Strange Tales #113

(October 1963)

The Coming of the Plantman! (Table of Contents: 1)

Human Torch / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee (credited) (plot); Jerry Siegel (credited as Joe Carter) (script)

Pencils

Dick Ayers (credited)

Inks

Dick Ayers (credited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Sam Rosen (credited as S. Rosen)

Job Number

[X-398 ?]

Genre

superhero

Characters

Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Plantman [Sam Smithers] (introduction, origin); Doris Evans (introduction); Mr. Evans (introduction)

Synopsis

The Human Torch saves his new girlfriend Doris’s father from a disgruntled gardener who gains the ability to control plants.

Reprints

• in Creepy Worlds (Alan Class, 1962 series) #51
• in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #16 (September 1968)
which is reprinted
• in L'Étonnant Spider-Man (Editions Héritage, 1969 series) #33 (mars 1974)
• in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #12 (7 Settembre 1971) [pages 1–4 only], #13 (21 Settembre 1971) [pp 5–13, as "Arriva l'Uomo Pianta" part 2, Italian translation]
• in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 ([October] 2003) [black & white]
• in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 ([September] 2006)
• in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2014 series) #1 (2014)
• in The Human Torch & The Thing: Strange Tales - The Complete Collection (Marvel, 2018 series) (2018)

Indexer Notes

Plantman's costume resembles that worn by The Shadow; he next appears, in a new costume, in issue #121 (June 1964). Doris Evans would continue as Johnny's semi-reluctant girlfriend until the end of his solo series.

New Glasses (Table of Contents: 2)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Job Number

K-368

Genre

fantasy-supernatural

Characters

Herbert; Mr. Blooper

Synopsis

A man insists on getting a specially made pair of glasses in a hurry, and finds that the optician has a magical corridor that leads back in time.

Reprints

• from Spellbound (Marvel, 1952 series) #30 (October 1956)

Indexer Notes

Text story with illustration.

The Search for Shanng! (Table of Contents: 3)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee (credited) (plot); Larry Lieber (credited) (script)

Pencils

Larry Lieber (credited)

Inks

Matt Fox (credited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Artie Simek (credited as Art Simek)

Job Number

X-399

Genre

science fiction

Characters

Shanng

Synopsis

An alien crash lands on Earth, and offers knowledge to in exchange for help. Greedy humans cannot find his ship, since he sensed their selfish thoughts and hid himself until humanity is ready.

Reprints

• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #24 (1965 ?)
• in Eclipso (Arédit-Artima, 1968 series) #73 (4ème trimestre 1980) [N&B et recadré [B&W and reframed]]
• in Star Wars Weekly (Marvel UK, 1978 series) #113 (23 April 1980)
• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #202 ([circa 1984 - 1985])

The Shoemaker's Strange Assistants! (Table of Contents: 4)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee (credited)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (credited)

Inks

George Roussos (uncredited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Artie Simek (credited as Art Simek)

Job Number

X-400

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Uncle Hugo; Harry Hook

Synopsis

A shoemaker who enjoys telling the neighborhood children stories of the little people who come out at night to help him make shoes becomes ill and goes to a loan shark to acquire money for medical treatment. The loan shark harasses him constantly to make interest payments on his loan so he must work night and day. The last time the greedy money lender visits the shoemaker he gets the shock of his life as it turns out the little people are real. They shrink the man and put him to work building shoes for the shoemaker.

Reprints

• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #24 (1965 ?)
• in Dracula (Arédit-Artima, 1974 series) #17 (2ème trimestre 1978) [N&B et recadré [B&W and reframed]]
• in Marvel Masters of Suspense: Stan Lee & Steve Ditko Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) #2 (2019)

Indexer Notes

Uncredited Roussos Inks per Bob Bailey, 2005-03-19. (Per Sandell ed.). Previous indexer credited Steve Ditko. Ditko plot credit removed due to lack of attribution. (13/07/2010)

Job number confirmed on original art: https://www.nostalgicinvestments.com/by-artist/2375/steve-ditko/strange-ta…