FANTASTIC FOUR 94
cover by Jack Kirby & Frank Giacoia
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 80
cover by JOHN ROMITA
This begins when Harry-- and Flash-- stop by to explain things to Pete about Gwen. After nearly decking the source of his high-school torment, Pete calms down and realizes he mis-read the whole situation, then calls Gwen to apologize. He meets her at the Midtown Museum, which is promptly robbed, when the special exhibit there had security being handed by Captain Stacy! Jameson, who was apparently sponsoring the exhibit, tries to tear Stacy a new one, while Stacy says he was at home-- asleep-- the whole time! Pete figures out it's the work of one of his oldest foes-- The Chameleon, and hatches a plan to nab the guy, which Joe Robertson is only too happy to help with. After highly publicizing a huge bond transaction, Spidey barges into the meeting room, hoping to bluff the baddie into revealing himself. All he gets is a raving Jameson, who keeps getting in the way of security guards. Outside the building, Spidey waits, then attacks, when he sees the one person he knows HAD to be The Chameleon-- Peter Parker! After unmasking the baddie, Spidey tells the cops EXACTLY what happened, including at the museum (thereby clearing Stacy of any suspicions), then runs off as Jameson is wondering HOW he knew the guy couldn't be Parker?
John Buscema continues on layouts, Jim Mooney on pencils & inks, while John Romita's back in the credits, this time listed as "art consolidator" (what the HELL does that mean??). I suppose he also contribued plot & touch-ups. I have to admit, for the first time, I can actually believe that bonehead Flash is actually growing up. Maybe Buscema & Mooney are just better at portraying it than Romita was earlier. It's good that Pete & "Gwendy" (what a sickening nickname!) are making sense again, though I miss MJ. It's also nice to see Jameson becoming the target of some very called-for put-downs. The guy is a NUTCASE! This story, overall, actually reminded me of one of the SPIDER-MAN cartoons from Grantray-Lawrence (even if it's so dark it LOOKS more like one of the Krantz Films episodes), what with a plot so tightly told and wrapped up, and The Chameleon disguising himself as Pete (something the cartoon doppleganger, "Charles Cameo" did in the episode "DOUBLE IDENTITY"). Are they watching the cartoons for story ideas now?
The one thing about this issue that bugs me is the villain himself. All these years, I'm still left wondering. Who-- or WHAT-- is this guy? That CAN'T be his real "face" under the disguises-- can it? How would his "disguises" work over a "face" that has NO FEATURES? Is this guy even human-- or some kinda space alien-- or what? Was he EVER given a real name? Sheesh.
(7-11-2008)
IRON MAN 21
cover by ??
CAPTAIN AMERICA 121
cover by Gene Colan & Joe Sinnott
This begins with ex-convict scientist Silas X. Cragg, who's obsessed with Captain America, who was responsible for his spending time in jail. The one thing in the whole world he wants is revenge, and he decides to recreate the much-publicised experiment that created Cap to create a "superman" of his own. He searches the Bowery-- intent on finding someone who's already a powerful specimen, and also filled with lots of anger, and doesn't take long before finding a suitable subject. Before you know it, back at his lab, the experiment works. Cragg then contacts The Avengers, saying he's looking to get Cap to appear at an orphanage to put on an exhibition. Cap, never turning down an invite like that, shows up-- and abruptly, BIG FIGHT erupts-- but this guy means it! As the Sister in charge tries to get the kids to safety, one breaks in and actually tries to tackle "The Man-Brute". Whereupon, the guy suddenly runs off, returning to Cragg's lab, saying he wants nothing more to do with him. There he was, fighting the most decent guy he ever met, and this one boy risked his life to help-- and as it turns out, the boy was his SON! Cragg winds up getting fried by the electrical aparatus in his lab-- EXACTLY what happened to the Nazi assassin who killed Cap's creator! Talk about poetic justice. Later, after checking SHIELD files, Cap's able to track down the dead Cragg, but The Man-Brute-- who promises himself to "never again" use his power that way, disappears back where he came from, passing by Cap on the street without a word.
Nice little story. It was interesting how the baddie getting fried so closely mirrored the scene in C.A. #1 way back when. I question the time-frame-- twice it's mentioned Cap put this guy away "15 years ago"-- what, when he was in suspended animation? (Hmm-- maybe it was that OTHER guy who did it! Wouldn't that be funny?) It occurs to me that having Cragg pick that particular orphanage-- which just happened to have The Man-Brute's son at it-- is almost too big of a coincidence. But where would stories be without those? While thumbing thru Fury's files, Cap runs across photos of Rick & Sharon. As nothing is indicated in the dialogue at all, one can only imagine Cap may be lamenting the fact that, lately, his life has returned to the "nothing but action" sort it was back when his solo series first resumed in TALES OF SUSPENSE. (Well, sure, considering "ye editor"s interference seems to have chased both Rick AND Sharon out of the book for the most part...) Gene Colan & Joe Sinnott continue to do DAZZLING work.
I wonder if "The Man-Brute" (we never learn his real name) ever turned up again? It seems to me a guy in his position could have forged a nice career as a professional wrestler...
(7-11-2008)
SILVER SURFER 12
cover by ??
A witch coven in Stonehenge is performing a ritual. Its leader, "Sir Nigel", is obsessed with power, and determined to "prove" to the world that his dabbling in the mystic arts is not only real, but should make him worthy or ruling the planet. Considering how just about every mystic who ever appeared in DR. STRANGE (now cancelled) was bent on hiding their powers from the world, I think this guy is misguided right from the get-go. When the Surfer fails in his latest attempt to crash "the barrier" and falls to Earth nearby, Sir Nigel sees him as his chance. He takes the Surfer home with him, then, after pretending friendship (not again) drugs him, then uses him as the focus for another "summoning". And this time-- somehow-- they somehow manage to magically teleport-- of all things-- The Abomination-- who's been a prisoner on a far alien world by The Stranger, ever since he fought The Hulk back in TALES TO ASTONISH. Of course, the guy wants nothing to do with Sir Nigel, no way's he's gonna "serve" the guy, he's got his OWN world-conquering agenda, and promptly sets off to destroy part of a large city, so people will know not to mess with him. (Again, I suspect his thinking is dodgy on that point.) Not wanting anything to do with humans and their devious ways, the Surfer is nontheless drawn into battle, manages to defeat the Abomination, then deposits him back with Sir Nigel's coven-- telling them to send the guy BACK where they summoned him from! He flies off... I wonder if they actually managed it? Talk about a loose end.
One more story with merely "acceptable" art and one-dimensional characters. How long can this thing go on? (I KNOW... it was just a rhetorical question!)
(7-11-2008)
SUB-MARINER 21
cover by ??
Namor, weakened & unable to breathe underwater, is stuck in Manhattan, pursued by the Army, who mistakenly believe he was in league with the aliens who tried to steal Earth's water supply. (They're not thinking that idea thru very well, are they?) Although Namor has specifically given orders for his people NOT to attack the surface world, Lady Dorma decides to do just that, and take an armed force to NYC to demand the release of their Prince. Namor takes refuge in the apartment of Diane Arliss (sister of Tiger Shark), and on her suggestion tries to contact the F.F.-- but Ben hangs up figuring it's one more "crank call". The cops, tapping her phone (isn't that illegal?) figure out he's there, and soon a free-for-all is in progress. Lord Seth, who had earlier gone into self-exile thinking he'd failed Namor and caused his death, had just returned, and finding his Prince is still alive, eagerly joins the raiding party. When things look like they're going wrong, Seth uses the Horn Of Proteus (from F.F. #4) to call several giant reptiles from the ocean depths to attack. Namor, still wanting peace, strikes back at the monsters, causing some Navy men to wonder "Whose side is he on, anyway?" Realizing his mistake, and that it almost cost Dorma's life (who he secretly loves), Seth uses the Horn again to lure the beasts back to the depths-- at the cost of his own life. As Namor prepares to go home at last, he views the Battery Park area, which is in flames!
Roy Thomas, Marie Severin & Johnny Craig strike again! I'm reminded of the confusion with the Atlanteans, the US Navy, and The Plunderer (HOW did that guy ever get off on any kind of "parole" after starting a war between 2 countries??), but somewhat less confusing. I wish I had more issues from this period, as I find Diane Arliss intriguing (and considering the high death toll in the history of this book, I'm wondering if she's still around). This recurring trouble between Namor & the Army, Police, etc. gets tiring after DECADES of it. You'd THINK the ruler of an entire kingdom would have developed better "diplomatic" skills by now. (I think that's why Namor worked better in the old days, as a "loose cannon" rather than as an undersea "King Kull".) All this is under one of Marie Severin's FINEST covers, an image of Namor zipping over the heads of his baffled armada, while Manhattan crumbles & burns in the background. The cover was briefly featured in the History Channel documentary COMIC BOOK SUPER-HEROES UNMASKED, as an example of comics "predicting" things like "9-11".
(7-13-2008)
THE INCREDIBLE HULK 123
cover by ??
THOR 172
cover by Jack Kirby & Bill Everett
THE AVENGERS 72
cover by Sal Buscema & Sam Grainger
CM’s first guest-appearance outside his own book took place the very next month after his own series’ cancellation. Rick Jones turns up in New York at Avengers’ Mansion, where Captain America quickly explains what really happened when they parted company. Invited to join an emergency meeting, he learns that 3 top NY officials have disappeared, tied together by medallions, found at each of their apartments, that belong to a costumed menace called Scorpio. Over in NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 & 5, Fury had had 2 run-ins with the guy, each ending inconclusively, the 2nd leaving the reader with the knowledge that Fury KNEW the identity of Scorpio. The mystery (as left by Jim Steranko) remained unresolved, and later, in NFAoS #15 (that series’ final issue), Fury was the apparent victim of a hitman named Bullseye (no relation to the later villain from DAREDEVIL). It seems Rick somehow stumbled upon Scorpio, which led him to The Avengers. But Scorpio turns up, knocks out everyone with gas, and plans to execute the entire group. It’s at this point we discover that Scorpio was only one member in a 12-member criminal cartel called (what else?) Zodiac. But in a further twist, we discover that “Scorpio” is really Nick Fury, who’s been using the disguise to infiltrate the crime gang and covertly enlist the help of The Avengers to take them down.
Writer Roy Thomas further reveals that the “real” Scorpio was actually Nick’s own brother, Jake Fury, who wanted revenge on him for some unspecified incidents in the past. It’s unclear if Jake is still alive at this point, or was really killed at the end of NF #5, but Nick has apparently been spending half his time posing as Scorpio to track down his gang, while a SHIELD Life Model Decoy would fill in for him when he was missing. It turns out it was an LMD that Bullseye shot in NF #15.
Roy clearly doesn’t like loose end hanging around, and in this issue he gets to follow-up on 2 different books that suffered cancellation. Art here is supplied by Sal Buscema & Sam Grainger. Sal’s no brother John, but this is very early in his long, long tenure as Marvel regular, and is some of his most solid work. Whether deadlines, boredom or both, Sal’s art did a very slow, consistent slide in quality over the space of DECADES, and whenever I look at his work from the early 70’s, it makes me wish he’d managed to STAY as good as he once had been. Grainger, meanwhile, is an inker whose work is consistently solid and clean, yet somehow has escaped the popularity & respect of many of his peers.
Oddly enough, I picked up this lone issue (in a long run I don’t have any others of) for the Fury-Scorpio plot resolution, which is just as well, as CM barely makes a cameo, and only Rick meets The Avengers. C.A. offers to resume his partnership with Rick, but without explaining why, Rick declines. For now, CM is an unknown element.
I got this ages ago at some show, no idea how much I paid for it.
(7-2-2004 / originally published in KLORDNY #138)
"DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT SCORPIO?"
This predicts Roger Stern's use of THE INCREDIBLE HULK as a place to finish stories from cancelled books, when it featured threads from 2 recently-cancelled books in the same issue: NICK FURY, AGENT OF SHIELD, and CAPTAIN MARVEL! Rick Jones, thinking he might find a job with SHIELD, goes to Nick Fury's apartment (HOW did he know where it was?), and sees Scorpio there. He changes places with Captain Marvel, who gives chase, but the baddie gets away, though he finds a list of 3 names the guy dropped. Racing to Avengers Mansion, he runs into Cap, who's surprised to see him, and who tries to explain it WASN'T him who told Rick to get lost, but The Red Skull disguised as him. Inside, Rick joins the team, who are meeting because 3 top city officials have disappeared in the same evening. Waiting for a video-call from Fury, they get one from Dugan instead, who tells them Fury is DEAD! --and relates the events of NICK FURY #15. The call is suddenly cut into by Scorpio, and next thing, the entire group is knocked out, and wake up as prisoners. (Gee, just like a JLA story!) Scorpio is revealed to be not a solo operative, but one member of a 12-person crime cartel, named-- what else?-- ZODIAC. The 11 other members-- most in really silly-looking costumes (seriously) come forward, announcing their plans to kill the Avengers, then make their "power plays" in various capitals around the country. But the team is suddenly freed, big fight breaks out, and "Scorpio" is revealed to be... Nick Fury. Despite an impressive free-for-all, "Aries" grabs "the key to the Zodiac" and uses it so the ENTIRE GANG makes a clean getaway. Fury reveals that back in NICK FURY #5, he learned that Scorpio was really his brother Jake-- and after he disapeared, Fury went to Jake's apartment, went thru his things, and began POSING as Scorpio, in order to get the goods on ZODIAC. Further, whenever he was missing, a SHIELD L.M.D. would take his place-- and one of those times was when-- "by luck"-- he happened to ditch Laura Brown in the middle of the rock concert, so the L.M.D. got "killed", not Fury. (Kind of fitting that the entire NICK FURY series should both begin AND end with an L.M.D. getting killed by an assassin.) Everything that happened this night was Fury's fault, getting The Avengers to "help" him nail ZODIAC. Which they bungled, but whatever. Cap tells Rick he's "handier to have around than I imagined, partner!" But Rick begs off, figuring he's got other things to care care of-- which may take "forever" (there goes Roy again...).
I actually got this issue on its own, quite a few years back, because I wanted to next chapter of the "Scorpio" story. Later, when I was collecting CAPTAIN MARVEL, it was lucky I already had this one-- though CM only appears in a couple of pages. (His appearance on the cover is misleading, as he never meets the group until much later.) Sal Buscema & Sam Grainger do another solid job here, though once again, on the "cartoony" side, but some of the faces definitely look "off-model", The Wasp and Rick Jones in particular. This is at least the 2nd time lately that Nick Fury has over-stepped the boundaries of friendship, heroic fellowship, whatever you wanna call it, by MANIPULATING people into doing things he wants. I just DON'T see this as something either Jack Kirby OR Jim Steranko would ever have done. The CIA may be sneaky, but SHIELD isn't-- and Nick Fury, if anything, is the most straight-ahead guy imagineable. This "off" characterization, unfortunately, would plague the character for the rest of his existence. Rick Jones' involvement in the story seems forced & awkward, and it's clear the only reason he's here right now is because "his" book just got cancelled abruptly! The entire situation regarding Rick, Captain America and Captain Marvel just seems awkward bad writing to me, what some these days might call "editorial fiat". I doubt any of it would have happened if "ye editor" hadn't so completely interfered with Jim Steranko's plans for CAPTAIN AMERICA.
I still wonder about Scorpio. What DID Steranko really have in mind? To read it here, it seems Jake Fury was Scorpio-- in both NICK FURY #1 & 5-- and it would appear he was killed at the end of #5. But there is NO explanation for WHY he wanted Nick dead, how he got involved with a crime cartel, or what the heck "The Parable of Doom" was that was mentioned in NF #1. Steranko apparently planned to follow-up on it in CAPTAIN AMERICA-- but those plans fell through when he left the book after only 3 issues. This story seems like mostly a quick-and-easy (and complicated & contrived) way of sweeping the whole mess under the carpet, while introducing a whole new group of villains, most of whom NEVER got anything even remotely resembling fleshed-out personalities. As it happens, David Kraft & Keith Giffen brought back Jack Fury as Scorpio in THE DEFENDERS #48-50, and revealed that Count Julio Scarlotti was in fact the "real" Scorpio in NICK FURY #1, and he did in fact DIE. Jake took over in #5, lied about being the same guy and having "escaped" the explosion in #1 (no doubt to throw off suspicion about who he really was), and also survived the gunfire at the end of #5. While this seems to have contradicted the work of 2 previous writers, it was also one of the BEST-WRITTEN stories of that period, and certainly better worked-out than the issues it took its inspiration from. The full, detailed truth about Jake Fury, and the formation of SHIELD, would not be revealed until FURY #1 in 1992-- again, one of the very few genuinely good books to come out from Marvel at that time.
And finally... after all the trouble Fury went thru-- and put The Avengers thru-- ZODIAC escaped. The entire gang! This was a well-thought-out plan? OY.
(7-11-2008)
DAREDEVIL 60
cover by ??
X-MEN 64
cover by ??
The team detects a new, very powerful mutant in the area, and find "Sunfire", who first destroys a Japanese monument for peace between countries, then tries to destoy the US Capitol building. We learn his origin, how his mother died from radiation from the Hiroshima a-bomb blast, and how his uncle has spent his entire life fanning his hatred for all Americans, while his father became a diplomat dedicated to peace. While trying to stop the destruction of the Capitol, Sunfire's uncle winds up shooting his father, and he kills his uncle in return. Realizing his life has been wasted up to this point, his father begs him to put his hatred aside, before he dies. The X-Men, seeing the danger is over, leave, thinking maybe they'll be able to recruit the NEXT mutant they find...
Powerful drama, if a bit over-the-top. The real highlight of this issue, for me, was the return of Don Heck. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT, Don Heck! Neal Adams was having trouble keeping up with the monthly deadline, so they got the guy they KICKED OFF the book to come back for a fill-in. The layouts continue to be pretty wild, but Don's layouts were getting that way long before Adams arrived. Man, what a storyteller! Don seems more inspired than usual this time out. But the best thing here is, Don gets some of the BEST inks of his career from Tom Palmer. DAMN! This guy can make anybody look better than they usually do! I seriously believe that if Tom Palmer had gotten on the book, with Heck & Werner Roth, that it might not have been cancelled when it was. Repeatedly switching artists is always a bad thing.
This is one of the few single-issue stories around this time that really "works" for me. Maybe it's because Don's better at that sort of thing than some of the "flashier" artists? (I wonder why Roy-- yeah, Roy-- never got Heck & Palmer together on an issue of THE AVENGERS?)
(7-11-2008)
(Continued in February 1970)
All Text (C) Henry R. Kujawa
Artwork (C) Marvel Comics
Restorations by Henry R. Kujawa
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