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Post by Cei-U! on Apr 13, 2017 17:15:43 GMT -5
I lay the blame for this story arc's faults about equally between Gil Kane, who hadn't had much experience working in plot-first "Marvel method" at the time (and who never did like working that way unless he was sole plotter), and Stan Lee, who no doubt provided Gil with little more than a two or three sentence summary to work from then had to make do with what he got come time to dialogue. It doesn't feel like Captain America was a high priority for Stan, and the strip floundered badly until Kirby returned.
Cei-U!
I summon the three-issue placeholder!
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Post by The Captain on Apr 20, 2017 19:43:01 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #92 "Before My Eyes, Nick Fury Died!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: August 1967 SynopsisReturning home to New York City following his latest run-in with the Red Skull, Steve lands at JFK and immediately checks in with the Avengers, who assure him that they are doing fine in his absence. After he signs off, Hank and Wanda wonder if Steve is just putting on a happy face for them in light of all he has been going through lately. The scene quickly shifts to an undersea craft, where Agent 13 is giving a group of A.I.M. scientists some valuable intel, that being a time and location where they can find Nick Fury. They question her loyalties and whether she would actually turn on S.H.I.E.L.D., but she produces a recording of Fury himself confirming his plans. The scientists destroy the tape without listening to it, saying they will kill her if she's lied, recording or not. On a nearby view-screen, they check in on a truck carrying the Mecho-Assassin, saying they will soon learn if she can be trusted. At the same time, Steve is walking along a busy NYC street, musing about his life, as he feels like an outcast in this time, useful only when he's in costume and on mission; his thoughts then quickly turn to his lack of a love life, starting with the woman he lost in WWII and finishing with the mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. agent whose name he does not know but to whom he feels drawn. In the middle of his reverie, Steve hails a cab so he can return to the Avengers, but the A.I.M. truck speeds by and releases its cargo in the form of the Mecho-Assassin. It moves in the direction of Nick Fury's barbershop hangout (and the entrance to a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. location), and as it reaches its destination, it targets its gun on the window of the building. Steve demands the taxi stop, then he jumps out and changes into his uniform, racing toward the would-be assassin as Captain America. Hurling his shield at the Mecho-Assassin, he narrowly misses it, and although he is able to dodge the first blast from the gun while he waits for his shield to return, a second shot catches him squarely in his returned shield, the impact stunning him. Stepping over him, the A.I.M. robot goes to finish its assignment, but Cap recovers in time to toss it aside before it can attack Fury, who is injured and lying on the floor of the barbershop. Cap and the Mecho-Assassin continue their fight, with neither gaining the advantage, until Cap knocks the robot backwards, only to see it dissolve in self-destruction as Nick Fury appears behind Cap. He explains that in order to sell Agent 13 as a credible double agent, they used a Life Model Decoy of Fury to draw A.I.M. out, but Cap blew that plan, possibly putting Agent 13 in danger. Fury says she will need to be rescued from A.I.M. singlehandedly, and he asks if Cap knows of any volunteers. Continuity Errors: None identifiedMy ThoughtsThis was a definite step up from the previous issues. As Cei-U! noted in his last post here, Gil Kane just didn't seem to mesh well with the "Marvel Method", but with The King back holding the pencils, there was an almost instantaneous improvement to the book. Storywise, Stan and Jack did a lot of things right with this issue. We get some more broody Steve, but instead of whining about Bucky's death (which would have been easy to fall back on after the previous storyline), they give him something new to contemplate, that being his lack of a girlfriend. It's a welcome change and it makes sense, as he's met someone he likes but with whom he is never able to connect, either because of his responsibilities or hers, which we see immediately addressed as the subplot of where Agent 13 disappeared to at the end of ToS #86 is picked up, as she has spent her time working her way into A.I.M. as a double agent supposedly selling Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. out. The reintroduction of A.I.M. in this issue further cements the tie that Marvel was trying to make between the Captain America and Nick Fury books, as thematically they fit together well and as has been noted previously, Marvel had considered moving these two characters into one book at the time, splitting them off from Iron Man and Doctor Strange, respectively. The Mecho-Assassin is another of Stan and Jack's goofy sciency things. While the robot itself isn't a bad idea, the way that it just dissolves at the end of its battle with Cap is one of those unexplainable things that Jack draws and Stan has to try to make sense of, usually to poor results. My biggest complaint about the issue is how it ends, with Fury insisting that Agent 13 needed to be rescued and coercing Steve into doing it. Just two panels earlier, Nick talks about how she is one of their top agents, but he immediately turns her into the standard "damsel in distress" that needs to be saved by the hero. While I recognize that this is Cap's book, first and foremost, and that the 1960s weren't the most enlightened time for females in comic books, it's incongruous to talk up her abilities in one panel and then send someone off to rescue her as though she were some dainty princess. It's a minor quibble, and one that I can overlook based on the time period, but it's certainly one that wouldn't fly today. My Grade: B - This is a solid issue, bringing Steve back into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orbit, meaning he may soon get his wish for some quality time with Agent 13, but only if he can get to her before A.I.M. disposes of her for her double-cross of them.
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Post by tarkintino on Apr 22, 2017 15:52:13 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #91"The Last Defeat!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Gil Kane (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: July 1967 My ThoughtsThis was a barely-passable final chapter to a fairly uninspired Red Skull story. Cap shows he is a man of honor by giving up the location of the XPT-1 because of the oath he took in ToS #90, and the Red Skull shows he is just as bloodthirsty as ever, casually musing about which city he will destroy in his quest for world domination. Other than that, it's Cap fighting nondescript submarine crew members for almost four pages and another "death" for the Red Skull, who will probably be back someday in the distant future. There were some pretty big plot holes in this one. The Red Skull says that Cap knows the exact latitude and longitude of the XPT-1 because of a briefing he got while with the Avengers, but Cap hasn't been around the Avengers for a few days, so how does he know things haven't changed. As well, Cap says the sub is around 50 degrees longitude and 45 degrees latitude, so converting that to distance in miles (standard, not nautical), he's given the Red Skull an area of approximately 4700 square miles to search for an underwater craft, but somehow, the Red Skull flies right over the XPT-1 with little effort to continue his scheme. As well, there is no explanation being given for how the Red Skull is able to hypnotically command an entire vessel full of crewmen by sending sonar waves at it. Seeing as the entire purpose of sonar is to have the waves bounce off an object to reveal location, not place people in a trance, this is just another instance of Stan using sciencey terms that in no way work the way he purports them to. Lastly, it's stated that the XPT-1 is an ATOMIC SUBMARINE. In the 1960's, that's probably going to be a pretty pricey piece of equipment, but here, the US government decides that they're going to just casually destroy it at the end of its mission because it's "experimental". Well, that's a gigantic waste of taxpayer dollars to begin with, but going a step further, by blowing it up underwater in the north Atlantic, all of that radioactive material powering the ATOMIC SUBMARINE is just going to be released into the water, causing untold environmental damage. My Grade: C- The best thing I can say about this story is that it's finally over. Over the course of three issues, we got one good fight between Cap, Power Man, and Swordsman, a Bucky return tease that turned out to be nothing, and a bunch of bad science from plastic bubbles that can engulf entire cities, hypnotic sonar waves, and multi-million dollar atomic submarines being turned to scrap just because. Well, what can anyone say? Stan Lee was as guilty of writing what quickly became "whatever works and sounds larger than life" spy-fi type stories as the writers who worked for Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The C.A.T., Mission: Impossible, etc. In other words, it was not the Bond novels transferred to comic books. Still, the big takeaway is the consistent character building of the then-still young Silver Age Captain America as a man who never compromised his beliefs--even when making a promise to a master villain. His undying devotion to what is truly right would shape his landmark decision to temporarily drop his Cap I.D. in the early 70s (that should be an interesting review), which makes him a great character to follow, no matter what is fired at him. Other heroes bend from time to time...not Cap. |
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Post by The Captain on Apr 22, 2017 16:25:05 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #91"The Last Defeat!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Gil Kane (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: July 1967 My ThoughtsThis was a barely-passable final chapter to a fairly uninspired Red Skull story. Cap shows he is a man of honor by giving up the location of the XPT-1 because of the oath he took in ToS #90, and the Red Skull shows he is just as bloodthirsty as ever, casually musing about which city he will destroy in his quest for world domination. Other than that, it's Cap fighting nondescript submarine crew members for almost four pages and another "death" for the Red Skull, who will probably be back someday in the distant future. There were some pretty big plot holes in this one. The Red Skull says that Cap knows the exact latitude and longitude of the XPT-1 because of a briefing he got while with the Avengers, but Cap hasn't been around the Avengers for a few days, so how does he know things haven't changed. As well, Cap says the sub is around 50 degrees longitude and 45 degrees latitude, so converting that to distance in miles (standard, not nautical), he's given the Red Skull an area of approximately 4700 square miles to search for an underwater craft, but somehow, the Red Skull flies right over the XPT-1 with little effort to continue his scheme. As well, there is no explanation being given for how the Red Skull is able to hypnotically command an entire vessel full of crewmen by sending sonar waves at it. Seeing as the entire purpose of sonar is to have the waves bounce off an object to reveal location, not place people in a trance, this is just another instance of Stan using sciencey terms that in no way work the way he purports them to. Lastly, it's stated that the XPT-1 is an ATOMIC SUBMARINE. In the 1960's, that's probably going to be a pretty pricey piece of equipment, but here, the US government decides that they're going to just casually destroy it at the end of its mission because it's "experimental". Well, that's a gigantic waste of taxpayer dollars to begin with, but going a step further, by blowing it up underwater in the north Atlantic, all of that radioactive material powering the ATOMIC SUBMARINE is just going to be released into the water, causing untold environmental damage. My Grade: C- The best thing I can say about this story is that it's finally over. Over the course of three issues, we got one good fight between Cap, Power Man, and Swordsman, a Bucky return tease that turned out to be nothing, and a bunch of bad science from plastic bubbles that can engulf entire cities, hypnotic sonar waves, and multi-million dollar atomic submarines being turned to scrap just because. Well, what can anyone say? Stan Lee was as guilty of writing what quickly became "whatever works and sounds larger than life" spy-fi type stories as the writers who worked for Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The C.A.T., Mission: Impossible, etc. In other words, it was not the Bond novels transferred to comic books. Still, the big takeaway is the consistent character building of the then-still young Silver Age Captain America as a man who never compromised his beliefs--even when making a promise to a master villain. His undying devotion to what is truly right would shape his landmark decision to temporarily drop his Cap I.D. in the early 70s (that should be an interesting review), which makes him a great character to follow, no matter what is fired at him. Other heroes bend from time to time...not Cap. Funny you mention that storyline, as there's a distinct possibilility that a podcast or two on those books might be coming in the near future. |
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Post by Batflunkie on Apr 22, 2017 17:04:20 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #92"Before My Eyes, Nick Fury Died!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: August 1967 SynopsisReturning home to New York City following his latest run-in with the Red Skull, Steve lands at JFK and immediately checks in with the Avengers, who assure him that they are doing fine in his absence. After he signs off, Hank and Wanda wonder if Steve is just putting on a happy face for them in light of all he has been going through lately. The scene quickly shifts to an undersea craft, where Agent 13 is giving a group of A.I.M. scientists some valuable intel, that being a time and location where they can find Nick Fury. They question her loyalties and whether she would actually turn on S.H.I.E.L.D., but she produces a recording of Fury himself confirming his plans. The scientists destroy the tape without listening to it, saying they will kill her if she's lied, recording or not. On a nearby view-screen, they check in on a truck carrying the Mecho-Assassin, saying they will soon learn if she can be trusted. At the same time, Steve is walking along a busy NYC street, musing about his life, as he feels like an outcast in this time, useful only when he's in costume and on mission; his thoughts then quickly turn to his lack of a love life, starting with the woman he lost in WWII and finishing with the mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. agent whose name he does not know but to whom he feels drawn. In the middle of his reverie, Steve hails a cab so he can return to the Avengers, but the A.I.M. truck speeds by and releases its cargo in the form of the Mecho-Assassin. It moves in the direction of Nick Fury's barbershop hangout (and the entrance to a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. location), and as it reaches its destination, it targets its gun on the window of the building. Steve demands the taxi stop, then he jumps out and changes into his uniform, racing toward the would-be assassin as Captain America. Hurling his shield at the Mecho-Assassin, he narrowly misses it, and although he is able to dodge the first blast from the gun while he waits for his shield to return, a second shot catches him squarely in his returned shield, the impact stunning him. Stepping over him, the A.I.M. robot goes to finish its assignment, but Cap recovers in time to toss it aside before it can attack Fury, who is injured and lying on the floor of the barbershop. Cap and the Mecho-Assassin continue their fight, with neither gaining the advantage, until Cap knocks the robot backwards, only to see it dissolve in self-destruction as Nick Fury appears behind Cap. He explains that in order to sell Agent 13 as a credible double agent, they used a Life Model Decoy of Fury to draw A.I.M. out, but Cap blew that plan, possibly putting Agent 13 in danger. Fury says she will need to be rescued from A.I.M. singlehandedly, and he asks if Cap knows of any volunteers. Continuity Errors: None identifiedMy ThoughtsThis was a definite step up from the previous issues. As Cei-U! noted in his last post here, Gil Kane just didn't seem to mesh well with the "Marvel Method", but with The King back holding the pencils, there was an almost instantaneous improvement to the book. Storywise, Stan and Jack did a lot of things right with this issue. We get some more broody Steve, but instead of whining about Bucky's death (which would have been easy to fall back on after the previous storyline), they give him something new to contemplate, that being his lack of a girlfriend. It's a welcome change and it makes sense, as he's met someone he likes but with whom he is never able to connect, either because of his responsibilities or hers, which we see immediately addressed as the subplot of where Agent 13 disappeared to at the end of ToS #86 is picked up, as she has spent her time working her way into A.I.M. as a double agent supposedly selling Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. out. The reintroduction of A.I.M. in this issue further cements the tie that Marvel was trying to make between the Captain America and Nick Fury books, as thematically they fit together well and as has been noted previously, Marvel had considered moving these two characters into one book at the time, splitting them off from Iron Man and Doctor Strange, respectively. The Mecho-Assassin is another of Stan and Jack's goofy sciency things. While the robot itself isn't a bad idea, the way that it just dissolves at the end of its battle with Cap is one of those unexplainable things that Jack draws and Stan has to try to make sense of, usually to poor results. My biggest complaint about the issue is how it ends, with Fury insisting that Agent 13 needed to be rescued and coercing Steve into doing it. Just two panels earlier, Nick talks about how she is one of their top agents, but he immediately turns her into the standard "damsel in distress" that needs to be saved by the hero. While I recognize that this is Cap's book, first and foremost, and that the 1960s weren't the most enlightened time for females in comic books, it's incongruous to talk up her abilities in one panel and then send someone off to rescue her as though she were some dainty princess. It's a minor quibble, and one that I can overlook based on the time period, but it's certainly one that wouldn't fly today. My Grade: B - This is a solid issue, bringing Steve back into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orbit, meaning he may soon get his wish for some quality time with Agent 13, but only if he can get to her before A.I.M. disposes of her for her double-cross of them. I never entirely understood the reason why Stan and Jack made Steve such a sad-sack panty-waist over Bucky when Cap was spun off into his on adventures in TOS, I guess to try and follow the "Marvel Method" by making him more human? IDK, looking back some of the early Marvel attempts to try and turn comic books into long form serialized soap operas really kind of seems more like a thirteen year old introvert trying his or her hand at prose for the first time on writing.com or (god forbid) deviantart then a bunch of grown men trying to reinvigorate a dying, highly-disposable industry |
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Post by The Captain on Apr 23, 2017 15:31:45 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #92"Before My Eyes, Nick Fury Died!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: August 1967 SynopsisReturning home to New York City following his latest run-in with the Red Skull, Steve lands at JFK and immediately checks in with the Avengers, who assure him that they are doing fine in his absence. After he signs off, Hank and Wanda wonder if Steve is just putting on a happy face for them in light of all he has been going through lately. The scene quickly shifts to an undersea craft, where Agent 13 is giving a group of A.I.M. scientists some valuable intel, that being a time and location where they can find Nick Fury. They question her loyalties and whether she would actually turn on S.H.I.E.L.D., but she produces a recording of Fury himself confirming his plans. The scientists destroy the tape without listening to it, saying they will kill her if she's lied, recording or not. On a nearby view-screen, they check in on a truck carrying the Mecho-Assassin, saying they will soon learn if she can be trusted. At the same time, Steve is walking along a busy NYC street, musing about his life, as he feels like an outcast in this time, useful only when he's in costume and on mission; his thoughts then quickly turn to his lack of a love life, starting with the woman he lost in WWII and finishing with the mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. agent whose name he does not know but to whom he feels drawn. In the middle of his reverie, Steve hails a cab so he can return to the Avengers, but the A.I.M. truck speeds by and releases its cargo in the form of the Mecho-Assassin. It moves in the direction of Nick Fury's barbershop hangout (and the entrance to a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. location), and as it reaches its destination, it targets its gun on the window of the building. Steve demands the taxi stop, then he jumps out and changes into his uniform, racing toward the would-be assassin as Captain America. Hurling his shield at the Mecho-Assassin, he narrowly misses it, and although he is able to dodge the first blast from the gun while he waits for his shield to return, a second shot catches him squarely in his returned shield, the impact stunning him. Stepping over him, the A.I.M. robot goes to finish its assignment, but Cap recovers in time to toss it aside before it can attack Fury, who is injured and lying on the floor of the barbershop. Cap and the Mecho-Assassin continue their fight, with neither gaining the advantage, until Cap knocks the robot backwards, only to see it dissolve in self-destruction as Nick Fury appears behind Cap. He explains that in order to sell Agent 13 as a credible double agent, they used a Life Model Decoy of Fury to draw A.I.M. out, but Cap blew that plan, possibly putting Agent 13 in danger. Fury says she will need to be rescued from A.I.M. singlehandedly, and he asks if Cap knows of any volunteers. Continuity Errors: None identifiedMy ThoughtsThis was a definite step up from the previous issues. As Cei-U! noted in his last post here, Gil Kane just didn't seem to mesh well with the "Marvel Method", but with The King back holding the pencils, there was an almost instantaneous improvement to the book. Storywise, Stan and Jack did a lot of things right with this issue. We get some more broody Steve, but instead of whining about Bucky's death (which would have been easy to fall back on after the previous storyline), they give him something new to contemplate, that being his lack of a girlfriend. It's a welcome change and it makes sense, as he's met someone he likes but with whom he is never able to connect, either because of his responsibilities or hers, which we see immediately addressed as the subplot of where Agent 13 disappeared to at the end of ToS #86 is picked up, as she has spent her time working her way into A.I.M. as a double agent supposedly selling Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. out. The reintroduction of A.I.M. in this issue further cements the tie that Marvel was trying to make between the Captain America and Nick Fury books, as thematically they fit together well and as has been noted previously, Marvel had considered moving these two characters into one book at the time, splitting them off from Iron Man and Doctor Strange, respectively. The Mecho-Assassin is another of Stan and Jack's goofy sciency things. While the robot itself isn't a bad idea, the way that it just dissolves at the end of its battle with Cap is one of those unexplainable things that Jack draws and Stan has to try to make sense of, usually to poor results. My biggest complaint about the issue is how it ends, with Fury insisting that Agent 13 needed to be rescued and coercing Steve into doing it. Just two panels earlier, Nick talks about how she is one of their top agents, but he immediately turns her into the standard "damsel in distress" that needs to be saved by the hero. While I recognize that this is Cap's book, first and foremost, and that the 1960s weren't the most enlightened time for females in comic books, it's incongruous to talk up her abilities in one panel and then send someone off to rescue her as though she were some dainty princess. It's a minor quibble, and one that I can overlook based on the time period, but it's certainly one that wouldn't fly today. My Grade: B - This is a solid issue, bringing Steve back into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orbit, meaning he may soon get his wish for some quality time with Agent 13, but only if he can get to her before A.I.M. disposes of her for her double-cross of them. I never entirely understood the reason why Stan and Jack made Steve such a sad-sack panty-waist over Bucky when Cap was spun off into his on adventures in TOS, I guess to try and follow the "Marvel Method" by making him more human? IDK, looking back some of the early Marvel attempts to try and turn comic books into long form serialized soap operas really kind of seems more like a thirteen year old introvert trying his or her hand at prose for the first time on writing.com or (god forbid) deviantart then a bunch of grown men trying to reinvigorate a dying, highly-disposable industry They most likely did it to give him a human side, rather than just being the Super Soldier. One of the major drawing points for the Marvel heroes was the fact that they had failings and weaknesses and that they had to battle those to the same extent or more than their enemies. Without naming it as such, Steve was suffering from PTSD over watching his friend, partner, and surrogate little brother killed by arguably his second greatest foe, so it makes sense that it would have an effect on him moreso than "well, Bucky got blown up by Baron Zemo, and that sucks and all, but I'm moving on because real men don't have any emotions about traumatic events in their lives". Also, would you call Peter Parker a sad-sack for his regret over Uncle Ben's death or the Punisher a panty-waist for using the death of his wife and kids as his driving motivation? What about Bruce Wayne's almost 80-year obsession with his parents' death, having it be the reason he dresses up like a flying noctural rodent so he can scare the crap out of villains and crooks on a nightly basis? Each of those characters has spent decades with those deaths at the forefront of their lives, while Cap at least got over Bucky's death in time (even before finding out that Bucky was alive). |
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Post by tarkintino on Apr 23, 2017 20:57:59 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #92"Before My Eyes, Nick Fury Died!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: August 1967 My ThoughtsThis was a definite step up from the previous issues. As Cei-U! noted in his last post here, Gil Kane just didn't seem to mesh well with the "Marvel Method", but with The King back holding the pencils, there was an almost instantaneous improvement to the book. Storywise, Stan and Jack did a lot of things right with this issue. We get some more broody Steve, but instead of whining about Bucky's death (which would have been easy to fall back on after the previous storyline), they give him something new to contemplate, that being his lack of a girlfriend. It's a welcome change and it makes sense, as he's met someone he likes but with whom he is never able to connect, either because of his responsibilities or hers, which we see immediately addressed as the subplot of where Agent 13 disappeared to at the end of ToS #86 is picked up, as she has spent her time working her way into A.I.M. as a double agent supposedly selling Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. out. The reintroduction of A.I.M. in this issue further cements the tie that Marvel was trying to make between the Captain America and Nick Fury books, as thematically they fit together well and as has been noted previously, Marvel had considered moving these two characters into one book at the time, splitting them off from Iron Man and Doctor Strange, respectively. The Mecho-Assassin is another of Stan and Jack's goofy sciency things. While the robot itself isn't a bad idea, the way that it just dissolves at the end of its battle with Cap is one of those unexplainable things that Jack draws and Stan has to try to make sense of, usually to poor results. My biggest complaint about the issue is how it ends, with Fury insisting that Agent 13 needed to be rescued and coercing Steve into doing it. Just two panels earlier, Nick talks about how she is one of their top agents, but he immediately turns her into the standard "damsel in distress" that needs to be saved by the hero. While I recognize that this is Cap's book, first and foremost, and that the 1960s weren't the most enlightened time for females in comic books, it's incongruous to talk up her abilities in one panel and then send someone off to rescue her as though she were some dainty princess. It's a minor quibble, and one that I can overlook based on the time period, but it's certainly one that wouldn't fly today. My Grade: B - This is a solid issue, bringing Steve back into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orbit, meaning he may soon get his wish for some quality time with Agent 13, but only if he can get to her before A.I.M. disposes of her for her double-cross of them. Although Cap did not dwell on the Bucky robot (acceptable, as its robot/Skull status tossed cold water on any of Cap's feelings of guilt and loss), adding his desire for a girlfriend only adds to his overall grim reality no other Avenger can relate to. In many ways, this period for Cap isolated him as much as Spider-Man. The Mecho-Assassin: think of it like the Terminator 2's T-1000--A.I. / robotics with the ability to shape-shift, or in this case, activate a destruct program that breaks down all components. Very typical of the sci-fi / superhero genre. About Agent 13's status: one can talk up her skills and still realize she needs to be rescued. How many male super-powered characters were often celebrated by other heroes, but got into trouble which required the help of others? I do not think there's any sexism or general mistreatment of Agent 13 in this story. |
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Post by The Captain on May 2, 2017 19:03:36 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #93 "Into The Jaws Of...A.I.M.!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: September 1967 SynopsisCap is underwater, piloting a S.H.I.E.L.D. Long-Distance Mini-Cruiser and searching for A.I.M.'s submarine. He finds it but they've already spotted him, and they fire a canister of nullifying gas that pierces his craft, rendering him unconscious. Cap floats in the water until he is hit by some kind of beam that transports him into their sub, where he is greeted in the name of MODOK. Agent 13 is brought into the room, where the two of them are reunited face-to-face; her cover has been blown and the A.I.M. scientists plan to eliminate the both of them. However, she has one trick left to play: she's wearing anti-polar coveralls that can reverse the magnetic field holding Cap in bondage. She explains her plan to him while locked in a tight embrace, as well as reveals her true feelings for Cap before activating the effect and setting him free. Cap overwhelms their guards and the two heroes escape, eventually finding themselves in another room where A.I.M. scientists are testing Cap's shield. One of them remarks that the shield's material is alien in origin and that he must report this finding to MODOK immediately. Cap quickly reclaims his shield and, along with a gun-wielding Agent 13, creates a diversion to facilitate their escape. However, Cap wants to learn who the mysterious MODOK is, so he follows the scientists to a videoscreen where the voice of MODOK urges the A.I.M. agents to find the intruders. As they hide and listen, Cap and Agent 13 are attacked from behind by a blast from a paralyzer ray, which immobilizes Cap once again. Agent 13 rushes to his side, where he urges her to save herself, but she is grabbed by the A.I.M. scientists, who place her on some sort of transport platform to send her to MODOK. Cap watches, helpless to stop them, and after she disappears, one of the scientists levels his gun at Cap, telling Cap that he's escaped for the last time and will now die... Continuity Errors: None Identified My ThoughtsAfter a few down issues prior to the last one, this one keeps the streak of good issues going. The story moves briskly but doesn't skimp on either action (page 5, in particular, is fabulous, with three silent panels of Cap fighting, followed by one of Cap and Agent 13 that perfectly conveyed their urgency to escape) or character development, as Agent 13 is given an opportunity to show her brains (in her ruse to free Cap), her skills (she's the one that grabs a gun and creates the diversion to help them escape), and her feelings. It also builds suspense around the character of MODOK, who is not seen but only heard; however, by having the scientists continually reference the mystery man, MODOK is as much a part of the book as any of the characters who actually appear. The first page is a thing of beauty, just pure Jack Kirby with his depiction of the Long-Distance Mini-Cruiser. It's reminiscent of his previous work on FF and his yet-to-be-done work on the Fourth World books at DC, with that futuristic sci-fi style he became known for. It doesn't make a lot of sense from a realistic "how does it work" standpoint, but it's worth the price of the book all by itself. As for the rest of the science, it's sketchy, but I've come to expect that with a Lee/Kirby book that features a group like A.I.M. When the A.I.M. gas canister pierces Cap's mini-cruiser, why is he not killed instantly due to the breach of the craft and the water pressure? As well, how does he just fall out of the craft after being gassed unconscious, as one would think he'd have been strapped in to prevent any accidents underwater? There are also the issues of how the transport beam, the anti-polar coveralls, the paralyzer ray, and the transport platform actually work, as Stan doesn't actually address any of that. I get that they only have 10 pages, and in order to achieve my first compliment for the issue (that being the pacing), they really can't stop to explain how every gadget and gizmo works, but it would be nice once in a while to have at least a half-baked explanation of how something operates. My Grade: B+ - Silly Silver Age Science notwithstanding, this is a really good issue. The story is tightly plotted and paced, the art is beautiful, Stan and Jack depict a female character as being just as capable as the male lead and not a victim or damsel in distress, and I'm left wanting to know who is the mysterious MODOK (I mean, I know who MODOK is, but if I were reading this for the first time, I would be anxious to find out who is this character that is on the lips of all of the A.I.M. agents).
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Post by Farrar on May 3, 2017 21:37:48 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #92"Before My Eyes, Nick Fury Died!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: August 1967 SynopsisReturning home to New York City following his latest run-in with the Red Skull, Steve lands at JFK and immediately checks in with the Avengers, who assure him that they are doing fine in his absence. After he signs off, Hank and Wanda wonder if Steve is just putting on a happy face for them in light of all he has been going through lately. I always liked to see Kirby's Avengers, even if only for a couple of panels as in this Cap story and even if he drew Wanda in the original headgear he'd created instead of Heck's sleeker design (introduced about 6 months earlier). Well, no reason she couldn't switch up the two looks now and then   |
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Post by The Captain on May 11, 2017 19:28:59 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #94 "If This Be...MODOK!" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: October 1967 SynopsisCap lies helpless, still suffering the effects of the paralyzer ray, while staring up at the business-end of an A.I.M. blaster. However, before the kill shot can be delivered, the gun wielder is reminded that only MODOK can give the order to kill a prisoner, and he rages, furious that he must take orders from "the one whom we ourselves created". He relents, and after checking with MODOK, the scientists place Cap on the transport panel to send him away to their mysterious leader. Cap comes to elsewhere, but he is immediately struck by a blast delivered by MODOK, a grotesque being with an oversized head on a normal-sized body seated in a floating chair; Agent 13 is there as well, and she warns Cap that MODOK's brain is his weapon. MODOK senses that he cannot control either of them, so he is going to destroy them; Cap moves to attack, but MODOK easily knocks him aside with another brain-blast. Cap continues to dodge and duck, looking for an opportunity to strike when MODOK slips. In another part of the facility, the A.I.M. scientists divide into two squads, one to prep an escape craft while the other attacks MODOK. Squad B goes to carry out that task, coming up behind Cap, who fights on against his hideous but powerful foe to no avail. Throwing his shield, Cap is shocked when MODOK stops it in mid-air, and sensing he may have no other shot, Cap rushes headlong at MODOK, only to be passed by a hail of bullets aimed for his opponent. The shots find their target and MODOK is taken out of the fight, and the A.I.M. scientists turn their attention to Cap and Agent 13. They fight, with the two heroes overcoming their assailants, at which point they take off to stop the other A.I.M. squad from leaving the base without them. Making it to the escape sub in time, they force the scientists to take them along, leaving a helpless MODOK behind, who uses the last of his power to trigger a detonator, blowing up the base and seemingly killing himself in the process. Continuity Errors: None Identified My ThoughtsOK, I'll admit it: I love MODOK. He's such a ridiculous character, but I think that's what makes him one of my favorites. Physically, he's pretty much as useless as a baby, but he's got the psionic powers that enable him to be a threat, and while they aren't explained here, I'm somehow willing to overlook that in a way that I can't with the technology that Kirby drew and Stan BS'ed his way through. As well, Kirby created such a unique look for MODOK, pairing the gigantic head with the small (by proportion) body, and then seats him in the floating chair that has all the trappings of classic Kirby, futuristic and angular. The story itself is a nice continuation of last issue. After hearing about MODOK for an issue and the first few pages of this one, Cap finally gets to meet the mystery man, and from there, it's non-stop action to the end of the book. Cap and MODOK fight for a couple of pages, then after the A.I.M. squad dispatches their leader, Cap and Agent 13 take them on for two more before they make their escape. As with the previous issue, Agent 13 is more than just window-dressing, handling herself in the fight capably and even earning some praise from Cap (although, it's kind of condescending, as he tells her "Good going, girl!"). I also like the touch of how the A.I.M. scientists are being controlled by their own creation; it has a Frankenstein-esque vibe to it. They have built something that they cannot quite keep a handle on, so they realize their only option to be free is to destroy it. My Grade: B+ Another fast-paced issue that hits a lot of great notes and introduces an visually-iconic villain to the Marvel universe.
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Post by Batflunkie on May 11, 2017 19:42:00 GMT -5
I always really liked the idea of A.I.M, but they never made much sense when Marvel already had Hydra. Good issue though
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Post by Cei-U! on May 12, 2017 9:38:54 GMT -5
MODOK is one in a long string of Kirby characters who are essentially giant fetuses. It was an archetype that spanned his entire career. This was, in my opinion, the best realized of that type.
Cei-U!
I want that hover chair!
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Post by The Captain on May 13, 2017 16:15:45 GMT -5
I always really liked the idea of A.I.M, but they never made much sense when Marvel already had Hydra. Good issue though A.I.M. was originally a branch of Hydra that was created by Baron von Strucker under the umbrella of THEM, along with Secret Empire, and they were the division of Hydra tasked with creating weapons. After Hydra was initially defeated by S.H.I.E.L.D., A.I.M. splintered off and became its own entity. That's why they both exist in the MU, even though they are seemingly redundant. |
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Post by The Captain on May 19, 2017 20:09:23 GMT -5
Tales of Suspense #95 "A Time to Die - A Time to Live" Writer: Stan Lee Art: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks) Cover Date: November 1967 SynopsisCap busts down a door by tossing his shield through it, as two gun-toting goons flank either side of the entrance just out of his sightline. He calls for someone named "Gunner", then dives into the room, punching the hiding men as he does. Another man sticks his head out of a side door, but Cap deals with him easily with a single punch, but before Cap can go through the next door, the scene shifts to a few hours earlier, as Steve Rogers takes a call while at Avengers Mansion, a call from SHIELD's Agent Thirteen, a call on which Steve asks her to drop everything and meet him immediately. Minutes later, Steve and his gal-pal are cruising through the city in a convertible on their way to a date at the most romantic restaurant in town. Once seated, Steve starts talking about the future and spending a lifetime with her, even remarking how odd it would seem to people if he proposed to a woman he only knows as "Agent Thirteen". At this point, the young lady puts the breaks on the conversation, saying that he mustn't think about those things at this time, because while there is no one else for her in the world, SHIELD needs her now more than ever. They leave without eating, and Steve fumes the entire way home, complaining that duty is always causing problems, first with Bucky's death and now with the loss of the woman he loves, and that the next battle he fights as Captain America will be the last. Shifting back to present time, Cap avoids a barrage of crossbow arrows that pierce the door he's hiding behind, then enters the room to find Gunner Gates, who unleashes multiple gunshots that Cap blocks with his shield. Knocking Gunner's piece aside, Cap throws his foe to the ground, and as he stands above Gunner, he removes his cowl and says that it is time for Captain America to die so that Steve Rogers can begin to live. The next day, the streets are abuzz at the news declared from the newspaper headlines that Captain America has retired; people are confused by this turn of events, as they always just expected Cap to be there as he always had. At SHIELD headquarters, Nick and Dum Dum are sitting there when Agent Thirteen walks in, clutching a newspaper. She claims this happened because of her, which Nick confirms, and when she tries to display some empathy for Steve's situation, Nick says that no "lovesick, torch-carryin' female" would be any use to SHIELD, so she changes her attitude and declares she's completely dedicated to SHIELD. Nick shows her that Cap sent his shield to Nick and tells her that as soon as they can spare her, she can go to Cap to be with him. As the issue closes, Steve is at Avengers Mansion, talking to Tony Stark about his plans for the future and thanking Tony for everything he's done for the Avengers, before he retires to his room with images of the past in his head. My ThoughtsAfter a number of good issues in a row, there had to be some kind of letdown, and this issue was it. Just bad all around. It starts with the stupid framing device of the Gunner story, which only served to show Cap fighting harder than usual because of his being down about Agent Thirteen. Gunner and his goons are no match for Cap and only serve as human punching bags so we can be taken into flashback to see the genesis of Steve's frustration, much of which is of his own causing. I get that he probably hasn't gotten laid since the 1940's (if ever), but having him talking out loud in a public restaurant about marrying someone he only knows by her SHIELD designation is the height of desperation and is frankly pretty pathetic. Speaking of the Agent Thirteen issue, she knows his secret identity but hasn't gotten around to telling him hers? Something doesn't seem right there. I do like the fact, however, that while most of Stan's female love interests (Karen Page, Sue Storm, Jane Foster) would be swooning over their hunky crushes bringing up marriage to them, she has an important job other than hostage or victim and knows that she has an obligation to SHIELD due to her skills, so she doesn't get all jelly-kneed over his rambling incoherence. That said, Nick Fury is an absolute dick here, so her devotion to SHIELD may be misplaced. She's already worried about possibly being the cause for Steve quitting as Cap, and he kicks her while she's down, telling her to "tell him something he doesn't know". His comments about her being a "lovesick, torch-carrying female" and being no use to SHIELD in one breath, then telling her how much SHIELD needs her, then telling her that as soon as he can spare her, he'll let her go to Cap, is some serious emotional whiplash. Lastly, I have to say that Kirby's art in this issue is not up to his usual level. Two panels in particular bothered me:  I can't tell if Cap has punched them on his way through the door or if we are to assume that's he's just bolted through and the two idiot guars have shot each other. With his arms going backwards and his fists nowhere near where they would even touch the men, the shooting explanation makes more sense, but then what are the two bright impact glows around his fists? Just a poorly staged panel from a story-telling perspective.  C'mon, Jack, you know how to draw a realistic looking gun, so what the hell is the thing this low-level street thug holding here? My Grade: F
A dud from start to finish, especially coming on the heels of the really good two-part A.I.M./MODOK story. You can't win them all, and this one definitely goes in the loss column.
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Post by The Captain on May 19, 2017 20:15:03 GMT -5
As follow-up to the above review, you may have noticed that the format and style have changed a little bit with this one.
I eliminated the Continuity Errors piece, primarily because I'm not reading the concurrent Avengers or Nick Fury issues along with this, so things happening in those books may conflict with what is going on here, but I'm not privy to those events. I don't want to spend my time nitpicking colors of shirts or a lamp on a table in one panel but not in the next, so if there is something glaring that contradicts known information (like Red Skull is Bucky's father, or that Steve Rogers was Hydra all along...), I will make mention of it in My Thoughts rather than keep a separate section that has rarely had anything in it.
I'm also going to try to include some more artwork in the reviews going forward, particularly things that are exceptionally good or either so bad or crazy that they deserve comment. I feel that will work better than just blocks of text other than the cover image and can potentially provoke more discussion.
As well, the My Thoughts section has changed to be a little closer to my actual personality instead of me trying to be uber-professional about it. When I used to review new comics for another site, my writings were a bit more on the snarkier side, so while I may not go full-on "Slam Bradley Reads the Marvel Universe" (which is just a brilliant thread that warrants everyone reading it), what you see in the My Thoughts section going forward will be more me and my influences, which are things like MST3K.
As always, thanks for reading, and if you have feedback, criticism, or comments on the stories and/or reviews, I welcome any and all of it.
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