Celebrate Thor's Day With Him

Fresh from his hatching out of his cocoon in Fantastic Four #67 (October, 1967, with cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott), the creature created by the Enclave, known as "Him", faced Thor and Sif in Thor #165 and #166 (June and July, 1969, covers by Kirby and Vince Colletta)...and would then later return in Marvel Premiere #1 (April, 1972, covers by Gil Kane and Dan Adkins) as the man called Adam Warlock!

Celebrate Thor's Day

Celebrating Thor, as he helps out Benjamin Franklin (!!!) for the month of May, in the Mighty Marvel Bicentennial Calendar of 1976 (with art by John Buscema).

Celebrating Jack Kirby

Celebrating the King, Jack Kirby, on what would have been his 105th birthday (August 28, 1917 to February 6, 1994), with two special covers of characters he had worked on for a long time, Thor and Captain America.

First up, Journey Into Mystery #105 (June, 1964), inked by Chic Stone, where Thor faced off with two of his deadlier foes, the Cobra and Mr. Hyde!

The second of these special issues is Captain America #105 (September, 1968), with inks by Dan Adkins (and alterations by John Romita Sr.), sees Batroc form his Brigade, with the Swordsman and Power Man as members.

Not enough Kirby for you...here is more!

Stan Lee Excelsior

What do you say about the legend that was Stan Lee?

A man who worked on Simon and Kirby's Captain America?

Co-creator of Groot, Fin Fang Foom and a whole host of monsters for Timely's monster comics of Strange Tales, Tales To Astonish, Journey Into Mystery and Tales of Suspense?

A man who revolutionized the comic industry in 1961 with the creation of the Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics (with Jack Kirby), that led to other creations like the Hulk, Ant-Man, Dr. Doom, Iron Man, Thor, the Wasp, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, the Inhumans, Black Panther and (with Steve Ditko), Spider-Man, Dr. Strange and all their fearsome foes including the Sinister Six!

A man who was there as Marvel properties found their way live on your television set, with shows like the Incredible Hulk (which had movies with Daredevil and Thor), Spider-Man, and made for TV movies Captain America and Dr. Strange?  Not even mentioning the various animated features (including the Simpsons, which Stan more recently lent his voice to as well).

A man whose cameos in recent Marvel movies are legendary?

We say that Stan Lee shall forever remain, "the man".  Excelsior.

Rest in peace, Stan Lee; December 28, 1922 to November 12, 2018.

Thor Versus Sandman By Jack Kirby

You'd be right in thinking that Jack Kirby was half of the team that created Thor..

...but long before the mythic Asgardian took his first journey into mystery, Thor appeared in Adventure Comics #75 (June, 1942) in a story by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby!

The Villain From Valhalla

Thor first appeared in Adventure Comics #75 (June, 1942) by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, but he was no Asgardian.  This Thor was really Fairy Tales Fenton, a big thug, who used transparent armor and an electrical device for him and his gang to impersonate Thor and his vikings, allowing them to confuse police and make their robberies easier.  Sandman and Sandy the Golden Boy encountered them, with Sandy getting injured in their first fight, but Sandman kept going, finding his foe and delivering him to the justice he deserved.

This tale has been reprinted in Forever People #6 (December-January, 1971/1972), Adventure Comics #499 (May, 1983) and in Sandman by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby hardcover of 2009.

Vengeance From Valhalla

Fate had not finished with Fairy Tales Fenton yet, as he returned under a Joe Kubert cover in All-Star Squadron #18 (February, 1983) by Roy Thomas, Adrian Gonzales and Rick Hoberg, this time with the real hammer of Thor, attacking the All-Star Squadron while they were meeting to discuss the missing Justice Society of America.  The team also deals with a new member, the Tarantula, who has a costume similar to that of Sandman (Wes Dodds), who had given up his trenchcoat and gas mask look a while ago, and gained a new partner in Sandy the Golden Boy to replace Dian Belmont.  This story fills in what happened (though Dian's fate later proved to be wrong, so this retroactive continuity had more added to it later, as well as fixing a hole in the past), and set up for an epic battle of the All-Star Squadron and the Ultra-Humanite, which also featured the debut of Infinity, Inc.

This tale was reprinted in black and white in Showcase Presents: All-Star Squadron #1 from 2012.

Happy 100th Birthday Jack Kirby

Sadly, Jack Kirby (born August 28, 1917, died February 6, 1994) is no longer with us.

But, a few of his friends wanted to celebrate...

...folks like Captain America and the Fantastic Four.....

....Bombast and Captain Glory....

....Machine Man and Devil Dinosaur (Moon Boy too!).... 

...to the Eternals and Black Panther....

...Kamandi, the Last Boy On Earth! and Etrigan, the Demon....

....the Sandman (and all sorts of things on the edge of dreams) and the Manhunter....

....the Dingbats of Danger Street and Atlas....

...OMAC, the One Man Army Corps and our fighting forces of the Losers... 








....the New Gods and Mr. Miracle (finding a whole Fourth World).... 

...to whole teams of heroes like the Avengers and the X-Men....

...including Avenger members like Thor and the Hulk....

...to Green Arrow and the Challengers of the Unknown....

...to the Boy Commandos and the Guardian and the Newsboy Legion....

....to Manhunter and the Sandman again (for the first time)....

...even this rare cover for a hundredth issue of Comic Reader, covering a few of DC's characters.....


...and so much more....

....this is why Jack Kirby is and forever shall be the King!

Jack Kirby 100 Amazing Heroes

As what would be Jack Kirby's 100th birthday approaches, a quick look back at Amazing Heroes #100, from August 1, 1986, featuring a cover drawn by Jack Kirby and inked by Steve Rude.

Kirby, surrounded by the Guardian and the Newsboy Legion in the inset, and an action shot below, with Captain Victory, the Fantastic Four (Invisible Girl, Mr. Fantastic, Thing and the Human Torch), Thor, Darkseid, Mr. Miracle, Captain America and Bucky and the Silver Surfer....some of the King's best known creations at the time.

Included in the issue: A few comic creators thoughts/pictures on Jack Kirby (including Scott Shaw! and Michael T. Gilbert), Greg Potter going through Jack Kirby's comic career, Mark Evanier interviewing Jack and Roz Kirby, Richard Howell looking at 10 Jack Kirby stories, Greg Theakston looking at Kirby's art and R. A. Jones giving his overview of Jack Kirby's work.

Worth looking at, as it gives an overview of the King's work, while he was still producing more, and has the benefit of he and his wife commenting on it.

Also worth mentioning, Amazing Heroes #47 from May 15, 1984, that has Amazing Heroes' only other Kirby cover....with a focus on Jack Kirby's return to DC (and the New Gods) in the 1980s.  Ironic....that as the New Gods returned, so was Star Wars (see the upper left-hand corner)....

....and may "the Source" be with you if you know of the similarities between Star Wars and the New Gods (ultimate evil leader of the bad guys, who regularly tortures and kills his followers, secretly being the father of the most notable fighter on the good guys' side, a mystical power that surrounds us all and the most adept can use, including the old man who trains the secret son....).

Marvel Legends 2016 2 Packs 3 and 3 Quarters

A few new figures have hit the shelves for Hasbro's new Marvel Legends 3 and 3/4ths line....but this time they've doubled up, as they are two-packs!

This time, it's related heroes, with Shield Wielding Heroes (Vance Astro from the Guardians of the Galaxy and Sam Wilson's version of Captain America), Mechanical Masters (Machine Man and the "Superior" Iron Man), and Defenders of Asgard (Jane Foster's version of Thor and a rougher Thor Odinson).  Variations on classic Avengers...

Marvel Romance Movies

Feeling a little lacking in finding romantic movies as a comic fan?




Well, take a look at the Marvel movies, if they had been marketed as romantic comedies....

Stories of Romance

He's a skinny army recruit from Brooklyn who fills out during training and shields his heart, and she's an English lady fighting for equality in the United States army all against the backdrop of World War II.... 





The story of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger!

Our Love Story

He's a billionaire industrialist whose time on Earth has wounded him almost beyond repair, and she's his executive secretary, working to keep him going in the real world, dealing with how he doesn't notice her, who proves he still has a heart...





The story of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts in Iron Man!

Love Adventures

He's a scientist with serious rage issues (like big, green, gamma ones), and she's the girl who loves him, with severe daddy issues (mostly, her dad hunts him, and really doesn't want to make him angry....), but she still loves him in spite of his anger.





The story of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross in the Incredible Hulk!

Secret Story Romances

He's the wild and headstrong son of Odin, the ruler of Asgard, who is having a little trouble with his hammer, being far from home, and she's a brilliant scientist working on finding proof of a bridge between worlds when these two kids run into each other (well, to be honest, she runs into him...twice!).

The story of Thor and Jane Foster in Thor!

Teen Age Romance

Last, but not least, he's a skinny nerd, with a nasty bug bite (it's radioactive), secretly in love with his next door neighbor, the prettiest girl in school, with troubles all her own.  Watch them go head over heels in love!




The story of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man!

If you've been lucky enough to find yourself a girl who you were able to convince that the Marvel super-hero movies are really romances....

....well, Mary Jane Watson will explain how lucky you are from this classic John Romita Amazing Spider-Man panel!

Human Torch’s Marvel Team-Ups

Back in the 1970s, Marvel produced Marvel Team-Up, a book to focus on Spider-Man meeting the rest of the Marvel Universe, and a frequent partner of the amazing arachnid was the Human Torch…
…but Spider-Man was headed to a Giant-Size Spider-Man book, so they needed a new lead for MTU!

For a few issues in the early days, it was the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four who was meeting with other Marvelous co-stars!

These issues are as follows…

The Torch meets the Jade Giant

Marvel Team-Up #18 (February, 1974) featured the Human Torch fighting alongside (and sometimes with) the incredible Hulk (Dr. Bruce Banner) against Blastaar, the Living Bomb Burst (an old foe of the Fantastic Four from the Negative Zone …who, well…had explosive powers and had first appeared in Fantastic Four #62, May, 1967 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby), and also featured Johnny’s native American friend, Wyatt Wingfoot (who first appeared in Fantastic Four #50, May, 1966, also by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby).


This little gem was written by Len Wein, and featured art by Gil Kane in "Where Bursts the Bomb"!

Fire vs. Ice

Next up, was Marvel Team-Up #23 (July, 1974), where the fiery Johnny Storm faced off against the X-Men’s Iceman, and the two of them met the new menace of Equinox, the Thermodynamic Man in "The Night Of The Frozen Inferno"!

Except Equinox had already faced Spider-Man (who was too busy to fight him for long, as he was meeting Dracula in Giant-Size Spider-Man #1, which also came out that month…and had the X-Men preparing for their own explosion in popularity with Giant-Size X-Men #1).


All these tales were written by Len Wein, and the art in the MTU issue was by Gil Kane!

Flames Meet Weather’s Fury

For Marvel Team-Up #26 (October, 1974), it was time for the Torch to team up with the mighty Thor, and face the menace of the Lava Men (foes of Thor and the Avengers, from Journey Into Mystery #89 and Avengers #5, both by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and were the underground dwellers only two previous appearances before this issue).

These foes had a rock hard tenacity!


The Asgardian and the young flaming one did well against these foes, in this tale entitled "The Fire This Time" written by Len Wein and drawn by artist Jim Mooney!

Burn After Reading

With Marvel-Team-Up #29 (January, 1975), things changed a little, as the story was written by Gerry Conway (though art was still by Jim Mooney), as the Human Torch ended up working with the armored Avenger, Iron Man (a.k.a. Tony Stark)!


This team faced off against a new villain, Infinitus, the Reincarnated Man.  Oddly, Infinitus hasn’t found his way back into any stories as of yet…so he didn’t seem to make any impression on the fans…even with the title of the story..."Beware The Coming of...Infinitus!  Or How Can You Stop the Reincarnated Man?"

So Hot With Twice the Flame

Now Marvel Team-Up #32 (April, 1975) was a real barn-burner, teaming the Torch up with the only character he met in this run NOT co-created by Stan Lee…that being Damion Hellstrom, the Son of Satan!


This also features the first team-up where Johnny met his co-star for the first time within the pages of MTU!


This tale entitled "All The Fires In Hell...!" was written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Sal Buscema had the two facing off against Dryminextes (a demon who had possessed members of Wyatt Wingfoot’s tribe).

An Odd Pairing

The last of Johnny’s spider-less team-ups was in Marvel Team-Up #35 (July, 1975) and continued from the previous two issues, and featured the Torch working with the sorcerer supreme Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange) to save his fellow Defender, the Valkyrie, from the clutches of cult leader, Jeremiah!


This story was by Gerry Conway and Sal Buscema. and came out at the same time as Giant-Size Spider-Man #5 (the last of the original stories in the Giant-Size Spider-Man run, as #6 was a reprint…of a team-up of Spider-Man…and the Human Torch!).

The Fire Still Burns

But, the Torch wasn’t done with Marvel Team-Up, as he continued to meet Spidey in many future issues, and even worked with his Fantastic Four teammate, the Thing, in issues of the Thing’s team-up book, Marvel Two-In-One!


Flame on, Johnny Storm!

Avengers History 101

Yes, class is in session, and we’ll begin today by giving you a brief run down of the Avengers and its members!


The Avengers first assembled in Avengers #1 (September 1963) by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, but the teammates didn’t start there…they had been living their lives for years before that, so, in this, the first of a few articles about the Avengers membership, let’s breakdown the charter members of the Avengers, which were Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and how the team formed!

Thor!

Thor, he’s the oldest of the team members, so we’ll start with him. The version of Thor most Marvel fans are familiar with began in Journey Into Mystery #83 (August 1962, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby).

In the story, “Thor the Mighty and the Stone Men From Saturn”, Dr. Donald Blake, attempting to escape invading aliens, discovers a hidden cave with the mighty Mjolnir, which grants him the power of the Norse god, Thor. A little different from the movie, and the Doctor discovers later that he really is the son of Odin, and this was all part of a test to teach the young god humility.

Still hasn’t gotten there, but ’tis true that he could!  Before Avengers #1, Thor faced the Kronans (the official name for the Stone Men from Saturn, in JIM #83), the Executioner from San Diablo (JIM #84), with Thor’s own brother Loki (a sorcerer from Asgard, and more on his mischief later, but he started to menace this version of Thor in JIM #85, but Thor and Loki had appeared before in the pre-Marvel Leading Comic Corporation, in Venus #12, February 1951, and would be a constant thorn in Thor’s side, as well as the Avengers…). Loki was a constant menace to Thor, and would also often use others to do his biding. Always amazing that their father, the all-father Odin, would come down so hard on Thor for minor problems, yet Loki get away with near murder…

Other pre-Avengers #1 foes include the time-traveller Zarrko the Tomorrow Man (JIM #86), Thug Thatcher (JIM #89), Carbon-Copy Man (shape-changing alien Zano, JIM #90), Sandu (a carnival magician Loki gave powers to in JIM #91), the Radioactive Man (Chen Lu, a Chinese scientist irradiated to fight Thor in JIM #93 who would also come back to menace the entire Avengers team time and time again), Professor Zaxton (a man with a duplicating machine, JIM #95), and Merlin the Mad (really the Maha Yogi, not the ancient wizard who helped Arthur find Excalibur, the real Merlin was busy elsewhere…) who started to appear in Marvel Comics with JIM #96, the last issue before Thor helped to found the Avengers!

A few later Thor villains really became Avengers menaces as well, to either the team or other Avengers, such as the Lava Men (JIM #97), Cobra (JIM #98), Mr. Hyde (JIM #99), the Enchantress and Executioner (both rogue Asgardians who started to menace this version of Thor with JIM #103), the Grey Gargoyle (JIM #107), the Absorbing Man (JIM #114), the Destroyer (JIM #118), and the Wrecker (Thor #148) and his Wrecking Crew (Defenders #17), but we can touch on them when needed.

Ant-Man and the Wasp!

Ant-Man, well, he’s a little bit of a lengthy tale, as his alter ego of Dr. Henry Pym first appeared in Tales To Astonish #27 (January 1962, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) as “The Man in the Ant Hill!”. This was good enough for Hank to return as the Ant-Man in the aptly titled “The Return of the Ant-Man” in Tales To Astonish #35 (September 1962, also by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby), and this time, biochemist Hank had a costume, was in control of his shrinking powers (given to him by a gas that contained “Pym particles”, and had a cybernetic helmet that allowed him to speak to the ants (and, he had the strength of a full-sized human at ant-sized…which, everyone should remember from an infamous sketch from the early days of Saturday Night Live!).

But, mostly Hank was stuck fighting communists, though a few had names like Comrade X (Nina Vladimirovna Tsiolkovsky, TTA #36, who came back as Madame X), the Protector (Gerald Marsh, TTA #37), Egghead (Elihas Starr, a scientific rival who became Hank’s most tenacious foe starting with TTA #38), the Scarlet Beetle (an irradiated, intelligent beetle, TTA #39), the Hijacker (Howard Mitchell, TTA #40), Kulla (an extra-dimensional alien tyrant, TTA #41), the Voice (Jason Cragg, who had a hypnotic voice of doom, TTA #42), and the Time-Master (Elias Weems, TTA #43, who could age people). Still, Hank had not even picked up a support cast at this point, other than his ants. But, that was due to change soon when scientist Vernon Van Dyne came looking for help….

Dr. Van Dyne needed the help, as he was being stalked by Pilai, an creature from Kosmos (who was a criminal that the scientist contacted while attempting to contact other dimensions, and Dr. Van Dyne was unable to get the help he needed from Dr. Pym). The alien criminal came to Earth and killed the elder scientist, leaving his debutante daughter, Janet Van Dyne, looking to Hank Pym for help. He did, exposing her to the “Pym particles”, as well as giving her insect wings which would manifest as she shrank which would allow her to fly, and devices that would to have a bio-electric sting. Ant-Man and the Wasp defeated the alien, and became partners in Tales To Astonish #44 (June 1963, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby). The pair faced Hank’s foe Egghead in TTA #45, meeting the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #16, and a robotic alien scout called the Cyclops in TTA #46, (all the while slowly falling in love) before founding the Avengers.

Iron Man!

“Iron Man Is Born” was the title of Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963, by Stan Lee and Don Heck), where scientist and industrialist Tony Stark was captured by guerrilla leader Wong-Chu. Tony must build the armor to save his own life from shrapnel lodged near his heart, and to escape his captivity and become the hero known as Iron Man (and return safely to his home...). 


There's more to the story than what's presented here, but this does have the basics, and additions to the origins will be added as need; nothing is ever as simple as it appears in the world of Iron Man!

Iron Man faces a wide variety of foes on his return to the United States (and a change to golden armor, being the first of many upgrades to the Iron Man armor), starting with Gargantus in TOS #40, scientist Dr. Carlo Strange in TOS #41, communist Red Barbarian in TOS #42, Kala the Queen of the Underworld in TOS #43, and Hatap the mad Pharaoh in TOS #44 in his last appearance before the armored Stark becomes an Avenger.

Later Iron Man foes that come to menace the Avengers (singly or together) include Jack Frost (at least in TOS #45, later to be called the Blizzard), the Crimson Dynamo (a set of armors worn by a different range of foes starting with TOS #46), the Mandarin (a foe with powerful alien rings, who would become the greatest menace to the Iron Man, starting with TOS #50), the uni-beamed Unicorn (TOS #56), and even more powerful armored foe, Titanium Man (TOS #69). Iron Man also faced more foes who became Avengers…but, we’ll talk about them later on.

Hulk!

We’ll end with the Hulk, who premiered in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, boy, these guys created all the good stuff, didn’t they?). Doc Bruce Banner was bolted by gamma rays while trying to save young Rick Jones….and unleashed his rage by turning into the Hulk.

The Hulk started as a grey monster, but then took on a familiar green hue, and was incredibly strong and resistant to harm.

During his short six issue run, Hulk faced the Gargoyle (a Russian scientist) in #1, the Toad Men in #2, the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime in #3, Mongu (a supposed alien menace) in #4, underworld overlord Tyrannus and would-be conqueror General Fang in #5, and the alien Metal Master in #6 (as well as General Thunderbolt Ross in every issue)…and his own temper, which got the super-strong hero into trouble with his pal.

Rick Jones sent out a distress call to the Fantastic Four (with Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl and the Thing who would be future Avengers who made their first appearance in the title in #1, but not to join until later, and the Human Torch, who is the only charter FFer to not be an Avenger!), which Loki rerouted to lure Thor into battle with the Hulk.

(The Fantastic Four had previously fought the Hulk in Fantastic Four #12, which took place between Incredible Hulk #5 and 6!).

Iron Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp also got the call, gathered to fight the green behemoth, and learned he was not at fault. Thor went to catch Loki, who was only finally defeated with teamwork, and captured thanks to the Ant-Man. The group gathered, and Wasp provided their name….the Avengers. And, thus…it was history!

Avengers Assemble!

Oddly enough, a few modern creators have come back to insert some stories into Avengers history…such as back ups in the 12 issue Avengers Classic, an eight issue mini-series called Avengers: The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and a delightful little tale of Avengers #1.5 (or basically, one and one-half)! Great little stories, that are at least worth a quick mention here…as they filled in a few logical gaps along the way…it was also between Avengers #1 and 2, that Ant-Man and Wasp first faced the Porcupine (Tales To Astonish #48), and that led to a change in Avengers’ membership, that really started in Tales To Astonish #49….

The Avengers next new member was really just an old member renamed, as Ant-Man made his first appearance as Giant-Man in Avengers #2 (November 1963, by Lee/Kirby) against the Space Phantom (who, was a phantom from space…well, there’s more to his story, as he also travelled in time and banished Avengers to limbo, but it involves future Avengers villains, so we’ll talk about that later…).

As Giant-Man, Hank faced even more villains, starting with his first appearance as Giant-Man in Tales To Astonish #49 (November 1963, by Lee/Kirby), and that foe was the Living Eraser.

That was followed by rogue speedster the Human Top (named David Cannon, in TTA #50, more on him later), the Black Knight (Nathan Garrett, in TTA #52), and El Toro (TTA #54).

Wasp and Giant-Man began to really become a couple after facing the Magician (TTA #56, who also later faced the Wasp alone), the Colossus (a robot not related to the X-Man, TTA #58), the Beasts of Berlin (communist gorillas…in TTA #60), Second-Story Sammy (who steals the Giant-Man costume and faces the Wasp in TTA #62), the Wrecker (not the one who faces Thor, this one is only in TTA #63), Madam Macabre (who has ties to the Mandarin, in TTA #66) and the Hidden Man (TTA #67), before losing his slot with Tales To Astonish #69, because starting in #70, Namor took the spot! But most of this happened after Avengers #3, so let’s mention that and follow up on Hank Pym later…

Avengers #3 (January 1964, by Lee/Kirby) has Iron Man’s first red and gold armor as the team battles former member the Hulk and future Avenger Namor the Sub-Mariner! During the course of this issue, Iron Man contacts a few other members of the Marvel Universe, including the Fantastic Four, the X-Men (including future Avenger, the Beast), and future Avenger, Spider-Man…so, the idea of a membership drive has really started. Seems the team is down a member, and, oddly enough, it was Namor that helped them find that member, who was an old teammate of his from earlier days…and we’ll discuss this later, so make sure to come back!