NICK FURY, AGENT OF SHIELD 14
cover by Herb Trimpe & Sam Grainger
Synopsis:
Aboard the Heli-Carrier, the "Psycho-Projector" is used on Fury, to put him thru his paces while unconscious and learn what's really going on in his mind. It turns out EVERYTHING involving "The Super-Patriot" was just a dream! Later, with no knowledge of this, Fury wakes up back in his NY apartment, where Val has a morning Alka-Seltzer waiting for him. His new secretary, Agent Huff, contacts him to let him know the Munitions Department wants him for a briefing. But someone has sabotaged his apartment, and TWICE he barely escapes death! Elsewhere, HYDRA agent Number 72 plots Fury's death. Fury skips breakfast, then is ambushed on the way to his car. En route to the Heli-Carrier, a fault develops in one of the anti-grav wheels of his Ferarri, causing him to bail out and parachute to land. The Gaff nags Fury about taking better care of things like the car he just destroyed, then shows off a new flying motorcycle! The whole time, Fury's under observation by Dugan, Gabe, Val & "Dr. Sammartino", who continues to claim Fury is a traitor. But Dugan counters by saying he found out the dead agent Rickard was really working for HYDRA, which caused the Dr. to blow his cover! All bets off, he goes after Fury, but thanks to the intervention of Huff, is stopped-- but escapes. Fury thanks Huff for her help, but in the back of his mind wonders why the Super-Patriot looked like him?
Indexer notes:
Part 3 of 3. HYDRA double-agent inexplicably called "Dr. Kraus" by a lab-tech on page 2 and "Dr. Sammartino" by Gabe Jones on page 16! Since Kraus is a German name and he's a HYDRA agent, it's probably his real one (suggesting the lab-tech was also a double-agent who slipped up!). Number 72 bears a striking resemblance to "Don Cabellero", the 1st of Baron Strucker's fake identities (see STRANGE TALES #150-152 / November 1966-January 1967), suggesting he based his false identity on Number 72, another member of his organization! 3rd car of Fury's to be destroyed; this one had only been around since NICK FURY, AGENT OF SHIELD #8 (January 1969). HYDRA returns next issue, but new plot begins.
(9-15-2007)
Nick is under observation by SHIELD, as we discover the entire "Super-Patriot" episode was ALL in Nick's mind!! (A "dream" episode-- intentional last month, or did Gary Friedrich change his mind because last issue was just that ridiculous?) They take Nick back to his NYC apartment, where he wakes up to Val bringing him breakfast. It all seems like another tribute to THE PRISONER (which Jack Kirby already did a few months back in FANTASTIC FOUR). Nick survives repeated attempts on his life in his apartment, on the street, in his car (which someone sabotaged!) before finally having to parachute down to the Heli-Carrier. The Gaffer spews out all the Jewish sarcasm his can muster, complaining about how Fury destroyed the car he gave him (again!), then shows off a new flying motorcycle. The psychiatrist in charge of observing Fury continues to maintain that Fury is a traitor, and he'll prove it... until Dugan reveals they found out Rickard (who Fury killed) was working for HYDRA-- and had "several meetings" with the Doctor before dying. We're not sure if this was only a bluff or not, but it does the trick, and the Doc reveals HE's working for HYDRA, too, before trying (and failing) to kill Fury yet again. He actually manages to escape, which somehow doesn't bother anyone (there's way too much of this going on in the Marvel Universe lately-- bad guys getting away and nobody seeming to care all that much) as all are just happy that Fury's rep in in the clear again. Fury himself wonders why The Super-Patriot had his own face-- apparently not yet realizing it was only a dream...
Overall, this was a huge improvement over the previous issue, which wouldn't have been too difficult. I still wish Steve Parkhouse & Barry Smith had managed to do the entire story, as their opening episode was so much better than the 2 that followed. The Herb Trimpe-Sam Grainger team are really trying their best to kick Jack Kirby-style ass here, the photo-background as Nick's Ferrarri flys over NYC the only hint of "Steranko" influence at all. I'm convinced that with a better writer, Trimpe & Grainger could have done some impressive work here. As it is, it's too many drastic changes in too short a time for anyone's good.
(7-1-2008)
DR. STRANGE 182
cover by Gene Colan & Tom Palmer
Clea & Wong watch Doc's seeming defeat by Nightmare in the Dream Dimension. But Doc's not out yet, as he manages to contact someone who's currently trapped in another dimension-- the X-MEN foe, Juggernaut (whose powers somehow derive from Cytorrak). This cross-over seems as out-of-place as when Man-Thing crossed paths with Shang-Chi, but that's Roy Thomas for you. Doc cons Juggernaut into thinking he's the guy's way back to Earth, and while the two baddies are coming to blows, Doc makes his escape, getting his cloak & amulet back under his control. Juggernaut realizes he's been had (he never was the sharpest tack) and the 2 baddies decide to double-team Doc, when ETERNITY steps into the fray. Doc is outright amused by the very thought that the awesome, omnipotent being he risked his life to "save" turns out to have never really been a prisoner in the first place, but merely allowed the arrogant Nightmare to believe so. And now, in payment for his earlier attack (shades of Dormammu), Eternity unleashes his power on the baddies... and, almost as an afterthought, neatly deposits Doc back home on Earth.
Back in his sanctum, Doc sees a telegram delivered while he was fighting for his life, and Wong tells him the name on the envelope has changed since its arrive, from "Dr. Stephen Strange" to "Dr. Stephen Sanders". Doc instantly knows it was the work of Eternity, who knew Doc was looking to find a "new identity" for himself. After endless millennia, for the first time ever, Doc thinks, Eternity actually "cared".
As usual, the artwork of Gene Colan & Tom Palmer is absolutely mind-blowing on every single page. I swear, these 2 guys were WASTING their time in the 70's doing the awful, downbeat, pointless TOMB OF DRACULA series-- they should have been doing DR. STRANGE all along! The letters page reveals that Palmer has been doing the coloring since #175 as well, one more reason these issues look like nothing else on the stands at the time. I still don't "get" this whole fixation Roy Thomas has with "having" to give Doc a "secret identity", as Doc was always a "public figure" people would come to for help, even if most didn't believe what he was into was anything more than mumbo-jumbo. The other bothersome thing this time out is the addition to the cover logo of the words "MASTER OF BLACK MAGIC". Come ON, Roy!!! Doc hasn't had that as part of his description since the first few episodes!! (That's what you get with a writer who is absolutely obsessed with "origins" and the earliest periods of any given series, almost to the exclusion of what's gone on ever since.)
(7-1-2008)
FANTASTIC FOUR 90
cover by Jack Kirby & Joe Sinnott
This is either the 3rd part of the Mole Man story, or, part 1 of the new Skrull story (although it really started last month!). It's nicely done, but I keep wishing they would keep one story separate from another. Anyway, the FF are trying to straighten things out in the underground "house", but Mole Man, still unbelievably arrogant, manages to escape! Reed points out the "irony" that he hasn't committed any "crimes", and there's no crime in "trying to conquer the Earth". While this mind-boggling NONSENSE is sinking in, MM destroys the house by remote-control, the FF barely escaping in time. Meanwhile, the Skrull arrives on Earth, disguises his spaceship and himself, and heads for the city to locate The Thing. Disguised as Reed, he cons Ben into following him, claiming evidence of "an alien invasion" (no kidding!). At the spaceship, the alien reveals his identity, overpowers Ben, and the two head into deep space, as "the games" are "about to begin".
As usual, GREAT art, and a story that, like I said, would have come across a lot better if they hadn't overlapped 2 separate storylines this way. (But that's my opinion.) "Ye editor" makes another bonehead blunder this time when some of the dialogue is clearly intended to be Johnny & Crystal, even though in the pictures it's obviously Reed & Sue! (HOW do you make a mistake like that??) The thing that bugs me the most about this issue is the way not only The Mole Man made his escape, but the way Reed doesn't seem bothered by it. This is a repeat of what happened with The Wizard-- TWICE!! And let's not forget the Dr. Doom 4-parter. With Reed's sense of "justice", I can't imagine him really not caring this way. It feels too much like "Ye editor"s "liberal" attitudes about "sympathetic" villains overwhelming common sense and getting in the way of how a story should have really played itself out.
(7-1-2008)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 76
cover by JOHN ROMITA
The Lizard is on the rampage again, and Spider-Man promises Mrs. Connors & her son Billy that he'll do all he can to help and try not to hurt the guy, who in his reptile form doesn't remember that he's Curt Connors. Joe Robertson & Captain Stacy are still trying to figure out what makes Spidey tick, and Stacy would like to talk with Pete about what he knows, since he's taken so many photos of the guy. Gwen wonders if Pete's seeing another girl, since he keeps being so secretive and disappearing all the time, but he tells he hopes to be able to explain things to her soon. (Oh really?) Spidey catches up with The Lizard, big fight commences, and just as Spidey is getting an idea how he can stop The Lizard... The Human Torch shows up. Oh joy.
John Buscema's back again, and John Romita isn't even listed in the credits this issue! It's possible he did some touch-ups on faces (seems like he always was) but it's hard to tell. Jim Mooney continues doing the bulk of the work (pencils & inks) but the storytelling is Buscema, who is focusing mostly on 4-panel pages these days. The result is, you get thru 20 pages, and you feel like you've only had 10. Not much story! Come to think of it, a lot of Marvels were getting like that around here.
(7-3-2008)
IRON MAN 17
cover by George Tuska & Johnny Craig
(alterations by JOHN ROMITA)
CAPTAIN AMERICA 117
cover by Gene Colan & Joe Sinnott
(alterations by JOHN ROMITA)
Cap-- in the Red Skull's body-- fights for his life against The Exiles, those perverted Nazi types the Skull trained, used, then betrayed & left marooned on this tropical island. Cap gets some help from Sam Wilson and his falcon Redwing. It seems the native New Yorker answered an advert for a bird trainer and hunter, but once he arrived found the ad was a con-- these guys don't hire you, they only make prisoners and slaves of people! (How they posted an ad when they're stuck on the island is never explained-- what, readers should expect "ye editor" to actually think things thru when he's writing a comic?) At this point Cap has finally figured out he should take off the Skull mask, and uses some improvised make-up to alter his appearance (though why he should bother, when nobody on the island has ever seen The Skull's real face is another question never addressed.) Cap trains Sam in unarmed combat, and by the issue's end, Sam fashions a costume for himself, becoming-- The Falcon! (No relation to the 1940's detective character, of course.)
Back in NYC, The Skull (in Cap's body-- and costume) checks into a swank hotel and is mobbed by adoring fans. On the one hand, the hotel staff are surprised, as Cap never seemed a glory-hound before. On the other, he also tends to talk DOWN to people, including his fans, treating them like "mindless rabble". You'd THINK somebody might have figured something was wrong there...
The huge gaping plotholes in this book tend to be glossed over by thbe fact that Gene Colan & Joe Sinnott's artwork is SO good, SO gorgeous, I give this issue my vote for BEST-LOOKING Marvel Comic of the month!! In his "disguise", Cap (in the Skull's body) looks a bit like Hugh O'Brien, but Sam Wilson is a dead ringer for Muhammad Ali! I never got that from any later renditions of him, but as Gene was the 1st artist to ever draw the guy, I put a lot of stock in what I see here.
(7-3-2008)
SILVER SURFER 8
cover by John Buscema & Dan Adkins
"NOW STRIKES THE GHOST!"Mephisto returns, still wanting the Surfer's soul, and drawing from limbo the cursed spirit of "The Flying Dutchman". Mephisto offers the guy his only chance at peace if he'll pledge his soul to Mephisto, and bring him the Surfer's soul as well, by force. Soaring over Manhattan in an ancient sailing ship is sure to attract attention, and before long, the Surfer is drawn into a fight...
MAN is this villain one ugly sucker! Beginning this issue, Dan Adkins replaced Sal Buscema on inks, no doubt because Sal got busy doing pencils for THE AVENGERS. Also, without warning, someone decided to make the book a normal-sized monthly (supposedly based on "readers's requests", but I dunno) and this 40-page story was CUT in half just before printing, rather than be paced a bit different to make it a "normal" 2-parter.
(7-4-2008)
SUB-MARINER 17
cover by Marie Severin & Mike Esposito
This reminds me of a KULL story, as Namor faces trouble from a scheming high priest who claims to speak directly with "the gods", and somehow "the people" all listen to the guy. Of course, he's planning to steal the throne, and invents a dangerous "quest" for Namor to go on with Neptune's Trident (which, oddly enough, looks nothing like it did when Gene Colan was drawing this series), and so Namor travels back to the site of the original Atlantis and visits his mother's grave. But then he's attacked by an alien from space-- who, it turns out, is in league with that pesky high priest-- and, unknown to the priest, plans to drain all water from the face of the Earth to restore his dying planet. If it's not one thing, it's another...
The art this time is credited to Marie Severin & "Jay Hawk"-- who, it turns out, was really Jack Katz—perhaps doing pencils over Marie's layouts (I wonder if she was really pressed for time this month?). Inks are credited to "Joe Gaudioso"-- another alias for Mike Esposito! It's strange whenever they get 3 artists working in a relay-race like this, as none of their styles really tends to shine like it might otherwise. All the same, Marie's Namor remains one of my favorites, and the depictions of the old Atlantean ruins are quite spectacular (though the bright glaring coloring doesn't help add any mood to it at all). Unfortunately, I don't have the rest of this story... one of these days!
(7-3-2008)
THE INCREDIBLE HULK 119
cover by HERB TRIMPE
(alterations by JOHN ROMITA)
CAPTAIN MARVEL 16
cover by Don Heck & Syd Shores
CM is captured by a group of very short armored guys guarding the "Tam-Bor" idol-- until he breaks free and gets inside. There, he finds it's no ancient or natural artifcat, but man-made Kree technology of recent vintage. Ronan The Accuser appears intent on executing him as a "traitor", and CM notes he seems to be taking too much pleasure in it to be merely a matter of "duty".
Suddenly, a "Super-Sentry" appears-- an advanced model used by the Kree Supreme Intelligence only in time of urgent danger to the entire empire-- and it accuses Ronan of being a traitor! CM manages to disable the "Tam-Bor" magnetic device, Ronan disappears in an explosion, and The Super-Sentry transports CM back to Hala-- the Kree Homeworld-- to face The Supreme Intelligence, who, to Mar-Vell's utter shock, is not out to prosecute him, but claims he was only a "pawn" in a game of deceit. The real "traitor", it seems, is Zarak-- The Imperial Minister-- who hated the Supreme Intelligence's "liiberal" policies and wanted to overthrow him. Zarak, it turns out, deliberately sent the Kree's most honored warrior-- Mar-Vell-- on the mission to Earth, along with his insane rival, Yon-Rogg, KNOWING it would drive Mar-Vell into the position he's in. And it further comes out that the "endless" voyage CM took in "Rebirth" wasn't quite so-- and the world he wound up on was in fact an artificial moon used for mind-warping experiments which have been outlawed for centuries. Not only that, that supposed alien being, "ZO!", was really Zarek all along, who, together with Ronan-- who was looking for an excuse to get revenge on Earth for his earlier defeat there-- planned to make Mar-Vell the scapegoat in an elaborate hoax involving the cult of Tam-Bor. Talk about head-spinning! Zarek tries to destroy the Supreme Intelligence with a negative energy globe, but Mar-Vell intervenes. In the end, The Supreme Intelligence reveals his chamber was much better-protected than any knew, and both Zarek & Ronan have been taken into custody. Only Yon-Rogg remains to be taken care of, but Mar-Vell requests to go after the guy himself, rather than allow Earth to be destroyed from a distance just to kill one traitor. The S.I. realizes Mar-Vell DOES have some loyalties to Earth, but lets it slide, though he says because of it, he'll never advance beyond the rank of "Captain", and gives him a brand-new uniform, to honor him as no longer being a "mere" Kree soldier. All seems well-- AT LAST!!!-- until, en route to Earth, CM is suddenly pulled into the Negative Zone!! (What th'...???)
Back on Earth, a delirious Carol Danvers leaves the hospital just before some FBI guys arrive, is mobbed by reporters outside, and then "rescued" by... Yon-Rogg. Uh oh...
This was the last of these early issues I got my hands on a few years ago, and boy did it blow my mind! In ONE single issue, writer Archie Goodwin managed to tie up or explain EVERY loose end, EVERY mystery, EVERY non-sensical so-called plot thread that was introduced earlier by "ye editor", Roy Thomas, Arnold Drake & Gary Friedrich, and he did it SO well, he almost could fool you into thinking it was "always" supposed to turn out this way from the beginning! But I don't believe it... Archie surely proved right here he had a much better inclination for science-fiction than super-heroes, as I'd rate this one issue as better than all of his IRON MAN issues combined. In addition, my favorite storyteller on the series so far, Don Heck, returned and did his best job ever-- combined with Syd Shores, who supplied Don with by far the BEST inks he ever got on this book! This issue gets my vote for the BEST ISSUE of CM to date, by a mile-- and also the best-written Marvel of the month!
Which makes what happened next all the more tragic... and infuriating... Although Archie, Don & Syd were apparently supposed to be the "new regular team"-- the letters page the issue before asked readers' patience for Archie to clear things up-- all 3 guys were KICKED OFF the series, and before this issue even got to the printers! It seems "ye editor"-- who set up this MESS in the first place-- got cold feet, felt the book needed "drastic" changes in a desperate attempt to "save" it-- and this happened to coincide with Gil Kane-- fresh from GREEN LANTERN-- coming over to Marvel, and really wanting to do Marvel's "sci-fi superhero" as he had DC's. And so, it was put into motion that Roy Thomas, Gil Kane & Dan Adkins (who inked CM #15) should take over in #17, and the last few pages of this issue reflect those last-minuite decisions. OY! The "change" in the direction of the book was so drastic, virtually NOTHING that happened in this episode was even hinted at next month, which left me confused when I was missing this one.
All the same, when I read this story, I found myself looking at it as the grand finale of what turned out to be an 18-PART "origin" story for Captain Mar-Vell! Whoa.
(7-3-2008)
THOR 168
cover by Jack Kirby & George Klein
THE AVENGERS 68
cover by Sal Buscema & Sam Grainger
Ultron is about to wipe out NYC in a nuclear explosion... until The Vision uses the last of his energy to destroy the deadly equipment from the inside. Ultron escapes, and the team contacts the scientist at SHIELD who developed the Adamantium alloy, and discover-- sure enough-- the "molecular arranger" was also stolen when the metal was-- and nobody noticed it until now. Hank Pym contacts The Black Panther (fighting off some invaders to his country back home) to ask for some vibranium, and hatches a plan to trap the murderous robot. The inventor of Adamantium speaks at the U.N. to alert the world of the deadly threat, while Ultron plans to kidnap him and drain his mind for knowledge which will enable him to create an army of indestructible yet mindless, subservient robots with which he can wipe out all of mankind. Ultron attacks the U.N. during the speech, and uses the mind-drain equipment on the scientist, only to be shocked by the thoughts he's accessing. A cone of vibranium encases Ultron just as he self-destructs, and it's revealed that Hank disguised himself as the scientist, then had Jan hypnotize him so he wouldn't know, as well as implant a post-hypnotic suggestion which only Ultron would pick up on-- a thought so shocking, so totally alien to Ultron's nature and being, it wound up destroying him-- "Thou shalt not kill."
The new art team of Sal Buscema (fresh from 2 issues of CAPTAIN AMERICA, though few seemed to notice) and Sam Grainger (who's really been kicking ass around Marvel lately) debut. It's sort of "John Buscema lite", which I guess isn't a bad thing. While less spectacular than Barry Smith, I'd say the storytelling is a lot clearer. I was surprised re-reading this how close the theme of Ultron, an artificial intelligence who became aware abruptly and instantly went homicidal for no apparently reason, and wanted to wipe out ALL life on Earth, so closely reflected the much-later TERMINATOR movies. It's amazing how many things wind up in movies that were in comics earlier-- but the comics usually aren't credited as source material. I kinda wish this had been Ultron's last appearance. It would have been a fitting "finale".
(7-3-2008)
DAREDEVIL 56
cover by Gene Colan & George Klein
X-MEN 60
cover by Neal Adams & Tom Palmer
Scott & Jean drop off Alex with a Dr. Lykos, who seems to be more psychiatrist than physician. And he's got a secret-- ever since his father took him to an expedition near Antarctica where they were attacked by a swarm of Pterodactls (must have been near Ka-Zar's "Savage Land"), he's had this uncanny thing where he drains life energy from other beings. In fact, like a drug addict, he needs to-- more and more as time goes by. Having been an associate of Charles Xavier years earlier, he gets the idea that draining the energy of a mutant would really do it for him, and wouldn't you know, Alex ("Havok") is one of the most powerful around.
Back at the Mansion, the team has a work-out in The Danger Room, while Jean & Lorna (who, after her recent kidnapping by Sentinels, feels she no longer has a "home" and belongs with the team) watch in amusement, as Lorna tells Jean she's "no one's girl" (oh, what will Bobby think?). When reports of a "winged" menace suggest a mutant may be the cause, Warren gets pissed, dig out his OLD costume (only seen in the "Origins" episodes) and spouts another annoying Roy Thomas-ism when he says (for the 2nd time!) "...a guy who USED to be called The Avenging Angel!" Good grief. Over the city, he quickly finds the winged menace-- in reality, Dr. Lykos, transformed into a half-man, half-pterodactyl-- and calling himself the most "evil" name he could come up with (due to his obsession with the book "Lord of the Rings"), "Sauron".
I keep hearing about Neal Adams' "drawing mistakes". I saw one this time! On page 3, when the X-Men take off in some sort of flying craft, the landing gear has the wheels rotated 90 degrees from how they should be. HOW do you MAKE a mistake like that??? Otherwise, the book looks fine, and some of the colors (which Neal was also doing) are really outstanding, though as usual, much of the "storytelling"-- especially in the Danger Room sequence-- is very difficult to follow.
(7-3-2008)
(Continued in October 1969)
All Text (C) Henry R. Kujawa
Artwork (C) Marvel Comics
Restorations by Henry R. Kujawa
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