Captain America and the Falcon #134
This is a landmark issue. The comic previously known as Captain America has been renamed Captain America and the Falcon. This seals the partnership that the two heroes began last month. Although the Black Panther was Marvel's first black super-hero, the Falcon is the first to have a comic book named after him. Stan Lee is ahead of his time.
Title: They call him Stone-Face!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Stone-Face
Captain America and the Falcon are trying to clean up Harlem. A racketeer called Stone-Face is demanding protection money from shopkeepers.
The Falcon's nephew, Jody Casper, is working for Stone-Face as a numbers runner. Was that a common expression in 1971? I had to look it up. It's someone who collects the money and betting slips of small-time gamblers, something like a lottery. I assume that gambling of this type was illegal, because Jody is arrested.
The Falcon, who works as a social worker called Sam Wilson, vouches for Jody in court, and so does Captain America. Jody gets off without punishment. Stone-Face (wrongly) assumes that Jody has ratted on him to get off, so he sends his goons to beat up Jody and his mother. Captain America and the Falcon pursue Stone-Face and bring him to justice.
Amazing Spider-Man #93
Title: The Lady and the Prowler
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Regulars: Gwen Stacy
Guests: Prowler
Hobie Brown aka the Prowler reads the news reports about Spider-Man killing Captain Stacy. He's suspicious that he was asked to impersonate Spider-Man at Captain Stacy's house in Amazing Spider-Man #87, so he's convinced that Spider-Man is a killer and wants to bring him to justice.
Gwen's uncle invites her to stay with him in England. Peter Parker decides that he needs to reveal his secret identity to Gwen, but when he's outside her house the Prowler attacks him. Spider-Man wins the fight, but the Prowler is injured in a fall. Spider-Man removes Hobie's costume and carries him to a hospital. When he returns to Gwen's house, she's already on the way to the airport. Spider-Man arrives minutes too late.
This rant about Spider-Man borders on schizophrenia. It's similar to what we see in the Hulk's comics.
Peter Parker used Spider-Man's powers to speed to the airport, but he wasn't fast enough. He can't even rely on his Spider Power.
My praise goes out to Stan Lee. He's always a good writer, but this issue stands out above the rest.
Fantastic Four #107
Title: And now, the Thing!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Villain: Janus, Annihilus (flashback)
Regulars: Alicia Masters, Agatha Harkness, Franklin Richards
Reed Richards has finally cured Ben Grimm, but the results are better than expected. Now he can change from human form to the Thing and back whenever he wants to. An unfortunate side effect is that he's become reckless with his strength, which scares Alicia.
At least the Thing still uses his battle cry: It's clobbering time!
Susan Richards tries to sneak up on her son Franklin, but he can see her even when she's invisible. She suspects that he has some sort of super powers.
A man called Janus visits the Baxter Building, begging to be allowed to enter the Negative Zone. Reed Richards tells him that it's too dangerous. Janus knocks Reed out with a stun gun and jumps into the Negative Zone. When the other members of the Fantastic Four return, Reed says that Janus himself is the most dangerous man alive.
Thor #185
Title: In the Grip of Infinity!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Infinity
Regulars: Odin, Sif, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
This is a magnificent story. After defeating Loki, Thor enters the World Beyond. He faces a powerful creature called the Guardian, who wants to block his path. When Thor speaks the name of Infinity the battle ceases and the Guardian is punished by Infinity.
Thor sees the Silent One watching him and tries in vain to force him to give information.
On Earth astronomers see the far reaches of the universe turning black. Rainstorms break out throughout the world.
Thor uses his hammer to carry the entranced Warriors Three back to Asgard. His hammer doesn't return in time, and he turns back into Donald Blake. The Guardian returns to attack him.
The Incredible Hulk #136
Title: Klaatu! The Behemoth from Beyond Space!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Xeron, Klaatu, Abomination
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross
A hunter called Xeron the Star-Slayer has travelled across space to search for a creature called Klaatu, which is hiding within the Empire State Building. Bruce Banner is being transported to New York by General Ross. When they fly past the Empire State Building, Klaatu's energy emissions cause him to turn back into the Hulk.
The Hulk fights with Klaatu while Xeron is trying to catch him. Klaatu escapes, so Xeron tries to capture the Hulk instead.
When the Hulk is dragged into the ship, he sees that the first mate is the Abomination, who was last seen trapped on the Stranger's planet in Thor #178.
Sub-Mariner #34
Title: Titans Three!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Villain: soldiers
Regulars: Dorma, Vashti
Guests: Hulk, Silver Surfer
The Hulk has swum to an island called San Palo, which is ruled by a cruel dictator, El General.
According to Stan Lee, the Spanish name for the Hulk is La Mole. I would have called him Senor Hulk.
But Marvel changed its mind about the Hulk's Spanish name. When a Spanish series was introduced, less than a year later, he was called La Masa. I still think Senor Hulk sounds better. Or how about El Hulkador?
Has Roy Thomas got confused? Isn't this a Sub-Mariner comic? Yes it is. Sub-Mariner is observing the construction of a device on a Caribbean island that will have a drastic effect on the weather. He won't be taken seriously if he makes a peaceful visit to warn them, so he enlists the help of the Silver Surfer. They see that the Hulk is nearby, so they go to get his help as well. I don't know what they're thinking. The Hulk is the last person I'd take along to discuss the dangers of a new invention.
When Sub-Mariner and the Silver Surfer arrive on the island, they try to persuade the Hulk that they're friends, but they don't succeed until the forces of El General attack them. Together they destroy the army.
This comic is out of sync with the current Hulk stories in his own comic. I assume it takes place after Incredible Hulk #134 (December 1970), but Travis Starnes' Complete Marvel Reading Order places it after Hulk #138 (April 1971).
The Avengers #85
Title: The world is not for burming!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Avengers: Goliath, Vision, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Thor, Black Panther, Black Knight, Captain America
Squadron Supreme: Nighthawk, Lady Lark, Hawkeye, Tom Thumb, American Eagle, Doctor Spectrum, Hyperion, Whizzer
Guests: Spider-Man
Thor transports the Avengers back from Arkon's world, each to the place from which he departed. The Black Knight is returned to Stonehenge. Thor and the Black Panther return to Earth opposite Avengers Mansion, but the other Avengers aren't there. They remember that they're scheduled to appear at a charity event, so they go there first, hoping to find the others. The only super-hero guests they see are Captain America and Spider-Man.
The other four Avengers (Vision, Goliath, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch) are in an intangible wraith-like form. Around them the Earth is dissolving. They see that they're a few weeks in the future.
The "future" is January 4th, 1971. The cover date of Marvel's comics is always two to three months ahead of the real date. The February 1971 Marvel comics went on sale in December 1970.
The Scarlet Witch uses her hex power to make them solid again. They also return to the present date, i.e. mid-December.
Here's a small detail that might not be noticed by readers 45 years later. A newspaper headline states that President Humphrey will address the nation. That's referring to Hubert Humphrey, the Democratic presidential candidate in 1968, who lost to Richard Nixon. It's a different world.
The Avengers go to their mansion, but they find that it's changed. It's occupied by a group that calls itself the Squadron Supreme. They're the same group as the Squadron Sinister, that we last saw in Avengers #70, except they aren't villains. They're the good guys in this parallel universe.
Once more, the Squadron Supreme are a copy of DC's Justice League of America.
Nighthawk represents Batman.
Lady Lark represents Black Canary.
Hawkeye represents Green Arrow.
Tom Thumb represents the Atom.
American Eagle represents Hawkman.
Doctor Spectrum represents Green Lantern.
Hyperion represents Superman.
Whizzer represents the Flash.
The Avengers see a message on a viewscreen that Doctor Spectrum is launching a rocket that will orbit the Sun. Assuming this will cause the future catastrophe, they tell the Squadron Supreme to stop it, but they think the Avengers are Communists. After defeating them in battle the Avengers leave in a rocket, together with Nighthawk, the only one of the Squadron Supreme who believes them.
Iron Man #34
Title: Crisis and Calamity!
Writer: Allyn Brodsky
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Spymaster, Espionage Elite
Regulars: Jasper Sitwell, Kevin O'Brien
Tony Stark has been captured by Espionage Elite, and he doesn't even have his attache case with him. They take him back to the factory, where he's supposed to open his safe. He's saved by Kevin O'Brien – or is it O'Brian? The spelling isn't consistent – so he can slip away and put on his suit. As Iron Man he can easily overcome the Espionage Elite, but the Spymaster has weapons that damage his suit and make it difficult for him to fight. Jasper Sitwell carries on the fight, but he's badly injured and is left on the brink of death when the Spymaster flees. Iron Man swears revenge.
Jean Second-Generation Izzo has slipped up again.She forgot the word "if" in the second balloon. Did you spot it? I read that Jerry Siegel was employed by Marvel as proof-reader. They should have hired me instead. I would have spotted all the Izzoisms.
Iron Man #35
Note: This issue is dated March 1971, but I've included it in this month's reviews because it's the first part of a three-part story that continues in the February issue of Daredevil. (Or rather a two and a half part story). The first two parts were plotted by Allyn Brodsky and written by Gerry Conway.
Title: Revenge!
Writer: Allyn Brodsky, Gerry Conway
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Spymaster, Espionage Elite (flashback), Zodiac (Libra, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Aquarius)
Regulars: Jasper Sitwell, Kevin O'Brian, Madame Masque
Guests: Daredevil, Foggy Nelson, Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones
The story begins with Iron Man holding the barely breathing Jasper Sitwell in his arms, crying out for revenge. He rushes to SHIELD and threatens them, because he thinks they're keeping secrets from him. They are. Nick Fury tells him that the Spymaster was working for Zodiac, the organisation last seen trying to take over Manhattan in Avengers #82.
At SHIELD headquarters there's a Zodiac Key. When Nick Fury picks it up it takes control of him. Iron Man neutralises it by enclosing it in a force field. (He calls it a repulsor field). Tests show that the key is of alien origin.
Madame Masque is in the city, also wanting to avenge Jasper Sitwell, but not knowing where to start looking. She bumps into Daredevil on his nightly outing. While they're talking, they're snared by a net from the Spymaster's ship.
At the same time, Zodiac attacks the headquarters of Stark Industries, where they capture Iron Man, Nick Fury and Kevin O'Brian/O'Brien. They take the Zodiac Key the prisoners back to their lair underneath Manhattan's West Side Highway. (I'll have to look that up on the map).
Nick Fury is released, and a voice in his head forces him to take hold of the Zodiac Key again.
Daredevil #73
Title: Behold the Brotherhood!
Writer: Allyn Brodsky, Gerry Conway
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Zodiac (Capricorn, Sagittarius, Aquarius)
Guests; Iron Man, Madame Masque, Kevin O'Brian, Nick Fury
This story continues directly from next month's Iron Man #35. I assume they were released in the correct order, even if the cover date says otherwise.
Nick Fury can't resist picking up the Zodiac Key. When he touches it, everyone present is thrown into another dimension, where they're confronted by the Brotherhood of the Ankh. They say that they've used the Zodiac Key (which does look rather ankh-ish) to balance good and evil for ages. Recently the Zodiac Key has grown weaker, so they sent it to Earth. To restore its strength good and evil must battle in its presence.
Daredevil, Iron Man, Nick Fury and Madame Masque have to battle Spymaster, Capricorn, Sagittarius and Aquarius. The bad guys fight gladly, but Daredevil questions what the point of battle is. One of the members of the Brotherhood agrees and says that the battle must cease. Everyone is sent back to Earth.
Iron Man #36
Note: This issue is dated April 1971, but I've included it in this month's reviews because it's the final part of a three-part story that continues from the February issue of Daredevil. (Or rather a two and a half part story). I don't normally do things like this, but when a comic crossover jumps backwards and forwards from month to month, I have to put things right.
Title: Among men stalks the Ramrod
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Don Heck
Villain: Spymaster, Zodiac (Capricorn, Sagittarius, Aquarius), Ramrod
Regulars: Kevin O'Brian, Madame Masque
Guests: Daredevil, Nick Fury
It's ironic. The four heroes and four villains were sent back from the alien dimension of the Brotherhood of the Ankh because their battle was pointless, but now that they've returned to Earth there's a reason to fight. The heroes want to send the criminals to jail.
Daredevil, Nick Fury and Madame Masque fight and defeat the three members of Zodiac. Spymaster attempts to flee, but Iron Man pursues him. Eventually Spymaster hides in the woods, changes into civilian clothing and walks away.
Madame Masque asks Iron Man to tell Tony Stark that she doesn't love him. Iron Man pretends to be indifferent, but afterwards he's angry, blaming his Iron Man identity for getting in the way of his love life. He decides to give up his life as Iron Man and go back to his life as a playboy. He also hands over the acting leadership of Stark Industries to Kevin O'Brian.
How long does Tony Stark's life without Iron Man last? Five pages. A giant robot arrives in New York, flattening buildings to prepare for the arrival of the Changers. Tony recognises that it's his duty to save the world, so he puts on his suit and starts battle. The two opponents are equally matched, but Tony's heart can't put up with the strain, and he collapses.
The biggest disadvantage of me reviewing three Iron Man issues this month is that you'll have to wait three months to see how the story continues.
Astonishing Tales #4
Title: The Sun God!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Barry Smith
Villain: Zaladane
Zaladane mounts an attack on the city of Vala-Kur to begin her conquest of the Savage Land. It's a city of peace, so they have no weapons to defend themselves. Garokk the Petrified Man curses the statue of the Sun God for giving him eternal life, but as he does so he's changed. He's given the power of the Sun itself. In an instant he melts all the weapons of Zaladane's army.
Zaladane's pterodactyl seizes Ka-Zar in its talons and carries him away to his doom.
Title: The Invaders!
Writer: Larry Lieber
Artist: Wally Wood
Villain: Red Skull, Exiles (General Ching, Iron Hand Hauptmann, Cadavus, Gruning, Krushki, Baldini)
Doctor Doom leaves Latveria while his subjects rebuild his palace. In his absence the Red Skull attacks. He ingeniously avoided being killed when he was fired into space in a rocket in Captain America #129. He's now reunited with the Exiles, who we last saw in Captain America #118. I still think that the Exiles are a very generic band of villains, and I'll never be able to remember their names. I just copy and paste them from one appearance to the next.
The Red Skull has no difficulty conquering Latveria while Doctor Doom is away.
Latveria is transferred into a Nazi paradise. Enjoy it while you can, Red Skull. Doctor Doom will be back soon.
Other comics published this month:
Conan the Barbarian #3 (Roy Thomas, Barry Smith)
Millie the Model #188 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Our Love Story #9 (Stan Lee, John Buscema)
Western Gunfighters #4 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #84 (Al Kurzrok, Dick Ayers)
Monsters on the Prowl #9 (Allyn Brodsky, Jay Hawk)
Note that the comic previously called Chamber Of Darkness has been renamed Monsters on the Prowl. It's still a mix of new and reprinted anthology stories.
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