8:56 PM
Brad
Cover Date: October 1963
Plot Overview: Alexander Gentry has invented a new suit for the military. He decides that he's tried of not getting the fame and glory for his creations. So he becomes the Porcupine and wants to become the king of crime.
Meanwhile, Hank and Jan attend the grand opening of a bank that is using security measures that Pym created. The opening is disrupted by the Porcupine who uses gas to knock out the crowd as he robs the vault. Jan passes out and Hank gets them to an office and breaks open a window. The Porcupine escapes and Hank takes the feverish Jan back to their HQ. Hank uses his ants to track down the Porcupine and finds him at a local army base.
Ant-Man manages to sneak in but gets captured by the Porcupine. The Porcupine leaves Ant-Man in water and leaves him to die. Meanwhile, Jan recovers and realizes that something is wrong. She tracks down Ant-Man and saves him from the water. They devise a plan to clog the Porcupine's suit with cement. The Wasp attacks and then they cover the Porcupine in cement. With his suit jammed, Ant-Man uses his lasso and throws the Porcupine out of a window. The Porcupine flees promising to make his suit even stronger.
Jan complains that Hank was treating her like an invalid earlier and he says she should go back to bed, much to her great annoyance.
My Take: This was a solid issue this time out. Nothing too memorable but it was a fairly fun read. It was nice to see the Wasp play the role of rescuer this issue. It was a nice change of pace. This issue was also your typical Silver Age story. The heroes find some way to take out the villain and win the day. I took this format and accomplished it in a solid way.
The art was pretty hit and miss with this issue. I blame that mostly on the Porcupine's costume. I think most artists would have trouble making such a ridiculous costume looking good consistently. It really is one of the worst creations that Marvel has thought up to this point in their history. I hope they figure out how to streamline the suit a bit after this. It really was an eyesore.
Despite, how awful the suit was, I do like the Porcupine. I love obscure villains from the 60s and 70s and he's a prime example of one. He was just a fun stupid little villain to take up everyone's time for an issue. He did his job well in this issue.
I give this **1/2 out of *****.
Notes: This issue features the first appearance of the Porcupine. He kind of becomes a notable C-list villain among the Marvel fanbase. He's easily the most well known as far as obscure Marvel characters from the 60s and 70s. He eventually joins up with guys like the Eel in Count Nefaria's group of villains.
Next Issue: Tales of Suspense #46
Posted in: Henry Pym,Porcupine,Tales to Astonish,Wasp
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