remind us that the stories are taking place in the 1960's, not the present day.
The Crazy Credits emphasise that Sam Rosen's lettering is legible. That shows that Stan Lee is keeping a closer eye on him after he misspelt Johnny Craig's name last month.
Amazing Spider-Man #74
Title: If this be Bedlam!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Villain: Man-Mountain Marko, Maggia, Lizard (vision)
Regulars: Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, Randy Robertson
The Saga of the Stone Tablet continues. Dr. Curt Connors has been kidnapped by the Maggia to decipher the stone tablet. That's strange, because his subject is Biology, not Ancient Languages.
Dr. Connors' wife and son are being held as hostages. Spider-Man frees them.
Dr. Connors works feverishly to decipher the tablet, despite fear that the stress will turn him into the Lizard. Eventually he realises that the hieroglyphics are a chemical formula. He mixes a liquid, not knowing what it will do, and gives it to Silvermane, the aged head of the Maggia. It makes him young again. The stone tablet contains the formula for the legendary fountain of youth.
The Avengers #66
Title: Betrayal!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Barry Smith
Avengers: Thor, Iron Man, Goliath, Vision, Yellowjacket, Wasp
Villain: Ultron-6
After the last issue the Black Panther returned to Africa. Awww, he didn't even say goodbye to the readers. In his place, Thor and Iron man have returned to the team. The Avengers.have been summoned to the SHIELD Helicarrier to test a batch of a new metal called Adamantium. The Avengers take turns trying to break it, but it's indestructible.
The Vision feels faint and leaves the Helicarrier without the others. Later he returns by himself and steals the Adamantium. When fighting with the SHIELD agent on guard we see the first use of the Vision's signature punch, if you can call it a punch. He makes himself unsolid, puts his fist or his whole arm inside his opponent, then partially solidifies himself. This causes the opponent severe bodily stress that makes him pass out.
This gives Barry Smith an opportunity to show off his artistic skill. What a picture. I'll be glad when he can get a visa and work for Marvel legally.
Later the Vision returns to the Avengers Mansion and attacks his team mates. He lays the Vision Punch on the Wasp and Yellowjacket, knocking them both out. Maybe I should shorten Vision Punch to VP, because it will be happening a lot in upcoming issues, more often than Spock's Vulcan Death Grip. Their fight is interrupted by a loud rumbling noise. It's Ultron with a new body that the Vision has built out of Adamantium.
From now on I'm going to have problems syncing the multi-part adventures of Thor and Iron Man with the Avengers. This is what Stan Lee has to say about it:
I get his point, but I'll still do my best to put the stories in the right order. If it's too tough for me to solve problems by myself, I'll refer to Travis Starnes' Complete Marvel Reading Order for advice. In this case he suggests that Avengers #66 to Avengers #68 take place before Iron Man #15 (this month) and Thor #171 (December 1969). An alternative would be to place it before Thor #163 (April 1969).
Iron Man #15
Title: Said the Unicorn to the Ghost!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: Johnny Craig
Villain: Unicorn, Red Ghost
Regulars: Janice Cord, Jasper Sitwell
Johnny Craig's name is spelt correctly this issue. That's because Sam Rosen has been replaced by Artie Simek as letterer. Poor Sam will never be able to live it down in the bullpen.
The Unicorn seemingly died in Iron Man #4. Here we see that he survived, but at the cost of his sanity.
The Red Ghost finds the Unicorn and brings him back to health, giving him a temporary cure for his rapid ageing. We last saw the Red Ghost in the chaotic Fantastic Four Annual #3, before then in Avengers #12. He's lost his power to become unsolid, and he's also lost his cosmic apes. He's trained two new monkeys to replace them.
Tony Stark has invented a Cosmic Ray Intensifier (TM), a device that can fire concentrated cosmic rays, the rays that are usually only found in space. It was these rays that gave the Fantastic Four and the Red Ghost their powers. The Unicorn steals the Cosmic Ray Intensifier and brings it to the Red Ghost, who uses it on himself. While Iron Man is fighting with the Unicorn, the Red Ghost flees with his monkeys. He blows up the building where Iron Man and the Unicorn are fighting.
Thor #166
Title: A God beserk!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Him, Karnilla, Haag
Regulars: Odin, Sif, Balder
Enraged that Him has kidnapped Sif, Thor pursues Him, threatening to kill Him. Balder says that the Warrior Madness has come over Thor. He should be merciful, because Him is just a child who doesn't know what Him's doing. Thor refuses to listen and battles Him into submission. Him encloses himself in a cocoon for protection. Thor attempts in vain to tear the cocoon apart. As the cocoon drifts off into space, Thor comes to his senses.
Odin has been watching the fight and is angry with Thor. Odin decrees that Thor must travel alone to seek Galactus.
Sub-Mariner #15
Title: The Day of the Dragon!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Marie Severin
Villain: Dragon Man, Dr. Dorcas, Tiger Shark (flashback)
Regulars: Vashti, Dorma
Guests: Diane Arliss
Prince Namor returns to Atlantis, and he's recognised as the rightful king. He wants to reunite with his lover, Lady Dorma, but Lord Vashti tells him that she's left. In his absence there was a threatening message from Diane Arliss, Tiger Shark's sister, accusing Atlantis of keeping him prisoner. He actually escaped in Sub-Mariner #9. Lady Dorma left to search for Sub-Mariner and hasn't been seen since.
Diane Arliss tells Sub-Mariner that she's holding Dorma prisoner at Empire State University. He goes there and finds Diane accompanied by Dr. Dorcas (last seen in Sub-Mariner #6), Professor Gilbert (last seen in Fantastic Four #35) and Dragon Man (last seen in Avengers #42). Dragon Man is now being controlled by Professor Gilbert.
Sub-Mariner defeats Dragon Man, then promises Diane Arliss that he will find her brother Todd (Tiger Shark) for her.
Daredevil #54
Title: Call him Fear
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Mr. Fear
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page
First Captain America, now Daredevil. That's the second super-hero in six months who's faked the death of his civilian alter-ego. If it carries on like this Irving Forbush will be reported dead while taking his yearly vacation in Latveria.
Daredevil is missing his billy club, which is usually disguised as a walking stick. Karen Page took it when Matt collapsed in a restaurant in Daredevil #51 and never had a chance to return it. He asks for it back, but she says she wants to keep it, as it's the only thing of Matt's she has to remember him by. Later at night Daredevil breaks into her apartment and steals the walking stick while she's asleep. Hmph! He could be drummed out of the super-heroes union for something like that!
Mr. Fear, who we last saw in the yellow costume days of Daredevil #6, has been released from prison and challenges Daredevil to a fair fight. Does Daredevil really expect a fair fight? He foolishly accepts the challenge. At first the fight goes in Daredevil's favour, but then Mr. Fear points at Daredevil and he collapses in fright, in front of onlooking crowds.
The Incredible Hulk #117
Title: World's End?
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Leader
Regulars: Betty Ross
The Leader fires a nuclear missile towards Russia to start a nuclear war. The Hulk breaks out of his plastithene prison and threatens the Leader, so the Leader's giant robot attacks the Hulk. The leader doesn't want his equipment to be damaged in the fight, so he teleports the Hulk and his robot to an off-shore volcanic island. After defeating the robot the Hulk jumps back to the base. It's lucky that he knew the way. He must have homing pigeon abilities.
It's too late for the Hulk to do anything about the nuclear missile. Betty Ross calms him down, so he turns back into Bruce Banner. Bruce quickly programs a Hunter Missile (TM) to track and destroy the nuclear missile while it's still over the open sea. The strain makes him turn back into the Hulk. The Leader launches a second nuclear missile. The Hulk leaps into the air and lands on it before it's too fast. He twists it, so that it keeps heading upwards, until it explodes in the upper atmosphere.
The Leader realises he's lost and leaves in his flying craft. The Hulk falls into the sea and reverts to Bruce Banner.
X-Men #58
Title: Mission: Murder!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Neal Adams
X-Men: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast, Iceman
Villain: Sentinels, Professor Abdol (Living Monolith)
Regulars: Alex Summers, Lorna Dane
Guests: Mesmero, Banshee, Magneto (robot)
I make no secret of it: the Sentinels are the recurring Marvel villains that I like the least. I can't take them seriously. How could any mere robot be given as many abilities as they have? Nevertheless, they're an important part of the Marvel canon, and if I suspend my disbelief I can accept their importance in the X-Men stories. The Sentinels represent bigotry. The represent the philosophy that all mutants are evil just because they're mutants.
The Sentinels capture Iceman, Angel, Mesmero and Banshee. They don't capture Magneto, because he's only a robot. This was the reason why he claimed to have lost his powers.
Alex Summers is walking free, because he made a deal with Larry Trask that Lorna Dane wouldn't be harmed if he obeyed him. When it becomes obvious that Larry was lying, Alex uses his powers. The Sentinels subdue him by shielding him from the cosmic rays that are the source of his power. On the other side of the world, Professor Abdol begins to turn into the Living Monolith again, but the Sentinels shield him from the rays as well and capture him.
Judge Chalmers argues with Larry Trask about whether all mutants are evil. Larry says that he will decide after he's captured them all. When the Banshee attempts to escape, Larry gives the Sentinels the command to destroy all the mutants in the area. Judge Chalmers punches Larry, knocking the medallion off his neck that his father gave him. This was a signal dampener, to prevent the Sentinels detecting that Larry too is a mutant.
Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #13
Title: The Super-Patriot!
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Super-Patriot
Regulars: Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones, Jasper Sitwell, Laura Brown
Ever since Jim Steranko left this title there's been no continuity in the creative team. It's like the Nick Fury comic is a hot potato that nobody wants to hold. I have to admit, nobody could do this comic justice the way Jim Steranko did.
Nick Fury is arrested by Dum Dum Dugan for murder. He breaks out of prison with the help of a Sonic Disintegrator Ring (TM) that Laura Brown smuggles in to him. He goes into hiding on the streets of New York City. He sees a costumed speaker who calls himself the Super-Patriot, telling the crowds that they have to protect America from the traitors.
Jasper Sitwell attempts to arrest Nick Fury, but fails. He might have been top of his class in the SHIELD academy, but he's still an inexperienced young agent.
The next day the Super-Patriot announces that he will blow up the United Nations building to rid the city of traitors. Nick Fury attacks the Super-Patriot at the same time as a SHIELD task force arrives. Together they overcome him. Nick Fury pulls off the Super-Patriot's mask, and he sees his own face.
Doctor Strange #181
Title: If a world should die before I wake
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Nightmare
Regulars: Clea, Wong
Guests: Eternity
This story has a delayed double splash page. Here are the first three pages to put it in context.
That's beautiful art by Gene Colan, but I still don't appreciate double-page pictures with a gap in the middle. Panoramas like this should be in the centre pages, where a complete picture can be printed without an ugly white line in the middle.
Doctor Strange challenges Nightmare to battle. Nightmare accepts, but he says Doctor Strange must wait an hour, so that he'll have time to be afraid.
When the battle begins, Nightmare sends his minions against Doctor Strange, who can easily be defeated. Then Nightmare takes up the battle himself. He turns the Cloak of Levitation and the Eye of Agamotto against Doctor Strange.
Other comics published this month:
Millie the Model #172 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Chili #3 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #68 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Captain Savage and his Battlefield Raiders #15 (Arnold Drake, Don Heck)
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