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Robert Greenberger
by Robert Greenberger
Writer/editor Stan Lee as well as publisher Martin Goodman were not whatsoever gotten ready for the wild success of amazing Four. All Goodman saw were dollar indications as well as requested much more heroic product, in spite of being restricted to a simple eight titles a month. Lee cautiously began rolling out new concepts, stuffing them as the cover function to his anthology titles that were house to aliens, monsters, as well as things that go bump in the night.
The Human Torch & The Thing: unusual Tales – The total Collection
With younger visitors in mind, Lee chose to broaden the FF brand by taking teen Johnny storm as well as providing him his own function as the lead in unusual Tales. While Lee plotted, his sibling Larry Lieber dialogued as well as Jack Kirby at first penciled the short stories, ably inked by Dick Ayers. In time, the thing handled a much more popular function so ultimately he shared billing before it was chose the whole thing wasn’t working as well as was replaced. The run of those stories are now being collected in The Human Torch & The Thing: unusual Tales – The total Collection, including unusual Tales #101-134 as well as unusual Tales annual #2.
The adventures begin in unusual Tales #101
These overlooked stories have some fascinating takes on the characters in addition to their own interior continuity that much more commonly than not saw the thing as well as Torch deal with the Wizard as well as his minions. There’s likewise a appeal to Johnny’s antics without Reed Richards harrumphing at him to act much more responsibly. From the outset, he was still living with sibling Susan storm in Glenview, long Island as well as even tried to go to high school. He even tried a trick identity before everybody realized that creatively it wasn’t working so his good friends as well as neighbors understood who he was. Johnny was likewise still included with his very first flame, Doris Evans.
The sibling rivalry between Johnny as well as Benjamin J. Grimm likewise added a shimmer to numerous of the stories.
Strange Tales #106
There were much more than a few characters as well as ideas introduced here, all of whom would be seen throughout the marvel world over the next few decades. There’s great old Zemu in 1962, for example, resurrected as Xemu when resurrected in 1975. much more immediately, there’s Paste Pot Pete, who goes from silly looking criminal to silly looking costumed criminal before he fixed up later as the Trapster. then there’s the Acrobat in problem #106 (which likewise introduced the Human Torch’s challenge training course) who came back in #114, disguised as Captain America in a trial run for the star-spangled avenger’s resurrection four months later. That story won the 1963 “Favorite short Story” alley Award.
Lesser-known villains the Plantman as well as Eel shown up right here as did the bad man’s dislike Monger, the Rabble Rouser. as well as let’s not fail to remember the awful Trio who afflict Johnny a few times before disappearing into a limbo so deep they’ve never been resurrected.
If you’re going to have a Human Torch feature, a confrontation with the Sub-Mariner, echoing their golden Age conflicts, was inevitable as well as he makes a few appearances here.
Jerry Siegel dialogs a battle against Plantman in unusual Tales #113
Creatively, Lieber bowed out relatively early on, providing method to Robert Bernstein as well as Ernie Hart before Jerry Siegel, (yes, that Jerry Siegel) composed a few under the name Joe Carter. In time, Lee returned to completely script the series up until the last handful of issues, where he co-plotted with Bob Powell who stepped in to pencil (although Larry Ivie did co-plot one with Powell). Visually, this was mostly Dick Ayers’ show although he got inking from Mike Esposito, George Roussos, Paul Reinman, as well as Frank Giacoia. When Powell stepped in, he was inked by others including one good problem from Wally Wood. Carl Burgos, who drew the extremely very first Human Torch tale in the golden Age, came back for one pencilling assignment.
Strange Tales #124
With problem #124, the title was revised to the Human Torch as well as the thing as well as they were progressively sharing the cover with physician Strange, who shown up in problem #110 as well as was rapidly the much more prominent feature. He even began dominating the split covers.
Maybe it was the increase of the marvel world or the requirement to goose sales, however in the final year, there were a great deal much more guest stars including one with Iceman (fire as well as ice – get it?) as well as later there was one with Quicksilver as well as Scarlet Witch as they tried to extricate themselves from Magneto’s Brotherhood of EvilMutants.
Johnny as well as Ben satisfy the Beatles in unusual Tales #130
Then there’s the second finest understood story, as Johnny as well as Ben took their dates to Coney Island to see the Beatles perform. In addition, of course, they satisfy the fabulous four after defeating criminals robbing the box office.
In the final tale, the Watcher shows up in a wild story that includes Kang the Conqueror imprisoning Merlin the magician so our heroes have to travel in time to Camelot as well as do their thing. They went out on a high note although it was a peaceful one as all interest was paid to the complying with problem as well as the arrival of Nick Fury, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Lee, Kirby, as well as Ditko join forces for unusual Tales annual #2
Also included right here for completeness’ benefit is the 18-page lead from 1963’s unusual Tales annual with a Human Torch-Spider-Man team-up that was a unusual partnership between the marvel Age of Comics’ founders: Stan lee, Jack Kirby, as well as Steve Ditko.
These are not excellent however definitely fun stories as well as enables you a sideways peek into the innovative development of the marvel Age.