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Marvel 616 Review – The Fantastic Four #15

The Fantastic Four Issue #15. Writer: Stan Lee, Artist: Jack Kirby
The Fantastic Four Issue #15. Writer: Stan Lee, Artist: Jack Kirby

One of the interesting things about the Fantastic Four is they all live separate lives independent from the team. This is a superhero group that breaks up and gets back together more than your favorite band. And while they all are heroes in their own right, deep down we all know, just as they do, these four are best together.

In the 15th issue of the FF, a villain with intellectual prowess has a plan to separate the group and defeat them. The Mad Thinker makes his first appearance but is he enough to defeat the smartest man in the world, Reed Richards? Don’t count on it.

Before I get into the plot of the issue, let’s just take a moment to appreciate the cover by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. I love this cover. The artists not only convey a frenetic sense of movement with our heroes pinned down in what looks like an impossible position, it’s also as if this action is so intense it has literally broken through the cover of the comic itself. It’s a visual 4th wall break and man does it work. Say what you will about artists today, Jack Kirby in his time was a true innovator.

As for the issue itself, the first page promises a showdown between the Fantastic Four and someone called the Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android! While the FF have gone up against quite a few foes already, naming a character “The Mad Thinker” makes me think he’s meant to be a match for Reed Richards specifically.

The story shows us the Baxter Building in New York where Reed fires off his signal gun. This device unleashes a fiery 4 in the sky to call his team home. And at this point the team is famous enough, the pedestrians on the ground know this is a red alert for the super hero group.

The first of our heroes to see the signal is Johnny Storm who is on a date with a girl named Peggy. This is her first official appearance but it won’t be her last. She’s upset with the interruption of the date as ol’ flame head flies off. This seems to be repeat behavior on Johnny’s part but hey, a super hero has obligations.

We then move on to Sue Storm who is getting her hair done with one of the most sought after hair stylists in New York, Pierre. He’ll return to the pages of the Fantastic Four as well. Sue decides to turn invisible for what, in my opinion, is a pretty silly reason. She doesn’t want anyone to see her with curlers in her hair.

The last member of the group to see the signal is Benjamin Grim, aka, The Thing. He’s on Yancy Street where the Yancy Street Gang is making fun of him. Yancy street has been mentioned a time or two so far but this is the first direct showdown between The Thing and the Yancy Street Gang who grow to be a consistent rivalry for Ben. Why is Ben mad at these guys? They sent him a drawing of himself in a tutu. We don’t actually see the faces of any of these guys but they do taunt Ben and throw flowers at him. In response, the Thing picks up a bulldozer and is about to hurl it at them when he sees the emergency signal. He abandons the fight to help his friends. Of course this makes the Yancy Street Gang think he’s scared of them and they taunt him further on his way down the street.

The three members who have been summoned to the Baxter Building express their displeasure with being interrupted. But Reed says he didn’t want to stop what he was doing any more than they did. Reed was experimenting with D.N.A. and has “managed to create a primitive form of one-celled life which lived for a few seconds!” He asks, “Do you think I feel like stopping now?” Hmmmm…. I don’t know Reed, I feel like this whole line of experiments might come back to bite you in the end.

Anyway, the reason Reed summoned everyone is he got a tip from the chief of police. It seems a bunch of big shot “mobsters and gang leaders” from all over the country have converged on New York. And the police chief wants the FF to keep an eye out. I’m not sure the FF is actually the right team for this job since they tend to deal with things on a more cosmic scale but they should be capable of stopping a little crime right?

We’re next introduced to our villain. The Mad Thinker declares down to the half second when his visitors will arrive. Sure enough three tough looking thugs walk through the door. Apparently the Thinker has summoned these folks to help him create a “kingdom of crime.” And who’s to lead this kingdom? The Thinker, naturally.

He lays out a plan to take over New York, going so far as to imagine himself making treaties with other cities to negotiate terms of trade. But, of course, the mobsters want to know what will be done about the Fantastic Four. They all describe how any one of the members of that team could defeat the Thinker.

The Thinker flies into a rage and shows them all his huge computer array. With it he’s figured out a way to break into the Baxter Building and take over the heroes’ headquarters. He even claims his computer not only knows everything that ever has happened but can also predict everything that will happen. And he goes on to describe some crimes he’s committed with impeccable timing because he knew of strange incidents that would happen at precise moments. He got away because of a hot dog cart, a water main bursting, and an organ grinder’s monkey starting a fire. All things his machines predicted.

One of the mobsters isn’t buying it and decides to leave. The Thinker says he knew that would happen and that the mobster would regret it in 18 seconds. Eighteen seconds later the mob boss is arrested by the police and does regret his decision. Now, it could be the Thinker’s machines truly predicted this but as a skeptic myself, I think the safer bet is the cops saw famous mobsters come into their city and followed them, waiting for them to come out to be arrested. That’s just my hunch though. But it’s enough to convince the rest of the gangsters and thugs to join with The Thinker.

The Thinker’s plan to defeat the famous super heroes boils down to a divide and conquer scheme. He’s got plans for each one of them.

First, The Human Torch is visited by his cousin, Bones, who runs a circus. Business has been bad for Bones and he needs a sensational act to bring the audience back.

Next, the executives at General Electric need someone to head up their electronic research division. A well placed magazine makes them decide to reach out to Reed Richards himself with the job offer.

The Thing is offered a chance to wrestle someone named Fatal Finnegan who also happens to be the idol of the Yancy Street Gang.

Meanwhile, Sue Storm is spotted by a director working on a new show and wants her to star.

All of these offers are enticing for our heroes. And ultimately they decide what they need right now is a little vacation from each other. This isn’t the first and it’s far from the last time the group splits up but it is notable because they aren’t splitting up out of anger this time. It’s not just an impulsive decision, it seems more calculated. And like fate has dealt them the perfect set of circumstances for this to happen. Of course, this is true because the Mad Thinker has been putting these plans into motion for months.

The four heroes go their separate ways to pursue their interests. The Mad Thinker knows a meteor is about to strike the waters of New York’s lower bay. This causes a temporary panic in the city and in the confusion the Thinker is able to enter the Baxter Building because the electricity is out.

Meanwhile, Johnny is a sensation at the circus but he is getting tired of doing the same old act day in and day out. Sue Storm is making her movie but finds it tedious as she has to do take after take. Reed is great at his job but has unorthodox methods and realizes he’s not happy working for anyone but himself. The Thing is in a fairly even wrestling match but his opponent has his eye on Alicia, Ben’s girlfriend. This enrages the Thing who puts a quick end to the wrestling show.

All of our heroes return back at the same time. But things are different here. The building has been transformed into some kind of impenetrable crystal. As the group tries to figure out a way in, the Mad Thinker projects an image of himself onto the building. He tells the team he’s used, “an electronic hypno-ray field around the building!” so the general population doesn’t notice the changes. He introduces himself to the team and says they are to be his greatest conquest because once they are defeated no one on earth can stand in his way.

While quite a few foes have challenged this team already, the Thinker does have one advantage here. He’s got Reed’s scientific research. He allows the team to enter, assuming he will be able to defeat the team. Johnny melts some traps waiting for them at the entrance. But then the mobsters show up with, “vibra-guns.” Things look bleak until the Thing wraps up the mobsters by bending steel walls around them.

The Thinker tells the group he expected them to pass their first test but tells them they need to get to the 35th floor. They head up the elevator shaft when Thinker tosses some canisters at the group. It’s something of Reed’s making and it gives Jack Kirby another chance to show off his art skills with a bit of distortion. The gas is meant to be non-lethal and make you lose balance while everything you see becomes distorted.

Sue gives Ben the idea of twisting up Mr. Fantastic’s body and letting him go so he acts like a giant fan. This does the trick and the team ends up on the 35th floor. Once there, the team is confronted with the living android that was promised on the cover. The Thinker has used Reed’s research to create this thing. Johnny attacks it but it blows out his flame. The Thing tries to stop it next but when Ben punches it seems to absorb and adopt the properties of The Thing himself. Reed feels responsible so he tells the team to stay back while he tries to find a way to nullify its power. Sue turns invisible as Reed wraps himself around the android. Reed tells her where to push to turn off the computer terminal of the android and she does.

When the team finally makes it to the Mad Thinker he’s not surprised. Johnny threatens him with flame but Thinker is confident. He’s got a gun that shoots a chemical which can douse Johnny’s flame. Even worse, he’s got anti-matter shells zeroed in on all the heroes. This is an invention of Reed’s making so it’s likely to work. But at the exact moment Thinker believes he will win, the shells misfire and Reed and team grab and deactivate them.

The Mad Thinker is left to wonder how he was beaten. Reed explains Thinker didn’t think of the x-factor (hmm sounds like a good name for a future comic) that can’t be accounted for. When Reed and friends saw their building they communicated to the postman Mr. Lumpkin and asked him to ring a special bell at exactly four o’clock. This button is an electrical circuit breaker meant to render all of Reed’s equipment useless. He rigged this knowing it was a possibility someone might take over his lab someday.

The Mad Thinker is taken off by the police vowing that next time he’ll take into account the x-factor. And with that the heroic family is back together once again.

The ending here is definitely a bit of a deus ex machina but at least Reed rigged it up ahead of time. Off panel of course.

The Thinker will go on to be a repeat villain and he does have some good tricks up his sleeve. He never will quite reach the levels of a Dr. Doom but he’s an interesting foil for Reed in particular and he’s no doubt dangerous. The issue cements further the bonds of family and friendship in the team. It’s a good issue but it does not have the flair of one of the great FF stories. It’s adequate but the drama is a bit slow. However, the artwork is, for lack of a better word, fantastic in this one.

We’ll have plenty more adventures to talk about with this team but for now they are relatively safe and happy all together.

Next up on the reading list we’ll be checking in on Johnny Storm’s own adventures in Strange Tales #111 [A story] quickly followed by a run in with Dr. Strange in Strange Tales #111 [C story].

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Marvel 616 Review – Tales of Suspense #43

Tales of Suspense #43 - Photo Credit: Marvel, Writers: Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, Artist: Jack Kirby
Photo Credit: Marvel, Writers: Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, Artist: Jack Kirby

We all know Iron Man is the wealthy industrialist Tony Stark. He’s faced a few foes so far. But Kala. Queen of the Netherworld is a new deadly villain who comes from below the surface of Earth.

The issue opens up with a preview panel where Kala tells Iron Man he’s made the mistake of his life by entering her Netherworld. And she has a disintegrator cannon that will vaporize him into nothingness. But Iron Man has other plans.

Strange Tales continues to be an anthology book at this point, but the only 616 cannon story here is Iron Man. He’s becoming the star attraction in the comic and while the other stories can be interesting, the ones in this issue are ho-hum at best. In fact, even the Iron Man story is not all that enticing but there’s a bit of fun action involved.

To start the story in full, we see two scientists in the wind tunnel of Anthony Stark’s private lab. The problem? The wind velocity control exploded. The force of the wind is blowing the poor scientists all over the place. A guard comes in to check what’s going on and gets sucked into the wind. The scientist delivers a great order to him… if the guard wasn’t also being blown around everywhere.

As if the wind wasn’t enough of a problem, it tears the missile these scientists are testing off the mountings. I’m no scientist, but that sounds dangerous to me. The guards do frantically signal Mr. Stark but even they think there’s nothing he can do. But thankfully, Tony tells his crew not to worry, because someone is visiting Stark. Who could it be? That’s right, Iron Man is there. And the guards say over the phone, “Iron Man?! Gosh, what a break for us!” Totally coincidental and extremely lucky.

Tony puts on his Iron Man costume which is somehow made of armor that is also, collapsible. He muses to himself that no one dreams Iron Man is really Anthony Stark. If no one is figuring this out, I think Stark is overpaying his guards to be honest.

Iron Man has no trouble walking down the wind tunnel but how in the world can he stop the wind? If you answered, Iron Man will spin at super high speeds to become a human fan, you are spot on!

Doing this stops the wind. But it also destroys the blowers in the wind tunnel. Iron Man tells the workers there not to worry about it because Stark can afford to build new ones.

You’ll notice during the emergency at Stark’s lab, Anthony Stark never showed up. But he’s an intelligent scientist so he has a plan. He goes back to his office, changes out of his Iron Man armor, leaves it behind and goes to see the men working at the wind tunnel.

Anthony reasoned with a crisis happening so recently, there is no way a new one pops up. For a smart guy, Stark sure misses the mark here. Out of nowhere, a guard disintegrates. This man vanishes before everyone’s eyes, leaving only his gun behind. Next, a scientist named Evans vanishes. This is getting to be a real problem.

Just as the guards are wondering if they are having a mass hallucination, Anthony Stark is enclosed by some invisible force. And it’s sucking him underground somehow. Stark tries to break out but it’s no good. One of the scientists tries to smash it but that doesn’t work. And a guard shoots it. Luckily for Stark that does not work either.

This glass elevator Tony is in drops him into a strange underground world. When the elevator stops, a woman orders Stark released. And, I have to say, she is wearing some A+ headgear. Stark, for his part, is not intimidated whatsoever.

To Stark’s surprise his employees are also in this underground city. And although they have only been there for mere moments they already know, “We’re at the mercy of a brilliant, ruthless race!” Kala basically takes this as a compliment and brags the Netherworld has scientific secrets the surface world does not.

As advanced as these people may be, they are not perfect. The reason they have two of Stark’s employees is they were aiming for Stark but missed. Tony knows these people want something from him. Kala explains first who they are. The Netherworlders are descendants of the people of Atlantis. I don’t know if they have any relation to Namor or if we will find that out in time but it would make sense. These people survived an enormous tidal wave by hiding under a huge, unbreakable glass dome. But it ended up at the bottom of the sea. Eventually, that dome sank to the center of the Earth where they now call it Netherworld.

Now, Kala wants to invade the surface world. But before she does that, she shows the United States most prominent weapons manufacturer her cache of military weapons. I’m not sure how bright of an idea that is for her. Regardless, what she wants is for Stark to invent “…transistor powered machines such as you alone can create!” These machines will be used to power the deadly weapons to the surface.

Despite the fact Kala says they have been monitoring all countries of the surface world for some time, she doesn’t seem to know what happened the last time Anthony Stark was forced to design a technology against his will. In case you don’t remember, that’s how he got his Iron Man suit to begin with.

Kala is smart enough to know Stark won’t just do this so she threatens the lives of Stark’s employees. Thinking fast, Stark tells Kala there is someone on the surface who could defeat all of her forces. Who? Iron Man, of course. He doesn’t mention there is a literal god of thunder who could do that also. And there’s an angry green guy who’d have a shot too. But I digress.

Stark goes on to describe some of the amazing feats Iron Man can do. Kala’s general, a man named Baxu, thinks the Netherworld should hold off since Iron Man is rather invincible. But Kala says he has a machine that can literally reverse the Earth’s axis. This would be a huge problem for surface dwellers but not for the Netherworlders since it’s at the center.

Stark’s employee’s beg him not to cooperate with Kala, figuring their lives aren’t worth the rest of the world. But Stark agrees. You can probably guess how this goes. Stark agrees but we know he’s not really going to doom the world.

But first, Baxu complains to Stark that he hates taking orders. “…from a woman!” And also says he is in love with Kala.

Inevitably, Stark recreates his Iron Man armor. And to smoothly cover his tracks, Iron Man says to Baxu, “Stark tricked Kala! He spent the night making his escape to the surface, and then sent me down here to foil your invasion plot!”

A tip to villains in the Marvel 616 universe, when you throw Tony Stark in a lab, put some cameras on the guy so you can see what he’s doing. Somehow, I don’t think this advice will be heeded in future issues.

Iron Man makes short work of Baxu and his sexist ways, tossing him to the ground. Baxu is sure Iron Man will kill him but he lets Baxu live. And he says Baxu should be the one in charge, “…instead of that beautiful but vain creature… Kala!” Yeah, Stark holds some rather sexist beliefs himself. But then again, Kala did threaten to kill a whole bunch of people so, maybe Baxu is a better leader here.

Baxu warns Iron Man Kala’s weapons might still destroy him. But Iron Man shows what he can do with electronic powers. Kala tries to kill Iron Man with her disintegrator cannon. Iron Man aims an electronic reverse energy beam at the bolt coming at him. Yeah, I have no idea what that is either but seems like it works. The beams collide and explode and the deadly weapon is no more.

Kala is not out of tricks. She has a, “super-sonic flame-thrower” she fires. Iron Man tosses “concentrated chemical crystals” at the flames and they turn into a block of ice. I have no idea what kind of chemical crystals could do that. Yet, Kala is still not done. She has a “magnetically-directed-machine-gun which fires atomic bullets!” Sounds serious. But Kala didn’t know about Iron Man’s “tiny transistor-powered magnets.” Those redirect the bullets upward, rendering them useless.

Iron Man has, up to this point, been defending, not attacking and he reminds Kala of that. Next he asks her to imagine if he protected all “earthmen” by multiplying them electronically with countless images. He creates mirror images of himself. This is enough to confuse and distract Kala. Iron Man grabs her and flies up, breaking the supposedly unbreakable glass dome and through the ground up to the surface using, and I am not kidding here, “nuclear powered clippers.” Aren’t gadgets fun?

After arriving on the surface, Iron Man reveals to Kala that the surface atmosphere is much different than the one down below. This ages her tremendously. She begs to go back so she can be young and beautiful once more. Down below, Iron Man all but commands Kala to marry Baxu and never return to threaten the surface world again. Baxu, for his part, says Iron Man is welcome back any time.

And we end on an awkward panel meant to show off the playboy status of Anthony Stark. A man looking at Stark says, “…at least his adventure under the earth kept him away from the girls for a while.” To which Stark thinks to himself, “That’s what you think, Bub!” Bub. That’s a good nickname, maybe a Marvel character should use that more often sometime in the future.

Thus ends another epic journey of Iron Man’s. I’ll admit there is a lot left to be desired in this story. It’s pretty silly, the technology mentioned here is borderline magic at best, the misogyny comes through in heavy doses from two of the main characters in the story. We can say, this was closer to what the attitude of the time was but that doesn’t excuse it.

As far as a science fiction story goes, it’s got its fun moments and there are much worse stories (I’ll be reviewing them eventually). The art is great but this one feels more like it was thrown together just to get something out there. Totally understandable if that was the case because Marvel was putting out an incredible volume for the time.

The story does cement Iron Man more as a powerful figure, as someone who has a secret identity to protect, and shows Anthony Stark as a wealthy, brilliant, playboy who will ultimately make the right choice when the time comes. Other than that, this doesn’t do a whole lot to progress the overall story of Marvel 616 but each small piece adds up to a larger whole.

Next up on the reading list, we’re checking back in with America’s space faring family in The Fantastic Four #15!

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In a Flash Volume II Out Now

In a Flash Volume II is out now!
In a Flash Volume II is out now!

Hello all! Last February I participated in the Storytelling Collective’s Flash Fiction challenge. As a result, one of my stories is in their collection, In a Flash Volume II. The details for how/where to purchase are below. Don’t just grab it to support me though, there are over 40 writers who contributed so you’re sure to find something you like! This challenge is always a blast and this year it was themed on J. R. R. Tolkien inspired prompts. But there is far more than fantasy in these pages. Just about every genre you can imagine shows up. It’s a great read!

All of the stories are short so it’s perfect for a bedtime read each night.

You can get a digital copy, a softcover, or both. Prices range from $4.99 – $14.98 depending on what version you purchase.

If you are more into poetry, there is also a newly published book called COLLECTIVE VERSES Vol 4. I did not contribute to this but if you love poetry I highly recommend grabbing a copy.

Purchase details for In a Flash Volume II

Available now at DriveThruFiction.com:

IN A FLASH VOL. II featuring flash fiction by a global group of writers.

Support emerging voices by picking up a print or digital copy. 

Published by @StorytellingColl’s publishing imprint, Scribemind Books. 

Purchase details for Collective Verses Vol. IV

Available now at DriveThruFiction.com:

COLLECTIVE VERSES VOL IV featuring poetry by a global group of writers.

Support emerging voices by picking up a print or digital copy. 

Published by @StorytellingColl’s publishing imprint, Scribemind Books.

If you like my writing

If you enjoy my short stories and want to see another collection I have been featured in check out the first volume In a Flash!

Thanks, and happy reading everyone!

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Schroeder – Book Review

Schroeder by Neal Cassidy
Schroeder by Neal Cassidy

I was provided an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Synopsis:

When an ordinary young man wakes up in his quiet neighborhood on a day seemingly like all the others, the city he’s lived in all his life has no idea what’s about to befall it once he sets out on a day-long bike ride carrying a purposefully packed backpack and a definitive plan.

Who is Schroeder, and what motivates his brutal killing spree? As he cycles from one victim’s home to the next, keeping pace with the rhythm of a city that burgeons to life under an increasingly dazzling sun exposing both its beauty and vivacity and its dark, dirty, underbelly, Schroeder lays bare his dreams, disappointments, delights, and dismays, establishing himself as a compelling contemporary antihero. The day rolls ominously towards its climax through hectic city streets, lush suburban gardens, stately mansions, and decrepit housing projects, punctuated by Schroeder’s reflections on a society in shambles and a deeply damaged, if not broken, humanity—but not without revealing life’s boundless wonder and infinite possibilities for joy and redemption through moments that are within—and yet tragically beyond—Schroeder’s grasp. A tell-all denouement brings Schroeder out of the shadows of his actions, the pathos of his questions about the kind of world we live in lingering long after.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Schroeder is a twenty-something year old man living in an unnamed city. He starts out his day with a methodical plan, narrating us through all he does. The reader is so far inside Schroeder’s head, even mundane descriptions begin to feel ominous. Schroeder loads up his backpack with all of the supplies he needs, eats his breakfast, reads his most prized comic book, and heads out for a day of unrelenting violence.

One by one the reader is taken along with Schroeder as he makes stop after stop and unleashes incredibly vivid acts of torture and murder. In between these acts, and sometimes during them, Schroeder has deep philosophical thoughts about life, society, what justice is, and how the world is as he sees it.

The violence is bloody and sudden and unapologetic. This book is not for those who are disturbed by gore and violence. But, more than the violence, the thoughts and events that Schroeder enacts, and the things that explain his murderous rampage are even more unsettling. This is the type of book that remains with the reader long after finishing.

It’s a fascinating take on a character in an extreme situation, taking extreme measures. Neal Cassidy does an incredible job of allowing the reader to both be repulsed by and empathize with Schroeder. And Cassidy shows that those who are most capable of such acts can still see and understand the complexity, beauty and difficulty in life.

If you read the book, there is no forgetting it. If you love dark, psychological thrillers and don’t mind spending time in the head of a killer who you may have more in common with than you think, this book is a fantastic read.

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The Assays of Ata – Book Review

Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.

If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.

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SYNOPSIS

Bitch.
Bastard.
Orphan.

Ata had become inured to these epithets – her self-directed labels cut much deeper:

Spy.
Liar.
Traitor.

Their accuracy rent to the bone… But all people had their roles to play and hers was one of secrecy and survival-driven destruction. For the greater good.

Follow Ata’s travails through royal intrigues, violent invasions, and hard-forged alliances as she fights alongside friend and foe for the survival of the continent of Áitarbith. She questions old relationships and forges new whilst navigating treacherous courts and brutal battle landscapes, possibly finding love along the way. In the face of an implacably ruthless enemy, as well as uncertainty as to who can be trusted, the final outcome of this struggle is anything but certain.

This is Book 1 of a trilogy titled The Chronicles of Áitarbith.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

REVIEW

Ata is a spy for her kingdom of Pandia. She’s infiltrated the palace of Cinnae as a servant. She remains undiscovered but her mission will either bring the two kingdoms together or tear them apart. Everything changes one night when there is a brutal attack on the palace. Ata will need to use her skills in fighting and magic to keep the world safe. But her actions may cause suspicion and she risks the wrath of both kingdoms. Added to that, Svens, the bastard offspring of the Cinnaen Queen spikes her temper, yet she feels an undeniable attraction to him.

The Assays of Ata is the first in a high fantasy trilogy by author K.I.S. The book is surprising at turns and highly engaging. Ata is a strong willed character full of both kindness and temper. She strives to do the right thing, even if it means defying her own king. But she’s also no pushover when ordered to do something she doesn’t want to.

The world created here feels vast and lived in, with a rich history to it. When a threat thought gone for generations arrives, Ata must jump into action and take charge. These actions cause long ranging consequences that will affect both her and the world of Áitarbith. Most of the characters are well fleshed out and have their own unique voices and visions of the world. And while many of the characters have clear motivations, who is set to gain and lose from Ata’s actions is less clear, making for an intriguing read.

By the end of the book there are definitely threads that have not been tied up but if K.I.S. manages subsequent volumes as well as this one, the reader won’t be disappointed.

If you like high fantasy books with headstrong heroes, political machinations, bloody battles and fantasy creatures, this book is definitely for you. Personally, I am looking forward to reading the next volume.

FURTHER REVIEWS

If you liked this review check out some of my others here!

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Tress of the Emerald Sea – Book Review

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson with Illustrations by Howard Lyon

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Tress of the Emerald Sea – Summary

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes a rollicking, riveting tale set in the Cosmere universe―a standalone adventure perfect for fans of The Princess Bride.

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?

(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)

Review

To say Brandon Sanderson is a prolific writer would be an understatement. He writes novels the way most of us go to the movies. It’s constant. While COVID-19 had the world locked down, Sanderson took the initiative to write four different novels without telling his publishers or anyone else on his team. He then released them on a kickstarter campaign and broke the record for pledges there.

Tress of the Emerald Sea is the first of these novels. And now, it is widely available. This is one of the cosmere novels. If you are a longtime reader of Sanderson’s you’ll know what that means. But you do not need to have read his other books to enjoy this one. This story can stand alone. Although, you will get more out of it if you have read more of his books.

Tress loves two things. She loves cups of all kinds. And she loves Charlie. Charlie is expected to take a bride from far off, leaving Tress all alone. But when Tress discovers Charlie is in trouble, her life changes. She must take action and save Charlie before it’s too late.

The book is a bit more whimsical than a good portion of Sanderson’s books and reads a bit like The Princess Bride or Good Omens. It’s got some interesting mechanics as far as how the unique sea on this planet works. And it has a familiar character as the narrator here, adding a layer to the story for fans of the cosmere. The artwork is fantastic and worth the price of the book alone, with Howard Lyon evoking the scenes perfectly in the reader’s imagination.

Do I need to Read other Sanderson Books before Tress of the Emerald Sea?

While this does stand on its own, it does feel a bit like things are not fully revealed if you don’t know at least a bit about the cosmere. I certainly don’t know everything about the cosmere. There may be things I missed while reading. But there wasn’t so much that I couldn’t enjoy the book.

There’s a good bit of quirky humor so if that’s not your thing, this book may not be for you. The world building is as effective as ever and Sanderson continues to be a master of it.

This is a good book to start out on but don’t assume all of his writing is like this. There are some of his works much more serious and some less so.

If you do enjoy books like Good Omens, Discworld, or The Princess Bride, this is a great one to read if you want to find a fun, quick read.

In Conclusion

Brandon Sanderson has so much out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. Tress of the Emerald Sea provides a good beginning point if you are new. It also works as a nice distraction to those who are fully entangled in the cosmere already. While I won’t say this is his best book, it is largely enjoyable and a fun read. You may feel yourself left wanting just a little more. But the good news is, Sanderson has metric tons more for you to find.

Already read Tress of the Emerald Sea but want another stand alone book to read? Check out my review of Elantris!

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Marvel 616 Review – Tales to Astonish #45

Photo Credit: Marvel, Writers: Stan Lee, Ernie Hart, Artist: Don Heck

Now that Henry Pym, aka Ant-Man has found a partner in his effort to fight crime, he’s got an advantage. For the most part, ol’ Hank has been able to defeat villains with very little trouble, mostly due to his ant allies. But, there is one person who came pretty darn close to defeating Ant-Man. We last saw Egghead “wanted by the police and hunted by the underworld as he holes up in a dingy bowery flophouse…” in Tales to Astonish #38. Ant-Man has since had a few adventures and met Janet Van Dyne who has now become The Wasp.

Will this duo be able to stop the nefarious plans of one of the smarter criminals in Marvel 616? Let’s find out.

While the cover of this issue, created by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers is great, I think in this issue they missed out by not putting the amazing teaser panel from the first page drawn by Don Heck on the cover. It’s got an ant-eater and Egghead looming over Ant-Man and the Wasp and it better illustrates the dire position our heroes are in. And it makes you wonder why no other villain has tried this yet.

Just look at that! I’ve never seen a more menacing ant-eater in my life.

The issue then goes on to give us some narration about how Ant-Man defeated Egghead in the past and Egghead is looking to wipe out that defeat.

We are then treated to a long recap of what happened before. This is extremely common in early Marvel 616 for a number of reasons. First, since comics were only ever sold as single issues at the time, if a new reader picked one up they might be lost if they had not read a previous issue. But it was also a way to save time and money for Marvel. There was no need to create new art when you could simply reuse existing art. Sometimes new captions or narrations are added but a lot of it is simply the same panels over and over again.

Rather than summarize this section for you here, I’ll just refer you to my review of the issue where these events took place, Tales to Astonish #38. If you don’t want to read that to refresh your memory, suffice it to say, Egghead assumed the ants were the unwilling slaves of Ant-Man when, in fact, they are his willing partners and friends. Egghead was too narcissistic to realize people (and ants) can work together.

When we finally catch up to the present, two thugs happen to be in the same brewery flophouse (I still love the way that is phrased here) where Eggman is staying. These two thugs are named Twister and Ape. And much to Eggman’s delight they are talking about how they were lucky to get away from Ant-Man and The Wasp.

Egghead is smart enough to spark up an alliance with the two men. First, he asks for them to tell him all about The Wasp. For the recap of that, we only get a single panel where Twister says, “…And that’s the whole story! Ant-Man and The Wasp are partners now!” To be fair, this did happen quite recently so it’s probably still fresh in most readers minds so less of a recap was needed. Twister remembers hearing about Egghead nearly defeating Ant-Man so he and Ape agree to the alliance.

Egghead decides to take on a new identity and he says, “Every man has his achilles heel! We will strike at Ant-Man through his… The Wasp!” Yes, Ant-Man’s The Wasp. Well spoken Egghead!

Egghead who has been thoroughly defeated and was living in a “brewery flophouse” then gets a bunch of scientific equipment from… somewhere I guess? Outside of Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four, the issue of money doesn’t come up a lot in early 616. Especially not for villains.

Egghead makes a machine that can intercept and scramble the signals from the ants to Ant-Man.

Next, he creates a disguise and establishes himself as Professor Carl Striker, Zoologist. He puts on brilliant lectures about insects, well attended by the public. I would think it would be easier to just go on faking you are a zoologist and making some money that way than going up against a super hero duo, but Egghead really wants that revenge.

And wouldn’t you know it? In attendance at the lecture are Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne. The zoologist seems kind of familiar to Henry Pym but he can’t quite place the guy.

And we get a fun panel telling any new readers who these two are.

Egghead’s next move is to lecture at the city zoo and build a fascinating exhibit about wasps. He figures Ant-Man and The Wasp won’t be able to resist showing up. But, as in all good villain team ups, signs of friction begin. Ape and Twister have been running around helping Egghead but not gotten much in return.

Egghead promises the crooks that once Ant-Man and The Wasp are out of the way, he’ll be able to cook up a bunch of perfect crimes that will make them all rich.

Construction on the exhibit begins and Egghead makes sure everything is as precisely detailed as it would be if a real zoologist did it. And we hear in the background a news item about a famous diamond which is about to be cut into a pendant for a priceless necklace.

Egghead plans to use this diamond as bait to capture The Wasp. As the zoo exhibit is being set up, a zoo attendant questions why the wasp exhibit is going into the reptile enclosure but Twister just snaps at the guy. Ape mentions the only thing he’s scared of is snakes.

As the professor Striker, Egghead has somehow obtained blueprints of the place where the diamond is going to be cut. Twister is supposed to take a “dewelding gun” which can cut the alarm wires while Ape is to bring along the insect message interceptor.

Sure enough, the crooks get inside and send out the scrambled insect messages. Hank Pym figures out there is something wrong with the messages and he immediately calls up Janet.

The messages suddenly clear up and Ant-Man is informed by the ants there is a robbery at the diamond cutter’s. Ant-Man uses his catapult and The Wasp flies over to the address. But, it’s too late, the diamond is missing. Henry can’t find any clues to the culprit but he figures they are smart and will strike again.

Twister and Ape want to fence the diamond but Egghead is only using it for bait. The tension between the three increase but they ultimately decide to go along with Egghead’s plan. They rig the reptile enclosure into an elaborate trap which can send electrical current through every crack an ant can crawl through.

Ape wants to know why they don’t just step on Ant-Man and Egghead just replies, “He’s not that easy to step on, my friend!” I know Egghead is smart, but I think Ape kind of has a point here.

They set up the display so The Wasp will notice the diamond and enter into a trap they have created. Janet sees the diamonds in an oversized replica of a wasp’s nest and has a moment where she thinks through what to do. And, she pines for Henry in the process.

That night, Janet returns as The Wasp. She goes into the nest, without realizing bad guys are watching her. And inside the nest is some sort of strange maze. Egghead has made special shoes which won’t allow ants to crawl up on the crooks. He also tells Ape to put the iguana in the aquarium. Egghead figures The Wasp will have to contact Ant-Man.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what happens. Henry is annoyed because he told her not to do any jobs alone but of course, he’s really worried some harm may come to her.

The crooks wear magnifying goggles so they can see Ant-Man and trap him into the aquarium with the iguana. Egghead did allow Ant-Man a fighting chance because he left a pin there. Ant-Man uses that to defeat the iguana off panel. I feel bad for the iguana though, it didn’t do anything wrong.

Ant-Man uses springs in his shoes to jump out of the glass case. Meanwhile, Janet has figured out where Hank fell through into the cage. She’s able to fly to that opening to escape. The two are reunited but now is when we finally get the ant-eater.

Egghead tells Ant-Man there is no escape and tells him about the electric wire which will, “electrocute any insect or insect-sized creature that attempts to pass over it!” Diabolical.

But Ant-Man has a tiny lasso he created from “strands of steel-strong synthetic fiber.” He loops that around the ant-eater’s snout and tosses the ant-eater into the crooks. Again, I feel bad for the animal here. The Wasp disables the electrical wire.

Egghead tells his fellow criminals to use their water pistols filled with liquid gas to stop the heroes. But, The Wasp has recovered the pin Ant-Man used to defeat the iguana. She sticks Egghead who drops his gun and realizes she has found her sting, “The one thing, as The Wasp, that I had lacked!” She makes the other crooks drop their weapons as well.

Ape is trapped in his worst nightmare, surrounded by snakes. Egghead has somehow fled the scene before Hank or Janet noticed.

Hank lectures Janet saying, “As for you, young lady, don’t you ever try anything like that again! We’re a team— and we’ll work as a team! Understand?!” And Janet just wishes Hank could realize how in love with him she is.

And once again, Egghead gets away but from the last panel we know, he is still a threat and will be back. Thus ends the issue.

Tales to Astonish is still, at this point, an anthology series. But with Ant-Man consistently taking over half of the pages, having repeat villains, and a partner who is beginning to be established as a love interest, it feels like there is not much point to the other stories. It will still be some time before Ant-Man is let loose from these pages but it will happen eventually.

While I think there are plenty of egg shaped holes in Egghead’s plan, he did come up with something much more elaborate than any other villain in this series has. And he’s not done yet. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Next up on the reading list, put on your best armor because we’ll be catching up with Tony Stark aka Iron Man himself in the pages of Tales of Suspense #43!

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Marvel 616 Review – Journey Into Mystery #94

Photo Credit: Marvel, Writers: Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, Artist: Joe Sinnot, Cover Art: Jack Kirby

At this point in Marvel 616 stories, Thor is without doubt the mightiest of heroes. Perhaps The Hulk could give him a run for his money but that’s debatable. The closest comparison you can make is Thor is as close as you get to Superman in the Marvel comics at this point. He’s super strong, he can fly (with the assistance of his hammer), he can even call down lightning and thunder.

Because of this immense power level, it’s been somewhat frustrating to see stories where Thor bashes communists over and over and goes after bad guys who break into banks and things like that. Those are the types of crimes that seem better suited for Spider-Man and Ant-Man to deal with.

But there has been one standout in the Journey Into Mystery stories. Every time Loki shows up, we get a story that feels more worthy of the god of thunder. The relationship between the two cannot be overstated in the history of Marvel 616. Without Loki’s blind ambition, and Thor’s determination to stop him, we wouldn’t have teams like The Avengers and The Defenders. Those stories are still a ways off but this issue lays more of the groundwork to get us there.

While Thor uses his strength and character to stop evil, he is quite susceptible to the machinations of his evil half-brother. The way we get there in this story is a bit silly but it’s still nice to see this conflict brewing, adding more of the necessary tension needed to expand this universe.

From the cover you can see Loki is able to get Thor on his side in this issue but how does he get there? Let’s dive into the issue and find out.

The issue starts out with a bit of a teaser panel with Thor showing Loki how he can topple the Leaning Tower of Pisa with his little finger.

We then move into the main story where a U.S. bomb testing site in the pacific ocean is launching a test missile. This particular missile is armed with a nuclear warhead which will explode in space. For the moment we’ll ignore the ramifications of this idea but needless to say, this missile is important.

We move to the control room where they are alerted to the fact the missile has started to fly wild. This is a real problem. In the control room they try to hit the self destruct button but it’s non-functional. Thankfully, the people of earth have one person who can help.

Thinking fast, the men in the control room send out an s.o.s. to Thor. The message goes out worldwide. Apparently, Thor doesn’t have super hearing. But luckily, Dr. Donald Blake is listening to the radio in his office. His nurse and love interest, Jane Foster is off for the day, so the good doctor immediately changes to Thor.

The god of thunder rushes to… the phone. The message didn’t say why the Pentagon needed Thor but apparently they take calls and over the land line, they give Thor the position of the missile. Good thing that was not a prank caller.

Thor tosses his hammer and launches himself into space to stop the missile.

Up to this point, this was feeling like a story where Thor would yet again end up fighting communists but it takes a nice turn as we get to see the real bad guy in the next panel. The last we saw Loki, he was imprisoned and bound for his wrongdoing. But Loki’s strength is not in his body but in his mind and magic.

It turns out, Loki has manipulated the missile all the way from his prison. And he counted on Thor’s sense of responsibility to the human race in order to enact his plans. Thor, as anyone might predict, tosses his hammer to destroy the missile. This provides an opportunity for the god of mischief to distract Thor. Loki sends the image of a dragon to Thor, causing him to turn his head at just the right moment. This effort causes Loki to pass out but it also does something to Thor. Mjolnir is flying back and because Thor has his head turned, it hits him just right.

Apparently Asgardians have a chromosomatic gland which can change personalities. I bet you can guess where this is headed. Loki mentally contacts Thor who immediately heads to the bifrost bridge and knocks Heimdall out. Heimdall obviously knows this is unusual behavior so he goes directly to Odin.

In the meantime, Loki is able to convince Thor that it’s Odin who bound Loki when in fact it was Thor. Thor breaks Loki’s chains and frees the villain. Odin and the other gods of Asgard confront Thor but he is too far gone to be convinced of Loki’s wrongdoing. It even goes so far that Thor hits Odin. Loki is smart enough to realize that his wits combined with the strength of Thor are still not enough to overcome all of the Asgardian gods. Instead, he cooks up a scheme to threaten Earth until Odin lets Loki and Thor rule Asgard.

As Thor and Loki storm off to Earth, Odin realizes he needs to ponder over what has happened. Odin’s strength is undoubtedly in his wisdom.

On Earth, Thor and Loki go on a spree of destruction, toppling landmarks, causing earthquakes, moving monuments, and generally proving to be the immense threat they could be. And we do, indeed, see Thor topple the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Loki, for his part, causes fear and chaos by sending around illusions that make everyone run for their lives.

Finally, a group of people who Thor describes as, “strangely garbed” show up waving the white flag of surrender. These people explain they are a special committee from the United Nations. They say they are scholars who study the ancient Norse legends and are confused as to why the Asgardians are behaving this way. The scholars ask Loki and Thor to come to the U.N. building so they can send a request to Odin to let humanity surrender to Thor and Loki.

The two Asgardians are taken into the building. They ask Thor how they can contact Odin and Thor replies, “It will require a signal… and the most fitting signal of all will be the destruction of the U. N. emblem which stands behind me!”

Thor then tosses his hammer at the symbol which opens up a trap door. The hammer stays in the air as Thor falls and Loki is able to tell someone is controlling it. Sure enough, the hammer conks Thor right on the noggin again where his chromosomatic gland is.

Turns out, Odin and company had some tricks up their own sleeves. They faked being the U.N. representatives to cure Thor. Thor tosses his hammer at Loki and says, “Though you are my brother in name, my brother in fact, you shall always be my enemy in spirit!” If Thor wasn’t cross with Loki before, he sure is now.

The god of thunder then goes on to ask the people of Earth to forgive him. He also promises the gods of Asgard will repair all the damage that was done to the planet. And Odin says he will remove the memory of these events from the minds of men. Loki is taken back to Asgard and imprisoned once more.

But we end with a panel here that sets us up for a lot of the future of Marvel 616. It both teases us that further adventures are to come, and assures us that Thor will be triumphant. It’s the basic relationship of Thor and Loki for decades to come.

Not only that, this hints at what an epic level threat Loki could be. If even the strongest of the heroes on Earth may not be able to defeat Loki, what can be done? There’s an answer for that but it won’t come until we get the Avengers together.

All in all, this is a great issue not only for Thor and Loki but for the history of Marvel 616. Things are slowly starting to heat up, threats are getting bigger, and heroes are going to need to come together.

Next up on the reading list we’ll be getting micro again as we check in with Ant-Man in the pages of Tales to Astonish #45!

P.S. Want to check this issue out for yourself? You can find it in Thor Masterworks Volume 1 by clicking the image below or on Marvel Unlimited!

(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)

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Marvel 616 Review – Strange Tales #110 [C Story]

Photo Credit: Marvel, Writer, Stan Lee, Artist, Steve Ditko

Strange Tales #110 is a landmark issue in the history of Marvel 616. It establishes repeat villains teaming up against The Human Torch and contains the introduction of a new hero to the universe. Because there are two important stories here, I will be splitting my review of the issue up into two parts. This time I will be going over the C story, which introduces us to the enigmatic and unusual hero known as Dr. Strange. There is a completely forgettable tale sandwiched between these two but it’s not considered part of the Marvel 616 universe so I’ll be ignoring that one altogether.

Dr. Strange is introduced to us as a Master of Black Magic! Strange is differentiated from other heroes at the time for several reasons. For one, he doesn’t gain powers through some random nuclear accident. We’re not told how he becomes this sorcerer in our first introduction to him at all. All we know is he is capable of wielding magic and from the first panel, he’s wearing rather unusual garb.

The story is provided by Stan Lee and as great as the stories here become, Dr. Strange owes most of his success to the incredibly inventive imagination of one Steve Ditko. He’s also the person responsible for the creation of Spider-Man’s iconic look. But in the panels of Dr. Strange, his artistry is allowed to take on the surreal and do so in a way that works to support the story.

It’s in 1963 that Strange makes his first appearance. While this certainly predates the weird and wild later 60’s that would give us free love and hippies, Dr. Strange was definitely out there leading the way. He’s more of a beatnik in the beginning, riffing with his magical prowess in ways other heroes are not. He’s not about strength of mind, but power of soul and spirit.

Not to mention, this is the first hero story since the debut of Fantastic Four where the creators decided even before the first issue was sold, Dr. Strange would have a continuing series.

So, let’s take a look at the humble beginnings of this debut story of our Sorcerer Supreme and see what he’s all about.

We start the story with a man in distress. He’s got a relatable problem. He’s unable to sleep. It seems he’s been having a recurring dream that plagues him and he’s powerless to stop it.

This man gives us our first inkling of Dr. Strange. The man realizes he needs help and and knows of a name spoken only in whispers. One Dr. Strange who dabbles in black magic.

Right from the first page it’s apparent this story is going to be different. This is not someone performing acrobatics to recover bags of gold from a bank robber. This is not someone who is an Asgardian god who has immense power at his fingertips. This is someone who works in secret, in the dark places Marvel 616 has truly not gone yet. And while he’s clearly a helper, he performs black magic. As the reader we don’t exactly know what that means but it sounds like someone playing around with some pretty serious stuff.

We then switch our scene to Greenwich Village and the home of Dr. Strange. The sleep deprived man is let into the house by a servant in a strange green outfit. As the sleep deprived man tries to explain his situation, he is told, “Dr. Strange knows all! Enter!”

On the next panel we get the full picture of Dr. Strange. There is smoke in the room, giant books behind him, and a general feeling of being in an otherworldly place. We also find out he’s got a powerful amulet.

The distressed man tells Dr. Strange about his dream. A figure, bound in chains keeps appearing and staring at him. This is enough for Strange to agree to help. He tells the man he will visit that night and find the answer to his dream. The man asks how it will be done and Dr. Strange simply answers, “…By entering your dream!!!”

It’s clear from this exchange Dr. Strange has some sort of impossible mystical power at his disposal. But how or why it works is much less clear.

We next see Strange sitting in front of an incense burner. This answers where the smoke has been coming from. Strange says it is time for him to visit the master from whom all his powers stem.

We get the first instance of Dr. Strange using astral projection here as his spirit flies to “a hidden temple somewhere in the remote vastness of Asia…”

We see a man with a white beard sitting before Strange. He tells Strange that he senses danger and warns Strange that his days are numbered. He says Strange will need to take his place in the battle against the forces of darkness and evil.

From this exchange, it’s becoming more clear that although Dr. Strange practices so called black magic, he is on the side of good.

The white bearded man then tells Strange to depend upon his amulet.

While there is a lot to like in the introduction of Dr. Strange, there are a few things to criticize here. One, the mysterious man is drawn in what could be considered an insulting stereotype. Secondly, the whole white savior complex is pretty apparent here. This definitely figures more into later stories of Dr. Strange but make no mistake, it’s appearing here too.

Dr. Strange, no longer in astral form, visits the sleep deprived man. Strange instructs the man to sleep. Once the man is asleep, Dr. Strange goes into another trance and his spirit enters the dream.

It’s here we get one of the first instances of wild background art we will start to see from Steve Ditko in this series.

Sure enough, the figure bound by chains appears. Dr. Strange asks the figure why he torments the sleepless man so. The figure states that he is the symbol of evil the man has done. The figure then tells Strange to ask Mr. Crang about it.

We next see the introduction of a major villain who will often return to plague Dr. Strange. This is a thin figure riding on a thin horse. This is apparently Dr. Strange’s ancient foe, Nightmare.

Nightmare reminds Strange of the rule that, “those who enter a hostile dimension must be prepared to pay for it–with their lives!”

Back in the waking world, the sleepless man awakes and realizes Dr. Strange must know all about whatever it is he has done. This man then grabs a gun with the intention of killing the dark magician. Strange sees this as Nightmare points out his imminent physical destruction. Nightmare tells Strange nothing can save him now.

But Dr. Strange is not out of tricks yet. He calls to the master. This master hears the call and decides to help Strange through his amulet.

In the room where Strange is about to be gunned down, his amulet begins to glow with an unnatural brightness. The amulet opens a metal eye and this eye instantly hypnotizes the gunman who goes rigid.

This moment also gives Strange the opening he needs to dash past Nightmare in the dream dimension. Strange makes it safely back to our reality but Nightmare vows revenge.

Dr. Strange then releases the sleepless man from his hypnosis and orders him to tell the truth. It turns out this man had ruined many men in business, the last of which was Mr. Crang. Poor Mr. Crang had been robbed but could never prove it. The sleepless man states he will confess and Dr. Strange tells him it’s the only way he’ll ever sleep again.

We’re left with a teaser for the next story and that ends the introduction of Dr. Strange.

For the most part, when the Marvel team says they have a hero unlike any ever seen before, they are only telling half truths. There had definitely been superheroes who were some sort of magician or had access to magic powers before. So, it’s not quite true to say there had never been a hero like Dr. Strange before. But, it was still an impressive introduction to a newer kind of character in the 60’s. And the artwork that will be displayed in the issues to come is simply out of this world, as it should be.

It’s also great to see this story set up what is essentially a new corner of the Marvel 616 universe, that of magic. It leaves room for lots of wild stories that take tremendously creative turns. For now, we’ll need to leave Dr. Strange where he is but he will be back soon with more mystic tales for us to review.

Next up on the reading list we’ll be checking in once again with the golden haired god of thunder, Thor in Journey Into Mystery #94!

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Marvel 616 Review – Strange Tales #110 [A Story]

Strange Tales #110 Photo Credit: Marvel, Writers: Stan Lee, Ernie Hart, Artist: Dick Ayers

Strange Tales #110 is a landmark issue in the history of Marvel 616. It establishes repeat villains teaming up against one of our heroes and contains the introduction of a new hero to the universe. Because there are two important stories here, I will be splitting my review of the issue up into two parts. This time I will be going over the A story, which features Johnny Storm in his most intense battle to date against not one but two of his mortal foes.

Villain team ups are pretty standard these days. They show up in comics constantly and there have even been a few movies and television shows where we’ve seen this happen. DC had perfected this type of story long before the Marvel 616 universe started to do it. But, it is always interesting when a hero we know has to go up against a new combination of evil characters. Johnny Storm, aka, The Human Torch has had his share of enemies both on his own and with his family The Fantastic Four. Two of the most dangerous for him were The Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete. The Wizard uses all kinds of gadgets and tricks to trap the hero while Paste-Pot Pete has a special glue gun that proves surprisingly adept at trapping Johnny. Ridiculous names aside, these guys are dangerous.

The issue starts with a teaser page, like most of the early 616 universe does but this one has my favorite pre-read warning so far where we are told to be cautious if we have a heart condition before we read on.

The story then gets going with a few panels showing Johnny Storm making his way as The Human Torch through an obstacle course he has set up for himself. He is compared to a trained athlete but it is noted that if Johnny makes a mistake, he doesn’t lose a game, he could lose his life.

Johnny next hits his school books which at one point mentions wizards. This gets Johnny’s mind drifting and he starts to remember The Wizard who he faced off against in the past. He takes a look at his scrapbook and we get a flashback scene reminding us of the last time Johnny faced The Wizard. This is a pretty common technique in the earlier Marvel 616 stories because they could reuse old art and fill up pages at the same time with adding just a bit of narration.

And, of course, it’s not just The Wizard who gets this treatment. We next see Johnny reminisce about ol’ Paste-Pot Pete himself. For a guy with a paste gun he sure got close to getting rid of Johnny. He had The Human Torch strapped to a missile and everything.

At the end of his reminiscing, Johnny wonders where both The Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete are now and what they are doing. It’s no surprise to the modern reader that we then find out, and it’s not good.

Paste-Pot Pete has returned to the country and he is clearly looking for revenge against The Human Torch. Pete realizes he alone is not enough to go against the super hero and he remembers how The Wizard nearly took Johnny out. The only problem? The Wizard is in solitary confinement at a place called Cortraz Penitentiary. And The Wizard still holds just as much of a grudge as Pete does.

Luckily for The Wizard, Paste-Pot Pete has some truly incredible paste. It’s so good, it can be used to make powerful binocular lenses.

Pete figures out the delivery schedule for the food supply trucks and hijacks it. Paste-Pot Pete makes his way into the jail and he is apparently a quick draw with the paste gun because none of the guards are fast enough to stop him. He then uses the same gun to glue onto The Wizard’s cell door and uses the, “reverse suction switch” on his gun to pull the door off.

Needless to say, The Wizard is all in on the plan to get our favorite hothead. The Wizard even has a little gas pellet he cooked up in prison that blows the gates open so the pair can make their escape.

But, like any good super villain team up, there is tension almost from the start. The Wizard basically starts giving Pete orders which he doesn’t take too kindly to. The plan is to first discredit and humiliate The Human Torch and then defeat him permanently.

Immediately they frame Johnny for being a spy. Reed and the rest of the FF call Johnny up to make sure he is okay. Johnny basically takes this the wrong way thinking his team thinks he can’t handle himself.

Johnny is ridiculed at school for being a traitor although some kids defend him. Not being one to take this sort of thing lightly, Johnny has a plan.

We switch perspectives back to the villains who read in the newspaper that one of the world’s richest men is going to arrive in town. The Wizard plans to wait until the man takes his nightly walk and then rob him. He’s also going to frame Johnny for this by wearing his asbestos suit, making it look like it’s Johnny in the dark.

Rest assured The Human Torch has this well in hand as it’s him who was walking down the street. He was just disguised.

The villains run back into their house where The Wizard has laid several traps for our hero. They get Johnny into a room which is basically a hall of mirrors. The Human Torch flounders for a bit as he tries to find a way out.

Johnny gives up momentarily and asks the bad guys what is next. They tell him they are going to flood the room with a fire extinguishing liquid The Wizard has invented. But first, Paste-Pot Pete pastes The Torch to the floor.

The villains then make the classic villain mistake of leaving the hero. Johnny thinks fast and makes a flame version of himself. He then burns the paste off of his feet to free himself. He then uses as much heat as he can to burn his way out through the ceiling of the room.

In another part of the house, the bad guys put their little contraption to work and watch what they think will be Johnny’s demise. But they soon notice that the figure disappears. This does give Johnny just enough time to recharge his power and come after the bad guys. Pete and The Wizard aren’t exactly friends but they both basically vow their revenge on Johnny as they are taken away by the police.

The kids at school are once again fans of The Human Torch and Johnny complains he missed so much schoolwork because of needing to fight the bad guys. And this is where the story ends.

While this may not have been overly groundbreaking it was a fun story and it showcased how even minor villains teaming up against a Marvel hero could make things much more difficult. Over the years, The Fantastic Four and The Human Torch alone will be dealing with plenty of villains getting together.

If this was the only story in this issue relevant to Marvel 616 it might only be mildly interesting. Yet this issue has something else worth noting.

Next up on the reading list we’ll be reading about the introduction of the sorcerer supreme himself as we see Dr. Strange in Strange Tales #110 [C story]!