Harry's Marvellous Meanderings through the Comic Book World 1 1

[1950's war comics]

Thank you for another review  !

Edited November 7, 2017 by 1950's war comics

[Lucky Baru]

13 hours ago, 1950's war comics said:

Thank you for another review  !

+1, big time!

[Harry Lime]

Strange Tales #133 June 1965 Another from the mixed job lot

My Copy - Grade 2.5

Cover: 1.5/5 ~ Back to the split panelled covers so beloved of Strange Tales (despite the letters complaining about it). This one even lies! See those 'guys' menacing the Thing? Nothing even remotely comparable happens in the story. Dr Strange in the middle of two mystically powered ladies? Nope, although at least this could be considered an allegorical interpretation.

Stories reviewed separately

The Terrible Toys!

Art: 2/5 ~ Great splash page and then it's downhill from there. The highlight is probably the Ice Queen mannequin who does an effective job at nullifying the Torch by using her freezing cold air blasts. Other notables, Dorrie is looking better than usual and the Puppet Master has had plastic surgery and now bears an uncanny resemblance to Uncle Fester.

Story: 1.5/5 ~ Another issue concerned with trapping and I'm not talking about Canadian beavers (although I would like to). This time it's the Puppet Master who has decided to stop using radioactive clay (surely his forte) and decides via an accidental & contradictory experiment to control inanimate objects instead. His reasoning being that something always went wrong when he controlled living people, fair point, but his new career option seems to have turned him into a third-rate Doom. It's also totally unexplained how he knew Johnny & Ben would come into the department store where he's hanging out and where the hell did he get a ten ton nuclear-powered automatic clamp (the Thing's trap)?

Quote of the Day ~ *ahem* "I could tell by the way you fingered my mannequin that you are interested in sculpture, and so..."

 A Nameless Land, A Nameless Time!

Art: 3/5 ~ Astonishingly surreal art for the splash page, the Dark Dimension & Strange's trip through 'infinite' dimensions. Unfortunately it only lasts a couple of pages and the main part of the story is set in an evil sorceress' palace. Whilst good it's not a patch on the preceding work. 

Story: 2.5/5 ~ Certainly more entertaining than the Torch's tale but still very much a filler issue as Strange escapes his perilous predicament from the previous issue by using a spell to randomly fly between dimensions. He ends up in a world where the evil half-sister has taken control and he aids the nice one in regaining the throne. It seems this world has not faced someone like Strange before as aside from his initial appearance when he's still exhausted from the battle with Mordo, he has little trouble in setting this world to rights.

Quote of the Day ~ "For, I have truly gained the greatest power of all...that which is the fountainhead of all other power...I have gained the gift of knowledge!"

My assessment ~ Another issue where the Dr Strange story is much stronger than the Torch & Thing tale. Perhaps they should consider ditching the gruesome twosome.....oh wait.

Thanks for reading!

Edited November 26, 2017 by Harry Lime

[Harry Lime]

Strange Tales #134 July 1965 This one was bought from the boards.

My Copy - Grade 3.5

 

Cover: 2/5 ~ Damn, they are going to hate me at Strange Tales Towers but despite it going full page and with only one intrusive blurbing, I still don't like this cover much. The sight of Ben & Johnny fighting medieval hordes is not particularly riveting and the Watcher looks like a rather dissatisfied Buddha.

Stories reviewed separately.

The Challenge Of... The Watcher!

Art: 2.5/5 ~ Not bad at all. I thought Kang and Merlin were very well done but unfortunately most of the book was comprised of smallish panels of medieval types getting their arses kicked by the ever-lovin' Thing set against a plain background (when they thought to include it) of green fields. There was one almost brutal panel of the Thing grabbing a horse in it's 'midriff', I felt sorry for the poor creature. Also I never realised how flat Mr Grimm's feet were before.

Story: 2/5 ~ A time travel story! I'm not getting into the dilemma of paradoxes, Grandfathers and killing butterflys but Kang goes back to the time of King Arthur to take over the world and to change the future by altering the past. The Watcher is so appalled by this that he sends the Torch & the Thing back (do the Watchers have a different interpretation of non-interference) to stop him. Of course they do with the aid of Merlin and some very fickle medievalists. Then it's back to the 20th Century where we are never to speak of how much the temporal prime directive was violated.

Quote of the Day ~ "The Thing on one side of me - - the Torch swooping down from above - - and a vengeful army of knights attacking from the rear! Any other foe would whimper in abject surrender - - but I am Kang, the Conqueror _ _ Kang, the Master of Time! Kang - - the Unbeatable!!"

My assessment ~ Well, that's the last of the Strange Tales' Torch stories. His imminent demise wasn't even specified in the letters section, only that the next issue was gonna see a big change. No loss at all.

 

Earth Be My Battleground

Art: 3.5/5 ~ More trippy battling as Strange takes on Mordo in a deadly flight though many Earthly environments, into space and culminating in the heart of the Sun! You get the sense that Ditko is really loving drawing this story unfettered by the many 'normal' constraints of your bog-standard superhero book. But he also excels in the more mundane elements as well, never has New York been so dark and threateningly depicted.

Story: 3/5 ~ After last month's sojourn in a nameless land Strange returns to Earth to aid the ailing Ancient One and becomes embroiled in a deadly chase with Mordo and his spirits. As mentioned it took bluffing of the highest standard to finally shake them off. Whilst some girl (I still don't know her name) in the Dark Dimension indirectly aids Strange by releasing a horde of Mindless One which cause Dormammu to cease aiding Mordo psychically and turn his attention to defeating them instead. The story ends with Strange walking the mean streets of New York in search of eternity which, apparently, holds the key to defeating Mordo.

Quote of the Day ~ Really tough issue to get a decent quote from. Let's go with Dr Strange as he adopts a somewhat flippant attitude towards ectoplasmic brain surgery. "Gently - - gently - - the slightest error in pressure could cause untold brain damage - - !"

My assessment ~ I'll have to find out when Dr Strange stories suddenly started to shine. I'm presuming sometime between #123 & #132, as I'm really enjoying this Baron Mordo story arc.

Thanks for reading!   

   

[Get Marwood & I]

3 minutes ago, Harry Lime said:

Strange Tales #134 July 1965 This one was bought from the boards.

My Copy - Grade 3.5

 

Cover: 2/5 ~ Damn, they are going to hate me at Strange Tales Towers but despite it going full page and with only one intrusive blurbing, I still don't like this cover much. The sight of Ben & Johnny fighting medieval hordes is not particularly riveting and the Watcher looks like a rather dissatisfied Buddha.

Stories reviewed separately.

The Challenge Of... The Watcher!

Art: 2.5/5 ~ Not bad at all. I thought Kang and Merlin were very well done but unfortunately most of the book was comprised of smallish panels of medieval types getting their arses kicked by the ever-lovin' Thing set against a plain background (when they thought to include it) of green fields. There was one almost brutal panel of the Thing grabbing a horse in it's 'midriff', I felt sorry for the poor creature. Also I never realised how flat Mr Grimm's feet were before.

Story: 2/5 ~ A time travel story! I'm not getting into the dilemma of paradoxes, Grandfathers and killing butterflys but Kang goes back to the time of King Arthur to take over the world and to change the future by altering the past. The Watcher is so appalled by this that he sends the Torch & the Thing back (do the Watchers have a different interpretation of non-interference) to stop him. Of course they do with the aid of Merlin and some very fickle medievalists. Then it's back to the 20th Century where we are never to speak of how much the temporal prime directive was violated.

Quote of the Day ~ "The Thing on one side of me - - the Torch swooping down from above - - and a vengeful army of knights attacking from the rear! Any other foe would whimper in abject surrender - - but I am Kang, the Conqueror _ _ Kang, the Master of Time! Kang - - the Unbeatable!!"

My assessment ~ Well, that's the last of the Strange Tales' Torch stories. His imminent demise wasn't even specified in the letters section, only that the next issue was gonna see a big change. No loss at all.

 

Earth Be My Battleground

Art: 3.5/5 ~ More trippy battling as Strange takes on Mordo in a deadly flight though many Earthly environments, into space and culminating in the heart of the Sun! You get the sense that Ditko is really loving drawing this story unfettered by the many 'normal' constraints of your bog-standard superhero book. But he also excels in the more mundane elements as well, never has New York been so dark and threateningly depicted.

Story: 3/5 ~ After last month's sojourn in a nameless land Strange returns to Earth to aid the ailing Ancient One and becomes embroiled in a deadly chase with Mordo and his spirits. As mentioned it took bluffing of the highest standard to finally shake them off. Whilst some girl (I still don't know her name) in the Dark Dimension indirectly aids Strange by releasing a horde of Mindless One which cause Dormammu to cease aiding Mordo psychically and turn his attention to defeating them instead. The story ends with Strange walking the mean streets of New York in search of eternity which, apparently, holds the key to defeating Mordo.

Quote of the Day ~ Really tough issue to get a decent quote from. Let's go with Dr Strange as he adopts a somewhat flippant attitude towards ectoplasmic brain surgery. "Gently - - gently - - the slightest error in pressure could cause untold brain damage - - !"

My assessment ~ I'll have to find out when Dr Strange stories suddenly started to shine. I'm presuming sometime between #123 & #132, as I'm really enjoying this Baron Mordo story arc.

Thanks for reading!   

   

That's not the Watcher is it?  It looks like the Kingpin having a dump. 

[Harry Lime]

Just now, Marwood & I said:

That's not the Watcher is it?  It looks like the Kingpin having a dump. 

Too early for the Kingpin. The Watcher, by means of his nappy, is always prepared for a dump.

[Get Marwood & I]

Just now, Harry Lime said:

Too early for the Kingpin. The Watcher, by means of his nappy, is always prepared for a dump.

Yes. He doesn't like people watching him take a dump though. Which is pretty rich, given his name. Honestly, some people. 

[1950's war comics]

7 hours ago, Marwood & I said:

Yes. He doesn't like people watching him take a dump though. Which is pretty rich, given his name. Honestly, some people. 

Haha  @Harry Lime i think he is on to something with that Kingpin prototype issue

Kingpin prototype  hmmmmm

Marwood/I you are genius ! 

[Lucky Baru]

Looks like a very sick Watcher.  He's really pinkish/red there.

[Harry Lime]

Daredevil #9 August 1965 Bought from eBay UK.

My Copy - Grade 7.0 Very nice white cover on this one.

 

Cover: 3.5/5 ~ I really like this multi-element themed look. It's probably more the layout than the composition (although DD looks great in his snazzy almost new, red cozzie) but it works very well. Not sure if I've seen anything like it on a Marvel cover before this one but I've seen Ditko do it on splash pages prior to this.

Art: 3/5 ~ Seems I was wrong about Wood, in this issue he's been relegated to 'basic layouts & delineation' with Bob Powell getting the major kudos for the graphics so the Bullpen must have had enough of his stiff style for ol' hornhead and placed him on the bench. To be honest there's only a marginal improvement in the action scenes. The whole medieval atmosphere of Lichtenbad and it's gloomily oppressive castle was portrayed just well enough to lift this book above the average but what I really liked was the dramatic splash page with DD dropping down onto a fast moving speedboat from one of NYC's many bridges. If only the story had stayed in New York.

Story: 1.5/5 ~ Oh boy, this one is a bit of a stinker. Featuring another one issue megalomaniac (who thankfully dies), a rather absurd plot about the world's best eye surgeon, a former law school 'friend' who just so happens to like collecting the world's experts in every field (he has one & Matt apparently is the second one). This friend is the ruler of Lichtenbad and whilst friendly at first turns into Jerky McJerkface upon arrival at the principality. His power is maintained by an army of medieval clad robots, a surveillance system that puts Oceania's to shame and loads of ingenious electronic devices borrowed no doubt from his best mate Dr Doom (I jest, sadly Doom is not in this book). After an initial tussle DD is thrown into a dungeon. He acrobatically escapes, helps all the other prisoners escape (including one incredibly annoying person who would not stop asking questions) and aided by the diversion caused by a revolt is able to tackle the ruler mano-o-mano. We also just about have time for the eye surgeon to recognise DD as Matt Murdock (see QOTD) but never fear secret identity lovers he sacrifices himself to stop an imminent radioactive cloud unleashed by the diabolical ruler. This was the highlight of the book, imo.

Quote of the Day ~ "Then it is Daredevil who broke the electrical circuits, freeing me from the dungeon! But...his body in that costume...it is exactly the same as the conformation of Matt Murdock's physique, when I examined him! So that's his secret!"

My assessment ~ It appears that like plots based on making a film any crud is allowed when visiting Europe. But surely DD won't be visiting there again for a while, will he? *looks at upcoming issues* Oh crud!

Thanks for reading!       

Edited November 19, 2017 by Harry Lime

[Get Marwood & I]

6 minutes ago, Harry Lime said:

My assessment ~ It appears that like plots based on making a film any crud is allowed when visiting Europe. But surely DD won't be visiting there again for a while, will he? *looks at upcoming issues* Oh !

Thanks for reading!       

You can be sure whenever a hero does visit Europe, every monument the country is known for will be in the same panel 

[Harry Lime]

Tales To Astonish #70 August 1965 Bought from the boards

My Copy - Grade 7.0

 

Cover: 2.5/5 ~ I can forgive the excessively large blurbing/arrow as it is Namor's first solo run since the Golden Age. But, stickler that I am, I can't forgive split panelled covers especially when neither are that dramatic.

Stories reviewed separately.

Prince Namor The Sub-Mariner

Art: 3/5 ~ I've always loved the underwater design elements incorporated into Subby's stories and this one starts off well in that regard. Highlights probably being the gigantic squid and the lovely Lady Dorma (such a blue-skinned hottie). Occasionally though Austin takes a casual approach to drawing detail especially when it comes to figures. I hope this improves in upcoming issues.

Story: 2.5/5 ~ Certainly it's a coherent tale. Namor arrives back in Atlantis from his travels in DD #7 (still haven't got that) to find that the warlord Krang has deposed him and thanks to an extremely fickle Dorma ends up being thrown in the sea realm's dungeons. The only way to regain the throne, apparently, is to find the Enchanted Trident of King Neptune and so he is released from his cell by the Lady Dorma (did I mention the fickleness?) to start his quest. The story ends on a cliffhanger as Namor is trapped in a cave with a very big, very angry squid thanks to the machinations of Krang.

Quote of the Day ~ A typically imperious sentence. "Unhand me, woman! Have you forgotten that none may touch the royal personage?? Namor needs no help! You presume too much, my lady!"

My assessment ~ An ok start to the run. I have a few of these but it's a bit scatter gunned so we'll see how it evolves in fits and starts.

 

The Incredible Hulk

Art: 3/5 ~ Initially I didn't really like the way Kirby drew the Hulk (it looked like Elvis after a really big cheeseburger) but I'm starting to warm to him now. And I really liked the Leader's plastic study model in his lab as well as the gigantic 'Sunday Punch' missile being wheeled out at the end.

Story: 3/5 ~ This being the earliest Hulk I have, I had no idea what had been transpiring but thanks to a brief Marvel recap I was alerted to the fact that Bruce (not Bob) Banner had been fatally shot and there was some super spy called the Leader up to no good. Rick Jones (such a good lad) carries the lifeless body of Banner back to his cave laboratory where he bathes him in gamma rays in a desperate attempt to save Bruce's (not Bob's) life. It works as Banner turns into the Hulk and even better now has the scientist's intellect as well. Then follows the Leader animating a 500 foot pink creature to attack General Ross' missile base for a cool billion dollars! The creature is unstoppable (despite the QOTD) and even the Hulk's intervention (hampered by the trigger-happy military) may not be enough to save the day. The tale ends on another cliffhanger as the aforementioned Sunday Punch missile ('will disintegrate any target in existence') is being poised to fire as Rick Jones runs to warn the Hulk.

Quote of the Day ~ "Homing Pigeon to Eagles' roost! Have sighted giant something-or-other advancing towards base! From nightmaresville! Am attacking with rockets! Better send detail to pick up pieces! Over!"

My assessment ~ A nice tight, energetic story. A good start to my Hulk run.

Thanks for reading! 

 

 

[Duffman_Comics]

I did not like these "two-for-one" comics back in the day - Suspense, Astonish, Strange Tales etc as there were far too many cliffhanger endings and the really spotty distribution here meant I'd often miss the next issue and have to obtain it on the secondary i.e. back issue/fellow collector/second hand book shop route, but months later.

And I am sure you know Adam Austin was a nom de plume for Gene Colan.

Anyway Harry, carry on, I enjoy your views on these old Silver Age books.

[1950's war comics]

I did not like these "two-for-one" comics back in the day

 

Me neither,... i seldom bought Fantastic Four as a kid because they were always continued...........

[Harry Lime]

On 21/11/2017 at 10:53 PM, Duffman_Comics said:

I did not like these "two-for-one" comics back in the day - Suspense, Astonish, Strange Tales etc as there were far too many cliffhanger endings and the really spotty distribution here meant I'd often miss the next issue and have to obtain it on the secondary i.e. back issue/fellow collector/second hand book shop route, but months later.

And I am sure you know Adam Austin was a nom de plume for Gene Colan.

Anyway Harry, carry on, I enjoy your views on these old Silver Age books.

The distribution problem for the two-for-ones was not one I had as they simply weren't available in the place and time I grew up in. Indeed this applied to all Marvel comics up until the early 80's or so by which time I had stopped reading them. But I can understand your disapproval and they are quite difficult to review as they are so short and should really be read as an arc.

I knew Adam Austin was a front for someone else but I'd forgotten who and was too lazy to check before writing it up.

[Harry Lime]

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 October 1965 Bought from the boards. Thanks Ed!

My Copy - Grade 4.0

 

Cover: 3/5 ~ Do you like Spider-Man? It would be kinda strange if you didn't but I hope so 'cause that's all you're getting. Keeping it simple, Ditko style.

The first story is an original but the next three are reprints of earlier ASMs. As it's extremely unlikely (barring a windfall) I'll be purchasing ASM 1, 2 or 5 any time soon I will review them as well if my clamouring public demand it.

The Wondrous Worlds of Doctor Strange!

Art: 4/5 ~ Combining two of Ditko's greatest accomplishments how can this possibly go wrong? It doesn't for the greater part although some of the 'thuggish' panels look a little rushed but this is more than offset by the trippy brilliance of Spidey's visit to an unnamed dimension and the mystical battling both he and Strange get involved in. There is no space however for Ditko's typical character studies as Spidey's supporting cast are nowhere to be seen.

Story: 3/5 ~ A simple plot involving the 'Wand of Watoomb', it's acquisition and subsequent fighting over. The villain of the piece is the evil sorcerer Xandu who hypnotizes a couple of powerhouse goons into a near zombie state and sends them to retrieve the other half of aforementioned wand from Dr Strange. This they achieve with Xandu's mystical help but they are confronted by an action seeking Spidey on the way back to the sorcerer's sanctum. Because the two goons are now virtually human robots who never tire or feel pain, Spidey fails to best them (he does struggle against robots) but does manage to tag one of 'em with a 'spider tracker' before passing out from the pummelling he took. This interlude allows Xandu to gloat with great satisfaction as he joins both halves of the wand together and through a soliloquy to the ignorant (i.e. us, the gentle reader) describes its many and wonderful powers. All this pontificating allows a now recovered Spidey to reach his lair and to fight the organ grinder rather than his monkeys. Spider-Man despite getting the jump on Xandu is totally unprepared for a mystical fight and finds himself being transported to an unknown dimension however he does manage to snag the wand before disappearing. This unfortunate turn of events means Xandu has to send his zombified goons after Spidey to retrieve the wand whilst Dr Strange turns up (at last) to finally swing the odds in the good guys' favour. Spidey's unexpected return (with goons in tow, I'm uncertain as to the mechanics of dimension hopping) temporarily confuses Strange to the extent that Xandu gets the wand again (wow, I didn't realise how twisty-turny this story was). *pauses for a deep breath*, it's nearly over, hang on in there. Dr Strange then helps Spidey out in his ectoplasmic form by suggesting that an electric shock is the way to shake the zombieness out of the goons and by the hoary hosts of hoggoth it works! Then follows the final battle and a combination of plenty of spells & webbing being chucked around causes Xandu to drop the wand (that's one slippery wand) for a final time whereupon it's power and the villain's memory is is drained by Strange and the good Doctor & Spidey depart now best of buddies.

Quote of the Day ~ "Demons of Darkness! In the name of Satannish! By the flames of Faltine! Let Spider-Man vanish!"

My assessment ~ Enjoyable enough and certainly not slow but it felt more like a Dr Strange annual, even though Spidey is given more panel time, because of the pervasive mystical elements in the story & art. Not that is necessarily a bad thing.

Thanks for reading!

Edited November 25, 2017 by Harry Lime

[1950's war comics]

Nice review , i could never remember which stories were in  ASM annual #2

[AJD]

I have a copy of that annual in my long-neglected silver age box. I agree that the art in the Dr Strange story is excellent. Ditko's more trippy work is up there with Kirby's dots and collages.

"By the flames of Faltine" sounds like a line Alan Rickman's character might have said in Galaxy Quest.

While I'm here, may I please clamour for a review of the Spidey story from ASM #1?

[Harry Lime]

20 hours ago, AJD said:

While I'm here, may I please clamour for a review of the Spidey story from ASM #1?

Your clamouring is my command.

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 (Slight return)

Spider-Man (Reprinted from ASM #1)

Art: 2.5/5 ~ It's quite astonishing to see how much Ditko's art has evolved from this to the Dr Strange story just reviewed. His figures are smaller, almost hesitantly drawn and Spidey is much slimmer & wiry in appearance. Even so he still seems to effortlessly convey the emotions he needs too and the whole wildly out of control Mercury capsule sequence is very well done.

Story: 2.5/5 ~ In the original ASM #1 this is the first story so it directly follows on from his début in Amazing Fantasy #15. We have a very quick recap of that inaugural appearance and then it's on to Parker's worries about money. With Uncle Ben gone there's no bread winner and Peter tries to find ways to earn the dough. He's continually thwarted in this regard (you can't cash a cheque made out to Spider-Man) and finds his new persona under the vitriolic attack of newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson. When J. Jonah's astronaut son's life becomes endangered because of a faulty guidance unit, Spidey senses an opportunity to prove that he is a good guy by attempting an ambitious and extremely daring rescue. He succeeds, guidance is restored and the capsule floats (they all float down here, sorry had an It moment) safely back to Earth. Peter is very happy at a dangerous job well done and so is doubly dismayed to find that J. Jonah, instead of being grateful, increases the severity and frequency of his newspaper attacks to the point where the F.B.I. issue a wanted poster for Spider-Man's arrest.

Quote of the Day ~ "Everything I do as Spider-Man seems to turn out wrong! What good is my fantastic power if I cannot use it?? Or, must I be forced to become what they accuse me of being?? Must I really become a menace? Perhaps - - that is the only course left for me!!

My assessment ~ A bang average story but a very important one as it sets the template for many of the elements in the early Spidey stories and their subsequent success. The self-doubt, money problems, Jameson's unreasoning hatred, Parker having to both support Aunt May but keep his other life from her and Peter's sheer bad luck.

Thanks for reading!       

Edited November 26, 2017 by Harry Lime

[AJD]

Thanks Harry. I don't have to find the box now.

One thing that always jarred a bit with me was the whole JJJ hates Spidey thing - and never more so when ASM has just saved JJJ Jr.