STRANGE TALES 145
cover by Jack Kirby & Mike Esposito
Synopsis:
SHIELD sends out a squad of Fury LMDs in hope they can be used to track down whoever's trying to kill Fury. Dugan can't understand why Fury wants to work with Sitwell, then badgers Jasper until Fury compares them to Laurel & Hardy. Fury also wonders when Gabe will return from his vacation. Jasper says Fury's always been his hero, while Dugan says "Personally, I used to go for Betty Grable." Instead of capturing the LMDs, The Druid's eggs have been destroying them. But he decides to draw Fury out into the open, as once Fury's dead, his "cult" can spread across America. Fury questions The Fixer about the eggs, and a miniature brain found on him. The Fixer seems sure the eggs are not connected with "THEM", and also says he was captured before "THEM" could give him his final orders. SHIELD arrives at the site of an exploded egg, which turns out to be a trap. Fury takes on The Druid one-on-one, worried that his men will be targeted if he fails. Sitwell manages to drive a fleet of armored eggs from hiding, and all hell breaks loose. The Druid brags that his main HQ has not been found, and Sitwell offers to uncover The Druid's true identity. Fury finds himself wondering just how ambition Sitwell is, and how he'd feel if they tried replacing him with a younger man.
Indexer notes:
Part 2 of 2. Only SHIELD episode from STRANGE TALES never reprinted until 2007. Nick Fury looks into the mystery of "THEM" and meets Captain America in TALES OF SUSPENSE #78 (June 1966), then teams with him in flashback in STRANGE TALES #160-161.
(8-3-2007)
"LO! THE EGGS SHALL HATCH!"
NICK FURY and SHIELD take on The Druid, who turns out to be a piker compared to their real problems. Raw recruit Jasper Sitwell turns out to actually know what he's doing in combat situations. Who'd a guessed? JACK KIRBY supplies story & layouts, ye "editor" does dialogue, DON HECK steps into the slot as penciller, and Mike Esposito continues on inks. Truthfully, this is the LEAST-impressive-looking art this series has had up to this point. It deserves better. DON HECK deserves better than to wedged between someone else's layouts and 3rd-rate inks. JACK KIRBY deserves better than to be doing some of his best writing and NOT even getting ANY RECOGNITION for it!!!
(3-18-2014)
"TO CATCH A MAGICIAN!"
Synopsis:
Mr. Rasputin, descendant of the original, amasses magical & scientific knowledge as part of his plan to rule the world. Strange senses evil in the area, and that someone has used the "Forbidden Ritual of Ikonn". He confronts Rasputin, who, no match for his magic, resorts to non-magical means: he pulls a gun and shoots Strange! Recovering at a nearby hospital, Strange informs the police about Rasputin, but when they can find no trace of him, Strange realizes the villain may be at his own sanctum! As Strange investigates, a hit-man Rasputin hired enters the hospital to finish the job. Following a tense battle, Strange emerges victorious, and hypnotizes Rasputin to forget all he knows of magic, and for both he & his henchman to confess all their crimes to the police.
Indexer notes:
Part 16 of 17. Not really connected with the episodes in the last or next issues, a sort of "lull before the storm" of the next issue's big climax.
(8-3-2007)
FANTASTIC FOUR 51
cover by Jack Kirby & Joe Sinnott
Ben feels dejected about being the Thing all over again, because he saw Alicia with that silver guy with the board, and being the thick-headed clod that he is, jumped to the wrong conclusions. This gives some sneaky bad-guy scientist the edge when he takes advantage of Ben, knocks him unconscious, and uses a device which allows them to switch forms-- sort of. The bad guy takes on the form of The Thing, while Ben reverts to his old human self. At which point said bad guy walks straight into the Baxter Building, intent on stealing Reed Richards' secrets. Gee, didn't "The Thinker" try something like this once?
Well, as it happens, Reed, intent on helping Johnny's heartbreaking emotional turmoil of being separated from THE WOMAN HE LOVES, is experimenting with an inter-dimensional doorway, which will allow him to enter "SUB-SPACE", hopefully as a way of bypassing the "NEGATIVE ZONE" barrier Maximus erected around the entire city of the Inhumans. It's all become one big soap-opera at this point, hasn't it? Anyone familar with later episodes will note that SOMEBODY at SOME point got the descriptive terms confused. Because for decades after, that OTHER UNIVERSE Reed enters into here is always referred to as "The NEGATIVE ZONE". Now, gee, WHO do you suppose got confused there? The same guy who, when he makes a BONEHEAD mistake, because he's not paying attention to the REAL writer, always tries to cover his A** to make it look like the "mistake" was the way things "always were from the beginning"?
To sum up, Reed almost buys it, nobody believes Ben is Ben (you'd think they'd RECOGNIZE him!!!), and the fake Thing winds up having a change of heart, sacrificing his own life to save Reed. For some reason, loads of FF fans consider this the single greatest episode in the series' history. I don't. But then, I can't stand to sit thru "The City On The Edge Of Forever" on STAR TREK anymore, either. Call it personal taste.
JACK KIRBY supplies story and mind-boggling art; ye "editor" does dialogue, and JOE SINNOTT does eye-popping inks. WOW.
(3-18-2014)
TALES TO ASTONISH 80
cover by Gene Colan & Vince Colletta
SUB-MARINER fights that giant behemoth, while the exiled Warlord Krang abducts Lady Dorma, convincing her that if she doesn't come along, her love, Namor, will be killed. GENE COLAN supplies story & art, ye "editor" does dialogue & DICK AYERS comes onboard as new regular inker.
"THEY DWELL IN THE DEPTHS"
THE HULK is caught in the middle of an underground war between Tyrannus (from HULK #5) and The Mole Man (from FF #1 and etc.). Among the prizes is a fountain of youth that had kept Tyrannus young, which he is in desperate need of, and, the safety of Betty Ross, Rick Jones & Glenn Talbot, who've also been kidnapped. Along the way, he must battle "The Octo-Sapien", a really outragious-looking robot. JACK KIRBY supplies story & layouts, ye "editor" does dialogue, and BILL EVERETT supplies pencils & inks. WOW!!!
(3-18-2014)
HULK-- "THE DWELL IN THE DEPTHS"
AS ALWAYS, the credits are a lie. JACK KIRBY wrote the story. His "editor" wrote the dialogue. There is no indication of this in the credits, which is how the "editor" was able, month after month, year after year, to keep STEALING money that by all rights should have gone to Jack Kirby (and others, on other series).
Also, I can't help but wonder, now, how much BETTER this might have been if Jack Kirby (and other like him) had been allowed to write THEIR OWN dialogue. Almost certainly, in this case, the Hulk would have been a far more interesting (and inteligent) character.
Nice example of world-building. 2 Jack Kirby characters-- The Mole Man (FANTASTIC FOUR #1 / Nov'61) and Tyrannus (THE INCREDIBLE HULK #5 / Jan'63) are about to have "a little war".
The "Octo-Sapien" looks to me to have been the inspiration for the "Nucleon" globe monster on the humorous Japanese show, "JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT".
Hard to be sure... but wouldn't it be funny if, when Kirby wrote this, The Hulk smashed the bars deliberately so he'd FREE the prisoners? Then, attacked the invaders to defend them? Just a thought... certainly no hint of it in Lee's dialogue...
(12-5-2013)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 37
cover by STEVE DITKO
TALES OF SUSPENSE 78
cover by Jack Kirby & Frank Giacoia
IRON MAN defeats the monstrous Ultimo, and manages to hitch a ride from the US military back to the States. But on reaching his factory, he discovers it's been LOCKED DOWN by the Federal Government-- and there's a warrant out for Tony Stark's arrest! Oh, the ignominity of it! GENE COLAN supplies story & art, ye "editor" does dialogue, and JACK ABEL does stunning inks.
"THEM!"
We see the first present-day meeting between NICK FURY and CAPTAIN AMERICA. Wow!!! It seems (over in AVENGERS) Cap had been trying to get in touch with SHIELD, as he felt he could be of help to the organization. Nick agreed, and wants to trade any info the other might have on some mysterious outfit called "THEM" (who were behind both the episode involving Batroc The Leaper and the crisis with Mentallo & The Fixer). As they speak, Avengers HQ is attacked by an artificially-created lifeform bent on total destruction. After a horrific battle, Fury hands Cap a SHIELD "priority card", so getting in touch will be a lot easier in the future. **
JACK KIRBY supplies story & returns to doing full pencils (YAY!!!); ye "editor" does dialogue while actually taking credit for the whole story; and Frank Giacoia does damn good inks. Part 1 of a story that branches off into 2 different series at the same time. WHOA!
** This seems a good place to point out that, owing entirely to editorial interference (and incompetence), Jim Steranko's 2-part "Project Blackout" occurs IMMEDIATELY after (or before, or during) the story "THEM" (according to George Olshevsky's Index Vol.8A / Dec'79). There's just NO OTHER PLACE it could possibly fit. However... since it's been determined that this retroactive continuity implant existed only as a result of editorial interference, and since it created so MANY uncalled-for plot holes and CONTINUITY problems... how about if we just pretend it DIDN'T happen as published?
(In other words... "F*** you, S***!")
(3-18-2014)
"CRESCENDO!"
Synopsis:
Iron Man defeats Ultimo by tricking the monstrous android into setting off a long-dormant volcano! The Mandarin believes Tony Stark is dead, and vows Ultimo will live again. Shellhead steals a Commie jet and narrowly avoids getting shot down by US fighters. But on returning home, he discovers to his horror that Senator Byrd has not taken his failure to show at the sub-committee investigation lightly...
Indexer notes:
Part 3 of 3. The Mandarin would return 7 months later in TALES OF SUSPENSE #84 (December 1966); Ultimo would eventually return in IRON MAN #69 (August 1974), though his true origins would not be revealed until IRON MAN #23-25 (December 1999-February 2000).
(2007)
"THEM!"
Synopsis:
While Cap is in the middle of a training exercise involving flying "shock rollers", he's surprised to see Nick Fury turn up looking for info on a secret organization known only as "THEM". As they talk, a strange flying craft lands outside Avengers Mansion, and a large, deadly "chemical android" attacks. In a remote lab, hooded members of "THEM" observe by remote camera, while watching over a "battalion" of androids growing like plants in a glass-enclosed hydroponic garden, due to experiments with D.N.A. One of the techs says "The Imperator" wants SHIELD destroyed. Cap & Fury barely manage to stop the android, which reverts back to its basic elements once it's mission is a failure. Fury tells Cap it's SHIELD's job, and to stay out of it. But he gives Cap a SHIELD "Priority A-1" badge to make getting in touch easier in the future.
Indexer notes:
Part 1 of 5. 2nd-ever meeting of Cap & Fury, following the story in SGT. FURY #13 (December 1964). 1st on-camera appearance of "THEM", following mentions in STRANGE TALES #142-143 & 145 (March-April, June 1966). The hooded outfits worn by the evil scientists appear inspired by the ones worn in the 1st James Bond film, DR. NO (1962). Identity of "The Imperator" would not be revealed until STRANGE TALES #156 (May 1967). Cap & Fury team-up to battle mysterious invaders in the flashback in STRANGE TALES #160-161 (September-October 1967), apparently shortly after this episode. Meanwhile, this story continues directly into STRANGE TALES #146 (July 1966), while "THEM" also continue to appear (peripherally) in the next several issues of TALES OF SUSPENSE. The android-growing tanks appear to pay tribute to THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951). Thanks to Jack Kirby, D.N.A. experiments would play a large part in SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #133-148 (November 1970-April 1972). The "flying shock rollers" are identical to the ones used by Obi-Wan Kenobi to train Luke Skywalker in the film STAR WARS (1977)!
(2007)
THOR 129
cover by Jack Kirby & Vince Colletta
from the GCD: "Synopsis: Thor agrees to fight Pluto's minions in Hades on behalf of Hercules."
Now what halfwit wrote that and BLEW THE ENDING of the story in one sentence?
Hercules makes it back home, only to find he's become persona non grata, even more so than usual, since being DUMB enough to sign Pluto's contract. Try as he might, Hercules can find NO ONE who would be willing to take his place, or even stand up for him, as part of the contract stipulates that a champion COULD take on the entire Netherworld in order to defeat the constraints of the document, but the one who signs it cannot do so himself. I wonder who the Greek god of legalities is?
Pluto plays the moment for all he's worth, enraging Zeus, who condemned him to rule the Netherworld in the first place, but who now feels frustrated, as HE also was the one who agreed to the terms of the contract. At the very last moment, just before Hercules is about to be dragged down into the dark regions, the most unlikely champion of all arises to do battle in his stead... THOR! Yes, it's the guy whose girl Hercules tried to STEAL! Yes, it's the guy he spent all that time trying to beat to a bloody pulp due to his own overblown sense of ego! Yes, it's the guy he felt compelled to HUMILIATE, simply because the guy was standing up for what was RIGHT and JUST! I bet the "Prince Of Power"'s jaw is dropping NOW!
JACK KIRBY supplieth wondrous story & magnificent art! Ye "editor" filleth in the word balloons, yea, and most voluminously! Vince "You've gotta be kidding me" Colletta layeth down the INKS! Doth it get any BETTER than this? Wait until NEXT issue to find out! Part 5 of 6 (or 6 of 7, take yer pick). WOW!!!!!
"THE HORDES OF HAROKIN"
from the GCD: "Synopsis: Thor and companions set out to get the Warlock's Eye that Harokin has seized."
"Indexer Notes: Odinsword Quest Part 12, Warlock's Eye Part 1; first appearances of the land of Muspelheim, the Well of Eternal Sleep and the Warlock's Eye."
Having learned that LOKI will be the cause of Ragnarok, the foretold twilight of the gods, Odin has him condemned to eternal confinement. Thor, in an act of sympathy, pleads for his case. Odin will have none of it... but before it can go any further, the kingdom is under attack by the barbarian warrior Harokin, who uses "The Warlock's Eye" to down entire armies before him. Only Asgard's answer to "The Musketeers"-- Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, and THOR, stand to oppose him.
"The Warlock's Eye" reminds me of an Asgardian version of Prester John's "Evil Eye", which would appear in FANTASTIC FOUR some months down the road. The full-page shot on the 4th page showing Harokin & his entire army charging out of the hills is one of the most iconic images in the entire run of TALES OF ASGARD. I wonder, if this series is indeed connected directly to the current-day THOR, under what circumstances Loki was eventually released from his imprisonment?
JACK KIRBY supplies story & art; ye "editor" does dialogue; and Vince "What's with all the horses?" Colletta does inks. MISS IT NOT!
(3-15-2014)
THE AVENGERS 29
cover by Jack Kirby & Frank Giacoia
It's a wild free-for-all involving our heroes against Power Man, The Swordsman, and the brainwashed Black Widow, while a lovestruck Hawkeye is in anguish. Meanwhile, sinister forces are creeping in from other places overseas... DON HECK supplies story & art, ye "editor" does dialogue, and FRANK GIACOIA does inks. Jan, Wanda & Natasha (hubba hubba) NEVER looked so good!
(3-18-2014)
SGT. FURY & HIS HOWLING PLATOON 31
cover by ??
"INTO THE JAWS OF... DEATH!"
Despite what it says at the GCD, I'm figuring DICK AYERS supplied story & art, Roy Thomas did the dialogue, and John Tartaglione supplied the bullets... er, inks.
(3-18-2014)
DAREDEVIL 17
cover by John Romita & Frank Giacoia
This perhaps refers to guest-star SPIDER-MAN, who acts like a COMPLETE moron in this story. Bad-guy The Masked Marauder gets away scot free at the end, the latest example of a really bad trend you would have thought the Comics Code would have objected to!!! JOHN ROMITA supplies story & art, ye "editor" does dialogue, and Frank Giacoia does inks. Part 2 of 2.
(3-18-2014)
X-MEN 21
cover by Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers
The team tackles some generic robot sent out by some guys out to do whatever. You can see how memorable this is. Roy Thomas supplies the story, Werner Roth fleshed it out with his pencils, and Dick Ayers does the inks. Things get better, I'm sure they do...
(3-18-2014)
(Continued in July 1966)
All Text (C) Henry R. Kujawa
Artwork (C) Marvel Comics
Restorations by Henry R. Kujawa
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