Welcome to Make Ours Marvel, the weekly show where Michael Kaiser and Jon M. Wilson read chronologically through Marvel Comics’ spandex adventures and discuss their thoughts with little to no authority.
In this episode…
- The Avengers #11 (Dec 1964)
- Strange Tales #128 (Jan 1965)
- The Fantastic Four #34 (Jan 1965)
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When you guys were discussing the whole “it can ONLY be my old arch enemy… [fill-in-the-blank]!” trope, I was immediately reminded of an episode of Freakazoid (where they did a spoof of Johnny Quest called “Toby Danger”) and the one quote that has always stuck with me was this: https://youtu.be/mmy2-gu04CE
What is going on here?? An enjoyable Strange Tales issue? Disappointing Avengers AND FF issues? Did I jump to the Star Trek mirror universe without realizing? Quick, Jon and Michael, do you have goatees and mustaches? (waiting…)
Strange Tales: Ben and Johnny versus Wanda and Pietro. You guys called it. The last place you go for thoughtful guidance are knuckleheads Ben and Johnny. But there’s definitely some fault from the Maximoffs. Maybe they lost all of their “people skills” from working with Magneto and fending off Toad and Mastermind. Yeesh. But this story is a surprising gem in the Maximoffs arc towards becoming Avengers, so that’s awesome! It almost makes it seem like there was a plan, but I really doubt Stan and company worked storylines that far out. (They would today, but wasn’t it more month-to-month back then?) However, it does seem like they’re setting up an eventual turn for Wanda and Pietro, even if a specific direction wasn’t spelled out.
Doctor Strange vs Demon wizard guy something: Meh. Nice that Strange has his definitive look at last, but meh.
Avengers vs Spider-Man: UGH! No. I did not like this one. No. Not even a little. There’s times when it’s crazy things happen in these older stories to make fun of. But this one is just maddening. So, no. ‘Nuff said.
FF vs Richie Rich I mean Daddy Warbucks I mean oh who cares: Yes, this story has been done before with the FF, and better. But the team is just so dumb this whole issue! They don’t ask questions, just react, and look terrible in the process. We’re supposed to be on the FF’s side, but why they gots ta be so dumb??
(still waiting to see if Jon and Michael have mirror facial hair…)
I guess that’s more than enough. Until a new Gideon appears, and fights an entire super-team in his hot tub, make mine Make Ours Marvel! (unless this is the mirror universe)