Fantastic Four #93
Title: At the Mercy of Torgo!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, Crystal
Villain: Skrulls
On the Skrull planet The Thing faces the reigning champion Torgo in the arena. Their first battle is declared void, because the Thing clobbered Torgo while the Skrulls (in the form of 1920's gangsters) were discussing the rules. In the second fight Torgo defeats the Thing, but he refuses to kill him. The other members of the Fantastic Four arrive, also dressed as gangsters. That's funny. They destroy the deadly disruptor ray, rescue the Thing and free the slaves. They fly back to Earth. The Thing regrets that he'll never see Torgo again. But he will! The Marvel Universe is a small place.
And Reed Richards' baby still doesn't have a name after 13 months. This is getting ridiculous.
Amazing Spider-Man #79
Title: To prowl no more!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Prowler (Hobie Brown)
Guests: Gwen Stacy, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Aunt May (vision)
Did you notice the message at the top of the splash page?
"This tale was originally planned as a 3-part epic, but since we promised to eliminate our continued stories, we've laboured heroically to conclude it in this issue".
That's dreadful. We want continued stories! I would rather have read a 3-part epic.
Peter Parker can't fight with the Prowler in his civilian clothes, so he pretends to fall out of the window. The Prowler thinks he's a committed a murder, so he leaves without stealing anything. Peter changes into his Spider-Man costume and faces the Prowler on the roof.
Spider-Man is stronger than the Prowler, but the Prowler makes him groggy with gas pellets and manages to flee.
Last issue Peter saw his girlfriend Gwen Stacy with Flash Thompson in a cafe, and as we can expect from a jealous teenager, he assumed they were on a date. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gwen knew that Flash was an old schoolmate of Peter Parker, so she met him to ask if he knew why Peter disappears so often.
The Prowler still wants to be a hero, not a villain, so he makes a plan. He knows that Spider-Man is a villain because he read it in the Daily Bugle, and newspapers never lie. He pretends to be robbing a diamond store to attract Spider-Man's attention. This time Spider-Man is wearing a gas filter in his mask, so he easily defeats the Prowler. When he unmasks the Prowler he sees that it's just a boy. After talking to him he lets him off with a warning. I'm sure we'll see him again soon.
Captain America #120
Title: Crack-up on campus!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: AIM, Modok
Regulars: Falcon, Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Sharon Carter (vision)
Captain America visits SHIELD's headquarters in New York to ask where Sharon Carter is. He's told that she is away on a mission. Then Nick Fury does something I consider he highly unethical. He tells Captain America to sit on SHIELD's new Slumber Seat (TM). It's called that because it sends anyone who sits on it to sleep. It can also give the person dreams or nightmares. In the dream Captain America is shown a job offer for a Physical Education teacher at Manning College. As soon as he wakes up, Captain America applies for the job.
What's wrong with Nick Fury? Couldn't he just have told Captain America it was what he wanted?
When Captain America, using the name Roger Stevens, arrives at the college, he finds that riots are going on. They've been incited by AIM, because they want to kidnap the mathematics teacher, Professor Fosgrave, an expert in atomic equations. Couldn't they have done it a lot more easily? Captain America changes into his costume and captures the AIM agents who have infiltrated the campus. Then he quits the job. It's too tough for him.
Captain Marvel #19
Title: The Mad Master of the Murder Maze
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gil Kane
Villain: Cornelius Webb
Regulars: Rick Jones
That's a terrific title! Roy Thomas likes alliterating almost as much as his mentor Stan Lee.
Rick Jones is looking for a job with on-site accommodation. He's hired by Cornelius, who lets him live and work in Minos Towers. Cornelius is an expert in the psychology of rats.
Strange things happen in the building that make everyone run in terror. Captain Marvel investigates, and he finds that Cornelius is doing experiments on humans. He wants to show that they behave like rats when they're trapped in a maze.
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The Avengers #70
Title: When strikes the Squadron Sinister
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Avengers: Captain America, Thor, Goliath, Vision, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Black Panther, Iron Man
Villain: Kang, Grandmaster, Squadron Sinister (Hyperion, Nighthawk, Whizzer, Doctor Spectrum)
Guests: Black Knight
Captain America, Thor and Goliath wait to be joined by their fourth companion. It's Iron Man. Obviously, this can't be the Iron Man from their own time, because Tony Stark is lying in hospital on death's door. Kang must have plucked Iron Man from another time, earlier or later.
The battle begins, or rather the battles begin. The combatants are sent back to the locations of four landmarks in the 20th Century.
Captain America defeats Nighthawk at the Statue of Liberty.
Iron Man defeats Doctor Spectrum at the Taj Mahal.
Thor defeats Hyperion at the Statue of the Sphinx.
Goliath fights Whizzer at Big Ben in London, but the Black Knight intervenes and knocks Whizzer out.
Because of the Black Knight's interference, the Grandmaster says that it wasn't a clear cut victory. There has to be a second round of fighting to decide the winner. It seems like he's making up the rules as he goes along. A majority decision should have been enough. Even if the fourth fight's result is void, it was still a 3-0 victory for Kang's team.
The Black Knight vows to follow the Avengers, wherever they've gone.
Iron Man #19
Title: What price life?
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: George Tuska
Villain: Midas, Madame Masque (Whitney Frost)
Regulars: Happy Hogan, Pepper Hogan, Janice Cord
Guests: Captain America
The many villains, who I shan't name here, are the result of a delirium while Tony Stark is lying in hospital. That's where he was taken in Avengers #69, and he's been there for two weeks, so we can assume that this story takes place after next month's Avengers #71. That's how Captain America can be present, after returning from the 40th Century. Although, of course, Captain America could just have easily returned before he left. Time paradoxes are tricky, and not even Stan Lee can get his head around them.
Most of Tony Stark's heart has been replaced by synthetic tissue, and the doctor warns him that he shouldn't exert himself. That's easier said than done. Midas, who still thinks that he's not the real Tony Stark, kidnaps him and asks him to use his false identity as Stark to sign over Stark Industries to him. Tony says that he's the real Tony Stark, and he puts on his Iron Man armour to challenge Midas and Madame Masque. So now they think that he's the real Tony Stark but just pretending to be Iron Man. Complicated. He still hasn't fully recovered from his heart surgery, so he moves awkwardly as Iron Man, convincing them he's just a pretender.
Madame Masque has fallen for Tony Stark's charm. How does he do it? It can't just be the millions of dollars in his bank account, but I'm sure it helps. She removes her mask and reveals that she's Whitney Frost. How many of you guessed it already? She wears a mask to cover facial burns. Instead of wasting time with Tony Stark, who is already dating Janice Cord, she should get together with Doctor Doom, It would be a beautiful marriage. As Todd Rundgren once wrote, "Love between the ugly is the most beautiful love of all".
Madame Masque changes sides and helps Iron Man fight against Midas. He dies when his island lair explodes. Supposedly. After the victory, Tony Stark collapses. Madame Masque nurses him in their getaway yacht, then leaves before he wakes up.
Thor #170
Title: The Thunder God and the Thermal Man!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Thermal Man, Loki, Karnilla
Regulars: Balder, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
Thor returns to Earth and finds New York City in a state of devastation. He joins Balder and the Warriors Three to fight against the Thermal Man, who is growing steadily more powerful. Not even their combined might can conquer him. The Chinese government, fearful that the Thermal Man might one day attack them, sends a specially designed missile for the US air force to use against the Thermal Man. This knocks him over, seemingly destroying him.
Thor sees injured civilians, so he changes back to Donald Blake to assist them. The Thermal Man awakes again, and the other Asgardians are helpless against him. Karnilla and Loki are watching the fight from Asgard. Karnilla transports the four unconscious warriors to her realm, against the wishes of Loki, who storms off in a rage.
Thor returns to battle the Thermal Man. He can't destroy it, but he summons a storm to sweep it northwards, where he freezes.
Daredevil #58
Title: Spin-Out on 5th Avenue!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Stunt-Master
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Debbie Harris
The last issue ended with Matt Murdock revealing to Karen Page that he's Daredevil. Now he asks her to marry him, and she accepts. He says her that he'll give up being Daredevil and settle down as a lawyer.
First he makes a press statement that Matt Murdock's death in Daredevil #54 was faked as part of a plan to capture Mr. Fear. This is the first step in winning back his life as a lawyer. Foggy Nelson, now the District Attorney, appoints him as his special assistant.
Daredevil plans to announce his retirement at the United Fund Parade. While there he's attacked by a motorcyclist calling himself the Stunt-Master. Daredevil easily defeats him, but he says he's been hired by someone called Crime Wave. This makes Matt change his mind and continue as Daredevil until Crime Wave is arrested. Karen is angry with him for breaking his promise, but at least she doesn't break off the engagement.
Sub-Mariner #19
Title: Support your local Sting-Ray!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Marie Severin
Villain: Sting-Ray (Walter Newell)
Regulars: Dorma, Vashti
Guests: Triton
It looks like it must have been the annual beach holiday for Marvel Comics. This picture contains most of the Marvel staff. According to Roy Thomas, Marie Severin has included in this picture Stan Lee, herself, Roy Thomas and his wife Jean, Bill Everett, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber, John Romita, Herb Trimpe, Don Heck, Frank Giacoia, Morris Kuramoto, Al Hewetson, Stu Schwartzberg, Sol Brodsky, Tony Mortellaro, Susan Pasternak and Gary Friedrich. He seems to have forgotten Flo Steinberg and John Verpoorten. I can recognise some, but not all of these people. Apart from this, the picture includes a few of her personal friends who have nothing to do with Marvel. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of who's who.
Prince Namor can no longer breathe underwater or fly. He's captured by the authorities with the assistance of Walter Newell, who has now become a costumed adventurer called Sting-Ray. Namor is blamed for the water funnels which stole water from the sea in the last two issues. He knows that he was innocent, but he's too proud to answer questions. Doesn't he have diplomatic immunity anyway?
Namor escapes, pursued by Sting-Ray. When he sees Namor rescuing innocent people by repairing a bridge he says that he will let Namor go free.
Triton is searching for Atlantis because he's promised to return Neptune's trident.
The Incredible Hulk #121
Title: Within the swamp, there stirs a Glob!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Glob
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross
This is the latest comic to be taken over by Roy Thomas as writer. He's Marvel's second most prolific writer, after Stan Lee himself.
They say that the proof of madness is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. If that's true, General Ross must be the maddest man in Marvel comics. He orders attacks on the Hulk with planes, tanks and soldiers over and over again, and the Hulk is unharmed every time. It goes on issue after issue, and he still doesn't realise it's a hopeless endeavour. He needs a good therapist.
The Hulk leaps to Florida, closely pursued by General Ross. In the swamp there's a monster called the Glob. The story is only told briefly, but it seems that he was in prison for an unspecified offence when he heard his wife was dying. He broke out of prison and hid from the police in the swamp, where he was turned into a monster by radioactive waste.
The Glob sees Betty Ross and mistakes her for his wife, He carries her away. The Hulk pursues him, trying to rescue her. Their strength is equally matched, so nobody can triumph, When the Glob enters the swamp his body begins to melt, so he gives Betty to the Hulk. The Hulk lays Betty's unconscious body in front of her father and leaves.
X-Men #62
Title: Strangers in a Savage Land!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Neal Adams
X-Men: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast, Iceman
Villain: Magneto
Regulars: Alex Summers, Lorna Dane
Guests Ka-Zar
The Angel flies to the place where Dr. Lykos killed himself, an island called Tierra Del Fuego. He flies down into the chasm to look for his body, and he's attacked by pterodactyls. He thinks they are related to Sauron, but he's found an entrance into Ka-Zar's hidden land.
Someone called the Creator is helping the primitive people of the hidden land to develop their latent mutant abilities. He rescues the Angel and takes him back to his laboratory to cure him.
The other X-Men arrive and see Ka-Zar fighting with the Creator's followers. They assist him.
The Creator tells the Angel that he's a peaceful scientist; Ka-Zar is evil and the X-Men are wrong to help him. The Angel says he will tell the other X-Men to leave the hidden land.
As the Angel leaves we see that the Creator is Magneto, whom the X-Men have never seen without his costume.
Neal Adams is responsible for a lot of beautiful artwork in this comic.
Silver Surfer #10
Title: A world he never made!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Yarro Gort, Communists
Regulars: Shalla Bal
A scientist called Yarro Gort, appa the wealthiest man on Zenn-La, is in love with Shalla Bal. He has offered to take her to Earth to prove to her that Norrin Radd is either dead or in love with someone else.
The Silver Surfer wants to make a new attempt to live among men to find out why humanity is so evil. He picks a small country at random. It seems to be in Latin America. The people are being oppressed by an evil regime led by a man who calls himself El Capitan. After seeing him fighting with soldiers, he's taken in by a woman called Donna Maria Perez, who lives with her mother. They think they're protecting him, not realising how powerful he is.
Donna Maria is captured by the secret police who want her to tell them where she's hiding the stranger. The Silver Surfer frees her and destroys all of the government's military camps. She kisses him out of gratitude. Yarro Gort's ship arrives in the Earth's atmosphere, and Shalla Bal sees the kiss on the ship's scanners.
Other comics published this month:
Millie the Model #177 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Mad About Millie #6 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Chili #8 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Our Love Story #2 (Stan Lee, John Buscema)
Rawhide Kid #73 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #73 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Chamber of Darkness #2 (Roy Thomas, Marie Severin)
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