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Harry's Marvellous Meanderings through the Comic Book World
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347 posts in this topic

Fantastic Four #44 Nov 1965

 

My Copy - Grade 6.5 Nice date stamp!

 

ff44.jpg.e5cf59e8d2c85a380c5fa13fe8ca5573.jpg

 

Cover: 2.5/5 ~ I quite like the earth (or in this case) roof-shattering effect and the issue's title is a bit of a classic. However the second blurb makes me sad (I don't have FF Annual 3) and Dragon Man is green? Presumably this was done because there's a lot of grey-scale backgound on the cover. But Dragon Man is grey! I think I would actually like him better if he was green. Like #35 I don't find this cover all that appealing. Hmmm, another Dragon Man cover, can you sense a connection?

 

Art: 3.5/5 ~ Lots of flying debris, shattering masonry, whiplashing tails, stomping feet and fiery breath. No, I'm not talking about a typical stag night out but rather the action crafted by Kirby this issue. It's certainly explosive, almost from the start and doesn't really let up throughout. Though I wonder why Gorgon was on the splash page considering some effort was maintained to hide his full appearance until halfway through the book. My favourite panels were his cloven like feet literally coming through the walls of the Baxter building as he made his way to the roof. And the small panel on page 11 of the Human Torch surrounded by flame. Perhaps, it was the dark background but his power seemed more intense than usual.

 

Story: 3.5/5 ~ I loved the mystery surrounding Gorgon, his ability and his relentless pursuit of Medusa. The action and plot was intensified even further when Dragon Man was awakened from his earthy slumber although why he should fly to NY with Medusa in tow was not explained and seemed a bit contrived as aside from the Torch, the rest of the FF were essentially grounded there. That aside this issue did move along at a frenetic pace and certainly grabbed the attention of this reader. At the end we have the most tried & tested of FF clichés; Sue gets kidnapped! To be fair though, it's been a while since it last happened.

 

Quote of the Day ~ "Next you'll be inventin' a new way to embroider lace doilies! You're gonna set the super hero business back a hundred years!"

 

or

 

"Have you ever wondered whence came her supernatural hair power?? She is from the same race as I...and I must bring her back...where she belongs! It is forbidden for her to mingle with others!"

 

My assessment ~ Another keeper, another not requiring an upgrade :)

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Edited by Harry Lime
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Being a review of events long past in five acts and one Atlantean's struggle with the meaning of Christmas and his role in a Comic Book journal.

 

Dramatis personae

 

Sub-Mariner as Ebenezer Scrooge

 

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Reed Richards as Rich Gentleman seeking Charity Donations

 

Reedtophat_zpsjqgnzrow.jpg.6176f95cb1a555c935b960e770bf8561.jpg

 

 

Benjamin Grimm as Tiny Tim

 

tinyben_zpsrrqfvhfc.jpg.e27b34661256a6c6edff1514e08b3aec.jpg

 

 

Sue Storm as Some Victorian Scullery Maid liable to fall into Prostitution through a Mixture of Bad Luck and Loose Moral Fibre.

 

suescullery_zpsdk317u49.jpg.d79829d92d5b27c5dadda64598ced948.jpg

 

 

Johnny Storm as The Most Exceedingly Intelligent Boy who fetches a Goose

 

goose_zpsdxvzmi5x.jpg.b6a3a7409c8b0cdea25ebc94175520bf.jpg

 

 

Narrator; Myself, your humble servant aided by the Ghost of Christmas Past

 

Fantastic Four #9 Dec 1962 My second oldest book :cloud9: .

 

My Copy - Grade 1.8 Recently acquired from the boards where it was, imo, graded more harshly than Scrooge judging the denizens of a workhouse. Great price too and as I know he reads this journal, thank you very much, K!

 

ff9.jpg.be1cea4bd570033c41301b5112359c06.jpg

 

Cover: 4/5 ~ Oh, the shame, the indignity of being made homeless. Turfed out onto the streets with naught but a baying, brick throwing crowd and a gloating Sub-Mariner to greet them. How could this happen to the World's Greatest Heroes? How could I resist not buying it? Answer: I couldn't! :nyah:

 

Art: 3/5 ~ Plenty of variety in the scenes as the FF head off to Hollywood and we are treated to Kirby's rendition of a few of movieland's biggest names. Jack always does great work with the Sub-Mariner and his underwater world as well but sadly there are too few of these panels included. I also like the early rendition of the Thing. Sure he's smaller and smoother than the iconic look but weirdly it makes him look more monstrous, in my eyes anyway.

 

Story: 2.5/5 ~ Ok, I've cut it a bit of slack because it's so old and all the mince pies rattling round my head. First off, the cover sort of lies as the FF never actually get evicted although they are bankrupt (because of a stock market crash) but luckily get an offer of a million bucks to make a movie. Oh dear, these film based plots never go well. Remember JIM 92 and although I haven't got it, ASM 14 is one of the weakest early Spidey's as well. Anyway, the producer of 'SM Studios' is none other than the Sub-Mariner who due to his incessant infatuation over Sue manages to dispatch the other members of the FF, one by one, under the guise of making a movie. Of course they don't stay dispatched for long and return just in time to save Sue from a fate of forced, fishy matrimony. Despite the absurdities (Cyclops, flame proof African natives, Johnny Storm using a parachute to get to the ground) I did still genuinely enjoy the tale. There is something very special about these early FF's as we are witnessing the start of the Marvel Age of Comics!

 

Quote of the Day ~ “You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”

 

or

 

"It's a funny thing, kid! Despite your blindness, you see things much better than I do! You - - you make me feel ashamed of myself!"

 

My assessment ~ I've got to be honest and say it's unlikely I'll be able to afford an upgrade with so many other early books still to get so this is a keeper.

 

And so our tale ends as the beaten Sub-Mariner walked back into the sea, promising to honour Christmas in his heart, Benjamin Grimm observed;

 

God bless Gord bless us Gaard bless us, every one!

 

gaard_zpsuwlkxugj.jpg.27e3f2701cba2964b9854fe954b5565e.jpg

 

Edited by Harry Lime
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Thanks, guys! I hope everyone had/is having a great time over the festive period.

 

Journey Into Mystery #122 Nov 1965

 

My Copy - Grade 5.5

 

jim122.jpg.62b0edd288b752cd9d4b41ca19724c34.jpg

 

Cover: 3.5/5 ~ A fairly simple cover but wonderfully done. Odin (that eternal scene stealer) is pictured in all his omnipotence just waiting for the next bath to be drawn or the next opportunity to slip into his PJ's. The blurb is masterfully done as well and adds rather than detracts from the cover. Yeah, slight untruth about Thor though, he's not in this scene in this issue.

 

Art: 3.5/5 ~ As per normal with the Absorbing Man, Kirby does some great work in transmuting him into various elements. A living mace, frosty the snowman, spiky steel & at the end cosmic boltness. By comparison the stuff on Earth is rather tame this month until Thor takes a time-travelling tour around Earth. That includes dinosaurs (naturally) but also a marvellous panel of Earth millions of years into the future just as it's about to collide with another planet.

 

Story: 3/5 ~ Starts with a continuation of the previous issue's showdown (Thor was merely stunned not beaten, apparently) only this time Thor lays some serious hurt onto Crusher forcing Loki to whisk him away to Asgard (Creel, that is) to aid him in Loki's diabolical plan to overthrow Odin and claim the throne for himself. This plan is quite simple; let the Absorbing Man beat up all of the 'skeleton guard' left to defend the realm eternal. Inconsistent plotting (CC gains cumulative power from those he strikes rather than just the last thing he touched) but still enjoyable enough. In the final scene he astonishes Odin by absorbing the power of a cosmic bolt. Looking good for next 'ish. Meanwhile back on Earth we have a concurrent tale of Thor rescuing Jane Foster (lucky she was near the battle scene) but whilst doing so exposing his identity to the same reporter we met in JIM #114 (the Dynamite Kid). A brief bit of attempted blackmail later we have the opening of a real can of worms with Thor demonstrating how he can time travel by whirling really quickly and threatening to abandon said reporter in the distant past or future if he doesn't give up the incriminating evidence. I'm willing to suspend disbelief for Thor's time-travelling antics only on the condition that he never does it again!

 

Quote of the Day ~ "I gave him strength to challenge a God - - but even Loki could not give him valor to match that of Thor!"

 

My assessment ~ There's definitely some consistency of quality creeping into these JIM's. :)

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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Happy New Year! :whee:

 

Until very recently my 'first' birthday comics was looking sparse. All I had to show was a solitary JIM. Admittedly I doubt I would have done any more than chew them into a pulpy mess at the age of one but it would be nice to have a couple more, especially ASM 31 which continues to evade me. :(

 

I did however pick up a low-grade reader of the next instalment which I thought would never happen and at a real bargain price. Is the heat coming off of this at last?

 

 

Fantastic Four #45 Dec 1965

 

My Copy - Grade 1.8 ~ Starry, creasey night.

 

ff45.jpg.9d9b2a00ba8ad8dad9396046e46cabaf.jpg

 

Cover: 4/5 ~ A highly accurate rendition of events found inside the book aside from the stars. Surely in New York, even in 1965, the skies were never dark enough to see twinklies. I'm not sure why, perhaps the hitherto unattainable quality of the book, perhaps the full depiction of our heroes and their fourth wall breaking gaze, perhaps it's even the stars themselves but there's a certain magic & mystery about this cover. It makes you want to read on and find out who or what are these Inhuman chaps.

 

Art: 3.5/5 ~ Some brief glimpses of the Inhuman architecture. Some typical Kirbyesque machinery/gadgets inside the Baxter. A wonderful full page drawing of the Airjet-Cycle and, of course, our first views of Crystal, Lockjaw, Karnak, Triton (sort of, he's heavily cloaked) and a rather vague Black Bolt (but he was quite a small panel).

 

Story: 3.5/5 ~ We start where we ended last ish with the FF just about managing to survive the collapsing building and the Torch 'rescuing' his sister from the clutches of Dragon Man. But unbeknownst to the Torch Sue had already worked her womanly wiles upon the scaly one who subsequently was quite happy to return to the FF's headquarters. Dragon Man's house training and nursery preparation take up most of the first part of the book but where it gets interesting is when Johnny spies a strange girl (Crystal) and becomes slightly obsessed over her to the point of a little, light stalking. One flaming appearance later and he's accepted by her as being "one of us" and is led to the underground rubble strewn entrance of the Inhumans. It's this mystery aspect of the story that makes the book work and although there's a brief period of violence as the Inhumans attack the members of the FF, including a very circumspect Reed, the mystery will not be resolved until at least the next issue, which I haven't got. :(

 

Quote of the Day ~ "I'm way over my head! This is too big for me to figure out! If I could only contact Reed!"

 

My assessment ~ Unless my purchasing of this book is a sign that prices have started to fall for this issue, I'm never going to be able to afford an upgrade...so, keeper.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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Journey Into Mystery #123 Dec 1965

 

My Copy - Grade 6.0

 

jim123.jpg.04042fdb7e41267d5fba6919ed20a390.jpg

 

Cover: 3/5 ~ Not sure about these floating head covers. It's certainly an improvement over the multi-panels but, in my eyes, still detracts from the main image. I can see why the publishers would use them though. Anyway, Thor demolishing his way through a brick wall is good enough.

 

Art: 4/5 ~ As most of the book is set in Asgard there's some really great artwork on show. We get a sense of the wonder & grandeur witnessed by us mere mortals through the hapless Harris Hobbs' eyes as he sees Bifrost and Asgard for the first and (I highly suspect) only time. Add in the fairly spectacular battle between Crusher Creel and Odin, the continuing excellence in the Absorbing Man's transformations and the spacey panels depicting Odin's 'verdict' at the culmination of the coup and we have some of Kirby's finest work on the series so far. Even the stuff in Mongolia worked well and establishes a new foe for Thor (try saying that fast) to fight next 'ish!

 

Story 4/5 ~ Another highly enjoyable JIM! What a turnaround from only a few months before. Thor is actually given very little to do in this issue aside from 'staying his hand' and really the book should have been titled Journey Into Mystery with The Omniscient Odin as, unsurprisingly, he steals the show. Firstly, he appears to be losing or at best drawing against the Absorbing Man but in all likelihood it's only a ruse uncover Loki's base treachery. Then after seemingly accepting defeat to save his beloved city he turns the tables on his treacherous son and Crusher Creel in a swift burst of highly ironic justice. Great job, Odin! I bet he could have done it in his PJ's if he wanted too.

 

Quote of the Day ~ A double quote representing the best dialogue from both protagonists.

 

"Odin cannot be threatened with his own powers! My Imperial Sceptre of Supremacy swallows the cosmic fury, even as the fibres of my being quiver with most regal rage!"

 

"Rage all ya want to, big man! I can lick anything that lives - - and that goes for white-haired squares who try to impress me by garglin' a lotta five-dollar words!"

 

My assessment ~ An excellent read and a nice wrap up to a storyline that seems to have been going (off and on) since #114.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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A new review for a new year...1966, of course!

 

Amazing Spider-Man #32 Jan 1966

 

My Copy - Grade 6.0

 

asm32.jpg.f2ddbc956fd7062a7f166d6f8ac6c48d.jpg

 

Cover: 3/5 ~ Even I wouldn't subtract points for a panel within a cover, not even if it contained a sick old lady in a hospital bed. No, I'm not that mean spirited. But although the cover does a great job of depicting a man possessed literally to the point of ripping an iron staircase in two it's still, somehow, rather bland looking. I would subtract marks for that. :devil:

 

Art: 4.5/5 ~ Great emotion wracked panels of Peter as he comes to the realisation that he probably caused Aunt May's sickness. Fury filled scenes as he combs the city looking for the Master Planner. Scientifically endowed scenes as Spidey helps Dr Connors come up with a cure aided by some Dr Strange worthy apparatus. Epic final scene as he fights Doc Ock for the stolen serum and literally brings the 'house' down.

 

Story: 4.5/5 ~ The Betty/Peter/Ned love triangle at the beginning seems trivial compared to the life threatening condition afflicting poor Aunt May. As if that's not bad enough Peter comes to the conclusion it's his fault because of an earlier blood transfusion. Two frantic searches ensue, the first to find Dr. Connors who could find a cure and the second to find the stolen (by the Master Planner gang) serum that could effect the cure. A quick note on the purple dudes; what was going on in ASM 30? They were portrayed as working for the Cat Burglar but are actually working for the Master Planner? Was this just a gigantic -up on Ditko's part or have I missed something. Man, I really need to get ASM 31. Anyway, ranting interlude over, Spidey eventually finds the hideout (and stolen serum) of the Master Planner but, of course, it turns out to be his old and powerful foe, Doctor Octopus (lots of doctors in this issue). A brief but titanic struggle begins but just as Doc Ock turns yeller because of Spidey's fighting fury this same fury causes the building to collapse around them. What happens to the tentacled one is not made apparent but our hero is pinned under several tonnes worth of machinery and seemingly trapped as the water (the hideout is under the river) starts to come through the roof and the lifeblood similarly leaks out of Aunt May. Talk about a cliffhanger!

 

Quote of the Day ~ "I've always felt I was partly responsible for the death of Uncle Ben, because he was killed by a criminal whom I didn't catch! And now--Aunt May! The two people I've loved most in the world--who were like my own father and mother to me--! Yet, their love for me--their kindness to me-- has brought them nothing but--tragedy!"

 

My assessment ~ A great story, filled with emotion, drama, action, suspense and backed by some of the finest artwork seen in Marveldom. (worship)

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Edited by Harry Lime
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ASM #32 is part two of the best comics arc of all time.

 

I hope your next journal entry concerns #33 - no spoilers here - but a really satisfying conclusion to a fantastic trilogy.

 

Lee and Ditko at their very best.

 

My next journal entry is a JIM I'm afraid. However my next ASM entry is #33. (thumbs u

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Journey Into Mystery #124 Jan 1966

 

My Copy - Grade 5.0

 

jim124.jpg.ae963db6f1ce4b03e24a2c54962dd99c.jpg

 

Cover: 3/5 ~ Abandoning the idea of a split panel for a change, Kirby decides for a white mountainous effect instead. Not sure if it works any better, nice dynamic battling though even if it's not present in the book itself. Hercules looks suitably Herculean.

 

Art: 3.5/5 ~ Mainly set on Earth with the juxtaposition of New York (city & hospital room) and Asian jungles. Neither of these were particularly exciting aside from the pin-up perfection of page 4. The good stuff was reserved for Asgard and our first glimpse of Olympus. I really liked Kirby's take on the fabled Ancient Greek realm, especially the Centaur!

 

Story: 2.5/5 ~ Bit of a weird start with Thor reading the newspaper in the street, sentimental and then humorous in turn. It rankled. Then whilst the Demon is laying waste to all that oppose him in Asia, Thor discovers that Jane Foster is not recovering from her smoke inhalation experience and is in fact becoming gravely ill.....because of depression! She seemed very confused, one minute not believing that Blake was by her side, then not believing that he loved her, then telling him to leave for ever. Really, what is a man to do about such histrionics? Change into Thor in front of her disbelieving eyes, that's what! So the Jane Foster may die because of emotional issues crisis was averted but in doing so Thor will have to contend with the fury of Odin who witnessed the whole thing (see QotD) and was so angry he resorted to supping from the Mighty Mug of Maddened Mead!

 

odinmead_zpsiutx7nlb.jpg

 

Anyway, the Olympus sub-plot was rather curt, Zeus declared that it was time for Hercules to once again visit Earth. No explanation given but it did move things along for the next issue as did Thor finally flying to Asia to confront the Demon at the end of the story.

 

Quote of the Day ~ "By the Golden Gates of Asgard - -!!! - - to think that I should ever witness so sordid a sight!! My own son - - heir to the proudest throne in all the universe - - hath divulged his immortal identity to a female of Earth! 'Tis a wonder the heavens themselves do not quiver and quake in celestial indignation!!"

 

My assessment ~ Rather a weak offering compared to recent outings from the run. Only one more JIM to go!

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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At the start of this journal I recounted how the first American comic I read was handed to me by my Dad in about 73/74. He had found it left on a bus seat. It was astonishing to me to find out that not only was the cover glossy but the pages were full colour unlike the British books at the time which only had colour on a couple of pages or were two-tone jobs. Needless to say I read that comic to death, it would be great if I still had it but I have no memory of what happened to it, probably thrown out in a spring cleaning moment by my parents. Anyway when I started collecting there were two books that I absolutely had to have. That book, serendipitously found on an English bus, was one of them and here it is in all it's web-spinning glory.

 

 

Amazing Spider-Man #33 Feb 1966

 

My Copy - Grade 7.5

 

asm33.jpg.92d5d5bb379daf9cc1a09a82188cc704.jpg

 

Cover: 5/5 ~ Spidey and water covers? Instant win! And this one is probably the granddaddy of them all. In it's depiction of the final panel of the previous issue it's giving nothing away here. Spidey looks beaten, his head down, the water rising. The blurb reinforces this image "The Final Chapter". Is this really the end of Spider-Man?

 

Art: 5/5 ~ I can add nothing new to the, probable, reams of stuff written about this issue but I'm having my tuppence-worth anyway. After the splash page, which reminds us of all the actors and their parts in the story to come, is over, there follows, imo, the greatest series of panels produced in a comic book*(see proviso below). Ditko surely produces his magnum opus for Spider-Man as he struggles exhaustedly to lift the several tonnes worth of machinery off himself. It's four pages of sheer brilliance culminating in...well, I can't do it justice so I'll just post the image instead.

 

spideylift_zpsyboemchm.jpg

 

As if all that wasn't enough, Ditko doesn't rest on his laurels through the escape sequence in a flooded tunnel or the intense fight with Doc Ock's gang when a punch drunk Spidey is pictured still swinging after all the men have been downed. Still he had time to add in a terrific panel of Betty Brant's terror at the thought of Peter suffering the same fate as her brother and the final images of the book as an exhausted Peter walks home from the hospital.

 

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A powerful, almost melancholic image that has stayed with me ever since I first saw it.

 

Story: 5/5 ~ Spidey through sheer will power and a smidgen of Spidey strength manages to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, chiefly in lifting the tonnes of machinery but also in surviving the danger of drowning caused by the cascading water and then, totally exhausted and with a damaged leg, beating the Doc Ock's purple dudes to escape the hideout and, finally, deliver the life-saving serum to Conners. In what surely must be Spidey's busiest day ever he then delivers the serum to the hospital. Because he can't stand the agony of waiting to see if it'll work he tips off Foswell and the cops, takes loads of photos of the beaten gang and hangs around to see them safely delivered into the welcoming arms of the law. Peter even manages to get a decent price for his pix (half full market value) and dissuade Betty from loving him once and for all (?). Finally, exhausted and with a badly hurting leg he makes the fateful trip to the hospital where to the joy of this avid reader we discover the serum has worked and Aunt May is on the way to a full recovery. As the blurb on the splash page promised, the most thoroughly satisfying Spider-Man saga I have ever thrilled to.

 

Quote of the Day ~ "The two people in all the world who've been kindest to me! I can't fail again! It can't happen a second time! I won't let it - - I won't! No matter what the odds - - no matter what the cost - - I'll get that serum to Aunt May! And maybe then I'll no longer be haunted by the memory - - of Uncle Ben!

 

My assessment ~ The perfect comic book! It's interesting to note that so far the only other book to get a 5 for the story (FF #40) also dealt with the theme of overcoming almost impossible odds. Not that surprising I suppose, it is what heroes are supposed to do, isn't it?

 

* That I've read so far. :whatev:

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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oakman29 said:
ASM 31,32, AND 33 is the best story arc in comics, period. :applause:

 

Although I haven't read #31 at this point in time I'm inclined to agree.

 

Next up we come back down to earth with...

 

Fantastic Four #47 Feb 1966

 

My Copy - Grade 3.0

 

ff47.jpg.3f8e876c6eb6d5709e73abaf4dd4b9af.jpg

 

Cover: 4/5 ~ What a cracking piece of work by Kirby. The Thing holding Reed & Sue aloft whilst the rock bridge crumble around him, exciting and tense as well as being an event that happens inside the book. I also really like the way the Torch's flame trail sweeps round, disappearing off the edge of the cover and then back in again.

 

Art: 3.5/5 ~ Great splash page with Triton suffocating in air, some well depicted action sequences involving Dragon Man and the Inhumans. Some great panels of Maximus, evil, mad & fawning in turn. He does seem to fit into the standard FF template of egotistical baddies but there's something creepy about him as well which lifts him above the norm. His brother, Black Bolt is also looking at his imperial best when he dons the crown of the Inhumans. The Great Refuge itself looks mighty fine but it's a shame (probably because of time constraints) that much of the interior was missing from the fight sequences.

 

Story: 3.5/5 ~ Because I haven't got #46 I felt out of the loop coming into this one, made worse by the fact that the story is an arc that's been going since #44. I did note that the Dragon Man action was wound up pretty quickly and his fate left to a speech bubble halfway through. Stan & Jack probably wanted to get to the Inhumans secret hideaway as quickly as possible and I don't blame them for that. Now whilst there was a power struggle happening amongst the Inhumans resulting in the dethroning of Mad Max there was some light hearted nonsense involving Sue, a new hairstyle, and playing hard to get by turning invisible. This seemed to be irrelevant to the story unless it was to highlight the growing stress in the relationship of the newly married couple. So the FF find the Great Refuge and 'drop' in to say hello which causes considerable consternation but unbeknown to the Inhumans and the FF, Maximus uses the distraction to ready and fire the Atmo-Gun which will, apparently, wipe out all us humans!

 

Quote of the Day ~ Really hard to get a decent quote from this issue so I thought I would go with Black Bolt telling the FF to leave and never return "______________________________________________ "

 

Nah, just kidding. Although there's unintended irony in Reed's reply.

 

"You've had your say! Now it's our turn! You can't stay in hiding forever! Sooner or later, men will learn of your existence! But you think the outside world is your enemy! You're wrong! You've hidden all these years for nothing!"

 

My assessment ~ It was great to see the Inhumans' place for the first time and they are an interesting group although, for once, it felt like the FF were tacked onto the story rather than the other way round. It is the FF's book after all.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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Journey Into Mystery #125 Feb 1966

 

My Copy - Grade 6.0

 

jim125.jpg.b4e3a446eb8f7d3960a53745c9ae1a48.jpg

 

Cover: 2.5/5 ~ Yeah, it's ok. Thor is dynamic enough in one of his battle poses but, man, the background is minimalist. I'm starting to wonder why the cover is reflecting the last panels of the story as well instead of the meat and potatoes of the tale.

 

Art: 4/5 ~ Now here's the area where JIM's have been consistently good for a while now. This issue has some excellent Asgard action as well as my perennial favourite, Bifrost. The Hercules stuff is good as well including an excellent panel of him dissecting the undercarriage of a getaway car with a thrown lamppost.

 

Story: 3/5 ~ The Thor/Demon battle which seemed to take an age to build up to last ish is over in a couple of pages and a hurrying Thor returns the Norn stone to Asgard unsuspecting that Odin knows about Thor, *ahem* revealing himself to Jane Foster. Odin declares judgement upon his son 'The Ritual of Steel' and forbids him to ever set foot upon Earth again. The ritual involves Thor vs everyone else in Asgard ('cept for Odin) and I don't know if the others were holding back because it was Thor they were fighting but ol' Goldilocks didn't seem to have too a hard a time fighting his way through to Bifrost and then back to Earth. Odin's judgement is still hanging over him however and there must come a reckoning. Meanwhile on Earth, Hercules has arrived and is having a great time, laughing, drinking, playing songs, flirting with the natives and stopping hold-ups in restaurants. Hercules is a breath of fresh air compared to the more sombre God of Thunder and Jane Foster seems to think so as well as she becomes smitten with him over a soda. It's here that Thor finds her and swiftly becomes angered enough by the fickle ways of his love to fight Herc at the end of the book. We leave, yet again, with another battle looming.

 

Quote of the Day ~ "Hercules has always loved cities! It is there where the crowds are--where reveling and merry-making are to be found! And who can enjoy the good life as much as an Olympian god?!! Take me then to your city! Hercules commands!"

 

My assessment ~ Well that's the last of the JIM's. A run that has seen the good, the bad, the very, very bad and the mildly indifferent. To be honest I'm not sorry to see them go. Onwards and upwards with The Mighty Thor!

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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No backgrounds?

 

Yup, Vince Colletta is involved.

 

He has a reputation for, *ahem*, "abbreviating" backgrounds. I'd really like to know what the Kirby pencils for this cover were before inking - but I doubt that's possible now.

 

I actually like Colletta's inks (heretic!), where applied, but he didn't seem to be able to work fast enough (or just got a little lazy) when it came to inking ALL of a particular pencilled page.

 

You are right about "breath of fresh air" Hercules, a much needed counterpoint to Thor's "Sturm and Drang".

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Duffman_Comics said:
No backgrounds?

 

Yup, Vince Colletta is involved.

 

He has a reputation for, *ahem*, "abbreviating" backgrounds. I'd really like to know what the Kirby pencils for this cover were before inking - but I doubt that's possible now.

 

I actually like Colletta's inks (heretic!), where applied, but he didn't seem to be able to work fast enough (or just got a little lazy) when it came to inking ALL of a particular pencilled page.

 

You are right about "breath of fresh air" Hercules, a much needed counterpoint to Thor's "Sturm and Drang".

 

Thanks for the info! (thumbsu

 

What you said got me thinking about FF #42 which has a very similar background to JIM #125 (although there's more people in it) and whilst I couldn't find any reference to Colletta working on the cover he is credited for inking the story pages. hm

 

 

Amazing Spider-Man #34 March 1966

 

My Copy - Grade 2.0

 

asm34.jpg.810127e253a56533d640c0f4f68833ff.jpg

 

Cover: 2.5/5 ~ Speaking of minimalist......It's not all bad though, I like the way Ditko captures the flowing mane on Kraven and how Spidey still manages to look surprised even through a mask.

 

Art: 3.5/5 ~ First off I'll admit I don't like the way Kraven is portrayed. I don't like his leopard leggings or his jungle slippers but mostly I don't like his face! Yes, in that almost primal way someone's face can really you off, Kraven's does for me. Anyway at least in this issue I got my first glimpse of Gwen Stacy (a Hitchcockian blonde?) and Harry Osborn as well as Peter's new life at ESU. The close quarter fighting sequence were portrayed as well as ever and I loved the Betty Brant dream sequence but overall this issue was slightly down on Ditko's normal work. But it would have been virtually impossible to attain the same heights as last month's offering anyway.

 

Story: 3.5/5 ~ Despite my dislike of Kraven I quite liked the tale although it did take a while to get going. There was a couple of interludes of life at ESU where Peter is disliked already by his fellow students. A wonderful dream sequence where Peter unmasks himself to Betty (see Thor that's how you do it). Peter spending quality grub time with Aunt May and putting the web-slinging life behind him for a few days whilst some shenanigans arise involving Kraven impersonating Spidey and hounding J. Jonah. When Spider-Man eventually goes for the bait the resulting fight sequence was skilfully done but overall lacking in any real danger.

 

Quote of the Day ~ "I've got news for you, Kraven! You may be a whizeroo with bull elephants, but you're a dud at swatting spiders!"

 

My assessment ~ An enjoyable enough 'filler' issue but I won't be rushing to get a better copy.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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Daredevil #14 March 1966

 

My Copy - Grade 7.5 A recent purchase from the boards. Could be a Very Fine on a good day, nonetheless a lovely looking book.

 

dd14.jpg.e5bf04eb97ca6dfbfbde062f07fc487f.jpg

 

Cover: 3/5 ~ Love that yellow and the disintegrating tank. It's a bit bland though and until I read it I was quite confused about DD's adversaries, proto-Kree?

 

Art: 4/5 ~ This issue would be my earliest John Romita and first impressions are very good. Lovely detailed backgrounds and highly polished work on all the characters. Thankfully he gave Lord Plunder curly hair or he might have looked too much like Kraven. :nyah: It'll be interesting to see what he does with a more urban setting as this book has some 'unusual' locations.

 

Story: 2/5 ~ Well if I thought I was out of the loop after missing one FF think what it was like coming into this tale. DD is in England, hanging around with what appears to be a Tarzan rip-off (albeit a stronger version), scrapping over a mystical medallion and being shot at by 1960's bobbies. Cor blimey, Guv'ner! The whole tale had a strong feeling of being influenced by James Bond, with the exception of Ka-Zar I suppose. As DD employs subterfuge to slip aboard the Plunderer's sub, accompany him on the megalomaniac's initial target (a heavily guarded missile site) and at the last moment ruin the Plunderer's best laid plans by announcing over the open radio transmitter that plastic guns wouldn't be affected by the 'vibrating ore'! Quite a silly story really with some absurdities that have been thankfully absent for a while from the Marvel books reviewed. The aforementioned plastic guns; DD didn't discover they were made of plastic when on the sub? Ka-zar's ultra fast-tracked trial? Even in the 60's a murder trial would take a few months to come to court. Foggy & Karen (trans-Atlantic trip aside) on the defending bench when they didn't do anything and were waiting for Matt to turn up? Oh, and the ridiculous British accents. Ok, I can forgive that...as Richard van Dyke proved in the 1960's all us Limey's spoke like that, stone the bleedin' crows if we didn't!

 

Quote of the Day ~ "Daredevil! I'd read about him in the American journals, but thought they put it on a bit thick!"

 

My assessment ~ A great looking copy of a rather weak book.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited by Harry Lime
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