Strange Tales #123

TITLE: Strange Tales #123

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

COVER DATE: August 1964

COVER PRICE: $0.12

8 pages


WHAT I REMEMBER...

We're finishing up the last of the three reprints from Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2, so there's not a whole lot of new insight to bring to the preamble at this point.

Steve Ditko makes his reappearance here the Random Longbox, after being absent for more than a year. He's illustrating a Dr. Strange story this time around, which makes me downright giddy. Throw in the fact that we'll get to see his version of Thor as well, and I may not be able to concentrate enough to do the review.

Sorry for the bit of excess hyperbole, all of these Stan Lee issues in a row must be rubbing off on me.

My apologies also to anyone who stumbles upon this review after googling the issue number, looking to read about the debut of the Beetle. We're technically reviewing the Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2 and it only includes the Dr. Strange story, not the Human Torch and Thing team-up against the Beetle. And not to get too sidetracked, but I just googled the original cover and boy did the Beetle have an awesomely retro costume. It makes me sad that that's not the one I'm familiar with from my reading.

"The Challenge of Loki!"

• Written by Stan (Miracle Man) Lee
• Illustrated by Steve (Marvel Man) Ditko
• Inked by George Roussos
• Lettered by Art (Magical Man) Simek

So what did George do to piss off Stan this month that he didn't get a merry Marvel moniker added to his credit?

It's an average day in the Sanctum Santorum that finds Dr. Strange practicing the mystic arts that make him the Sorcerer Supreme. Unfortunately for the good doctor, he's being watched by none other than Loki, the Asgardian God of Lies! With Loki forced to stay on Asgard by Odin himself, he needs to dupe somebody else into doing his dirty work for him. Who better than a mere mortal like Dr. Strange.

Using his spirit type, Loki appears before Dr. Strange to plead for his help. Appearing in chains, he explains to Dr. Strange that Thor has been fooling everybody into thinking he's a force for justice. In reality, he's been plotting to conquer mankind. Only Loki stands in his way, if only he wasn't bound by these damnable chains he could act to stop Thor!

Hmmm...who to trust...the god of lies or a founding member of the world's premier super-hero team?

A quick check with doc's magic amulet, and he can feel the evil in those chains. Loki explains that only the hammer of Thor can set him free, and he appeals to Dr. Strange to use his mystical powers to snatch it from the god of thunder.

Using a sliver of the leather handle that Loki has stolen from Thor long ago as an anchor of sorts, Dr. Strange calls upon Dormammu, Vishanti, and the Hosts of Hoggoth to create a giant mechanical hand that goes forth to steal the mighty Mjolnar.

While Loki is distracted by the sight of Thor falling to his death without his hammer to keep him aloft, Dr. Strange does a little investigating of his own. His magical amulet reveals that there is no evil to be found in the strand of leather from the handle of Mjolnar. The evil coming from the chains that he sensed earlier could not have come from Thor, so it must be Loki up to his old tricks.

An epic battle breaks out between a Sorcerer Supreme and an Asgardian god. Neither are able to gain the upper hand, until Loki pulls out a secret weapon.

So that's what those comically oversized horns are for on that helmet. And here I thought Loki was just overcompensating all these years.

Using the energy bands generated by his horns, Loki traps Dr. Strange in a shimmering cage. Calling upon the might of his amulet once again, Dr. Strange is able to counteract Loki's energy bands with a little light show all his own. When all of the smoke clears, there stands six separate sorcerers supreme!

While Loki is distracted in dealing with the duplicate Dr. Strange's, the real deal uses his astral form to sneak up behind Loki and reverse the spell which he used to steal Thor's hammer. With Thor now reunited with Mjolnar, and closing fast on the Sanctum Santorum, Loki realizes that the jig is up and he beats a hasty retreat back to Asgard.

With Loki no longer on Midgard, the hammer of Thor senses no further disruptions, and Thor continues on his way unaware of the battle that just transpired in which he was just a pawn. Doctor Strange, meanwhile, ponders the fact that he just barely beat a god and wonders what's to happen when next they meet.

SO, WHAT DID WE LEARN...

I love seeing heroes go up against villains outside their wheelhouse. You'd think that Loki would be a natural villain for Doctor Strange to match wits with, but from what I can tell there confrontations have been fairly limited. There's this story, an early appearance in Dr. Strange, and a three-parter in The Defenders (there are those pesky Defenders again, I swear I just need to bite the bullet and buy a complete run).

This story is rather simple, but it was fun seeing the two go toe-to-toe with the fancy light shows and contorted hand signs. The fact that Steve Ditko supplies the visuals makes the battle look more dramatic than it probably was.

Thor's appearance was altogether too brief, which basically just teased us with Ditko's versions of the Norse gods. His Doctor Strange is the real draw, and we got a nice three page battle out of it.

All in all, this is a great little 8-pager from the glory days of Marvel's Silver Age.

All characters and artwork reproduced are (c) Marvel Comics

Related links for your surfing pleasure...

• As always, you can do no wrong by checking out neilalien for all of your Dr. Strange needs
• Need more Ditko in your life? Head on over to the Steve Ditko Comics Weblog for that.

Daredevil #21

TITLE: Daredevil #21

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

COVER DATE: October 1966

COVER PRICE: $0.12

20 pages


WHAT I REMEMBER...

This is the second story that makes up the "triple" part of the Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2 that we started reading earlier in the week. This time around, we get a story from the early years of Daredevil's title.

This is definitely going to be the oldest Daredevil story that I've ever read, as I can't recall ever reading a Daredevil issue from before Frank Miller came on board. So yeah, my history with the character is spotty at best, so we're going into this one cold.

The Trap Is Sprung

• Spellbinding Script: Stan Lee
• Phenominal Pencilling: Gene Colan
• Dynamic Delineation: Frank Giacoia, Dick Ayers, Bill Everett
• Laudatory Lettering: Artie Simek
• Bombastic Bird-Watching: Irving Forbush

The story picks up with Daredevil held captive by the Owl in a giant birdcage. All the action happened in the previous issue, but thankfully we're given a brief recap before we get to the meat of the issue.

It seems that the Owl had forced Matt Murdock to act as counsel in a trial, defending an ex-judge, where the Owl and his thugs were judge and jury. Sometime during a break in the proceedings, Matt was able to change to Daredevil and promptly got himself caught.

Let's take a quick sidebar here to play a little Super-Hero/Super-Villain association game. We'll name a super-hero, and I'll reply with the first super-villain that comes to mind.

• Superman...Lex Luthor
• Spider-Man...Green Goblin
• Fantastic Four...Doctor Doom
• Daredevil...The Owl

The Owl? Really?

Yep. You'd think it would be the Kingpin, Elektra, or Bullseye, but for some reason I just always think of the Owl. I assumed it was because he debuted in the first issue along with Daredevil, but he didn't make his first appearance until the third issue. In fact, outside of Bendis' run, I can't recall ever reading an Owl story.

Now I'm curious to actually read this issue to see just what's up with the Owl, and find out what's so special about him to become linked so prominently to Daredevil in my mind. Now, back to the review.

Using his special powers to be able to glide on the slightest breeze, the Owl soars to the top of the cavernous chamber were he has hung the captive Daredevil.

With the press of a button, Daredevil goes careening towards a bottomless pit. The Owl has worked up a "by-the-numbers" Silver Age death-trap, so not only does the hanging cage have a retractable floor that will send Daredevil to his death, but the bars are heated which prevents him from holding on for dear life.

Unfortunately for the Owl, he forgot to take away Daredevil's billy clubs when he locked him up, as he's easily able to use its grappling hook to hook the cable above and swing himself up and out of the deathtrap.

The Owl sics a couple of his generic thugs on Daredevil, but they are easily dispatched as he lassos the Owl with his billy club and sends him careening into his own men.

It's still too early to count the Owl out just yet however, as he has a back-up death-trap ready to go. All he has to do is lure Daredevil into the Forbidden Chamber!

So the chase is on, as the Owl leads Daredevil ever further throughout the labyrinthine passages that go farther and farther down. While this is happening, the very base that they're running through is being rocked by explosions from a nearby volcano.

Hopefully that forbidden chamber has a good safe room.

The Owl is able to use his uncanny gliding powers to keep one step ahead of the determined Daredevil. Inside the dreaded forbidden chamber, we get a glimpse of the Owl's secret weapon...a giant-sized electronic owl!

It may look bumbling and slow, but that's not the case as the speed and dexterity of its swooping attacks keep Daredevil from apprehending the owl. He still manages to throw a carefully aimed billy club at the control panel, which soon sends the mechanical owl careening out of control.

At this same time, the volcanic island base is rocked by another explosion which starts to bring the fortress down around their heads. Normally, this would be a bad turn of events, but lucky for the two of them there's a wild and out of control mechanical owl that they can hijack to take them away from the crumbling headquarters.

The momentum of the fight now changes hands, as the sky is definitely the Owl's milieu. His gliding powers give him the edge, as he can dance around on the surface of the mechanical owl while Daredevil is forced to hold on for dear life.

Daredevil didn't get to be the Man With No Fear by hiding from a challenge, so when the Owl lunges for him he lurches to the side, causing the Owl to fall from the safety of his mechanical namesake.

If you give the Owl some lemons however, he'll just make some lemonade. You see, he can use his gliding power to reach the mainland while Daredevil will plunge to his certain doom on the back of his crippled electronic owl.

You know you can't count Daredevil out that easily, however, so while this is the last we see of the Owl, our hero still has to rescue the judge from the crumbling island base. Using his senses to feel the subtle shifts in the wind currents, he's able to shift his weight and control the electronic owl. Flying back to the island, he's able to rescue the judge as the island explodes in the background.

SO, WHAT DID WE LEARN...

There was something odd about this issue, as we read the whole thing and The Official Stan Lee Hyperbole Meter (that we introduced last review) never went off once! By rights, that should've sent it into the red right there.

This issue came out a month later than the Avengers issue that we just read, but it feels like it was written by a completely different person. It's probably just the nature of the story being told, as this one is almost all action with nary a ham-fisted, moral lesson in sight. The story is better for it, and was actually pretty fun.

I may have to rethink my position on Daredevil, as I never considered myself a big fan but this makes two Daredevil books that the Randomizer has picked that I enjoyed quite a bit. Now that I think about it, they're both essentially the same story, with Daredevil avoiding the thugs and death-traps of the issues villain. It makes sense, as his enhanced senses provide plenty of opportunity to escape from the impossible with panache.

For this story, the villain was the Owl, and I can't say that I really now him any better than I did before I read this. His only super-power appeared to be the awesome ability to glide. Other than that, he relied pretty heavily on his henchmen and inventions to do the dirty work. I'm not sure if I immediately think of an owl when I hear those attributes, but it was the sixties and everyone needed a shtick.

Gene Colan handles the art here, and he gives the story a quick pace and lots of fluidity to the artwork. It doesn't remind me at all of the early Marvel, Kirby work that I instantly think of when someone mentions a silver age Marvel book. Even the fact that this issue had three inkers didn't detract from the pencils.

So there you have it. We've looked at two out of the three stories from Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2 and came up with one winner and one not-winner. It'll be up to Dr. Strange and Thor to break the tie, as their half of Strange Tales #123 closes out the issue.

All characters and artwork reproduced are (c) Marvel Comics

The Avengers #32

TITLE: The Avengers #32

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

COVER DATE: September 1966

COVER PRICE: $0.12

20 pages


WHAT I REMEMBER...

So this is the first of three reprint issues from Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2 that we'll be reading and reviewing. I was actually quite pleased when this issue came into my possession late last year, as the three stories are all ones that I haven't read yet.

My Avengers collection starts around issue #90, with a handful of earlier issues sprinkled here and there. Most of those early issues feature two of my favorite characters, either the Vision or Kang, including their first appearances. This story that we're reading today includes neither, so it's a new one for me.

Who do we have in this issue? Well Hawkeye's here, and any Avengers story worth its salt features Hawkeye. Hank and Janet are back, but Wanda and Pietro seem to be missing. And as always during these early years, Cap is leading the way.

"The Sign Of The Serpent!"

• Writer and Raconteur: Stan Lee
• Artist and Bon Vivant: Don Heck
• Letterer and Patron des Artes: Artie Simek
• Scapegoat, Junior Grade: Irv Forbush

Before we actually get started, there's a helpful tip from Stan about something we should be aware of with this issue.

I did a little googling about this issue, and it would appear that it never did win any prizes, so I'm assuming that Stan Lee is using a bit of his trademark hyperbole. In fact, it might be a good idea to turn on our patented Hyperbole Meter so we're not caught off guard and accidentally hurt ourselves when we come across it.

We barely even get a chance to introduce it and it's already going off!

So here come the Avengers back from their latest adventure when they're attacked..by their own headquarters!

That's right, deactivation codes are for wimps! Who needs 'em when you can use your own super-powers to shut it down. Which then begs the question...how secure is your base when your defensive measures can be thwarted with cutting edge stone age technology like a shield and a bow and arrow?

They don't get much of a chance to rest however, before Hank goes into one of his "woe is me" episodes. It seems he's been stuck in an enlarged state and is depressed about not being able to shrink back to normal size.

We're hitting the yellow on the meter, I'd look out if I was you Hank!

It may seem like Cap has lost his mind, but it's all part of some tough love as he tries to get Hank to snap out of his depression. A page and a half of fighting later, and Cap is able to break through to Hank and make him realize the his problem will not by solved by moping around. Off to the lab goes Hank, as Cap receives a kiss from the Wasp in thanks.

So now that everything's hunky-dory with the Avengers, let's check in with the general populace of New York City as the Sons of the Serpent are in the middle of a new recruiting drive. Who are the Sons of the Serpent, you ask? Well let's check in with the old Hyperbole Meter.

Hello? Is this thing on?


I guess old Stan was ahead of time as the Sons of the Serpent just don't sound that crazy today. In fact, there's a certain modern day "patriotic" political movement that they'd probably be right at home in.

Yep, the Sons of the Serpent are looking to rid the country of all of those "furriners".

And who is that working undercover to get inside the inner serpent circle? It's none other than Natasha Romanoff, giving the Black Widow her first (if brief) appearance here at the Random Longbox.

I guess this thing is working after all, and we're pushing the red zone. Let's check back in with the Avengers to see what all the commotion is about.

Wait a minute...Did Hank just hit Janet? It was just an accident, but honestly...there's just no place for a "chattering female" in the lab. After all, Hank is under a lot of pressure to get himself back to size. Janet's a strong-willed woman, however, and she storms out of Hank's lab as she will not be talked to in such a fashion.

A quick call to Tony Stark, and Hank soon has the the star of Stark's Baltimore Plans and Research Division to come over and lend a hand. Coincidentally enough, Hank's new assistant is African American. I smell trouble brewing with the Sons of the Serpent.

That didn't take long. Luckily for Bill, Hank heard the struggle and comes outside just as the Sons of the Serpent are making a hasty retreat. Enraged by their actions, Hank calls a stop to his labwork so that the Avengers can be assembled to take on this venomous group personally.

Captain America decides to check in with Nick Fury to see if S.H.I.E.L.D. knows anything about these jokers, while the rest of the Avengers strategize about the best way to take 'em down.

The next day, the Avengers call a press conference to announce that they are declaring war on the Sons of Serpent. After their recent attempt to kill a travelling foreign dignitary, they can't wait any longer. Luckily for them, they don't have to as Captain America is soon sucked up into a mysterious looking cloud.

It turns out it wasn't a cloud after all, but the hidden base of the Sons of the Serpent. And now that he's on board, he gets a personal introduction to the sons themselves.

Alas, they're just too many snakes and Captain America is soon captured. It's all part of the Serpent's plan, as now that they have an Avenger at their mercy they're using him to blackmail the rest of the Avengers to stay out of their business...or else they'll never see Captain America alive again.

So with their backs against the wall, how quickly do the rest of the Avengers get their stuff together to take the fight to the serpents in the cloud?

Unfortunately you'll have to get the next issue to find out, as Hank has a plan and it involves making the world think that the Avengers have gone soft.

SO, WHAT DID WE LEARN...

Now if you remember, right off the bat we were told to expect one of "the most deeply-moving, off-beat thrillers of the year." We never did get the ol' Hyperbole Meter up to the red zone during the course of the story, but I imagine if we fired it up now, that prologue blurb would be enough to do the trick.

Stan Lee was nothing, if not the mediums greatest pitch man. He's in full force here, as I found this story neither deeply-moving, or very off-beat. I think even calling it a thriller is a bit of an overstatement.

I can definitely see the story that Stan was trying to tell here, and it's a story worth telling, but I'm not sure Stan's your man. I realize that you have to view a story in the context of the era in which it was written, but...

We have a story dealing with the serious topic of racism, but how are we supposed to take it seriously when this is how the Avengers deal with the female members of their own team.

Quiz time...which one of these statements was actually said to the Wasp, to her own face no less.

• "Butt out of this lady!"
• "Look lady -- I know you've been trying to help and I appreciate it -- But it's just no good"
• "And I'll get one -- A top notch scientist -- Not a chattering female!"

The answer? All of 'em!

So all of Hank's blustering about the injustice and bigotry involved with what the Sons of the Serpent stand for, and that's how the Avengers treat a fellow hero just because she's a girl? Remind me to tell Hank and the boys about pots and kettles and the color black the next time I see 'em.

Don Heck handles the art chores on this issue, and while he's not one of my favorite Avengers artists, he does okay with this issue. The story doesn't leave a lot of space for visual fireworks, but he has some good action panels when the story picks up.

A regular reader (thanks Thelonious Monk) recommended that I pick up The Defenders #21-25 last year when the I reviewed another Defenders issue, and the Son of the Serpent are the main villains of that story arc. Now I'm doubly curious to track those down to see how these jokers and this topic are handled by the likes of Steve Gerber writing the story.

All characters and artwork reproduced are (c) Marvel Comics

Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2

TITLE: Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

COVER DATE: July 1975

COVER PRICE: $0.50

49 pages


WHAT I REMEMBER...

Not really too much to say here that I didn't say yesterday, so this is going to be mostly a placeholder post. This issue has three reprinted stories in it, and I'm going to give each story it's own post.

For those of you keeping score at home, here's what we have to look forward to in the coming week.

• The Avengers #32 from September 1966
• Daredevil #21 from October 1966
• Strange Tales #123 from August 1964

Up next...Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2

So remember a month or so back, when I had mentioned that there would be some cosmetic changes to the blog coming over the course of the summer?

Well today was supposed to be one of those days, but then DC went and cracked the internet in half with their revelation of a new costume for Wonder Woman. Normally, I'd just shrug and move on, after all, I like to think that the internet is big enough for both the Random Longbox and DC's The Source.

You see, I'm not that good at the old html upgrades so I was going to dress up the blog by instituting a new dress code for me for when I blog. Before this morning's news hit, the new uniform was to be a gold bustier and blue and white bikini knickers. It would've been perfect, as a little cross promotion with Wonder Woman's big renumbering would've added some nice synergy.

Now I'm just going to look foolish sitting around in my blue and white underwear while Wonder Woman is out showing off her stylish new duds.

I did get a chance to read Straczynski's new take on WW while the internet was stitching itself back together, and you know what? I liked it. I'm on board to see where he takes things, and as much as I liked Simone's run, a little shake-up is good for the soul.

I guess that leaves us with just one more bit of business today, and that's to pick a new random book for me to review. Take it away Randomizer...

...and that book is Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2 from July 1975, published by Marvel Comics!

The giant, cosmic balancing wheel is working overtime this month, as we just spent the latter half of this month reading and reviewing a monster sized Superman book. Couple that with the fact that we didn't have a single Marvel book pop up all month, and their time was due.

So leave it to the Randomizer to pick another giant-sized book to compensate. I'm not even sure what is in this book, as it's a recent acquisition from the end of last year with the collection that my brother passed on to me. A quick peek between the covers, and it looks like we have a book filled with Silver Age reprints of The Avengers, Daredevil, and Doctor Strange. As an added bonus, they're all written by Stan Lee!

So buckle up, true believers, as we're going to have three in a row from the master of Marvel's monumental machinations of merry myth-making. See you in a day or two for the review.

I'll take KRYPTONITE POISONING for $600

All right, we're in the homestretch with the 80 pg. beast of an issue that is Action Comics #600. If you missed the previous installments, check here and here.

Closing things out is a tale that seems a little out of place, as I don't instantly think Man-Bat when I think of classic Superman villains that deserve to be highlighted in an anniversary issue. Have no fear, however, as our investment in time and bandwidth is going to be rewarded as Mike Mignola handles the art for the last eight pages. If you're going to have a Man-Bat story, you could do a heckuva lot worse than have the master of mood, the Svengali of shadows, the general of gothic, handling the pencils.

Let's check it out.

The Dark Where Madness Lies

• Written by John Byrne
• Drawn by Mike Mignola
• Lettered by Bill Oakley
• Colored by Petra Scotese

Speaking of Mike Mignola, he wastes no time in giving us a beautiful image of Man-Bat soaring high in the nighttime sky.

He has come to the wilderness to seek solace amongst the shrill songs of his brethren. Down below, he finds the perfect cave and soars in only to be confused by the absence of bats that would normally make the cave a bustling community. It doesn't take him long to find out exactly what has spooked his bat brothers.

Yes...it's the same cave that Superman has decided to ride out his bout of kryponite poisoning in, and unfortunately he's in no mood to make new friends. In fact, the more he tries to soothe the crazed Kryptonian, the worse it gets and the worse his delusions become.

In his rage, Superman knocks Man-Bat around the cave like a pinata. Whatever he does to try to calm Superman, it only works to make him more enraged. It's only when Superman has Man-Bat facing the sharp end of a stalactite that he realizes he's been out of control. Even enraged, Superman will not kill.

In control of his faculties once more, Superman explains that its the kryptonite rays from his exploded planet that is doing this to him. The rays were too strong for the lead that was in the caves to block out. Another shock wave could kill him. Luckily for him, he has an idea of someone who could help. Unfortunately, he's still too weak to seek him out. Man-Bat takes it upon himself to find the one person who can help the Man of Steel.

So who is it?

He only shows up in shadows here, but those wings are a dead giveaway.

SO, WHAT DID WE LEARN...

Anniversary jam issues are usually a mixed bag. Chances are, there's something in there that's good, and hopefully you end with more winners than losers to make the extra price involved worth it.

This time around, we go three winners and two meh's. I think I'll call that a win and slide this book back in it's bag and backer, and head back to the longboxes for another pick.

All characters and artwork reproduced are (c) DC Comics