And Marvel's expansion is unstoppable. Over the last three months there have been four new comics (Marvel Team-Up in March, Tomb of Dracula and Marvel Premiere in April, Red Wolf in May). This month there are two new comics, maybe three, depending on your definition.
The first new comic this month is Luke Cage, Hero For Hire. I'll shorten the title to Hero For Hire, because I don't like titles with commas in them. The series starts with a good, old-fashioned origin story, like Stan Lee used to write them. I've never paid much attention to Archie Goodwin as a writer. He's not Marvel's best writer, but certainly not Marvel's worst, he's somewhere in the middle. However, the first issue – which I read for the first time today – is an outstanding masterpiece. It's a pearl in his career.
Hero For Hire #1
Title: Out of Hell, a Hero!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: George Tuska
Villain: Diamondback (Willis Stryker)
Regulars: Noah Burstein
It isn't just the story that's outstanding. The artwork is memorable as well, especially the splash page, drawn by George Tuska.
A man called Lucas (no last name mentioned) grew up in Harlem. He was a tough kid who lived on the wrong side of the law. He did what he had to do to make ends meet. He committed minor robberies with his best friend, Willis Stryker. Lucas was good with his fists, Stryker was an expert with knives. As he grew older, Lucas kept his illegal activities to a minimum, while Stryker became a big gangster.
The two friends fell out when Stryker's girlfriend Reya fell in love with Lukas. Stryker framed Lucas by placing a large amount of drugs in his apartment. He was sent to the high security Seagate prison. He protests his innocence, but everyone in prison says he's innocent.
Lucas volunteers to take part in a scientific experiment. The experiment is interrupted when a prison guard tries to kill him. Lucas' body becomes rock hard and bulletproof. He escapes from the prison.
After stopping a robbery and receiving a reward he has the idea of becoming a mercenary, a hero for hire. He adopts the new name Luke Cage.
The second new comic this month is Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen. The original Combat Kelly comic ran from 1951 to 1957. The character was reintroduced in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Kommandos #98. The Deadly Dozen are a group of 12 ex-convicts who have been released to fight in the war. This comic was the inspiration for DC's Suicide Squad.
The third new comic this month, if it can be called that, is Outlaw Kid. The first nine issues of this comic were reprints from the original Outlaw Kid series (1954 to 1957), but from this issue onwards it contains new stories. The cover compares the Outlaw Kid with Spider-Man. I've read it, and the only similarity I can see is that the hero is a teenager. It's just an advertising blurb that can't be taken seriously.
Fantastic Four #123
Title: This World Enslaved!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm
Villain: Galactus
Regulars: Agatha Harkness, Franklin Richards
Guests: Silver Surfer
Galactus refuses to give in to Reed Richards' threat to destroy his ship, stranding him on Earth. He calls his bluff, saying that if the ship is not returned intact he will destroy the Earth. The Silver Surfer says that he'll become Galactus' herald again, but the Fantastic Four recommend against it.
Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew appear yet again. I wonder if Stan Lee had to pay for using his likeness.
And was Nixon really so sexist? "Women!" he says.
I had to do some research to find out who Mitchell's wife was. President Nixon is referring to Martha Mitchell, the wife of the American Attorney General. She was supposedly the best known woman in America in 1972. She had the habit of drinking in the evening, then giving interviews to the press about what she'd read in her husband's notes. Did Nixon think all women were like her?
Reed Richards gives Galactus back his ship, then prevents the Silver Surfer from returning to him. While on Galactus' ship, Reed changed the controls to make the ship fly into the Negative Zone. This frees the Silver Surfer from his promise, because he promised to follow Galactus everywhere in the universe; the Negative Zone is a different universe.
Amazing Spider-Man #109
Title: Enter Dr. Strange!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Regulars: Aunt May, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, Flash Thompson
Peter Parker needs a way to change into his Spider-Man costume and follow Flash Thompson without Gwen Stacy thinking he's a coward. Ah ha! Let Spider-Man be the bad guy again. He can pretend he was kidnapped by Spider-Man.
Gwen says that it isn't the first time Spider-Man has kidnapped Peter Parker. She's probably referring to Amazing Spider-Man #57, when it was assumed that Spider-Man had kidnapped Peter Parker, but then the editorial message from Sly Stan doesn't make sense. That wasn't a stunt he pulled. He had amnesia, which is why he didn't go back home.
Doctor Strange stops Spider-Man when he's swinging through the city. They go to his sanctum in Greenwich Village.
Oh come on, Stan! How could you possibly forget when Spider-Man and Doctor Strange met? It was in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2, one of the best stories that Stan ever wrote. And guess what? I've just won my second No-Prize in two months. I hope I have enough place to put them!
Doctor Strange knows about Flash Thompson's predicament, and he wants to help save his life. Together with Spider-Man he interrupts Flash's execution. They also find the priest's lifeless body. Doctor Strange casts a spell, and he comes back to life. He was never dead. He saved himself from the upcoming napalm attack by putting himself in suspended animation, and only another magician could wake him.
Avengers #100
Title: Whatever Gods there be!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Barry Smith
Avengers: Ant-Man, Wasp, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Black Panther, Black Knight
Ex-Avengers: Hulk, Swordsman
Villain: Ares, Enchantress, Krotos, Bia
Guests: Rick Jones, Zeus
Rick Jones sends out a message for all the Avengers, whether active or inactive, to gather in England at the Black Knight's castle. The Black Knight is joined by Ant-Man, Wasp, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Vision and the Black Panther. Phew! Did I forget anyone? The Hulk also arrives after hearing voices in his head. He was one of the original Avengers, but he left the group at the end of Avengers #2. The Avengers are surprised that the Swordsman joins them. He's a villain, who was last seen in Captain America #105, but he intercepted the message and thought he should join the others as an ex-Avenger. That was just for a few days, back in Avengers #20.
So what does all this have to do with Ares kidnapping Hercules last issue? The Black Knight recounts a message he's received from his ancestor, the original Black Knight. In Avengers #84 Dane Whitman, today's Black Knight, destroyed his sword in the Well at the Centre of Time. Or so he thought. The sword was found in a tree in Olympus, waiting for a new owner. Ares, the Greek God of War, took the sword. With it he extinguished the Promethean Flame, which gives the Greek Gods their powers. When the flame stopped burning, all the Gods turned into glass. Hercules wasn't changed, because he's only a demi-God.
Hercules was cast from Olympus to Earth. The fall lasted six days, and the shock caused him to lose his memory. Now Ares wants to use the power of the sword to conquer the Earth and Asgard. It's impossible to enter Asgard because of an invisible barrier that we saw in Avengers #98. Ares thinks he can break through the barrier by using nuclear power, which is why he tried to provoke a war last issue.
(Incidentally, there's no explanation why there's a barrier).
The Black Knight, Thor, Iron Man, Vision and the Hulk fly to Olympus to face Ares. The others wait on Earth, in case there's an attack. In Olympus we find that the Enchantress has allied herself with Ares. She's one of the Avengers' oldest enemies, and we last saw her acting behind the scenes in Incredible Hulk #142.
The battle continues until Ares loses his sword. The Black Knight takes it back for himself. It's a curse, but it's safer with him than with anyone else. Everyone except Hercules returns to Earth.
This is a crazy story, written artificially to reunite all the Avengers for the 100th issue, but it's not all that bad.
There's one small detail that readers might miss if they aren't as extreme as me. Look at this picture on page 10. Hercules has a nipple! It's the first male nipple shown in any Marvel comics since 1961. Even Sub-Mariner, who's always bare-chested, is never drawn with nipples. Didn't Barry Smith know that nipples are forbidden by the Comics Code Authority? I suppose he can be forgiven because he's English and doesn't know better.
Iron Man #47
Title: Why must there be an Iron Man?
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Barry Smith
Villain: Wong-Chu (flashback)
Regulars: Marianne Rodgers
Tony Stark attends the funeral of Kevin O'Brian, who died last issue. Completely tactlessly, he attends the funeral as Iron Man. That's wrong on so many different levels. The police interrupt the funeral and ask Iron Man to go to the station to give a statement about Kevin O'Brian's death. He flies away and broods about the purpose of his life as Iron Man. In flashback, we have a retelling of his origin story from Tales Of Suspense #39.
Excellent! Some stories deserve to be told more than once!
Sub-Mariner #50
Title: Who am I?
Writer: Bill Everett
Artist: Bill Everett
Villain: Byrrah, Llyra
Regulars: Cindy Jones, Namorita
This is a big surprise and an incredible 50th issue. Bill Everett returns as the writer and artist! He's the man who wrote the first Sub-Mariner comic in 1941, and he wrote almost all of his stories until 1955. When Stan Lee revived Sub-Mariner in the 1960's, Bill Everett occasionally drew the artwork, but now he's finally returned as the writer. This is a masterpiece.
I admit that I didn't read these stories in the 1970's. I grew tired of the Sub-Mariner after Stan Lee stopped writing his stories. Not even Roy Thomas could retain the old magic, and with Gerry Conway as writer the series slipped into the abyss. But Bill Everett! Now the series has reached a new peak.
Namor, still amnesiac, swims to the bottom of the sea. A talking crab tells him that he has to repopulate the ocean kingdom. His intended bride was his cousin Namora, who is now lying preserved as a corpse. She was a regular character in Bill Everett's silver age stories. The replacement is Namora's daughter, Namorita.
Namor's memories gradually return, though not completely. He realises that the crab is just a ruse. It can't talk at all, there's a voice box inside its mouth. It's being operated by Lord Byrrah, who was exiled from Atlantis in Sub-Mariner #33. He's being assisted by Llyra, who we last saw in Sub-Mariner #46.
Namorita says that she thinks Llyra was responsible for her mother's death.
The Incredible Hulk #152
Title(s): But who will judge the Hulk?
Defender of the Doomed!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: Dick Ayers
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross
Guests: J. Jonah Jameson, Peter Parker, Nick Fury, Captain America, Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm,
This is a single story split into two parts that have been given individual titles.
The Hulk is captured and taken to stand trial in New York for the murder of Senator Morton Clegstead. We know from last issue that it's not a clear cut case. When he turns back into Bruce Banner he asks for Matt Murdock to defend him.
Look at the beautiful artwork by Dick Ayers, taking the splash page of the second part as an example. He was born to draw the Hulk.
Here's Richard Nixon yet again. He's interrupted in the middle of important discussions, probably concerning his reelection campaign.
Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk during the flight from Las Vegas to New York. He remains calm on the plane, but when the plane lands he sees soldiers waiting for him and goes wild.
This is another comic that Steve Englehart claims to have written without being credited.
Captain America and the Falcon #150
Title: Mirror, Mirror!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Sal Buscema
Villain: Batroc, Jakar (Stranger), Scorpion, Mr. Hyde
Regulars: Sharon Carter, Countess Valentina, Nick Fury
If last month's story was messy, this issue is messier still.
The being who calls himself the Stranger is actually someone else. He's Jakar, the last survivor of a dead world. He saw the Stranger through an interdimensional rift and decided to imitate him, because he looked similar anyway. Why would he want to impersonate someone that almost nobody on Earth has never seen? Why was he already wearing clothes similar to the Stranger's? And how did he get such great power? None of it makes sense.
Jakar says that he wants the children to repopulate his own world. Batroc feels disgusted and turns against him. Not that I understand why. After getting over the loss of their parents, the children would have a much better life on their new world. If it's a choice between the slums of Harlem and a sparsely populated high technology world, I know where I'd want to go.
After a valiant fight by Captain America, the Falcon and Batroc, Jakar realises that he's done wrong. He releases the children and flies off into space to live as a God.
Not a good story. No way.
In an epilogue, Sharon Carter visits Captain America against Nick Fury's wishes. The Scorpion and Mister Hyde are waiting outside. Funny, I thought that Cobra is Mister Hyde's partner.
We last saw Mister Hyde in Daredevil #61.
We last saw the Scorpion in Captain America #122.
Those two comics were released in the same month, February 1970. Is that why Gerry Conway was confused?
Thor #200
Title: Beware! If this be Ragnarok!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Pluto, Loki, Surtur
Regulars: Odin, Balder, Heimdall, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
This is a very strange comic. I'm sure there's a story behind it. It's a 19-page story written by Stan Lee about Ragnarok, an extended retelling of the Tales Of Asgard stories in Thor #127 and Thor #128. There's a one-page prologue and a one-page epilogue, both written by Gerry Conway.
In the prologue the three fates watch Thor, who's about to be slain by Pluto. They look into the future and see that it's Thor's fate to be killed on the day of Ragnarok. Odin is also alive and well before Ragnarok comes. In the epilogue they say that the future can't be changed, so they destroy Pluto's axe before he can slay Thor.
Very strange. Now here's my theory. Gerry Conway was overworked and couldn't write a story on time for the important 200th issue. Stan Lee and John Buscema brainstormed a way out of the crisis.
"If we use one of my old stories, can you draw it by tomorrow, John?" – "Sure thing, Stan".
If anyone has a better explanation, I'd like to hear it.
Daredevil #88
Title: Call him Killgrave!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Killgrave
Regulars: Black Widow, Ivan, Ironguts O'Hara, Paul Carson, Danny French
Natasha Romanoff is trying to catch Danny French, but he drives too fast and escapes her.
Matt Murdock asks Ivan about Natasha's connection to Danny.
Ivan knows nothing about Danny French, but he tells Matt how he met Natasha. He adopted her when she was an orphan in the siege of Stalingrad. Yes, the spelling is "siege", not the way Jon Costa aka John Costanza spells it. He deserves to be locked up in Artie Simek's cage. Natasha lived with him until she went to America as a spy, and he didn't join her until she defected three years later.
Killgrave, formerly known as the Purple Man, has also relocated to San Francisco. It seems like a haven for Daredevil's old enemies. He was put in a special prison after he was arrested in Daredevil #4, but now he's escaped and he's planning even bigger crimes.
Killgrave's gas weakens Daredevil's senses at a robbery. Ivan has to come and rescue him.
Natasha finds Danny French in a bar. They discuss an old mission they shared, Project Four.
Marvel Spotlight #4
Title: Island of the Damned!
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Michael Ploog
Villain: Miles Blackgar, Marlene Blackgar
Regulars: Lissa Russell, Philipp Russell, Buck Cowan
Jack Russell is visited by an author called Buck Cowan. He's doing research on Jack's family. Jack's father owned a castle in Europe (possibly Romania). After his death, his mother inherited it. Jack's step-father sold the castle to a man called Miles Blackgar, who transferred it, stone by stone, to a private island off the coast of Monterey. In that castle there's an old book of spells, the Darkhold, which was already mentioned last issue.
Jack travels to the island. He's stopped by a thug who works for Miles Blackgar, and he's taken to the castle at gunpoint. In the castle he discovers that people are being turned into monsters for experiments.
Jack turns into the Werewolf; the first night of his transformation. He smashes up the laboratory and gets into a fight with Miles. Afterwards he talks to Miles' daughter Marlene, who isn't afraid of him. When she takes off her glasses and he looks into her eyes, he turns into stone. She's a gorgon, or at least a mutant version of a gorgon.
Astonishing Tales #12
Title(s): Terror stals the Everglades!
Man-Thing!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: AIM
Regulars: Barbara Morse, Paul Allen
Guests: Man-Thing (Ted Sallis)
This comic contains two stories, in which the second story is embedded in the first.
Savage Tales was intended to be a regular magazine, but after Savage Tales #1 sold badly the next issue was never published. A seven-page Man-Thing story was written for the second issue, but it's been sitting on the shelf for the last year. Now it can finally be used.
Ka-Zar travels with Paul and Barbara to Miami. They reveal that they need his specific jungle skills to help them with a problem. A scientist working on a top secret super-soldier project in the Everglades has gone missing. We know what's happened to him. Dr. Ted Sallis has become the Man-Thing.
The embedded story, written by Len Wein and drawn by Neal Adams, is included as a flashback to the events that took place after Savage Tales #1.
The AIM agents, still looking for Ted Sallis, attack the Man-Thing. When he touches them they burn. They lure him into a pit. Ka-Zar falls into the pit with the Man-Thing.
Marvel Feature #3
Title: A Titan walks among us!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Ross Andru
Defenders: Doctor Strange, Sub-Mariner, Hulk
Villain: Xemnu
Guests: General Ross, Jim Wilson
General Ross is on a boat waiting for a capsule to fall from a space mission. It falls into a whirlpool, and Sub-Mariner rescues it. The two astronauts say they want to quit, because they were forced to go into space against their will. They become television comedians. One of them dresses as a hairy white monster called Xemnu.
Jim Wilson, the Hulk's young friend, notices that the television shows are having a hypnotic effect on young viewers, so he approaches Doctor Strange for help. Doctor Strange disguises himself as the Hulk and asks if he can be a guest star on the show.
Bruce Banner sees the show on television and gets angry at someone impersonating him. And when Bruce Banner gets angry he turns into the Hulk.
Xemnu calls on the viewers to join him on a space mission. Children all across America begin to walk towards Cape Canaveral. Xemnu is an alien from space who wants to gather children to repopulate his planet. Doctor Strange defeats Xemnu with help from Sub-Mariner. The Hulk turns up uninvited and does what he does best: he smashes everything in sight.
How can this story be synced with other Marvel comics? It has to take place before Incredible Hulk #148 (February 1972) and Sub-Mariner #45 (January 1972). That's one of the problems of publishing team comics less than once a month. They can't keep up with the events in the solo comics.
Non-Canon comics published this month:
Our Love Story #17 (Stan Lee, George Tuska)
Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen #1 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Rawhide Kid #100 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Outlaw Kid #10 (Mike Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
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