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…
- Amazing Spider-Man #28 (Sept 1965)
- Strange Tales #136 (Sept 1965)
- Tales of Suspense #69 (Sept 1965)
- The Avengers #19 (Aug 1965)
Images from Discussion:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Spider-Man #28: I’ve read Molten Man’s second appearance in a Treasury Edition back when I was a kid, but not his origin. I dug the parallel with Spider-Man’s origin, but it was just “ok” overall. The real standout was Ditko’s cover. Love it! And maybe just me, the splash page on page 1 was interesting for having Peter not in costume. It was completely consistent with the story, but just atypical to have Peter rather than Spider-Man.
Peter’s graduation: In addition to Liz Allen’s remarkably normal feelings that it’s time for a change in her life, Peter doesn’t even remember her name right! It’s in a thought balloon on page 2. “There’s Liz Hilton.” That’s unintentionally perfect symbolism for Liz and Peter’s relationship. All this time, and he still gets her name wrong. Wow.
Strange Tales #136: Loving the super-spy hijinks. The “agent of color” being done right is excellent! And the manicurist agent was also portrayed as quite competent. Who would have thought Nick Fury, SHIELD, would be the bastion of representation in comics?
How far does HYDRA’s policy to failure apply? “This Starbucks coffee is cold! You must defeat your successor or die!” “But I’m a 17-year-old intern.” “Expect no mercy, Christie!”
Dr Strange: I don’t get the confusion, guys. Everyone can tell he’s saying “Eternity” with a capital E. It’s right there in the word balloons… Oh wait, the whole word is lettered in capitals. Um… never mind. Hey, how about cape coming the rescue? That was great!
Tales of Suspense #69: We can finally have the team-up I’ve been waiting for: “Magneto and Titanium Man!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S_MaS-2gno
Ooo, the idea that Natasha/Black Widow might have been intended for this issue! I like that a lot! FYI, there is a story much later that links Natasha and Boris. Yes, really. Insert “Moose and squirrel” joke here.
I must not have paid enough attention before, but it tickled me to see Tony recharge by plugging a cord into his iron nipple. Lord, I’m the oldest 8-year-old alive. It’s on page 2. What the heck, page 2, get it together!
Captain America: Oh when are they going to fix Bucky’s costume! It’s driving me nuts! And ok, we have a scientist who’s invented a shrinking ray a couple of decades before Hank Pym, and it’s going to be used solely … to capture Cap and Bucky. I’m PRETTY SURE there’s other uses for such a device, but hey, comics!
Avengers #19: Cap’s Quartet is Cooking now. Fun and loving the dynamics of the team. Yes Mike, Trick Shot is a real thing, introduced in the series Solo Avengers headlined by Hawkeye in 1987. You guys will get there soon enough, but just for me, both Swordsman and Trick Shot worked at the same circus, Swordsy took in Hawkeye, and then had Trick Shot teach him archery. Kind of an important detail if that’s how it really happened. But then Hawk doesn’t strike me as a detail kinda guy.
3 episodes to the big 100. Stop joking about that being the end of the show. It makes me sad.
Until next time, or until Hawkeye ditches this costume to wear a skirt, make mine Make Ours Marvel.