Harry Lime

 

The 'paste the axis' competition involves providing captions for a drawing. But the three captions have to be selected, then cut and pasted from six printed along the bottom of the page. OO Rachael Rutter (name written in pencil on last page) cut out all six captions and very neatly pasted three of them into the drawing. But we get to see the rest. Instead of throwing them away, she thoughtfully (and still neatly) pasted them in the top margin:

 

 

I don't mind at all that the book was cut up - in fact I really like the 'prior history' here. Thanks Rachael!

I'm showing my ignorance here but is "Let's Clavnis on the Rafferstan!" supposed to mean something besides being an incredibly random selection of words.

Also, never realised how chunky Captain Marvel was before.

Journey Into Mystery #124 Jan 1966

My Copy - Grade 5.0

Cover: 3/5 ~ Abandoning the idea of a split panel for a change, Kirby decides for a white mountainous effect instead. Not sure if it works any better, nice dynamic battling though even if it's not present in the book itself. Hercules looks suitably Herculean.

Art: 3.5/5 ~ Mainly set on Earth with the juxtaposition of New York (city & hospital room) and Asian jungles. Neither of these were particularly exciting aside from the pin-up perfection of page 4. The good stuff was reserved for Asgard and our first glimpse of Olympus. I really liked Kirby's take on the fabled Ancient Greek realm, especially the Centaur!

Story: 2.5/5 ~ Bit of a weird start with Thor reading the newspaper in the street, sentimental and then humorous in turn. It rankled. Then whilst the Demon is laying waste to all that oppose him in Asia, Thor discovers that Jane Foster is not recovering from her smoke inhalation experience and is in fact becoming gravely ill.....because of depression! She seemed very confused, one minute not believing that Blake was by her side, then not believing that he loved her, then telling him to leave for ever. Really, what is a man to do about such histrionics? Change into Thor in front of her disbelieving eyes, that's what! So the Jane Foster may die because of emotional issues crisis was averted but in doing so Thor will have to contend with the fury of Odin who witnessed the whole thing (see QotD) and was so angry he resorted to supping from the Mighty Mug of Maddened Mead!

Anyway, the Olympus sub-plot was rather curt, Zeus declared that it was time for Hercules to once again visit Earth. No explanation given but it did move things along for the next issue as did Thor finally flying to Asia to confront the Demon at the end of the story.

Quote of the Day ~ "By the Golden Gates of Asgard - -!!! - - to think that I should ever witness so sordid a sight!! My own son - - heir to the proudest throne in all the universe - - hath divulged his immortal identity to a female of Earth! 'Tis a wonder the heavens themselves do not quiver and quake in celestial indignation!!"

My assessment ~ Rather a weak offering compared to recent outings from the run. Only one more JIM to go!

Thanks for reading!

I'll have a go.

ASM #32 is part two of the best comics arc of all time.

 

I hope your next journal entry concerns #33 - no spoilers here - but a really satisfying conclusion to a fantastic trilogy.

 

Lee and Ditko at their very best.

My next journal entry is a JIM I'm afraid. However my next ASM entry is #33.

Amazing Spider-man #100 VF- $100 improvable

 

A new review for a new year...1966, of course!

Amazing Spider-Man #32 Jan 1966

My Copy - Grade 6.0

Cover: 3/5 ~ Even I wouldn't subtract points for a panel within a cover, not even if it contained a sick old lady in a hospital bed. No, I'm not that mean spirited. But although the cover does a great job of depicting a man possessed literally to the point of ripping an iron staircase in two it's still, somehow, rather bland looking. I would subtract marks for that.

Art: 4.5/5 ~ Great emotion wracked panels of Peter as he comes to the realisation that he probably caused Aunt May's sickness. Fury filled scenes as he combs the city looking for the Master Planner. Scientifically endowed scenes as Spidey helps Dr Connors come up with a cure aided by some Dr Strange worthy apparatus. Epic final scene as he fights Doc Ock for the stolen serum and literally brings the 'house' down.

Story: 4.5/5 ~ The Betty/Peter/Ned love triangle at the beginning seems trivial compared to the life threatening condition afflicting poor Aunt May. As if that's not bad enough Peter comes to the conclusion it's his fault because of an earlier blood transfusion. Two frantic searches ensue, the first to find Dr. Connors who could find a cure and the second to find the stolen (by the Master Planner gang) serum that could effect the cure. A quick note on the purple dudes; what was going on in ASM 30? They were portrayed as working for the Cat Burglar but are actually working for the Master Planner? Was this just a gigantic -up on Ditko's part or have I missed something. Man, I really need to get ASM 31. Anyway, ranting interlude over, Spidey eventually finds the hideout (and stolen serum) of the Master Planner but, of course, it turns out to be his old and powerful foe, Doctor Octopus (lots of doctors in this issue). A brief but titanic struggle begins but just as Doc Ock turns yeller because of Spidey's fighting fury this same fury causes the building to collapse around them. What happens to the tentacled one is not made apparent but our hero is pinned under several tonnes worth of machinery and seemingly trapped as the water (the hideout is under the river) starts to come through the roof and the lifeblood similarly leaks out of Aunt May. Talk about a cliffhanger!

Quote of the Day ~ "I've always felt I was partly responsible for the death of Uncle Ben, because he was killed by a criminal whom I didn't catch! And now--Aunt May! The two people I've loved most in the world--who were like my own father and mother to me--! Yet, their love for me--their kindness to me-- has brought them nothing but--tragedy!"

My assessment ~ A great story, filled with emotion, drama, action, suspense and backed by some of the finest artwork seen in Marveldom.

Thanks for reading!

Third time I've purchased books from Ed and as ever his service is awesome! Perfect packaging, really tight grading and superb communication from a really great boardie. Thanks once again!

Journey Into Mystery #123 Dec 1965

My Copy - Grade 6.0

Cover: 3/5 ~ Not sure about these floating head covers. It's certainly an improvement over the multi-panels but, in my eyes, still detracts from the main image. I can see why the publishers would use them though. Anyway, Thor demolishing his way through a brick wall is good enough.

Art: 4/5 ~ As most of the book is set in Asgard there's some really great artwork on show. We get a sense of the wonder & grandeur witnessed by us mere mortals through the hapless Harris Hobbs' eyes as he sees Bifrost and Asgard for the first and (I highly suspect) only time. Add in the fairly spectacular battle between Crusher Creel and Odin, the continuing excellence in the Absorbing Man's transformations and the spacey panels depicting Odin's 'verdict' at the culmination of the coup and we have some of Kirby's finest work on the series so far. Even the stuff in Mongolia worked well and establishes a new foe for Thor (try saying that fast) to fight next 'ish!

Story 4/5 ~ Another highly enjoyable JIM! What a turnaround from only a few months before. Thor is actually given very little to do in this issue aside from 'staying his hand' and really the book should have been titled Journey Into Mystery with The Omniscient Odin as, unsurprisingly, he steals the show. Firstly, he appears to be losing or at best drawing against the Absorbing Man but in all likelihood it's only a ruse uncover Loki's base treachery. Then after seemingly accepting defeat to save his beloved city he turns the tables on his treacherous son and Crusher Creel in a swift burst of highly ironic justice. Great job, Odin! I bet he could have done it in his PJ's if he wanted too.

Quote of the Day ~ A double quote representing the best dialogue from both protagonists.

"Odin cannot be threatened with his own powers! My Imperial Sceptre of Supremacy swallows the cosmic fury, even as the fibres of my being quiver with most regal rage!"

"Rage all ya want to, big man! I can lick anything that lives - - and that goes for white-haired squares who try to impress me by garglin' a lotta five-dollar words!"

My assessment ~ An excellent read and a nice wrap up to a storyline that seems to have been going (off and on) since #114.

Thanks for reading!

I haven't posted in this thread in awhile...but I just did something new. I made an ASM album in flickr. I put ALL my ASMs in there, from the beginning to #401. Plus some annuals. If you want to look...here's the link:

 

 

If you don't know how flickr works...look at the top right corner of the page and click on the little broken blue square to change the size of the books. I like the smaller, uniform size of the rows. That may or may not be what shows up first when you look. Just click that broken blue square thing to change it. Click any book to blow it up. Don't worry, it won't really "blow up", it'll just get larger... This collection was what I was doing from 1972-1993 when I should have been buying cheap Golden Age...! There are no "drugstore books" in this collection (see the 1967 thread for my drugstore DCs), but there's a lot of 7-11 books... The grades vary until #116 (the first issue I ever bought off the stands) and then all but a few are 9.2 or better. I'm missing #1 and #14, and a couple other really late issues I never bothered to buy for some reason. Other than that, it's all there.

Very nice raw collection.

Happy New Year!

Until very recently my 'first' birthday comics was looking sparse. All I had to show was a solitary JIM. Admittedly I doubt I would have done any more than chew them into a pulpy mess at the age of one but it would be nice to have a couple more, especially ASM 31 which continues to evade me.

I did however pick up a low-grade reader of the next instalment which I thought would never happen and at a real bargain price. Is the heat coming off of this at last?

Fantastic Four #45 Dec 1965

My Copy - Grade 1.8 ~ Starry, creasey night.

Cover: 4/5 ~ A highly accurate rendition of events found inside the book aside from the stars. Surely in New York, even in 1965, the skies were never dark enough to see twinklies. I'm not sure why, perhaps the hitherto unattainable quality of the book, perhaps the full depiction of our heroes and their fourth wall breaking gaze, perhaps it's even the stars themselves but there's a certain magic & mystery about this cover. It makes you want to read on and find out who or what are these Inhuman chaps.

Art: 3.5/5 ~ Some brief glimpses of the Inhuman architecture. Some typical Kirbyesque machinery/gadgets inside the Baxter. A wonderful full page drawing of the Airjet-Cycle and, of course, our first views of Crystal, Lockjaw, Karnak, Triton (sort of, he's heavily cloaked) and a rather vague Black Bolt (but he was quite a small panel).

Story: 3.5/5 ~ We start where we ended last ish with the FF just about managing to survive the collapsing building and the Torch 'rescuing' his sister from the clutches of Dragon Man. But unbeknownst to the Torch Sue had already worked her womanly wiles upon the scaly one who subsequently was quite happy to return to the FF's headquarters. Dragon Man's house training and nursery preparation take up most of the first part of the book but where it gets interesting is when Johnny spies a strange girl (Crystal) and becomes slightly obsessed over her to the point of a little, light stalking. One flaming appearance later and he's accepted by her as being "one of us" and is led to the underground rubble strewn entrance of the Inhumans. It's this mystery aspect of the story that makes the book work and although there's a brief period of violence as the Inhumans attack the members of the FF, including a very circumspect Reed, the mystery will not be resolved until at least the next issue, which I haven't got.

Quote of the Day ~ "I'm way over my head! This is too big for me to figure out! If I could only contact Reed!"

My assessment ~ Unless my purchasing of this book is a sign that prices have started to fall for this issue, I'm never going to be able to afford an upgrade...so, keeper.

Thanks for reading!

Good luck with finding the rest of the EC's, Ed. I especially like the breakdown of your collection.

I would say I'll keep an eye out for you but the chances of finding any of your missing books in the UK are probably akin to me winning the lottery.

Mine would be early FF's (1-6, 8, 10-13, 15,16, 18-23). And early ASM's (1-7, 9-11, 13-16). If I could just get a couple of each I would very pleased. I'm also working on filling out my DD collection but that should be easier to find due to not having that many to start with.

Thanks, guys! I hope everyone had/is having a great time over the festive period.

Journey Into Mystery #122 Nov 1965

My Copy - Grade 5.5

Cover: 3.5/5 ~ A fairly simple cover but wonderfully done. Odin (that eternal scene stealer) is pictured in all his omnipotence just waiting for the next bath to be drawn or the next opportunity to slip into his PJ's. The blurb is masterfully done as well and adds rather than detracts from the cover. Yeah, slight untruth about Thor though, he's not in this scene in this issue.

Art: 3.5/5 ~ As per normal with the Absorbing Man, Kirby does some great work in transmuting him into various elements. A living mace, frosty the snowman, spiky steel & at the end cosmic boltness. By comparison the stuff on Earth is rather tame this month until Thor takes a time-travelling tour around Earth. That includes dinosaurs (naturally) but also a marvellous panel of Earth millions of years into the future just as it's about to collide with another planet.

Story: 3/5 ~ Starts with a continuation of the previous issue's showdown (Thor was merely stunned not beaten, apparently) only this time Thor lays some serious hurt onto Crusher forcing Loki to whisk him away to Asgard (Creel, that is) to aid him in Loki's diabolical plan to overthrow Odin and claim the throne for himself. This plan is quite simple; let the Absorbing Man beat up all of the 'skeleton guard' left to defend the realm eternal. Inconsistent plotting (CC gains cumulative power from those he strikes rather than just the last thing he touched) but still enjoyable enough. In the final scene he astonishes Odin by absorbing the power of a cosmic bolt. Looking good for next 'ish. Meanwhile back on Earth we have a concurrent tale of Thor rescuing Jane Foster (lucky she was near the battle scene) but whilst doing so exposing his identity to the same reporter we met in JIM #114 (the Dynamite Kid). A brief bit of attempted blackmail later we have the opening of a real can of worms with Thor demonstrating how he can time travel by whirling really quickly and threatening to abandon said reporter in the distant past or future if he doesn't give up the incriminating evidence. I'm willing to suspend disbelief for Thor's time-travelling antics only on the condition that he never does it again!

Quote of the Day ~ "I gave him strength to challenge a God - - but even Loki could not give him valor to match that of Thor!"

My assessment ~ There's definitely some consistency of quality creeping into these JIM's.

Thanks for reading!

Being a review of events long past in five acts and one Atlantean's struggle with the meaning of Christmas and his role in a Comic Book journal.

Dramatis personae

Sub-Mariner as Ebenezer Scrooge

Reed Richards as Rich Gentleman seeking Charity Donations

Benjamin Grimm as Tiny Tim

Sue Storm as Some Victorian Scullery Maid liable to fall into Prostitution through a Mixture of Bad Luck and Loose Moral Fibre.

Johnny Storm as The Most Exceedingly Intelligent Boy who fetches a Goose

Narrator; Myself, your humble servant aided by the Ghost of Christmas Past

Fantastic Four #9 Dec 1962 My second oldest book .

My Copy - Grade 1.8 Recently acquired from the boards where it was, imo, graded more harshly than Scrooge judging the denizens of a workhouse. Great price too and as I know he reads this journal, thank you very much, K!

Cover: 4/5 ~ Oh, the shame, the indignity of being made homeless. Turfed out onto the streets with naught but a baying, brick throwing crowd and a gloating Sub-Mariner to greet them. How could this happen to the World's Greatest Heroes? How could I resist not buying it? Answer: I couldn't!

Art: 3/5 ~ Plenty of variety in the scenes as the FF head off to Hollywood and we are treated to Kirby's rendition of a few of movieland's biggest names. Jack always does great work with the Sub-Mariner and his underwater world as well but sadly there are too few of these panels included. I also like the early rendition of the Thing. Sure he's smaller and smoother than the iconic look but weirdly it makes him look more monstrous, in my eyes anyway.

Story: 2.5/5 ~ Ok, I've cut it a bit of slack because it's so old and all the mince pies rattling round my head. First off, the cover sort of lies as the FF never actually get evicted although they are bankrupt (because of a stock market crash) but luckily get an offer of a million bucks to make a movie. Oh dear, these film based plots never go well. Remember JIM 92 and although I haven't got it, ASM 14 is one of the weakest early Spidey's as well. Anyway, the producer of 'SM Studios' is none other than the Sub-Mariner who due to his incessant infatuation over Sue manages to dispatch the other members of the FF, one by one, under the guise of making a movie. Of course they don't stay dispatched for long and return just in time to save Sue from a fate of forced, fishy matrimony. Despite the absurdities (Cyclops, flame proof African natives, Johnny Storm using a parachute to get to the ground) I did still genuinely enjoy the tale. There is something very special about these early FF's as we are witnessing the start of the Marvel Age of Comics!

Quote of the Day ~ “You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”

or

"It's a funny thing, kid! Despite your blindness, you see things much better than I do! You - - you make me feel ashamed of myself!"

My assessment ~ I've got to be honest and say it's unlikely I'll be able to afford an upgrade with so many other early books still to get so this is a keeper.

And so our tale ends as the beaten Sub-Mariner walked back into the sea, promising to honour Christmas in his heart, Benjamin Grimm observed;

God bless Gord bless us Gaard bless us, every one!

I agree, if it looks good mid-grade is nice enough for me.

Cool date stamp on that Wings as well.

Ah, the use of the word "whence" sells that one for me.

And who doesn't like a bit of mingling?

Fantastic Four #44 Nov 1965

My Copy - Grade 6.5 Nice date stamp!

Cover: 2.5/5 ~ I quite like the earth (or in this case) roof-shattering effect and the issue's title is a bit of a classic. However the second blurb makes me sad (I don't have FF Annual 3) and Dragon Man is green? Presumably this was done because there's a lot of grey-scale backgound on the cover. But Dragon Man is grey! I think I would actually like him better if he was green. Like #35 I don't find this cover all that appealing. Hmmm, another Dragon Man cover, can you sense a connection?

Art: 3.5/5 ~ Lots of flying debris, shattering masonry, whiplashing tails, stomping feet and fiery breath. No, I'm not talking about a typical stag night out but rather the action crafted by Kirby this issue. It's certainly explosive, almost from the start and doesn't really let up throughout. Though I wonder why Gorgon was on the splash page considering some effort was maintained to hide his full appearance until halfway through the book. My favourite panels were his cloven like feet literally coming through the walls of the Baxter building as he made his way to the roof. And the small panel on page 11 of the Human Torch surrounded by flame. Perhaps, it was the dark background but his power seemed more intense than usual.

Story: 3.5/5 ~ I loved the mystery surrounding Gorgon, his ability and his relentless pursuit of Medusa. The action and plot was intensified even further when Dragon Man was awakened from his earthy slumber although why he should fly to NY with Medusa in tow was not explained and seemed a bit contrived as aside from the Torch, the rest of the FF were essentially grounded there. That aside this issue did move along at a frenetic pace and certainly grabbed the attention of this reader. At the end we have the most tried & tested of FF clichés; Sue gets kidnapped! To be fair though, it's been a while since it last happened.

Quote of the Day ~ "Next you'll be inventin' a new way to embroider lace doilies! You're gonna set the super hero business back a hundred years!"

or

"Have you ever wondered whence came her supernatural hair power?? She is from the same race as I...and I must bring her back...where she belongs! It is forbidden for her to mingle with others!"

My assessment ~ Another keeper, another not requiring an upgrade

Thanks for reading!

Amazing Spider-Man #30 Nov 1965

My Copy - Grade 3.5

Cover: 3.5/5 ~ An extremely accurate and dramatic depiction of one of the scenes in the book. I love the searchlights through the gloom and the collapsing water tower. Spidey is somewhat insignificantly portrayed however as are all the characters involved.

Art: 4/5 ~ After all these reviews I still can't fault Ditko's work. There's nothing spectacular but plenty of New York's finest alleys, web-swinging cityscapes and night-time rooftop shoot-outs. All done Spidey style just as we like it! Add in some emotional turmoil between Petey & Betty, Jonah sweating on paying Spider-Man a $1000 reward and we have another mini-masterpiece from Steve. Special mentions for Spidey swinging to investigate the searchlights on page 15 and the final panel.

Story: 3.5/5 ~ I must be getting soft in my dotage as my favourite part of the story was the tearful 'break-up' scene between Peter & Betty after Ned Leeds proposed to her. The rest of the book was highly enjoyable as well and moved at a cracking pace through the various sub-plots (Aunt May continues to have funny turns ). The Cat Burglar proved to be surprisingly resourceful for an average crim but what was that stuff about his purple-suited gang? Why didn't they get involved at the end when their 'boss' was in peril or was it all a giant, 'ahem', continuity error?

Quote of the Day ~ "Why wouldn't he listen?? What is it that always stands between us? The one secret he keeps locked within him--the secret he never shares, or talks about--!"

My assessment ~ Keeper, small upgrade would be nice?

Thanks for reading!

Journey Into Mystery #121 Oct 1965

My Copy - Grade 6.5 The first JIM I ever bought. Nice looking copy with great PQ.

Cover: 4/5 ~ Sweet cover! Massive backhander, towering Absorbing Man over that grey-scale cityscape and an obviously hurt Thor all promise one hell of a battle. Added bonus; NO blurbing!!

Art: 4/5 ~ It looks like Jack has a lot of fun in drawing the Absorbing Man and his various material 'acquisitions'. Whilst in this issue the Asgard stuff is pretty dull, mainly Loki slinking around Ularic lab, the fighting in New York is masterfully done. The full page panel of page 7 is a tour de force, reminiscent of all those giant creatures invading cities in the 50's sci-fi flicks.

Story: 3/5 ~ On the whole a rattling good tale with nary a dull moment in it. Lots and lots of fighting as Thor & the Absorbing Man face off throughout the issue with only brief interludes of Loki's scheming (his takeover plans are dependent on Crusher winning) and the ongoing mysterious capture of Nurse Foster. There was a moment that rubbed against the grain though. It was that perennial argument amongst geeks everywhere; Thor's hammer and who can lift it? Apparently the Absorbing Man can as he wrests it from Thor's grasp, holds it (absorbing it's power but I've no problem with that) and then hurls it back at Thor. Anyway that aside, Thor does seemingly lose the fight by getting blind-sided helping a small child to safety. I await further developments!

Quote of the Day ~ "With my absorbing power, I should be able to defeat anyone! But there's something about Thor - - it's like fighting a whirlwind!"

My assessment ~ I enjoyed the last issue and I enjoyed this one but I'm still undecided about Thor. I'm half-expecting it to revert to the earlier poor offerings at the drop of a Mjolnir. Time and Odin will tell.

Thanks for reading!

Fantastic Four #43 Oct 1965

My Copy - Grade 4.5 The second of the low grade FF job-lot and one of the best condition wise.

Cover: 3.5/5 ~ Quite dramatic and seemingly implying the final defeat of the FF? It's quite misleading though and in more ways than one; the Human Torch is not present at this scene in the book.

Art: 3/5 ~ Some nice touches of Kirbyesque machinery dotted throughout the book and a couple of pages of exciting action involving Reed vs Ben and Johnny vs the evil FF. Kirby is certainly not stretching himself with this issue though.

Story: 3/5 ~ I could have sworn I had read this issue but upon re-reading it for the review, I couldn't remember a single thing about it. So, I was as surprised as a 10 year old kid in '65 when it was revealed that the Human Torch was faking it all along. Phew, that was a relief, the odds had been really stacked against Reed & Sue. They manage to haul the Thing back to the Baxter where Reed has a plan to revert the horrible Id machine's influence by nearly killing (as it turned out) his best friend. Quite a low-key ending to this mini-saga as with the Thing waking up cured and destroying the Wizard's anti-grav control thingy, the evil FF give up without much of a fight. I was once again deprived the pleasure of someone landing a hay-maker on the Wizard and had to settle for a dejected, almost trouser-less slump from the beaten dome head. Johnny, mysteriously and with no good reason, allows Medusa to escape. A portentous decision? Nice feel-good factor to the last page as Ben, still in his sick-bed, with Reed and Sue demonstrate that despite all the recent upheavals they are still a 'family'.

Quote of the Day ~ "You're yourself again now - - and that's all that matters! The Fantastic Four won out in the end after all! We proved that no foe - - or combination of foes - - can ever really defeat us!"

My assessment ~ Keeper. No upgrade needed.

Thanks for reading!

This is the third time I've got books from Kaspar and each time it's been a delight. His grading is so strict and his packaging absolutely perfect! As Claudio mentioned his postal costs are more than fair as well. Great boardie to do business with.

Purchased a small pile of ASM's from Collin recently. Books were as described with lovely PQ & gloss. Would have no hesitation in buying from him again.

Daredevil #10 Oct 1965

My Copy - Grade 8.5 My oldest DD, tried to sell it a few times, now I'm glad I didn't.

Cover: 3.5/5 ~ Love the metropolitan night-time setting. Love the large depiction of DD. Uncertain about the placement of the Ani-Men.

Art: 4/5 ~ This is probably the only book I own that was pencilled by Wally Wood and I have to admit I'm pretty impressed by his work. He seems to have the knack of packing his panels with detail and keeping them fresh and interesting. A lot like Ditko in that respect but without the quirkiness. He does seem admirably suited for a down to earth (relatively) character like DD and this issue we get the bonus of a cut-away diagram of the Organizer's HQ. Always loved those.

Story: 3.5/5 ~ A mystery tale as we don't know who the 'Organizer' is this issue. We see the origin of the Ani-Men, unremarkable (they put on animal themed suits). Then trouble is stirred on many fronts & DD fights them all briefly and in an understated way one at a time. He also manages to fall right into one of the Organizer's traps and gets himself implicated in a bank robbery. Quite an intriguing and enjoyable tale which continues into next month's book, apparently. It would have been a four but for a couple of discrepancies which although not on a JIM level still rankled a bit.

Quote of the Day ~ "I really hate to drop in on you like this, my fine-feathered friend, but I'm anxious to see your Pilot's licence!" Really difficult to get a decent quote from.

My assessment ~ Ahh, Daredevil. My most flip-floppity of collecting endeavours. Bought a load (copper/early modern), sold a load. Bought a few (Miller, post-Miller) sold a few. Now I'm concentrating on SA and BA. Have a few Millers as well and will probably stop at the end of his run. Unless I flip again, of course!

Thanks for reading!

Amazing Spider-Man #29 Oct 1965

My Copy - Grade 6.0 ~ I think this was the first ASM I bought for my collection. I probably overpaid for it, being a pence, but no biggie.

Cover: 4.5/5 ~ What is it with Spidey & water covers? House spiders hate water, the plughole is their nemesis and yet Spider-Man plus water nearly always equals an awesome cover. I must admit though there's two things I got wrong about the cover upon first reading the issue. It's not set in a tunnel or sewer and the Scorpion isn't wearing a frog-man's mask.

Art: 4/5 ~ Great splash page, great fightin' action scenes, great (and highly enjoyable) depictions of J.J.J bricking it when he hears the Scorpion is after him. Highly polished throughout, typical Ditko.

Story: 3/5 ~ As mentioned the scenes of J. Jonah squirming with fear, blustering and finally boasting with 'no false modesty' were highly enjoyable. The main story felt a little by the numbers though as the Scorpion breaks out of jail (the authorities gave him his suit back, ) to seek revenge on Jonah and Spidey. Spider-Man hangs around a street attempting to lure the Scorpion to him but it only achieves the opposite effect as it leaves J. Jonah defenceless. The fight in the Bugle office was enjoyable and well done (Ditko does excel at these close-quarters scenes) but once it went outside it felt a little flat and I didn't see the need for Spider-Man to manoeuvre the fight into the river (aside from the chance to present an awesome cover that is) to finish off the Scorpion. Of greater portent was the events of the final page where Aunt May has a dizzy spell and collapses momentarily to the floor. Nooooooooooo!

Quote of the Day ~ "I never thought of that! If Spider-Man should lose, my life will be in danger every minute! I wonder if it's time for fearless Jonah to take a long trip...?"

My assessment ~ Keeper and no upgrade necessary.

Thanks for reading!

 

My assessment ~ Is this the start of a higher calibre Thor? Let's face it, it's about time.

 

 

Yes it is. You have some cracking reading ahead of you. The Hercules story in the first annual is fun too. (I'm not sure where that fits in order - presumably before the title becomes Thor in 126).

Yeah, it's JIM Annual #1 (which I haven't got) and the way I'm doing it, it would be in next month's reviews (Oct 1965).