FANTASTIC FOUR 20
cover by Jack Kirby & George Roussos
TALES TO ASTONISH 49
cover by DON HECK
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 6
cover by STEVE DITKO
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY 98
cover by Jack Kirby & Sol Brodsky
from the GCD: "Synopsis: While visiting India, Don Blake finds that one of his old teachers has been murdered by a villain who gained the power of a snake. Thor fights the Cobra in New York and defeats him, after Jane Foster sees her new boss's cowardice and goes back to Doctor Blake."
JACK KIRBY was clearly over-worked to insane levels, as Don Heck (already a regular on ANT-MAN and IRON MAN) steps in for his 1st of 3 THOR episodes. I'm not thrilled... but what the hey. Kirby continues to supply the story, while "Ye editor" does dialogue. The main point of interest here is the introduction of THE COBRA, who would become a VERY long-running super-villain for decades to come.
"ODIN BATTLES YMIR, KING OF THE ICE GIANTS"
from the GCD: "Synopsis: The ice giants, led by Ymir, attack Asgard but Odin defends it and traps Ymir inside a ring of fire."
Not much of a sypnopsis, but what the hey. JACK KIRBY supplies story & art, "ye editor" dialogue, and Don Heck the inks. While this story takes place (apparently) in the dim distant past, Ymir would turn up in the PRESENT-day Marvel Universe on a number of instances.
While this was going on... FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 featured the Sub-Mariner reunited with his people, and attacking NYC; FF #19 introduced a VERY long-running villain in "Prisoners Of The Pharaoh", while FF #20 had "The Mysterious Molecule Man" (which included another appearance by The Watcher).
X-MEN #2 had "No One Can Stop the Vanisher"; SGT. FURY #4 had "Lord Ha-Ha's Last Laugh"; TALES OF SUSPENSE #47 had "Iron Man Battles The Melter" (the first of 3 STEVE DITKO episodes in which IM's bulky yellow armor is destroyed); STRANGE TALES #114 has Kirby return to pencilling for "The Human Torch Meets Captain America" (a deceptive title if ever there was one, heh), TALES TO ASTONISH #49 also has Jack Kirby back on pencils for the 1st of 3 episodes, with "The Birth Of Giant-Man", in which he totally revamps the series while "ye editor" replaced Ernie Hart on dialogue while Don Heck supplies inks to maintain consistency. Finally THE AVENGERS #2 has "The Space Phantom", in which Iron Man (still in his yellow armor), Giant-Man (in his new identity), Thor (same as ever) and Wasp (ditto, tee-hee) have a severe misunderstanding with The Hulk, who QUITS the group after being a member for less than one issue.
When you consider that Jack Kirby was writing ALL of these at the same time... doesn't it just blow your mind?
(2-3-2014)
STRANGE TALES 114
cover by Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers
Synopsis:
Johnny's obstacle course training is interrupted when some friends tell him of news that Captain America is alive, and is making a public appearance at an antique auto show. Cap & Johnny stop some crooks, but Cap is extremely rude, saying he doesn't need any help. Doris raves about Cap to make Johnny jealous. But "Cap" breaks the 2 thieves out of jail. On being caught, they claim Cap just wanted them as decoys to draw the police away while he robbed a bank! "Cap" gives Johnny a really hard time, until he's finally stopped and unmasked. "Cap" turns out to be Carl Zante, The Acrobat, whom Johnny fought once before. Back home, Johnny looks over some old Captain America comics, which include the details that Cap was really Army Private Steve Rogers, and wonders if he is still alive or will ever return...
Indexer notes:
2nd appearance of The Acrobat; previous app. in STRANGE TALES #106 (March 1963). Story involving a C.A. imposter, was a try-out to test the idea of reviving C.A. The real Cap would return only 4 months later in THE AVENGERS #4 (March 1964).
"THE RETURN OF THE OMNIPOTENT BARON MORDO!"
Synopsis:
Strange receives a call for help from Sir Clive Bentley in England, not realizing it's really Mordo in disguise. On arrival at Bentley's castle, Mordo traps Strange with a spell that will end his life as soon as a candle goes out. Strange mentally sends out a call for help, and a mesmerized girl comes to put out the flame early, freeing him. She turns out to be Victoria Bentley, daughter of Sir Clive, who passed away 10 years earlier! He realizes she must have a latent talent for sorcery. Mordo returns, and he & Strange fight in their astral forms. After, Victoria asks if she can become Strange's disciple, but he tells her the time will not be right until after Mordo's menace is ended.
Indexer notes:
Episode #3. 2nd appearance of Baron Mordo. 1st appearance of Victoria Bentley, who would return in STRANGE TALES #160 (September 1967). Not counting next issue's flashback, Mordo returns in STRANGE TALES #117 (February 1964). Inker is obviously George Roussos, though not credited on artwork. "Ye editor" notes he was waiting for reader feedback after Strange's 1st 2 appearances; this suggests Roussos may have inked this episode because of a very last-minute decision to begin running the series regularly.
(8-17-07)
TALES OF SUSPENSE 47
cover by Jack Kirby & George Roussos ??
THE AVENGERS 2
cover by Jack Kirby & Paul Reinman
X-MEN 2
cover by Jack Kirby & Paul Reinman
Review (coming soon)
(Continued in December 1963)
All Text (C) Henry R. Kujawa
Artwork (C) Marvel Comics
Restorations by Henry R. Kujawa
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