Wednesday 1 July 2015

Fifty years ago today - July 1965.

Melting Meteorologists! It's been the hottest day in over a decade, here in Perfidious Albion!

But how hot were things getting for our favourite Marvel heroes, way back in the month when I Got You, Babe was released, Bob Dylan first went electric, Edward Heath became leader of the Conservative Party and Help hit the cinema screens?

There's only one way to find out...

Avengers #18, the Commissar

In the immortal words of Austrian pop legend Falco, the Commissar's in town.

And this is the first tale featuring the Kooky Quartet that I ever read. To this very day, I still recall the tale's shock denouement.

Granted, it wasn't that big a shock, bearing in mind it was the exact same denouement Stan Lee gave us in about fifty percent of the tales he wrote in the 1960s, but, still...

Fantastic Four #40. Daredevil and Dr Doom

Dr Doom's still causing trouble at the Baxter Building.

Journey Into Mystery #118, Thor vs the Destroyer

It's one of my Thor favourites, as our long-haired hero comes up against a foe who seems to be genuinely unstoppable.

Amazing Spider-Man #26, the Crime-Master

On the other hand, I'm not so keen on this one, as the webbed wonder finds himself as the meat in a Green Goblin/Crime-Master sandwich.

Strange Tales #134, the Watcher

A genuinely strange and disturbing cover for the Thing and Torch.

Tales of Suspense #67, Iron Man and Captain America

I'm assuming this is the one where Iron Man thinks he's dreaming that he's up against a bunch of his old foes, when he's not dreaming at all.

Or something like that.

Count Nefaria was involved. That's all I'm sure of.

Meanwhile, it looks like it's joined by the one where Captain America falls victim to the Red Skull's mind-control methodology.

Tales to Astonish #69, Giant-Man and the Hulk

I have no idea at all as to what happens in either of these tales. I do, though, love the title Oh Wasp, Where Is Thy Sting?

X-Men #12, the Juggernaut

The X-Men get themselves a higher class of foe than usual, as the Juggernaut shows up.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Other than Spidey, this looks like another all-Kirby cover collection.

Daren

Anonymous said...

I'm not familiar with that issue of Amazing Spiderman, Steve, but are you sure you got that right? Spidey in a Green Goblin/Crime-Master sandwich doesn't sound like the sort of thing that would have been passed by the comics code....

-sean

Steve W. said...

Daren, I do believe you're right. The man's work rate was astonishing.

Sean, Fredric Wertham was right. Comics are nothing but filth and depravity.

Anonymous said...

Steve, I have to admit that I wasn't aware that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko were early pioneers of slash fiction. As ever, your blog continues to inform and enlighten me.

-sean

Anonymous said...

Hottest day in over a decade ?? The three-week heatwave of July 2013 was FAR hotter than now, I don't even think it's that hot. Dear old Ted Heath- he seems like a socialist compared to today's Tory party (and today's Labour party).