(July 1965)

Marvel, 1951 Series
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Volume
1
Price
0.12 USD
Pages
36
Indicia Frequency
monthly
On-sale Date
1965-04-08
Publisher's Age Guidelines
Approved by the Comics Code Authority
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
Vista Publications Inc.
Brand
Marvel Comics Group [under character box]
Editing
Stan Lee (editor)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from 1965 Periodicals, Copyright Office, Library of Congress.

Enter: The Watcher! (Table of Contents)

Human Torch; The Thing / cover / 1 page (report information)

Script
Stan Lee
Pencils
Jack Kirby
Inks
Frank Giacoia
Colors
Stan Goldberg ?
Letters
Sam Rosen

Genre
superhero
Characters
Watcher; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Thing [Ben Grimm]
Reprints

The Challenge of...The Watcher! (Table of Contents: 1)

Human Torch; The Thing / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script
Stan Lee (credited); Bob Powell (co-plot, uncredited)
Pencils
Bob Powell (credited)
Inks
Wally Wood (credited as Wallace Wood)
Colors
Stan Goldberg ?
Letters
Artie Simek (credited)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Watcher; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Kang; Merlin; Mr. Fantastic [Reed Richards] (cameo); Invisible Girl [Sue Storm] (cameo)
Synopsis
Though he is not permitted to interfere, The Watcher tells Ben & Johnny of how Kang time-travelled to the days of King Arthur, imprisoned Merlin, and took over the country. In order for the timestream to remain intact, The Watcher sends the pair back in time to defeat Kang. After a hard battle, they send Kang packing, and The Watcher returns them to the present. Later, relaxing after a hard day's fighting, Reed & Sue accuse them of being "loafers."
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Kang's previous appearance in THE AVENGERS #11 (December 1964); next appearance in THE AVENGERS #23 (December 1965). The Watcher's own series, where he sometimes acted merely as narrator, ran in TALES OF SUSPENSE #49-58 (January-October 1964); previous appearance apart from that in FANTASTIC FOUR #29 (August 1964); next appearance in FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #3 (November 1965).

Last episode of the series. The Human Torch and the Thing would be replaced in the next issue with "Nick Fury, Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D." The Torch later became an occasional co-star beginning in MARVEL TEAM-UP #1 (March 1972). The Thing received his own team-up series in MARVEL FEATURE #11-12 (September-November 1973), then MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #1 (January 1974). Eventually, Ben would get a solo series in THE THING #1 (July 1983).

Earth Be My Battleground (Table of Contents: 2)

Doctor Strange / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script
Steve Ditko (plot, uncredited); Stan Lee (credited) (dialogue)
Pencils
Steve Ditko (credited)
Inks
Steve Ditko (credited)
Colors
Stan Goldberg ?
Letters
Artie Simek (credited)

Genre
superhero; fantasy-supernatural
Characters
Dr. Strange; Hamir (unnamed); The Ancient One; Baron Mordo; Dormammu; Clea (unnamed); Mindless Ones
Synopsis
Dr. Strange returns to earth but remains in hiding. Mordo's spirits discover Strange and pursue him. Meanwhile Clea distracts Dormammu by freeing The Mindless Ones. They attack, causing Dormammu to leave Mordo on his own. Strange flies into space and straight into the sun, the spirits fleeing and Mordo worried that it might spell his doom. Strange returns to The Ancient One, who in his weak, delirious condition, speaks of "Eternity." Dormammu secures his domain but wonders if someone has betrayed him. Clea fears she may be found out while Dr. Strange begins to search for "Eternity."
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Part 5 of 17. Strange would finally find Eternity in STRANGE TALES #138 (November 1965). This episode (and the next one) were inadvertently skipped in sequential reprints in MARVEL COLLECTORS' ITEM CLASSICS in 1970.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 3)

Strange Mails / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Script
Stan Lee
Letters
typeset

Reprints

Indexer Notes

includes letters by Robert Strezelecki, Jimmy Mills, Michael Arden, Richard Willis and the Mighty Marvel Checklist, listing Fantastic Four #40, Spider-Man #26, Avengers #17, X-Men #11, Daredevil #8, Thor #117, Suspense #67, Astonish #69 and Sgt. Fury #19.

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. Enter: The Watcher!
    Human Torch; The Thing
  2. 1. The Challenge of...The Watcher!
    Human Torch; The Thing
  3. 2. Earth Be My Battleground
    Doctor Strange
  4. 3. [no title indexed]
    Strange Mails
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Katie
  • Chris Boyko
  • David Bruce
  • Nick Caputo
  • Steve Coates
  • Peter Croome
  • Robert K. S. Croy, Sr.
  • Mark Gordon
  • Andrés Jiménez
  • Henry R. Kujawa
  • Darrel McCann
  • Mark Q
  • Jim Van Dore