Fantastic Four #15

Cover Date: June 1963

Plot Overview: Each member of the Fantastic Four is acting fairly disgruntled and restless as the issue opens. Meanwhile, the Mad Thinker gathers the biggest mobsters in New York so that he can become a king of crime. He has made a foolproof plan to get rid of the Fantastic Four so that they can take over the city.

The Thinker's plan goes into effect as each member of the FF get recruited into an outside venture. The team agrees to temporarily disband and go their own ways. The Thinker's plan has succeeded and he uses a meteor crash to break into the Baxter Building. The Thinker now has control of all of Reed Richard's scientific research.

Each member of the FF tires of their new lifestyle and decide to return home. They meet up and find that the Baxter Building is encased in crystal. The Thinker appears and challenges the FF to a battle.

The FF fight their way to the top floor where the Awesome Android is waiting for them. The Android makes short work of the Torch and Thing so it's up to Reed and Sue to take it down. Reed immobilizes the Android and Sue hits an off switch. With the Android defeated, the FF confront the Thinker. The Thinker threatens them with an array of weapons until a mysterious field disables all the weapons and the FF subdue him. The Thinker is confused by the outcome and Reed puts out that he didn't calculate for the human factor. Reed had Willie Lumpkin hit a special button at a certain time to disable all the weapons. The Thinker vows revenge as the issue comes to a close.

My Take: I'll admit up front, I'm not a big Mad Thinker fan. I find him to be a little boring and have tended to avoid his appearances over the years. With that said, this was a fairly enjoyable comic.

It was a nice character development issue as each member has grown tired of being a hero but finds their idealized job to not be fulfilling. There wasn't a ton of action in this issue but I don't really think that was the point. It was more about developing the characters.

The art was solid as ever. It's nice to see the art has improved so much since the first couple of issues. Those could get really rough to look at.

I'd give this **1/2 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first issue of the Mad Thinker and the Awesome Android. They'll remain fairly consistent villains for the Fantastic Four throughout the history of the book. This is also the first time they are referred to as living in New York if I'm remembering correctly.

Next Issue: Tales to Astonish #44

Strange Tales #108

Cover Date: May 1963

Plot Overview: An artist named Van Vile approaches a local mobster and demonstrates his powers. Whatever he paints comes to life and follows his orders. The artist goes into his story of how he was counterfeiting money and the Human Torch captured him. He also talks about how he found these magic paints while escaping from prison. Van Vile is going to build an underworld army and he wants to start with this mobster.

They commit a few crimes and Van Vile thwarts the Torch with his paints. He finally decides to end things and paints a picture of the Fantastic Four killing the Torch. The FF attack the Torch and throw a grenade in a closed room with him. Van Vile gloats as he hears of the Torch's demise.

Suddenly the Torch burns his paints and paper. The Torch explains that he recognized it was Van Vile because of how careless he was. The Torch snuck in and painted a living version of himself with the paints so he would survive.

My Take: I guess the run of good stories had to end sometime. It took me two tries to read this story because it was just brutally boring. This was a 13 page story and about 8 of those pages were spent going over the origin and powers of a villain that will never be seen from again. And to make it even worse, he was a horribly lame villain. I really don't understand why they went into painstaking detail of his life and origin. I just couldn't make myself care at all.

This story was also really text heavy as there was really no action of any kind. It was mostly Van Vile standing around and talking about himself and what he wanted to do.

The art was what you would expect from an issue of Strange Tales. No real complaints here.

I'd give this 1/2* out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Van Vile. I'm pretty sure he's never heard from again in the Marvel Universe.

Next Issue: Fantastic Four #15

Journey Into Mystery #92

Cover Date: May 1963

Plot Overview: The issue starts with Neri approaching Heimdall at the Bifrost. Heimdall stops her in case she may be Loki. Neri points to Loki chained to a tree and Heimdall lets her pass. Loki sulks and promises he'll show everyone why he's the god of evil.

We switch scenes to three gangsters. One has been shot and they storm into Dr. Don Blake's office. They tell him to perform surgery on their boss or they'll shoot him. Blake does as he's told and then tricks them so he can become Thor. Thor ties them to the bed and flings them so they land at the local hospital.

We change scenes to a later date where Thor has agreed to help a movie maker with the special effects for a Thor movie. Thor uses his powers for various scenes and the chained Loki watches with great interest. Thor throws his hammer for the final scene and Loki uses his magic to have the hammer come and break his chains. Thor calls upon Odin who brings him to Asgard. The gods cannot help Thor but they wish him luck on his quest.

Loki sends a pack of trees to attack Thor but he fights them off with a wooden hammer he pieces together. Loki burns the hammer and Thor realizes that magic is at work here. He heads to the Bifrost to check on Loki. Loki conjures a dragon to attack Thor and this time Thor creates a hammer out of stone and defeats the dragon with it. Thor then realizes that the stone is actually uru which his hammer is made of. He throws his new hammer and it falls next to his old hammer. Thor heads back to Earth while Loki is captured to close out the issue.

My Take: I want to start with the art here. It was amazing for this issue. The Journey Into Mystery stuff has tended to look slapped together and generally not very good. This issue looked great and it really felt like they found an art style for the Thor comics. It really made the issue more enjoyable to have good art matched up with it.

The story itself was a little slow. I don't like when these 13 page comics take till page 10 to really get to the point. You have 13 pages to work with and trying to wrap up a plot in the last couple of pages really isn't good pacing. I know I've complained about that before and I will continue to do so as long as they do the 13 page anthology stories.

Despite the pacing, it was an enjoyable enough read. Showing off Thor's powers in the context of a movie was an innovative way to remind readers of what Thor is supposed to be able to do. I also think when Asgard is the central focus that Thor works a lot better as a concept. I'm really hoping this is where they start to focus on Asgard a little more.

Loki was the villain again. Thankfully, he usually provides the better stories so I'll overlook that this is his fourth appearance in ten issues of Thor.

I'll give this **1/2 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Neri. She may never reappear in the series for all I know. This issue also marks the first time Thor went to Asgard I believe.

Next Issue: Strange Tales #108

Amazing Spider-Man #2

Cover Date: May 1963

Plot Overview: In the first story the Vulture has been terrorizing the city with a series of crimes. No one has been able to stop him due to his flying suit. J. Jonah Jameson puts the pressure on his editors to get him some pictures of the Vulture. Meanwhile, Peter Parker sees the request in NOW Magazine. He gets a camera from Aunt May and heads out as Spider-Man. The scene shifts to the Vulture. He plans to steal a million dollars worth of diamonds and he's going to taunt everyone in the city before pulling off his crime.

He finally spots the Vulture and moves in to get a close up shot. Spider-Man carelessly kicks a loose brick and the Vulture springs into action. He stuns Spider-Man momentarily and drops him in a water tank. The Vulture assumes that this will kill Spider-Man and leaves the scene.

Spider-Man escapes the water tank by leaping out. He heads home and realizes that he needs to modify his costume to make it more useful. He creates a belt for extra web fluid and a place to fit his camera. He also has a hunch to how the Vulture's suit works and creates a little device to nullify his flying ability. Later on, Peter heads to NOW Magazine and sells some photos of the Vulture he took.

Peter heads downtown with Flash and Liz to watch the Vulture try and steal the diamonds. Security is tight as the police watch for an attack from the air. Suddenly, the Vulture pops out of the sewer and steals the diamonds. The Vulture makes his escape and heads towards the air. Spider-Man intercepts him. They struggle in the air until Spider-Man uses his small device. The Vulture's wings become useless and he glides to the ground. Spider-Man reveals that Vulture's flying harness was magnetic and his device disrupted that. The police easily capture the Vulture as Spider-Man snaps some photos.

Peter sells the new pictures to Jameson and gets a huge check. He pays Aunt May's rent for a year and offers to buy her some new appliances as the first story comes to an end.

As the second story opens a Dr. Cobbwell arrives at Peter's school and offers him a chance to work in his lab on the weekends. He asks Peter to pick up a radio for him when he comes over the next day. Peter arrives at the lab of the Tinkerer and finds a strange old man there. Peter is suspicious and his Spider Sense goes off. The Tinkerer is working with aliens and placing listening devices in their radio equipment as he repairs it.

Peter retrieves the radio and heads back to Dr. Cobbwell. Cobbwell leaves for a lecture and Peter is still leery of the radio. He opens it up and finds a bunch of strange items in the radio. He heads for the Tinkerer's shop and finds the aliens there. There's a brief battle but the Tinkerer shoots Spider-Man with a ray. They trap Spider-Man in a glass cage and start to suck the air out. Spider-Man uses his webbing to escape. The Tinkerer accidentally starts a fire and the aliens flee. Spider-Man tries to save the Tinkerer but loses him in the fire. Spider-Man flees the scene and witnesses wonder if he started the fire.

A spaceship leaves Earth and later Dr. Cobbwell mentions to Peter that he saw the spaceship but then says that he can't prove it to anyone and to forget it. Peter knows how he feels as he pulls out the mask of the Tinkerer and realizes he can't tell anyone his experience because they would know he's Spider-Man.

My Take: I don't like the double story idea for the first two issues of Spider-Man. I feel it hampers character development ultimately. There's less focus on Peter and his problems in this issue because you have to start and restart in the book.

The stories themselves were enjoyable enough though. The Vulture was a light and fun little story. It showed that Peter can use his scientific prowess to solve his problems and it introduced one of Spidey's more famous villains in the Vulture. It also established Peter working for JJJ and selling him pictures.

The second story I enjoyed but I feel it was a bad storyline. I don't think space aliens are a good mix for Spider-Man. I feel that he is a more street level hero and he works best with street level threats. Marvel had a more sci-fi direction at this time so the presence of aliens as the villains doesn't surprise. Thankfully, they won't throw aliens in there again for a really long time.

The art is still a little on the primitive side but it has it's charms. The Spider-Man comics do seem to be a little more colorful than the other Marvel books that are coming out at the same time. It helps that Spider-Man is a mostly red character with blue mixed in.

I'd give this a **1/2 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of the Vulture. The Vulture would be one of the more iconic Spider-Man villains. He eventually becomes a member of the Sinister Six and has appeared in most of the cartoons. I wouldn't call the Vulture one of the top Spider-Man villains though. He's more of a B list villain that is well known. The Vulture will always be around in some way shape or form though.

Next Issue: Journey Into Mystery #92

Tales of Suspense #41

Cover Date: May 1963

Plot Overview: Tony Stark has donated $100,000 to a local hospital and has set up Iron Man to do a demonstration at the local children's hospital. Tony's date asks why he can't get married and Tony explains all of his scientific ventures to her. Tony also thinks about how he can't because he's also Iron Man and must always wear the armor over his chest to keep his heart beating.

Iron Man arrives at the children's hospital and the people are wowed by the many feats he performs. The announcer's mention a Dr. Strange and the scene shifts to a local prison. Dr. Strange has a plan to take over Iron Man and use him for his escape. Strange explains that he was struck by lightning several months ago and it's made him extremely intelligent.

Strange turns on his machine and Iron Man is compelled to release him from prison. As they make their escape, Dr. Strange thinks about his daughter and how he'll make her a queen of the world. Strange escapes and later arrives on an island with a makeshift army of dictators and thugs. His daughter is disgusted at what he's doing.

Meanwhile, Iron Man finds out what he did and is really upset about it. The police let him off on his word. Dr. Strange explodes a giant bomb in outer space and then tells the world to surrender or he'll set off more bombs. Iron Man offers to take him down. He has a submarine fire him under the water. Iron Man digs towards Dr. Strange's lab and destroys his generator.

Iron Man is left powerless from this act and Dr. Strange gloats at him. Strange explains that his daughter will rule the world once he conquers it. Strange's daughter tells him that she wants no part of his scheme and throws Iron Man a flashlight. Iron Man uses the flash light to recharge himself and Dr. Strange flees the scene. The issue ends with Iron Man saying that Dr. Strange's daughter was his greatest contribution to the world.

My Take: Two family based villains in back to back issues was a little much for me. In fairness, they were very different stories. This one was more about how Dr. Strange loved his daughter and couldn't show her in a normal way. It was an interesting little dynamic that they had going on between them. I wish the story could've been longer to explore them as people.

I found it funny that the woman in the first several pages was never referred to by name. Tony called her "baby", "honey" or other numerous things like that.

The story itself felt rushed. The setup was literally 9 pages of the story and the actual resolution was the last 3 pages with Iron Man. They really tiptoed around for the first 5 or 6 pages and ran out of room. You, HAVE, to get to the point in a 13 page story. You can't take a few pages and deal with things that aren't a central part of the story. This issue just kind of fell on it's face because you realize on page 10 that they have 3 pages to completely resolve a story that has 50% done at that point.

The art was very good in this issue. Tony wasn't doing weird and awkward looking things in his big bulky looking armor. They kept his actions pretty stiff, slow and plodding. It just looked right this time.

I'd give this ** out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Dr. Strange. Not the Dr. Strange we all know and love though. Just some random villain that they gave that name to. I guess they weren't thinking too far ahead at this point as the real Dr. Strange makes his first appearance in another few months.

Next Issue: Amazing Spider-Man #2

Tales to Astonish #43

Cover Date: May 1963

Plot Overview: Ant-Man runs into a crowd of admirers and makes a hasty retreat as the issue opens. We switch scenes to Professor Elias Weems. He's excited that his grandson is coming to visit him but tragedy strikes a week later when he's fired for being too old. Weems panics and decides he's going to build a ray that will make people old.

Weems easily conducts the ray and then tests it on a tree, an elephant and a random woman on the street. With the tests a success, he names himself the Time Master and sends a threatening letter to the police. Ant-Man's network of ants picks up the conversation and Ant-Man leaps into action. He visits the police and they update him of the situation.

Ant-Man decides to ask around and learns of Elias Weems being fired. He visits Weems' home and Weems uses the ray on him. Weems has no desire to kill the aged Ant-Man. He just wants him out of the way so he places him at the bottom of a flower pot. Weems leaves and Ant-Man grows to human size to escape his situation.

Weems climbs to the top of a building and uses his ray on a large crowd of people to have his revenge. His grandson walks into the fire zone and suddenly begins to age. Weems decides to reverse the aging effect but drops the gun. Ant-Man's ants catch the gun and he reverses the aging process on the crowd. Weems realizes what a fool he had been as he goes to his grandson. Ant-Man defends Weems in court and Weems' old boss hires him back. The issue ends with Weems showing his grandson his lab and Ant-Man gives a small speech about not judging people based on age as the issue ends.

My Take: This was a fun issue. Again, it seemed to work with the Ant-Man concept and didn't feel very ridiculous. Ant-Man also got a little character development as they showed that he tends to be a shy introvert. It was a very tiny amount of development but it's really the first hint of personality he's been given over the 10 issues he's appeared in so far.

The villain was also interesting as he repented by the end of the story. That hasn't happened a lot in the early Marvel Comics.

The art was also good for this issue. Marvel seems to have a consistent artist schedule going now as the last 2 or 3 issues for each book has looked roughly the same. For awhile there, you didn't know what you were going to get with any particular issue of a Marvel book. The Marvel U is really shaping itself up right now and building some nice momentum.

I'd give this **1/2 out of *****.

Notes: Nothing of note happened in this issue.

Next Issue: Tales of Suspense #41

Fantastic Four #14

Cover Date: May 1963

Plot Overview: The Fantastic Four return from the moon with much fanfare. They get absolutely mobbed by their adoring public and with the help of the Torch escape back to the Baxter Building. Reed catches Sue looking for Namor and realizes that for all of his accomplishments he can't totally win the heart of Sue.

We shift scenes to the Puppet Master leaving a clinic. He's been in hiding for ever since he last battled the Fantastic Four. He mulls over which of the FF's villains he should assume control of and finally settles on Namor. Namor falls under the spell of the Puppet Master and lures Sue into a trap. He captures her easily and encases her in this giant bubble.

Namor projects himself to the other members of the FF and challenges them to battle. Thing takes a brief diversion and grabs Alicia Masters. They search for Namor until he springs a trap on them. The Human Torch uses his intense flames to help them escape the first trap. Unfortunately a giant creature grabs their sub and they are presented to Namor. Sue is still trapped in the bubble and being held by a giant octopus.

He challenges them to battle. The Torch is first and Namor uses a creature called a Flame-Eater to absorb his flames. The Thing jumps in and Namor uses a fungus that entombs the Thing into a giant rock. The Thing breaks free and Reed joins the fight. He uses his elongation powers to hold Namor while the Thing rescues Sue from the giant octopus.

The Puppet Master has been watching all of this from a nearby submarine and is not amused. He wants Namor to kill the FF. Namor tries to resist but eventually has to obey. He uses a sort of fish that spews gas on the FF. It has no effect as Reed used his hesitation to put gas masks on everything. Reed, Torch and the Thing charge but Sue steps in front of them. She wants them to stop because Namor was obviously under control.

Meanwhile, the giant octopus attacks the Puppet Master's submarine. It begins to crush the sub and the hold over Namor is broken. Namor is confused about the presence of the FF and tells them he has to continue searching for his people. The FF leave and everyone is a little confused as the issue comes to a close.

My Take: 14 issues in and this is the second time another villain has used Namor to try and take out the Fantastic Four. This is also his fourth or fifth appearance in 14 issues. Namor really isn't my favorite villain and I wish they would've had a more diverse cast of villains for these early issues. It gets a little boring having the same couple of villains show up over and over again. It also hurts that the Torch and Namor fought in a really fun battle in the last issue of Strange Tales.

This was still a fun issue despite those flaws. This felt like more like the Marvel I know and love. The characters are starting to feel right and the tone/pace of the stories are also starting to feel right. Some of these early Marvel books have been absolute chores to get through and it's nice that the books are starting to get fun.

The art was good in this issue. It's the usual quality you get from Jack Kirby.

I'll give this **1/4 out of *****.

Notes: Nothing of note really happened in this issue. They were heading back from what happened in issue 13. The continuity continues to build in the Marvel universe. You'll start to see more guest appearances from the various heroes as 1963 progresses.

Next Issue: Tales to Astonish #43

Strange Tales #107

Cover Date: April 1963

Plot Overview: Johnny arrives home from school as Reed and the Thing are leaving. They mention that they were comparing notes of their last adventure for the next issue of the Fantastic Four. Johnny is a little bummed out not to be included. He decides that he needs to do something really great to earn the respect of his teammates. Johnny notices that Sue has a picture up of Namor and thinks that's just the thing. If he can defeat Namor then the other members of the FF will respect him.

The Torch heads out and searches for Namor until his flame fails him. Johnny lands on a ship and they mistake him for a stowaway. The ship hits a heavy fog and Johnny becomes the Torch and leads the ship to safety. Johnny writes a message in the sky for Namor to finally draw him out.

The Torch out maneuvers Namor and causes him to crash into an iceberg. Namor regroups and grabs an idol to hypnotize Johnny with. Namor clobbers the Torch and tries to send him back to land. The Torch recovers and comes back for more. They hit each other and fall to the sea. Johnny burns Namor under water and starts to burn really hot. He chases Namor under the water and finally buries him under the ocean floor. The Torch manages to get to the surface just as his flame fails.

The boat Johnny helped earlier happens by and picks him up. Namor digs himself out and gets to the surface too late. He realizes that he had underestimated the Human Torch. Johnny arrives at home and takes a well deserved nap as the issue ends.

My Take: Aside from Spider-Man, this was easily the best comic that Marvel has put out since the first issue of the Fantastic Four. This just a really fun read from start to finish.

There was an actual battle which you don't always get in this era of Marvel. And it was a good fight. Torch and Namor were going toe to toe and it was an exciting battle. It makes me want to see them fight each other again.

This issue also developed Namor quite a bit. He was reluctant to fight Johnny because he didn't want to upset Sue. He was actually more put off by the whole affair than anything else. It was a really nice change of pace from the angry, boastful guy that he's been in the regular Fantastic Four title. He felt more like the anti-hero he's meant to be instead of being a super-villain.

The art was also great for this issue. The anthology stories can feel slapped together art-wise most of the time. And this was a really quality book. It was on par with Fantastic Four with the art this month.

Strange Tales has really become a book I've looked forward to when it comes around in the rotation. This book has become an absolute treat to read. It's just been a long string of fun stories with some side character development for the Fantastic Four. I'm really surprised that the Human Torch is working so well as a solo concept. I can't wait to read more issues of this title.

I'll give this **** out of *****.

Notes: I see this issue as a loving tribute to the Human Torch vs. Namor fight done back in the Golden Age. That fight happened in Marvel Mystery Comics #8 and 9 if you're curious. There's nothing else of note for this issue.

Next Issue: Fantastic Four #14

Journey Into Mystery #91

Cover Date: April 1963

Plot Overview: Thor tries to thwart a bank robbery but the bank suddenly disappears. The people inside the bank reappear but can't remember anything that happened. Thor suspects Loki but is informed by Odin that Loki is in Asgard being punished for his last caper on Earth. Loki steals some money to amuse himself.

We take a look into the past as Dr. Don Blake and Jane Foster are at a carnival. They come across a mind reader named Sandu and he predicts that Blake loves a woman with the initials J.F. Blake successfully plays it off and Jane is actually disappointed that he doesn't love her. Loki watches Sandu from Asgard and decides to strengthen Sandu's power 1000 times.

Sandu quickly realizes this and steals one of the audiences wallet. Sandu decides that his powers call for greater feats. Sandu was the one levitating the bank and then teleported it away. He made the customers forget what happened as well.

Sandu steals a palace for himself and visits the U.N. afterwards. He tells the delegates to turn over their countries to him or he'll levitate them into space and kill them. Thor arrives on the scene and saves the delegates. Sandu throws some steel beams at Thor and knocks him out. Sandu chains Thor and then levitates a building onto him.

Thor is too weak to escape and Odin appears and gives him the belt of strength. Thor is stronger than ever and escapes his prison. Loki mentally contacts Sandu and tells him to steal Thor's hammer to defeat him.

Sandu manages to separate Thor from the Hammer and teleports it into another dimension. Sandu becomes arrogant and decides that he should wield Thor's Hammer. Sandu can't lift it so he tries to use his powers. He spends more and more energy until he burns his powers out. Thor hands the now powerless Sandu over to the police.

Odin tells Thor to call upon the belt of strength if he's ever in need as the issue ends.

My Take: Journey Into Mystery has been a fairly rough read for this project. It's really just been lacking in a few areas. It really feels like he's a Superman analogue with some Norse mythology tacked on. The Thor concept is just growing kind of slow and that's frustrating when concepts like Spider-Man and Iron Man take off almost immediately.

With that said, I enjoyed this issue. The Loki issues always seem to be a fairly fun read. I think that's because it's more grounded in Asgard. Asgard makes this comic interesting but when it's just superhero stuff it tends to be boring. Sandu was fairly interesting as a villain. He was generic but he made for a fun antagonist for Thor. He had a wide range of powers and it felt like he was a match for Thor. Most of the villains to this point have been overmatched and usually just find some contrived method to get the Hammer. It was nice seeing someone who had the power to go toe to toe with Thor in his own way.

I didn't like the Jane Foster bit early in the comic. The first 2 issues maybe, they teased her maybe being interested in Don Blake but they had really gone away from that idea. It seemed she only had eyes for Thor and now we're back to the love triangle idea. The silver lining to this is that it added some much needed character development for Blake and Foster.

Overall I'd give this **1/2 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Sandu and the Belt of Strength. I've never really been a Thor reader so I can't tell you if either ever really appears again in a Thor comic. I'm guessing the Belt of Strength does and that Sandu probably does not. Sandu really strikes me as one of those early Marvel villains that never get used again.

Next Issue: Strange Tales #107

Tales of Suspense #40

Cover Date: April 1963

Plot Overview: This issue opens and goes about establishing that Tony Stark is a scientist, a playboy and a superhero. It also shows that Stark has to recharge his chest plate from time to time to keep his heart beating. Last issue, he of course suffered an injury where shrapnel is in danger of puncturing his heart.

Stark has a date at the circus when the animals get out of control. Stark becomes Iron Man and notices that the crowd is terrified of him as he enters the building. Iron Man makes short work of the animals but ponders how to alter his appearance. His date, Marion, suggests that Iron Man don gold armor so that people would know that he has a heart of gold. Stark likes the idea and paints his suit gold.

Later, Stark wonders why Marion didn't arrive at the airport and he's told that the city of Granville has shut down it's airport. Stark decides to head to Granville as Iron Man. When he arrives, he finds that the city has built a wall around itself and the federal government is powerless to do anything about it.

Iron Man decides to dig into the city. Upon his arrival he finds that the citizens of Granville are completely under the influence of a caveman called Gargantus. The citizens attack Iron Man while others worship Gargantus. Iron Man evades the locals and issues a public challenge to Gargantus.

The caveman arrives on the scene and Iron Man realizes the creature is trying to hypnotize him by reflecting the sun off his eyes. IM notices that it's a cloudy day and waves a flag to see that there is a breeze. IM evades attack from Gargantus and then uses magnets to subdue him. Gargantus falls apart revealing that he was a robot. The locals become normal again and IM reveals that he figured out that the clouds were unnatural and that Gargantus' hypnosis was coming from a device inside of him. IM then reveals that a UFO was behind the clouds. The aliens flee Earth because they feel they are no match for the Iron Men of this planet.

The issue ends with Stark and Marion reuniting.

My Take: A quick aside to this. Iron Man using transistors for everything is really a sign of the times. He tends to take about his transistor power whatever constantly throughout the issue. He'll do this in pretty much everything until technology shifts a little and Marvel doesn't feel the need to harp on it so much. You just have to grin and bear it for awhile.

This was a decent issue. You get a good idea of the status quo for the early Iron Man tales. He has a love interest or two, has to charge his chest plate and then fights a bad guy. Like a lot of the early Marvel stories, this felt more sci-fi than superhero. It felt like a monster horror movie and there just happened to be a superhero to save the day at the end.

The issue was pretty straightforward from start to finish. They re-established what the character was about in the first few pages and then showing off what he can do for the rest of the issue. The villain was silly but most Silver Age villains are. I tend to look at the villain as an afterthought to this issue though. This was about really hitting home who Tony Stark was and what his adventures were going to be like. I think this issue succeeded at that.

One aspect that I really like about Tony Stark at this point is that he feels like what Bruce Wayne should be. Wayne has always felt like the playboy aspect was tagged on whereas Stark feels like the real deal in that aspect.

The art was solid for this issue. It looks about how you would expect Tony Stark to look in the early 60s. The Iron Man armor makes for some weird art though. The artist was switching between the armor being bulky and clumsy one panel and having him do very agile movements in it the next. It was very distracting.

I'll give this **3/4 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Gargantus. He'll pop up again at some point. He's a very very minor villain in the Marvel Universe though. Now, I'm not sure about Marion. She might be a recurring character for awhile but I'm not totally sure on that point. I will mention in future note sections if she does continue to appear.

This issue also sees the first of many armor changes for Iron Man. His armor changed from grey to gold in this issue. He'll keep this look for a few months before changing to a more recognizable armor.

Next Issue: Journey Into Mystery #91

Tales to Astonish #42

Cover Date: April 1963

Plot Overview: Jason Cragg sets up shop on a soap box and begins preaching for the citizens of Central City to hate the Ant-Man. Ant-Man wanders by and sees the events but his helmet protects him from Cragg's voice. We learn that a near radioactive accident gave Cragg a voice that could not be resisted. Through his travels, he decided to test himself against the Ant-Man.

Cragg easily convinces the people to attack Ant-Man and leads the mob. AM tries to hide in a field but Cragg equips the people with magnets to pick him up by his helmet. AM has no choice and removes the helmet to try and remain hidden. The mob finds the helmet and his gas canisters so Cragg begins to speak. He orders AM to surrender himself and Am eventually has no choice but to listen.

Cragg orders AM to walk off the end of a pier and to not try to save himself. AM obeys the order and walks into the river and doesn't attempt to swim. AM's loyal ants make the save and return AM to his home.

AM comes up with a plan and steals a virus from a lab and heads to a local television studio where Cragg will be appearing. AM borrows a prop gun. When Cragg appears, AM tells him to give a positive speech about AM because he has a gun trained on him. Cragg does as he's told and then AM reveals the gun isn't loaded. Cragg tries to give another speech but his voice gives out. AM reveals that he also covered the mic with a virus and Cragg has now caught it. Cragg tries to incite the crowd again but they turn on him and chase him out of town. The issue ends with AM lamenting the fact that Cragg didn't use his powers for good.

My Take: I enjoyed this issue. I looked at the cover and read the first two pages and thought I was in for a bad story but it really turned out to be a fun little read. The Ant-Man concept worked despite itself in this issue. The plot was a good generic plot for any superhero and it didn't feel ridiculous like some of the other Ant-Man stories have.

I liked Jason Cragg as a villain. He was different and he provided a unique set of challenges for the hero to overcome. I also liked the Cragg was out for blood in this issue. When he got hold of Ant-Man, there wasn't a silly deathtrap, he wanted Ant-Man to commit suicide. That felt a lot different than what a lot of other comics were doing at the time.

I can't really think of any complaints I had with the issue. There wasn't really action or anything but the story wasn't really meant to have any. It was about Ant-Man overcoming a superior force with his superior intellect. I think the story succeeded in that aspect.

The art was good this time as Don Heck did the art. A lot of little details in there and it didn't feel rushed or slapped together like some of these early Marvel books can.

I'd give this **1/2 out of *****

Notes: This issue is the first appearance of Jason Cragg. Cragg will be a very minor villain in the Marvel Universe. This is really his only appearance until he pops back up in the 1980s in the West Coast Avengers and Captain America. It looks like he's had a total of 6 appearances over the 50 years of the Marvel Universe. We'll call him a D lister and move on.

Next Issue: Tales of Suspense #40

Fantastic Four #13

Cover Date: April 1963

Plot Overview: The FF head to the moon to test a new kind of rocket fuel that Reed has discovered. Meanwhile, the Red Ghost plans to head to the moon to claim it for Russia. The Red Ghost has also trained a team of apes to help him. The first part of the Red Ghost's plans involve being bombarded with cosmic rays.

The FF realize there's another rocket up there and send the Torch to investigate. The Torch witnesses the apes revealing their new powers. They notice the Torch and one pushes him away with it's magnetic powers. The Torch informs the other members of the FF. They eventually land on the moon and head out to search for the Red Ghost. The Thing encounters the Red Ghost and his apes but the battle is quickly stopped.

The Watcher reveals himself and explains that it is his job to observe the events in the universe. He has decided to intervene in this situation. He's going to have the Fantastic Four battle the Red Ghost and his apes. The Watcher transports them to a ruined underground city. The Red Ghost takes them by surprise and gets the best of the FF in the first battle. He captures Sue as the battle comes to a close.

Reed tells the Thing and the Torch that they lost because they tried to fight with brute force. They need to use their brains. He's going to go search for a weapon to battle the Red Ghost. The Torch and Thing head out to find Sue.

Meanwhile, the Red Ghost leaves Sue and his caged up apes to set a trap for the other members of the FF. Sue takes the chance to release the apes who break out of the room and free her. Sue catches up with the Thing and Torch and stops them before the Red Ghost can spring his trap. They pursue the Red Ghost until he enters the Watcher's house. The Watcher casts him out and Reed uses a paralyzing ray to win the day for the FF. The apes release the Red Ghost so they can take their revenge on him. The FF head back to Earth as the issue comes to an end.

My Take: The Red Ghost would be at the bottom of my list when it comes to preferred Fantastic Four villains. I don't find him to be particularly menacing or compelling as a character. He's always felt like that villain the writers would use when they just wanted a filler issue or two.

With that said, this was a solidly average issue. Nothing bad, nothing good. A little on the boring side but not too boring. It filled a month gap for the comic and it served it's purpose for that. My main problem is that I don't like the Red Ghost concept and his apes. It just felt a little on the ridiculous side. I did enjoy the story a little more than I had expected to though.

The art was pretty solid for this issue. It has steadily improved since issue 1. The characters are starting to look more like themselves and it feels like there are more colors in the issues now.

On a side note. The team has really started to develop character wise. Ben has become less of an angry monster and more of the lovable guy that we know him as. The Torch is the Torch. Sue and Reed are still missing some aspects though. Sue's problem in the main book is that most of her character development comes from the love triangle she has with Reed and Namor. When you subtract that, she plays the damsel in distress more often than not. She has gotten some character development in the Strange Tales feature but that hasn't really translated in this book yet. Reed is slowly but surely developing. He's a science geek and the leader right now. Past that, he needs work.

But this is issue 13. This has been an amazing run of comic books for this time period. Some really unheard of stuff going on here. You have character development, continuity and the stories really just build on each other. It's amazing seeing how this differs from the Justice League comics of the same time frame.

I'd give this ** out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearances for the Red Ghost and the Watcher. The Red Ghost will be a recurring villain for the Fantastic Four over the years. I wouldn't call him an important bad guy or anything. He's more of a C list villain that manages to survive the various eras of comic books. Which is surprising to me because he seems similar to a lot of the other early Marvel villains that disappeared. A lame Silver Age concept that writers ran away from once the 1970s hit.

The Watcher is a bigger deal. He'll show up for a lot of the big time events. He never really does anything, he'll narrate here and there and generally just be around. I would say he's a very notable character for Marvel though. I was actually surprised to see him show up. I had always thought he first appeared when Galactus first appeared for some reason.

Next Issue: Tales to Astonish #42

Strange Tales #106

Cover Date: March 1963

Plot Overview: Carl Zante arrives at the Human Torch's house and asks Sue to see him. Johnny finally arrives and is shocked to find out that his secret identity hasn't really been a secret for all of this time. Zante has a proposal for the Torch. He wants the Torch to team with him because Reed is just taking advantage of the Torch. Zante offers to give the Torch half of the reward money and half the glory if they team together. Johnny tells Zante that he'll talk to Reed about it and see what happens. Zante of course is tricking the Torch and just wants to use him to commit crimes.

The Torch arrives at the Baxter Building and of course his demands start trouble with the Thing. Reed settles them down and explains that all of the money the Fantastic Four makes goes to research. He also explains that they share the glory equally. Johnny gets made at this answer and decides to join Zante.

Sue begs Johnny to reconsider as he unveils his new costume. Johnny pays her no mind as Zante arrives. Zante explains that there is someone trapped in a bank vault and the Torch needs to rescue them. The Torch takes off and easily burns through the vault. He's surprised to find no one is there and Zante reveals that it was all a trick. Zante sprays the Torch down with liquid asbestos and then shoots him with a gun.

Zante grabs the money and escapes. He gets in his car and the Thing stops him. Sue and Reed help to apprehend him. The Torch arrives on the scene and reveals that Zante only shot him in the arm. Zante makes his escape but the Torch chases him down. Johnny finally uses his intense heat to trap Zante in the pavement. The issue ends with Johnny putting on his Fantastic Four costume and heading off into the sunset with the FF.

My Take: I really liked this issue. I liked how they revealed that Johnny's secret identity was really a sham. I thought that aspect of the book was really ridiculous and I'm glad they got rid of it so soon. I liked the amount of continuity in this book. Zante brought up a couple of fights from the Fantastic Four comic and mentioned how Johnny saved the day. Overall, Zante's approach to Johnny was really well written and believable to me.

There was a decent amount of action in this issue. There were a couple of pages of it and you don't even get that in a full length Fantastic Four comic sometimes. The Acrobat is a little ridiculous as a character but I think they used him well. He didn't do anything that was really unbelievable to me or anything.

This issue also further developed the relationships between the Fantastic Four members. I would actually say that they felt more like the FF that I'm familiar with in this issue. The Thing also seemed to be much more of a wise cracker than an angry monster in this issue. I like when they add Sue to these issues. You don't get to see the brother/sister dynamic as much in the main FF book because they're so busy with the Reed and Namor stuff. So it's nice to see them focus on her from a different angle here.

The art for this issue was really good. Dick Ayers drew the issue this time. He doesn't get the hype that a Kirby/Ditko/Romita gets but he's a solid hand in these issues.

This book is still a surprise to me. I felt like the Torch issues were going to be hard to get through. I was really waiting for Dr. Strange to show up to make these worthwhile. But this book has been a ton of fun with the Human Torch. It never fails to be a fun read for me. I look forward to doing more issues of Strange Tales.

I'd give this ***1/4 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Carl Zante also know as the Acrobat. He's a very minor character in the Marvel Universe but he's well known as a trivia question. The Acrobat famously poses as Captain America a few months before Cap returns in the near future. That's the Acrobat's claim to fame as a character.

Next Issue: Fantastic Four #13

Journey Into Mystery #90

Cover Date: March 1963

Plot Overview: The Xartans depart to conquer Earth as the issue opens. Meanwhile, Dr. Don Blake struggles over revealing himself to Jane Foster. As he's about to finally reveal himself as Thor, Odin shows up and tells him not to. Blake heads out into the city and finds that people are acting more and more crazy as he walks about. He returns to the office and Jane is also acting crazy. Blake leaves and becomes Thor. He visits the mayor to realize that, he too, is acting different.

Thor thinks back to his younger days and the teachings of Odin. Odin tells him that the simplest answer however impossible is probably the right answer since nothing is impossible. Thor decides that the people must be imposters if they aren't acting themselves.

Thor finds a spaceship but the ship traps him and he drops the hammer. Thor becomes Blake again and he's captured by the aliens. They take him into the ship and the mayor and Jane are inside. Blake agrees to take the aliens to attack Thor if they let him go. The mayor and Jane are outraged as Blake leaves the ship with the aliens. Blake sends the aliens into the brush so he can grab the hammer and once again become Thor.

Thor bests the son of the head Xartan in one on one battle and then easily defeats the head alien. The other Xartans surrender and Thor makes them turn into trees. Thor reveals that the Xartan people take on all the qualities of what they turn into. As trees, they can no longer think and turn themselves back. Thor tells the mayor and Jane to go easy on Blake, he was only helping him get the drop on the aliens. Jane and the mayor are confused by the explanation but ultimately accept it.

My Take: I hated this issue. Lee didn't write it and the artist was new. So the art was bad and the script was really weak. The story was just absolutely ridiculous. I really don't know what to say about this issue. I really didn't like it.

Thor is kind of lagging behind some of the other books. You have the Thor/Blake/Foster love triangle and really nothing else. Being in love with Foster is really the only personality he has as a character.

This title in general is really up and down. When they do Asgard stuff, it's really interesting and stand apart from the other titles out there. When he's more Earth bound, he comes across like a Marvel imitation of Superman. Hopefully they start focusing more on Asgard soon.

I'd give this 1/4* out of *****.

Notes: This is a rare early Marvel story that Lee didn't write. He's credited with the plot but a different writer is credited with the script.

Next Issue: Strange Tales #106

Amazing Spider-Man #1

Cover Date: March 1963

Plot Overview: This issue picks right up where Amazing Fantasy left off. Aunt May is unable to pay the rent due to the loss of Uncle Ben's income. Peter decides to start performing publicly as Spider-Man again to bring in some money for the family. Unfortunately for him, J. Jonah Jameson publishes an editorial that declares him to be a public menace. Peter's performing career is over so he seeks a normal job to no success. Peter sees Aunt May pawning her jewelry and becomes enraged with Jameson for what he's done.

We shift scenes to a space launch. JJJ's son John Jameson will be launched into space. The spacecraft takes off but quickly runs into problems. The guidance system has fallen out and there's no way to replace it. Peter becomes Spider-Man and offers his services. Spider-Man and a pilot fly to the spacecraft and he successfully replaces the guidance system. John lands safely as a result.

The next day JJJ launches into another campaign against Spider-Man. He is accusing Spidey of sabotage so that he could look like a hero. The public buys into the campaign. The first story ends with Peter wondering what he was going to do now. He wonders if he'll be forced to become the menace that JJJ proclaims him to be.

The second story opens as Peter has an idea. He'll join the Fantastic Four and that will solve his financial issues. He breaks into the Baxter Building and has a brief scuffle with the members of the Fantastic Four. Things settle down and Spidey declares that he wants to join the group. The FF explain that they are a non-profit organization and they can't pay him to be a member.

The scene shifts as the Chameleon has a plan to steal missile defense plans. He's a master of disguise and he's going to use Spider-Man as a scapegoat so he can successfully pull off his crime. The Chameleon uses a special radio to contact Spider-Man. He tells Spidey to meet him at a certain time and he'll help him with his problems.

The Chameleon disguises himself as Spidey and steals the plans. He runs from the police and has it timed right for the real Spider-Man to arrive on the scene to take the fall. Spidey evades the police and figures out that the culprit escaped in a helicopter. Spidey brings the helicopter down and takes the Chameleon to the police. The Chameleon creates some confusion and disguises himself as a police officer. The police try to arrest Spidey but he goes after the Chameleon. The police defend the Chameleon thinking he is one of their own. Spidey leaves the scene but he actually tore part of the Chameleon's disguise. The police arrest the Chameleon as Spidey runs into the darkness wishing he never got superpowers. The issue ends with the Fantastic Four wondering if Spider-Man is a good guy or a bad guy.

My Take: The thing I really liked about this issue is the two stories built on each other and built on the story in Amazing Fantasy. You read the first part of this issue and the second part felt like it picked right up where the first part left off. You also felt like this was a direct continuation of Amazing Fantasy. What is happening with this issue is pretty unheard of at the time. DC at the time was essentially a giant reset being hit between issues. Nothing ever really built on anything else. The continuity you're seeing here was revolutionary for this time period.

The stories were pretty solid and the background cast has really started to develop around Spider-Man. JJJ is in the book and making his life miserable already and he has the beginnings of a relationship with the Fantastic Four. I liked the first story quite a bit. It really established the tone of what Spider-Man is going to be for the next several years. The second story was okay but I felt it was a little flat. The Fantastic Four part was cool but the Chameleon part was pretty generic.

The art was up and down for this issue. The art in the first story was really good, the art in the second story felt rushed. Steve Ditko did both so it's a little weird that the quality is so off from each other. Ditko also did the Hulk book that came out for this month so it might have just been a time issue. I imagine producing 46 pages of art is no easy feat for anyone to pull off.

Overall, it's really interesting that they really seemed to have Spider-Man nailed down from the start. This is issue 2 and most of the well known Spider-Man concepts are in there already. In contrast, the Fantastic Four is on issue 12 and it's still getting tweaked here and there.

Overall I'd give this ***1/4 out of *****.

Notes: There are a ton of notes for this issue. This is of course the first issue of Amazing Spider-Man. J. Jonah Jameson, John Jameson and the Chameleon all make their first appearances here. JJJ is one of the most important characters in the Spider-Man mythos as he's one of Spidey's chief antagonists. To this day JJJ still has it out for Spider-Man. The Chameleon is what I'd call a C list Spider-Man villain. He's not the first or the second name you would think of for a Spider-Man villain but he's well known. John Jameson will come and go as the series progresses but there are several storylines that will center around him.

This book also features the Fantastic Four appearing in the book. Depending on the publishing date this could be the first instance of Marvel characters crossing over with each other. The Fantastic Four met the Hulk this month as well. Either way, this appears to be the month where Stan and co. decided to really embrace the idea of a shared universe.

Next Issue: Journey Into Mystery #90

Incredible Hulk #6

Cover Date: March 1963

Plot Overview: The Hulk returns to his hideout and once again becomes Bruce Banner. Banner is getting weaker with each dose of gamma radiation. He sees on the view screen where a military test is interrupted by an alien calling himself the Metal Master. He can control metal with his mind and he's come to Earth to conquer it. Rick breaks away and comes to find Banner. Banner uses his gamma ray gun to become the Hulk but his face doesn't change for some reason. He puts on a Hulk mask and heads off to battle the Metal Master.

The Metal Master keeps the Hulk at bay with various attacks until he knocks the Hulk out with a giant piece of metal. The military captures the Hulk as a result and the Hulk blames Rick for betraying him. Rick leaves dejected and the Hulk starts pounding on the prison walls.

Rick meets up with his old friends and they show him their new ham radio. This gives Rick the idea to form the Teen Brigade. The teen Brigade will become a nation wide group of teenage ham radio operators that will help out the Marvel superheroes.

Meanwhile the Hulk breaks out of his prison and returns to his hideout. He once again becomes Bruce Banner but he's even weaker than before. Rick arrives and Banner calls out to him. Banner is grateful for Rick's help and Rick realizes that it was the Hulk talking. Banner has an idea and they enlist the help of the Teen Brigade. Teenagers all across the country send Rick and Banner transistors and other parts.

Banner becomes the Hulk again and the Teen Brigade gathers to see what Banner and Rick have come up with. The Hulk walks out with a giant gun and confronts the Metal Master. The Metal Master is stunned that he cannot alter the gun with his mind. As a desperation move he tosses a piece of metal at the Hulk but the Hulk quickly captures him. The Hulk threatens the Metal Master until he changes all of the damage he caused back. The Metal Master then departs as the Teen Brigade is thrilled to have helped defeat him. The Hulk and Rick depart as the military arrives on the scene. Banner tries to change back but this time he's still the Hulk. The Hulk goes into a rage but suddenly turns back into Banner. The gamma radiation is getting more unpredictable with each usage. Banner goes to see Betty Ross and the issue ends with him telling her that he can't reveal his secret because he cares about her too much.

My Take: This issue felt like they were finding a groove with the Hulk issues. Banner continues to struggle with the Hulk when in the Hulk form and now the gamma ray gun is causing some odd side effects in him. It's also becoming clear that the transformation is slowly killing him each time he does it. It was nice to have 3 issues of building in a direction instead of the first 3 issues where the direction of the book changed every issue.

The strength of this Hulk series, to me, was the strong cast around Bruce Banner and the Hulk. And the cast became even stronger with the addition of the Teen Brigade. Most of the other titles have a supporting character or two while the Hulk has about 4 or 5 right now. It helps to develop both characters and lay the groundwork of the dichotomy of the Banner/Hulk personalities. It's really a shame that the book is cancelled with this issue. It feels like they had just figured out how to make this comic work.

The art was pretty good in this issue. I always have a soft spot for Steve Ditko's work. It felt like the art wasn't rushed. The Hulk also looked better than he usually does. I like the Metal Master character design a lot. He's not out there or cool, I just enjoy his design. And the effects for his metal altering were pretty good in my opinion.

I'd give this issue *** for *****

Notes: This is the last issue of the Incredible Hulk series. From here he kind of becomes a villain and antagonist for various heroes. After awhile, he'll become a co-feature in Tales to Astonish. This is the first appearance of the Teen Brigade. They will be an important part of the Avengers forming later this year and will play a role in several comics throughout the 60s.

I wanted to take a moment and look at why the Incredible Hulk failed as a book. I think it has to do with the lack of direction to the first 3 issues. It felt like Stan Lee had a really good initial idea and then didn't know where to go with it from there. The book also struggled from an identity crisis. It didn't know if it wanted to be a sci-fi horror book or a superhero book. I also think this book was a few years ahead of it's time. The anti-hero concept maybe wasn't quite ready to take off with the readers. The 60s needed to take hold a little bit more before that kind of a concept would be more widely accepted. Just my two cents though.

Next Issue: Amazing Spider-Man #1

Tales of Suspense #39

Cover Date: March 1963

Plot Overview: Millionaire playboy Tony Stark has invented a new transistor and heads to Vietnam to show it off for the military. Stark accidentally steps on a land mine and wakes up in the camp of Wong-Chu. Stark has shrapnel heading towards his heart and only has a few days to live. Wong-Chu wants Stark to build him a powerful weapon and gives him the raw materials to do it. Stark decides to double cross Wong-Chu and build a weapon to help him escape and to build something to keep him alive.

Wong-Chu throws Professor Yinsen in with Stark to assist in the building. Stark reveals the plans for the Iron Man to Yinsen. They continue working until Stark is on the verge of death. Yinsen gets him into the Iron Man armor and distracts the guards while the batteries charge. Yinsen is killed and Stark vows to avenge his death.

Iron Man confronts Wong-Chu and bests him in a battle. Wong-Chu flees after Iron Man breaks up his army. Iron Man uses the oil in his armor to blow up the camp and free the other prisoners. The issue ends with Iron Man walking off into the darkness wondering about what his future will hold.

My Take: What can you say about this issue? It's a classic that still holds up pretty well today. The technology is really outdated but that's not too big a deal. The concept of Iron Man is pretty well thought out here. They showed off some of his abilities and they gave him some personality. Tony Stark doesn't have a ton depth yet but he seems like a little more than a two dimensional character with a set of powers.

It made you want to see where they go from here. How is Tony going to fix his heart? Is he stuck in the armor forever? There are all sorts of issues and questions that these 13 pages gave you to latch onto going forward.

The art was pretty good for this issue. The armor is ugly but it makes sense considering he pieced together a bunch of junk to make it. I really enjoyed this issue. I'm really looking forward to the next issue.

After this issue I think it's the third highest book on my list right now. Spider-Man is the top book and Fantastic Four would be number two.

I'd give this ***1/2 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Iron Man. This is also the first and only appearance of his grey armor. After this issue his armor will be gold. The Iron Man origin is pretty much what you think it was. His concept is pretty dead on to what his modern version of the character is. I always find it interesting that some concepts are well developed from the start and others seem to take some work to get right.

This is the first and only appearance of Yinsen. He is probably one of the most important characters to ever just appear in 1 issue alive. He will forever be an important part of the Iron Man mythos.

Tales of Suspense is another one of those anthology titles that their superhero line took over in the early 60s. Iron Man will be the main feature on the book for awhile but Captain America will eventually join the book as a co-feature.

Next Issue: Incredible Hulk #6

Tales to Astonish #41

Cover Date: March 1963

Plot Overview: The issue opens with Hank arriving at his friend Paul's house. No one answers the door so Hank becomes Ant-Man to check things out. No one is home and over the next few weeks more scientists disappear. A few days later, a window washer arrives at Hank's lab. He captures Hank with a special paralyzing agent.

The scene shifts to the other scientists who have been transported to another planet. A tyrant named Kulla is holding them hostage until they can build him a death ray. Hank arrives and gets himself thrown into the dungeon so he can become Ant-Man. As Ant-Man he encounters the alien insect life of the planet. He realizes that he needs to alter his helmet's frequency to communicate with them.

Ant-Man arrives and confronts Kulla. One of the guards tries to step on Ant-Man but he manages to avoid the attack. Kulla manages to catch Ant-Man with the paralyzing agent but just as he's about to win he is killed by his own death ray. The alien insects from earlier have operated the weapon. The inhabitants storm the stronghold and capture Kulla's men. Ant-Man escapes to become Hank Pym just in time to be released from the dungeon. The issue ends with Hank and the other scientists returning to Earth.

My Take: This issue wasn't too bad. It was pretty forgettable but it wasn't so ridiculous that I hated it or anything. My main problem with this book is that Ant-Man is really just kind of boring. He's not really getting developed as a character. He's pretty bland and your run of the mill superhero.

The battle again shows why the Ant-Man concept doesn't work as a solo book. The bad guys were trying to step on him this time. And for Ant-Man to win, some pretty contrived things have to happen. I think the strongest issue of this series was the one where he fought the Scarlet Beetle. That was an enemy that was the same size as him and nothing crazy had to happen for Ant-Man to come out the winner at the end of the day.

I'm really hoping this book improves when the Wasp shows up and when he learns how to become Giant-Man.

I'd give this issue *1/2 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first and only appearance of Kulla as far as I know.

Next Issue: Tales of Suspense #39