I bought this beat up copy for $8

This is one of those issues that are sort of well-loved... I mean, the idea of it and that cover are certainly well-loved. It IS a great Marie Severin cover (inks by Frank Giacoia), the kind of thing where someone (probably Stan) said, "What if the Hulk ran into the Silver Surfer?"

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with cover art by Marie Severin)

We start off with the Sub-Mariner's story though, who had been sharing the Tales to Astonish title with the Hulk since #70 (May 1965) and would through #101 when the book was canceled so he and the Hulk could start their own series.

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Dan Adkins)

This was Roy Thomas' first issue writing Subby and he starts it off by... imitating the scene from Amazing Spider-man #33 where Spidey is trapped under the building wreckage and it's too heavy for him and he somehow finds the strength to lift it and save himself.

Except here... instead of the hero, it's the android who does it. It's kind of weird...

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Dan Adkins)

It even has the payoff panel as a splash... it's a direct homage!

I'm actually a fan of Dan Adkins - he's a bit stiff compared to Kirby, but he's still better than Swan or some of those DC artists. And his inks on this are nice as well.

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Dan Adkins)

I wasn't old enough to see this stuff when it first came out, but man, I would have loved to have ordered these shirts and sweatshirts and posters and buttons! I would've ordered all of it!

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by various - mainly Kirby and Ditko)

Speaking of stiff, I love Marie Severin's work as well, but she too lacks the flair of a Kirby or Ditko in her action scenes. She also has a bit of a problem trying to come up with a story here, as Stan's plot synopsis was most likely (again), "What if the Hulk ran into the Silver Surfer?"

Great idea, but not much of a story.

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Marie Severin)

Always thought it was funny though, towards the end of it, the Hulk punches the Surfer square in the face! Not sure who's idea it was, but I thought it was pretty humorous...