Amazing Spider-Man #92
Title: When Iceman Attacks
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gil Kane
Regulars: Gwen Stacy, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson
Guests: Iceman
When Spider-Man sees Gwen Stacy and Sam Bullit waiting for him in Peter Parker's apartment, he grabs Gwen and leaps out of the window with her. He's protecting her from Bullit, but she thinks he's kidnapping her and struggles with him. Bobby Drake is walking by and sees this happening. He changes into Iceman and fights Spider-Man to free Gwen. Spider-Man lets him have Gwen and swings away. Bullit thanks Iceman, which gives the surrounding people the impression that Iceman is working for him.
J. Jonah Jameson rings Bullit to tell him he's withdrawing his newspaper's support for his campaign to become district attorney. Joe Robertson has researched Bullit's past and discovered he's a crook. Bullit sends his henchmen to kidnap Robertson. Spider-Man pursues their car, but Iceman attacks him again, slowing him down. When Iceman finally sees what's happening he teams up with Spider-Man to free Robertson.
Then they go to Bullit's fundraiser to expose him. He's arrested by the police.
Fantastic Four #106
This is an outstanding cover, drawn by John Romita.
Title: The Monster's Secret!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Villains: unnamed monster (Larry Rambow)
Reed Richards rushes to face the monster wrecking havoc in the city, leaving the Human Torch to take care of Ben Grimm.
Reed Richards' old friend, Dr. Rambow, reveals that the monster is his son Larry. He was trying to abolish war, so he built a suit that would absorb the energy of any weapon. Larry wore the suit to test it, but the energy was too much, turning him into a monster.
These are wise words spoken by Dr. Rambow. You can't end war and violence with a weapon.
The fancy looking machine absorbs the energy, turning Larry back to normal.
Thor #184
Title: The World Beyond!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Loki, Storm Giants, Rock Trolls
Regulars: Odin, Balder, Sif, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
John Buscema's artwork is becoming better from issue to issue. He's a worthy successor to Jack Kirby.
Thor returns to Asgard and finds everyone trembling in fear. An invisible power is approaching Asgard, devouring the universe as it approaches. A being called the Silent One has appeared in Odin's throne room, who doesn't communicate, but seems to know what's happening.
Odin enters the World Beyond, followed by the Silent One, while Thor is told to remain behind and defend Asgard. Loki uses the opportunity to attack Asgard with an army of Storm Giants and Rock Trolls. Thor stops the attack. Then Odin's spirit appears and warns Thor about Infinity.
Captain America #133
Title: Madness in the Slums!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Modok, AIM, Bulldozer
Regulars: Falcon
Guests: Iron Man (Tony Stark)
We finally find out what Modok's name stands for:
Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing.
Cool. We see in a flashback that he was an average member of AIM. He was genetically altered to become an ultimate fighting machine. He was supposed to serve AIM, but he was too powerful and made himself AIM's leader.
Sadly, these words spoken by Modok are true, and not only in comics.
Modok creates a giant robot called the Bulldozer. It goes to Harlem and starts to knock buildings down. The young residents of Harlem call the Bulldozer a hero, but Captain America and the Falcon see through AIM's deception. Using a device built by Tony Stark, they fight and defeat the Bulldozer. Modok is close by, watching the fight. He's trapped in a collapsing building and dies. Seemingly.
Sub-Mariner #33
Title: Come the Cataclysm
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Villain: Byrrah, Krang, Dr. Dorcas
Regulars: Dorma, Vashti
While Prince Namor is away, Atlantis is shaken by an underwater explosion.
Dorma wants to see what the "timult" is. Is that Atlantean slang, or did Artie Simek misspell "tumult"? Get back in your cage, Artie!
Byrrah arrives, who was exiled from Atlantis for attempting to usurp the throne in Tales To Astonish #91. He says that Namor has allowed the surface people to attack. The Atlanteans ask him to be their new ruler. Namor returns, but the people reject him. He says he'll find out who attacked. He tracks the source of the explosion to an underwater lair occupied by Warlord Krang and Dr. Dorcas, both of whom were last seen in Sub-Mariner #24. They confess that they were working with Byrrah.
Namor returns and expels Byrrah once more.
And now the moment comes that we've all been waiting for. Prince Namor asks Lady Dorma to marry him. Imperius Rex! Soon we'll be hearing the patter of little webbed feet on the ocean floor. Or shall we? Future issues will tell the tale.
The Incredible Hulk #135
Title: Descent into the Time-Storm!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Kang
Guests: Phantom Eagle
Kang the Conqueror, who we last saw in Avengers #71, is still determined to conquer the 20th Century. He thinks he can do this by killing Bruce Banner's grandfather in 1917, preventing the Hulk ever existing. This will make it easy for him to defeat the Avengers. I have a better suggestion. He should travel to 1960 and kill all the heroes before they gain their super powers. Why does he always have to do things the difficult way?
This is Roy's Theory of Relativity. Hmmm. It sounds more like Roy's Big Cop Out. I wonder what the readers will write in the letter pages. Let's wait and see.
Kang wants to go back to 1917 in person, but a time storm prevents it. He sends the Hulk in his place. The Phantom Eagle, who we saw in a one-shot story in Marvel Super-Heroes #16, is about to destroy a giant German cannon called The Boche (TM) that will kill Bruce Banner's grandfather on the battlefield. Kang tells the Hulk he must destroy the Phantom Eagle's plane in order to defeat Bruce Banner. The Hulk doesn't understand the logic in this, but he goes along with the plan.
The Hulk knocks the Phantom Eagle out of the sky. Then the ground forces fire at him, so he goes on a rampage, destroying The Boche before it can harm anyone.
The Hulk is flung back through time to 1971.
The Avengers #84
Title: The Sword and the Sorceress!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Avengers: Black Panther, Goliath, Vision, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Thor, Black Knight
Villain: Arkon, Enchantress
In the last issue the Enchantress disappeared after the Scarlet Witch turned her powers back upon herself. Now we find out where she went. She's in the parallel universe where Arkon rules. We last saw Arkon in Avengers #76.
The Black Knight is trying to find out if his sword is controlling him, or the other way round. On more than one occasion he's almost killed someone, and he suspects the sword's influence. He speaks to his ancestor, the first Black Knight, who tells him to go to Stonehenge to destroy his sword. At Stonehenge an old woman tells him it can only be destroyed at the Well at the Centre of Time, to which she transports him. This well is in Arkon's kingdom. The Enchantress tells Arkon that the Black Knight is an enemy, and they trap him.
The Scarlet Witch has a dream about the Black Knight's capture. She convinces her fellow Avengers that it's something that really happened, so they call Thor to help them travel to the parallel universe.
Arkon parted with the Avengers in peace, but the Enchantress persuades Arkon that they've come to overthrow him. It's not until the Black Knight throws his sword into the well and destroys it (seemingly) that he's convinced the Avengers came in peace. He allows them to leave.
This story is out of sync with the current Thor adventures in his own comic. It probably takes place before Thor #182 (November 1970).
Iron Man #33
Title: Their mission: Destroy Stark Industries!
Writer: Allyn Brodsky
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Spymaster, Espionage Elite
Regulars: Jasper Sitwell, Kevin O'Brien
Guests: Nick Fury
A group calling itself Espionage Elite, led by the Spymaster, wants to destroy Stark Industries. Tony Stark is tipped off by SHIELD.
Kevin O'Brien, who now works in Stark's main plant, recognises Tony Stark's voice when Iron Man talks to him.
Tony drives to meet Nick Fury, but it's Number 3 of the Espionage Elite in disguise.
Last month Jean Izzo spelt "deceived" wrong. This month she spells "conceited" wrong. Artie Simek should have a serious talk with his little girl.
Daredevil #72
Title: Lo! The Lord of the Leopards!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Quothar
Gerry Conway wrote the Ka-Zar story in last month's Astonishing Tales #3, but this is his first story for one of Marvel's main comics. It's also his first full-length story. At the time of writing this story he was either 17, or he'd just turned 18. Either way, he was Marvel's youngest writer. Within a few years he'll become one of Marvel's most prolific writers.
Daredevil tracks Tagak, a man accused of stealing valuable paintings. Daredevil finds out that Tagak isn't the thief, it's a man called Quothar, who's being hunted by Tagak. They both come from another world which can be reached by crossing through a mirror. After they catch Quothar, Tagak takes him back to his world.
As stories go, this is an average attempt, neither poor nor outstanding. I'll be paying close attention to Gerry Conway's stories as the months pass, because I remember calling him Marvel's weakest writer 40 years ago. When I read his stories again I'll judge them with an open mind.
Amazing Adventures #4
Title: With these rings, I thee kill!
Writer: Jack Kirby
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inhumans: Black Bolt, Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton
Villain: Mandarin
This is the last story written and drawn by Jack Kirby before he left Marvel. It won't be the same without him.
The Inhumans find the Eye of Yin, but the Mandarin steals it from them. They defeat him in battle and bury his rings deep in the Earth before they leave.
Don't be overconfident, Black Bolt. The Mandarin can easily make himself new rings.
Title: Deadlock
Writer: Mimi Gold
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: gangsters
Regulars: Paul Hamilton
This is another story written by Mimi Gold, Marvel's only female writer.
The Black Widow escapes from the gangsters, then rushes to help the teenagers who are occupying their community centre.
That's four issues of the Black Widow fighting gangsters. I find these stories boring. She should be battling super-villains.
Other comics published this month:
My Love #9 (Stan Lee, Gene Colan)
Rawhide Kid #83 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #83 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Tower of Shadows #9 (Roy Thomas, Tom Palmer)
The Romita covers in particular are models of clear visual storytelling. I miss that on the covers of most modern comics.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the covers are best without speech bubbles, regardless who drew them. The first speech bubbles started appearing on the covers at the beginning of 1970, and by mid 1970 they became the norm. I wonder why the change was made. The speech bubbles make the comics look cheaper.
DeleteI love John Romita's covers, maybe even more than his inner artwork. He's one of the greats. I'll mention here, at the risk of being booed by Kirbyites everywhere, that I don't think Kirby was Marvel's best artist in the 1960's. He did some great artwork, but he wasn't consistent. In particular, the art in his last few months at Marvel wasn't up to his usual standards. Maybe his heart wasn't in it any more? In comparison, Steve Ditko, Gene Colan and John Buscema always produced first class art. And Wally Wood, of course.
DeleteDo you know why Herb Trimpe was unpopular with readers? Stan Lee mentioned on the bullpen page that readers wanted him to be replaced, but I can't see why. His art for the Hulk was very competent.
Actually, speech bubbles appeared on '60s Marvel covers as well, and I never minded them at all. All they did was make a comic look like what it was - a comic. For my own views on Jack Kirby, type his name into the search box on my blog - you'll find that I don't deify him the way some Kirby fans do.
DeleteAs for Herb Trimpe, he was a good visual storyteller, but there was something about his style that some readers didn't like. I think that disappeared when John Severin started inking his Hulk stories, so maybe previous inkers didn't help. I quite liked his early Captain Britain strips, which were inked by Fred Kida, but Trimpe definitely needed an inker that suited him, even if it meant softening his own style.