Strange Tales #118

(March 1964)

The Man Who Became the Torch! (Table of Contents)

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

Credits

Script:

Stan Lee (co-plot, script); Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited)

Pencils:

Dick Ayers

Inks:

Dick Ayers

Colors:

?

Letters:

Artie Simek

Job Number:

X-593

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Wizard [Bentley Wittman]; Invisible Girl [Sue Storm]; Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Thing [Ben Grimm]

Synopsis:

The Wizard breaks jail, and begins pulling crimes using a new anti-gravity flying device he's invented. Via trickery and disguise, he captures Johnny, then Sue, and begins impersonating Johnny, while planning bigger and bolder crimes with which to use his anti-gravity device. With the help of Reed and Ben, Sue and Johnny escape, and Johnny goes after The Wizard, who attempts to escape by flying higher and higher with his anti-grav disc. But it malfunctions, and, unable to control it, he just keeps going higher and higher...

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #20 (May 1969)
• in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #18 (30 Novembre 1971) [as "Il ritorno del Mago!", Italian translation]
• in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (October 2003) [black & white]
• in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #2

Indexer Notes

This is the fourth appearance of The Wizard; he last appears in issue #110 (July 1963) and he next appears in Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #36 (March 1965), when he was rescued by Paste-Pot Pete and The Sandman. The time-frame is a bit off, as Pete and the Sandman broke jail sometime after Pete's appearance in issue #124 (September 1964), and most or all of the remaining Torch solo stories up to Strange Tales #134 (July 1965) take place before the formation of the Frightful Four! (How long was he up there in the atmosphere?). Colors credit for Stan Goldberg removed due to lack of attribution. (26/03/2010)

Another Marvel Masterpiece (Table of Contents)

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Indexer Notes

Advertises Tales to Astonish (Marvel, 1959 series) #53 (March 1964). Printed between the pages of the Human Torch story.

The Weatherman (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Joe Maneely

Inks:

Joe Maneely

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Job Number:

K-71

Content Information

Genre:

science fiction

Characters:

Willie Wimms; Hugh Wimms

Synopsis:

In the future, young boy's afternoon is nearly ruined by a scheduled rainstorm, but when he runs into the rainmaker's magical assistant, he gets a delay.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #49 (August 1956)

Indexer Notes

Text story with illustration.

The Possessed! (Table of Contents)

Dr. Strange / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Steve Ditko (plot); Stan Lee (dialogue)

Pencils:

Steve Ditko

Inks:

Steve Ditko

Colors:

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters:

Sam Rosen

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]; Herr Braun; Fraulein Lieber

Synopsis:

Using his "Earthly Scanner," in which is a small replica of the planet, Strange senses evil somewhere in Bavaria. In a remote village, he finds the townspeople the victims of some strange form of possession, and believes a supernatural force is at work. But he soon discovers it's really the work of aliens from another dimension. He sends them packing, and seals off the dimensional doorway forever.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #8 (April 1967)
• in Capitaine America (Editions Héritage, 1970 series) #82/83 ([Juillet 1978])
• in Marvel Masterworks (Marvel, 1987 series) #23 ([December] 1992)
• in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001) [black & white]
• in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 ([September] 2003)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2010 series) #1 ([December] 2010)
• in Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts (Pocket Books, 1978 series) #nn [1]

Indexer Notes

This is the first appearance of The Orb Of Agamotto. The dimensional doorway which changes appearance to that of a large rock resembles the alien house in "The Outer Limits" episode, "The Guests."

Another Marvel Masterpiece (Table of Contents)

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Indexer Notes

Advertises Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 1959 series) #51 (March 1964). Printed between the pages of the Dr. Strange story.