Happy Easter...Island

A happy Easter to all...and even though Easter Island has nothing to do with the holiday, this little cover by Jack Kirby and Christopher Rule, where a man discovers invading aliens on Easter Island from Tales To Astonish #5 (September, 1959), reprinted in Where Monsters Dwell #24 (October, 1973) should make you happy that that is not how you are spending the day.

Monster Kirby Diablo And Blip

Monsters were coming fast and furious to the Marvel Universe, as it lacked any heroes to protect it in the pre-Iron Man and pre-Ant-Man age, but again, average humans arose to meet the challenge of the unknown...

...and, here are two more monsters that faced humanity at that time (doubling up this time, as they both only had one appearance before the Fantastic Four).

Tales Of Suspense #9 (May, 1960)

First, "I Saw Diablo! The Demon From The Fifth Dimension!" (with a little help from Stan Lee, Larry Leiber, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers).  Diablo was a smoke demon from another dimension who came to Earth, simply looking for room (as his dimension was overcrowded).  Diablo landed in Mexico, and here, he was confronted by Ulysses Bloodstone (though this character wasn't invented until later, it was just a generic monster hunter in this issue).  Bloodstone lit a cigarette lighter and blew it out, making Diablo think humans could easily defeat him, so he went home.

Diablo seemed to have had enough of Earth.

Though all evidence shows he has not returned to Earth, Diablo was one of many aliens duplicated by Xemnu (including Goom, Taboo and our next monster) that Hulk faced in Hulk Annual #5 (November, 1976), and Bloodstone debuted in Marvel Presents #1 of July, 1975 

Tales To Astonish #15 (January, 1961)  

With this issue, "I Learned The Dread Secret Of The Blip!" as told by Stan Lee, Larry Leiber, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.  As Diablo was sentient smoke, Blip was living energy.  Going home from exploring another galaxy, Blip got trapped in a spacewarp and exhausted his energy getting free, and ended up on Earth to recharge.  As Blip did, he caused electrical outages for Oakville, attracting the attention of a radar operator who wasn't getting any signals.  He found Blip, learned of his story, but the pair were confronted by an angry mob.  Blip, horrified by the humans, attacked them, and then left, letting them know that their savagery convinced him not to share his secrets of the universe with humans.

Blip hoped humans would advance the next time he saw them.

There were a few other members of Blips race who encountered the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, and he too was duplicated by Xemnu, but Blip himself did return to help humanity against the Leviathons during the Monsters Unleashed 5 issue event of 2017.

Saluting The Puppet Master

Today is World Puppetry Day, so, it is time to give a little love to the Fantastic Four villain, the Puppet Master, a somewhat tragic villain, or at least he became as his story unfolded.

Puppet Master premiered in Fantastic Four #8 (November, 1962) in a story by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers, where the villain used a special radioactive clay to control the minds of others, all the while caring for his blind stepdaughter, Alicia Masters.

Strange Tales

Puppet Master did menace the Fantastic Four again, using Namor against them, but then worked against the Human Torch and the Thing, later in conjunction with the Mad Thinker, as part of deadly duo, turning the two friends against each other to further his own nefarious plans. 

 

Tales To Astonish and Marvel Team-Up

Puppet Master also worked against the Sub-Mariner early in his career, making Namor seem more violent than he really was.  But, the Puppet Master, real name Philip Masters, had regrets, as he had split with the Mad Thinker, and tried to undo the damage he had done as he was the one who blinded his own stepdaughter, Alicia.

Marvel Two-In-One

Still, the Puppet Master would fall back on his old ways, using his skills to put other heroes against the Fantastic Four, or even having to deal with the Thing for help around Christmas as the Puppet Master came to see his stepdaughter for the holiday.

Back to Fantastic

Sadly, Philip Masters couldn't escape his evil ways, returning again and again to face the Fantastic Four, while he did evidence concern for Alicia.

Stan Lee 100

Stan Lee was born 100 years ago on this date.  

Remembering the man and his life (December 28, 1992 to November 12, 2018), with a group of Marvel Comics that he wrote...

...that were one hundred issues!

Strange Tales #100 (September, 1962)

The first of the Stan Lee 100 issues, with a cover drawn by Jack Kirby and inked by Steve Ditko (names that would always be there to help Stan Lee reach his heights).

Though there were a few Marvel super heroes at this time, this anthology book was still odd horror tales, with stories plotted by Stan, and likely written by Larry Leiber, with art by Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Don Heck.

This issue was reprinted in the Marvel: June 1962 Omnibus (2021).

The next issue of Strange Tales would see half the book taken over by the Fantastic Four's Human Torch, with Doctor Strange and Nick Fury to follow in years to come.

Journey Into Mystery #100 (January, 1964)

Here begins a run of stories that Stan Lee would be better known for, this one featuring Thor, the god of thunder!

Under a cover by Jack Kirby and Sol Brodsky, with interior work by Don Heck, Thor faced off against Mr. Hyde (who debuted in the previous issue).  While successful against Mr. Hyde, Jane Foster did not impress Thor's father, Odin, and thus Odin would not allow Thor to marry the young nurse Thor was infatuated with.

This tale has been reprinted many times, including in Thor's first Marvel Masterworks, and his first Epic Collection.

Tales To Astonish #100 (February, 1968)

This issue features a battle royal between the two characters, Hulk and the Sub-Mariner, that shared the title.

With a cover by Marie Severin and Dan Adkins (who also did the inside, with a little inking assistance from Roger Brand), the two heroes often branded villains battled (though it was the fault of neither...the Hulk was being controlled by the Fantastic Four villain, the Puppet Master).

Among other places, this story was reprinted in the third Hulk Marvel Masterwork and in the third Hulk Epic Collection (and would fit in a second Sub-Mariner Epic Collection whenever Marvel makes one).

Captain America #100 (April, 1968)

Here, Stan Lee returns to a character he had worked on since World War II (as Captain America took over the Tales To Suspense title that he had shared with Iron Man).

Jack Kirby supplied the cover (with inks by Syd Shores and Joe Sinnott), with interiors by Kirby and Shores, where Cap, Black Panther and Agent 13 (Sharon Carter) battle who they think is Baron Zemo in Wakanda, defeating the man, with Cap suggesting to Black Panther to join the Avengers as his replacement (which he would).  The issue also features a bit on Steve Rogers' origin, and his meeting with the Avengers.

This issue was reprinted in Captain America's second Marvel Masterwork as well as in his second Epic Collection (and a few other places).

Fantastic Four #100 (July, 1970)

Stan Lee's great triumphant issue 100, where he had written all the previous issues of as well, along with Jack Kirby.

Here, with Kirby inked by Joe Sinnott, the Fantastic Four, along with Inhuman Crystal (who was a part of the team), battled all the FF foes...sort of.  The Mad Thinker and Puppet Master had made android duplicates of the villains, and set them against the five heroes, in an epic tale, celebrating 100 issues with the same writer/artist.

This issue would be reprinted in the tenth Fantastic Four Marvel Masterwork, as well as in their sixth Epic Collection.

Amazing Spider-Man #100 (September, 1971)

Another Stan Lee triumph, as he had written all of the issues previously, though here, he had a few artists working with him over the decades, including Steve Ditko and John Romita.

Under a cover by John Romita and Frank Giacoia, with interiors by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia (and backgrounds by Tony Mortellaro), Peter Parker struggled with his spider powers (nothing new), faced hallucinations of his old foes (new and old), and, by the end, ended up with six arms (totally new).  Hey, Stan could always put Peter through his paces, and an anniversary issue was no exception!

This issue was reprinted in the eleventh Amazing Spider-Man Marvel Masterwork, and in the sixth Epic Collection of that series.

Truly, a touch of the career that was Stan Lee's, and a nice look at the overall history he created, on this, what would have been his 100th birthday.

Excelsior!