STRANGE TALES 163
cover by JIM STERANKO
Up front is one of Steranko's coolest covers yet, with a jet black bakcground somehow reminiscent of many 1950's Marvel books. For once, I can see no hint of Joe Giella in Frank Giacoia's inks (heh). The "plot"-- such as it is-- is more complex, convoluted, and confusing that anything we've ever seen in SHIELD before, and frankly, repeated readings, while making it more understandable, are NOT improving it in my eyes one bit. And, we get 2 deadly cliffhangers in 2 episodes. Nick must be slipping.
"THREE FACES OF DOOM"
This manages, with some rather spectacular sci-fi landscape backdrops courtesy of Dan Adkins, to pretty much wrap up the long and convoluted MESS that started when Umar appeared, was driven off by Zom, who ran off due to The Living Tribunal, who wanted to toast the Earth due to the "latent evil" that resulted in, among other things, Baron Mordo's return. Earth was saved, Nebulos was wiped out, but the action still hasn't stopped, as now Strange must travel to the "world of nightmares" where Victoria Bentley was banished. The entire run of Dr. Strange from Ditko's departure to the very last issue of STRANGE TALES runs without any breaks, though the upcoming "science vs. sorcery" arc kind of acts as a bookend to the "Kaluu" sequence that started it all.
(5-18-2008)
"AND THE DRAGON CRIED... DEATH!"
Synopsis:
As Fury escapes the monster octopus, The Yellow Claw uses a "Psionic-Revelation Eavesdropper" to spy on A.I.M. Suwan, torn by her conscience, realizes she must contact Jimmy Woo. Woo contacts Fury to pass on the info that the Claw plans to steal something called "The Ultimate Annihilator" from A.I.M. Val recommends Fury take one of her fellow Spy School graduates, and introduces him to Clay Quartermain, a smiling eager-beaver almost too sure of himself. Fury & Quartermain take on a squad of A.I.M. agents on the waterfront, and retrieve an ornate dragon statue. Tests reveal nothing, and then the Claw materializes to steal it! But it was only a duplicate-- and by accident, they learn the real Dragon speaks the names of 4 scientists when struck. Fury arrives too late to save the first 3, but impersonates the 4th, getting the drop on The Claw. But under hypnotic power, Fury collapses, and the Claw uses the Ultimate Annihilator on him...!!
Indexer notes:
Part 5 of 9. Clay Quartermain based on Kirk Douglas. The Dragon, when wrapped up, pays tribute to The Maltese Falcon. A.I.M. fought Captain America in TALES OF SUSPENSE #92-94 (August-October 1967); next appearance against Iron Man in TALES OF SUSPENSE #97-99 (January-March 1968).
(2007)
"THREE FACES OF DOOM!"
Synopsis:
Drawn by the force of evil, The Living Tribunal discearns that it is Nebulos' staff that has drawn him; and while Earth has indeed been saved, he must now destroy the staff, which absorbed all the evil from Baron Mordo. As the Tribunal & Nebulos battle, Strange fears for the life of the missing Victoria, and also that he may be "marooned forever" on the "world of peril". While using "Talons of Cosmic Fire" to get Strange out of his way, the Tribunal uses "Cosmic Lightning" to begin destroying Nebulos' entire home planet! As Nebulos refuses to hand over his staff to the Tribunal, Strange flies by and wrests it away, just as Nebulos is buried by an "avalanche of death and destruction". Strange hands the staff to the Tribunal, declaring the "Cosmic Balance" is now restored! In reward, the Tribunal sends Strange to the "terrifying world" where Nebulos imprisoned Victoria, warning him that "dangers more ghastly than the human mind can conceive" await him there...
Indexer notes:
Part 17 of 22; part 6 of the Living Tribunal sequence. Several panels based closely on Steve Ditko panels; the effect resembles Ditko pencils plus Wood inks.
(2007)
FANTASTIC FOUR 69
cover by Jack Kirby & Joe Sinnott
No review this time-- I'll be covering this 4-parter in depth when it reaches its conclusion!
(8-24-2018)
TALES TO ASTONISH 98
cover by DAN ADKINS
This is the most convoluted, confused Subby episode yet. Confusion and misunderstanding are the names of the game, as Subby is believed a traitor by his own people, a US submarine thinks Atlantis is shooting at them, and The Plunderer, who started the whole mess, loses his sub, but manages to escape in the mess. By episode's end, Atlantis officially declares war on the surface world, while Namor is injured & unconscious. Oy. (Having 3 pages of this MISSING from my reprint isn't helping, either.)
"THE PUPPET AND THE POWER"
Hulk attacks Ross's missile base, and the Legions of the Living Lightning move in for a take-over. Love-sick Talbot keeps thinking Hulk is a "traitor" somehow, and for the cliffhanger, Betty's dumped in a cell with a sleeping Hulk, who's about to awaken. Doesn't the guy know Betty's the ONE person Hulk would NEVER hurt?
(5-18-2008)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 55
cover by John Romita & Joe Sinnott
This was the very 1st Spidey comic I ever owned-- even if it was missing half the cover. The story is beginning to show its cracks, but overall, it remains one of the BEST episodes from the entire Romita run. Nearly every panel in this book seems worthy of being a pin-up, and it was one of those panels I re-used as part of the cover of my SPIDER-MAN 1968 music comp. We haven't seen Spidey so PISSED since ASM #32, as he does his all to track down Ock, who is more arrogant than ever. It ends is a magnificent showdown at Stark Industries (where, "ye editor" tells us, Iron Man is laying somewhere, "mortally wounded"). And then "ye editor" pulls the "amnesia" card. AUGH! It probably didn't bother me so much back then, but by the mid-70's, I'd seen virtually every single TV series play that card (CANNON did it twice!) and swore I would NEVER write an "amnesia" story. (I still haven't!) Of course, at 8 years old, the end of this issue frustrated me... It was bad enough when TV shows had 2-parters, which were often difficult for me to see both halves of. I wasn't used to comic-books ending with "TO BE CONTINUED!" What a rotten thing to do to kids!!!
(5-18-2008)
Here's my tribute to John Romita & Gray Morrow from 2004.
TALES OF SUSPENSE 96
cover by Jack Kirby & Joe Sinnott
"THE DEADLY VICTORY"
This issue opens with "ye editor" once again treating a deadly serious situtation like it's a joke ("I faw down an' go boom"). Jasper saves IM's life, then gets himself turned to stone. But while it supposedly takes an hour to wear off, he's up and running again in what, the way the story reads, can't have been more than 5 minutes later. WHAT th'...? IM just barely manages to defeat the Grey Garygoyle, but his power's giving out, and he collapses. At which point, Jasper, talking outloud to himself as he always seems to do, says, "Even though it's completely AGAINST ORDERS..." WHAT th'...? A couple of issues away from the SHIELD series, and "ye editor" has the guy not only being more annoying than ever, but acting in violation of SHIELD regulations? (That's "ye editor" for you.) Will Jasper REMOVE IM's helmet, to "save" his life, and find out his identity in the process? (Not bloody likely...)
"TO BE REBORN"
A slew of imitation Captain Americas trying to take the place of the newly-retired Cap, and all become the target of an open contract on Steve Rogers! (Why they didn't try to kill Cap BEFORE he quit being Cap is anybody's guess.) Fury & Dugan are on hand again, and by story's end, Steve realizes he can't give up part of what he is. I dunno... even with Kirby at the helm, this seems just as DUMB as ASM #50! (WHY did he let the public know his secret identity again???)
(5-18-2008)
THOR 147
cover by Jack Kirby & Vince Colletta
THE AVENGERS 47
cover by Don Heck & Frank Giacoia
DAREDEVIL 35
cover by Gene Colan & John Tartaglione
X-MEN 39
"THE FATEFUL FINALE!"
At last, a conclusion the overlong "Factor Three" story. Did we ever learn why the group was called "Factor Three"? Never mind... Russians shoot at half the X-team, even though seconds before they saved their lives... back home, the group rejoins just in time to find out the "Mutant Master" was really an alien from another planet out to turn all of Earth into a radioactive wasteland where no humans OR mutants could survive, and momentarily, the evil mutants join forces with the not-so-evil ones. At the end, Marvel Girl gives everyone new costumes-- this time, each with its own color scheme, so at last, they're all "individuals". I wish I could say Don Heck's art or storytelling was inspired, but I can't. He just doesn't seem to fit on X-MEN the way he did on AVENGERS. (Maybe Roy should have left Don where he was, and gotten John Buscema to draw the X-MEN???) Vince Colletta's inks only make it worse... and I'll be honest, I'm reading this from the 1974 reprint in X-MEN #87, where the printing and line reproduction is ABOMINABLE!!! Yes, ABOMINABLE!!! I can't believe the original art looked nearly this bad. Inexplicably, the 5-page "Origins" episode was replaced in the reprint with a 5-page Steve Ditko sci-fi story. WHY???
(5-18-2008)
MARVEL SUPER-HEROES 12
cover by Gene Colan & Joe Giella
"THE COMING OF CAPTAIN MARVEL!"
I've already reviewed this atrocity at great length elsewhere (ask me, I'll run my comments again). I will say that this time, it's VERY obvious to me which parts Frank Giacoia did not ink-- they look TOO GOOD. This includes the cover, which I'm SURE was Joe Giella's work. NICE lines. I've always liked that cover, and always recall being very disappointed that the scene depicted on it-- alien envoy arrives on Earth to stunned looks of populace-- NEVER appeared anywhere in the issue, or anywhere in the ENTIRE SERIES for that matter. That just ain't right.
I also see that, like THOR, DAREDEVIL, X-MEN and AVENGERS, MSH's cover-dates are one month behind the rest of the MU. This went on 'til 1969, but still, I keep wondering... WHY?
(5-18-2008)
Coming up next: a special feature originally written for KLORDNY!
(Continued in Captain Mar-Vell, Pt.1)
All Text (C) Henry R. Kujawa
Artwork (C) Marvel Comics
Restorations by Henry R. Kujawa
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