Monday, April 21, 2014

October 1964

(Continued from September 1964)

STRANGE TALES  125
cover by Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers
"THE SUB-MARINER MUST BE STOPPED!"

This marks the 2nd time Subby has turned up in a HUMAN TORCH episode, and this time, of course, he's got THE THING along for the inevitable fight scene.  DICK AYERS does story & art, the "editor" does dialogue, and Paul Reinman does inks.
     (2-14-2014)

"THE SUB-MARINER MUST BE STOPPED!"

Sypnopsis:
The latest fight between Ben & Johnny is interrupted by the arrival of a pair of reporters from LIFE Magazine.  But it turns ugly when they find out it's Reed & Sue the reporters want to interview!  When the news reports Sub-Mariner is heading for NYC, Ben & Johnny figure they can make an impression by tackling him on their own!  Taking out the "U-Car", they soon find Namor, who seems to be expecting them.  A big fight breaks out, ending when the Sub-Mariner leaves, feeling he's been "lied to". Reed & Sue arrive, Reed chastising Ben & Johnny for ruining the peace talk he'd spent weeks trying to set up!  Feeling betrayed, Namor promises himself that their next fight will be to the finish.

Indexer notes:
11th modern-day appearance of Sub-Mariner.  Previous appearance in X-MEN #6 (July 1964), next appearance in FANTASTIC FOUR #33 (December 1964).  Namor's "electric eel" power crops up again, for the last time!  The reporters from LIFE suspiciously resemble Jack Kirby & Larry Lieber!
     (8-23-2007)

"MORDO MUST NOT CATCH ME!"

Sypnopsis:
3 followers of Mordo attack Strange in his sanctum.  After dispatching them, he uses the Eye of Agamotto & his amulet to contact his mentor-- but to no avail!  Mordo appears saying he's captured The Ancient One.  In their ectoplasmic forms, a running battle begins that takes them halfway around the world, until Strange locates his mentor in a half-hidden jungle somewhere in Tibet.  The battle continues, until the light of Strange's amulet forces Mordo to give in and free The Ancient One.  With Mordo apparently beaten "for a long time", Strange heads back to NYC.

Indexer notes:
Episode #146th appearance of Barom Mordo; previous appearance in STRANGE TALES #121 (June 1964); next appearance in STRANGE TALES #130 (March 1965).  Dr. Strange guest-stars in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #108 (September 1964), then has a cameo in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 (September 1964) shortly before this story.  This episode leads directly into Strange's 1st encounter with Dormammu next month in STRANGE TALES #126 (November 1964).
     (8-23-2007)


FANTASTIC FOUR  31
cover by Jack Kirby & Chic Stone
"THE MAD MENACE OF THE MACABRE MOLE MAN!"

(WHY do I think the "editor" had to have been the one who came up with that ridiculous name?)  The FF's first foe returns for a 3rd go-round, and this time, we get the classic image of an entire NYC block of skyscrapers MISSING, having been pulled straight down into the depths of the Earth.  This was adapted as one of the 1967 FF cartoons, but a year later a similar scenario turned up in the 2nd season of the SPIDER-MAN cartoons.  Little did I know, BOTH were probably swiped from a story done by Jack Kirby & Al Williamson, "One Of Our Skyscrapers Is Missing", in ADVENTURES OF THE FLY #2 (1959).

JACK KIRBY supplies story & art, his "editor" does dialogue, and CHIC STONE does inks.  WOW.  In my opinion, this is the LAST really "classic" Mole Man story EVER done.  After this, it's downhill al the way...
     (2-14-2014)


TALES TO ASTONISH  60
cover by Jack Kirby & Sol Brodsky
"THE BEASTS OF BERLIN"

GIANT-MAN & THE WASP's latest adventure!   DICK AYERS does story & art, the "editor" does dialogue, and Paul Reinman does inks.

Also, in the back, "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" gets his own series again.  STEVE DITKO supplies story & art, while his "editor" does dialogue and George Roussos does inks.  This marks the beginning of a long-running "movie serial" format for the character, where every episode ends on a cliffhanger, whether it's called for or not.
     (2-14-2014)


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN  17
cover by STEVE DITKO
Review  (coming soon)


JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY  109
cover by Jack Kirby & Chic Stone
"WHEN MAGNETO STRIKES!"

Nobody at the GCD bothered to supply even the slimmest of sypnopses for this.  Suffice to say, the X-MEN's arch-enemy turns up, in between X-MEN #7 & 8, presumably.  JACK KIRBY supplies story & art, his "editor" does dialogue, and CHIC STONE does inks.

You know, it seems like they did everything they possibly could to cross-promote X-MEN during Jack Kirby's run of that book.  The Angel turned up in TALES OF SUSPENSE #49, the entire group had a cameo in AVENGERS #3, The Iceman turned up in STRANGE TALES #120, the entire team had a full-fledged guest-appearance in FANTASTIC FOUR #28, they had a cameo in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1, and now this.  A few months down the line, The Avengers would guest-star in X-MEN #9, and the team would have cameos in both FF #35 & 36.  Somehow, none of it seemed to do much good.  Oh well.

"BANISHED FROM ASGARD!"
from the GCD: "Synopsis: Arkin the Weak betrays Asgard in an attempt to win the hand of Queen Knorda."

JACK KIRBY supplies story & art on the latest "Tales Of Asgard", while his "editor" does dialogue, and Vince Coletta does inks.
     (2-14-2014)


TALES OF SUSPENSE  58
cover by Jack Kirby & Chic Stone
"IN MORTAL COMBAT WITH CAPTAIN AMERICA!"

IRON MAN tackles his team-mate-- or DOES he?  GIANT-MAN & THE WASP turn up for cameos, in which Janet gets to embarrass Pepper about how her hair got all messed up during the climax.  NO, REALLY!  As with last month's ASTONISH issue, this one serves as a lead-in to NEXT month, when CAP finally gets his own series again.  DON HECK does story & art, the "editor" does dialogue, Dick Ayers does inks, and somewhere in there, apparently, Jack Kirby did some redraws.
     (2-14-2014)


THE AVENGERS  9
cover by Jack Kirby & Chic Stone
"THE COMING OF... WONDER MAN!"

Jack Kirby supplies yet another new villain, while DON HECK takes over writing the stories & doing the art.  Ye "editor" does dialogue, and Dick Ayers supplies inks.  Going from Kirby to Heck was, in my view, definitely a step down, but the real problem for me is, the Heck-Ayers team is not doing anybody any favors.  This one once more features Zemo, The Enchantress & The Executioner, and introduces a rather shady character who winds up DEAD at the end of the story, leaving readers unsure if he was meant to be a failed villain or a flawed potential hero.
     (2-14-2014)


DAREDEVIL  4
cover by Jack Kirby & Vince Colletta
Review  (coming soon)


SGT. FURY & HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS  11
"The Crackdown Of Captain Flint!"

DICK AYERS does story & art, the "editor" does dialogue, and George Roussos continues on inks.
     (2-14-2014)


(Continued in November 1964)

All Text (C) Henry R. Kujawa
Artwork (C) Marvel Comics
Restorations by Henry R. Kujawa

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