Astonishing Tales #23

(April 1974)

Conquerors Three! (Table of Contents: 1)

It, the Living Colossus / comic story / 17 pages (report information)

Script

Tony Isabella

Pencils

Dick Ayers; Jack Kirby (see notes)

Inks

Dick Ayers

Colors

Linda Lessmann

Letters

Dick Ayers (credited as Richard B.)

First Line of Dialogue or Text

I'm coming after you, Granitor!

Feature Logo

It! The Living Colossus!

Genre

horror-suspense; superhero

Characters

It, the Living Colossus; Bob O'Bryan; Lord Granitor (destroyed?); Fin Fang Foom; Dr. Vault; Dr. Braun; Freddy; Susan; Duffy; Grant Marshall; Dorian Delazny; Felix Simon (introduction); Diane Cummings; Magnor; Sgt. Patten; Gargoyles of Stonus Five

Synopsis

Dr. Vault uses his power to summon Fin Fang Foom to defeat It and take over his body. Bob O'Bryan is able to again take control over It's body, and he along with Fin Fang Foom (who has shaken off Dr. Vault's control) battle Lord Granitor to save earth. O'Bryan appears to be dead when his mind enters It, is driven to the hospital by Felix. When Lord Granitor uses his transportation device to try to escape It destroys the device and Lord Granitor. Dr. Vault takes control of Fin Fang Foom again and O'Bryan is declared dead at the hospital.

Reprints

• from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #89 (October 1961) [parts of four pages only]
• in Los Vengadores (Ediciones Vértice, 1974 series) #18 (Marzo 1976)
• in Eclipso (Arédit-Artima, 1968 series) #69 (1er trimestre 1980) [N&B et recadré [B&W and reframed]]
• in Marvel Horror Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)

Keywords

monsters

Indexer Notes

Parts of "Fin Fang Foom!" (Strange Tales #89) are incorporated into the new material as follows: page 1 appears on page 7; page 5, panels 4-6 on page 8, panels 1-3; page 6, panels 2-4 on page 8, panels 4-6 and page 8, panel 2 on page 8, panel 7.

Marvel Bullpen Bulletins: Homilies, Hijinx, and Happy New year--From the Hallowed Halls of Marvel! [April 1974]; Stan Lee's Soapbox; Mighty Marvel Checklist (Table of Contents: 2)

Bullpen Bulletins; Mighty Marvel Checklist; Stan's Soapbox / in-house column / 1 page (report information)

Script

Stan Lee; ? (promo copy)

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Characters

Iron Fist

Indexer Notes

Stan Lee talks about since it's the start of a new year it's the perfect time to talk about the new stuff coming out. He mentions the Spider-Man Medallion Coins, a new series of hard-cover books about your favorite Marvel masterworks, FOOM, the Value Stamp project, a potential full-length feature film and how two top TV producers are making them an offer they can't refuse. Items about the New Year's Resolutions by Gerry Conway, Mike Ploog, Rich Buckler, Johnny Romita, Steve Gerber, Bob Brown, John Buscema, Sal Buscema, Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan, Roy Thomas and Stan Lee, they are discontinuing the ads for FOOM for a few weeks because they can't keep up with the orders and another Spider-Man code. Mighty Marvel Checklist for comics now on sale! listed with a synopsis are Spider-Man #131, Thor #222, Tomb of Dracula #19, Captain America #172, Werewolf by Night #16, Conan the Barbarian #37, Iron Man #67, Fear #21, Marvel Team-Up #20, Kull the Destroyer #13, Strange Tales #173, Astonishing Tales #23 and Worlds Unknown #6. Also includes a small promo for Iron Fist in Marvel Premiere. Appears between pages 13 and 14 of the story sequence.

Bullpen Bonus Page: Value, Value--Who's Got the Value? [April 1974] (Table of Contents: 3)

Bullpen Bulletins / in-house column / 1 page (report information)

Script

? (promo copy)

Pencils

Esteban Maroto; ?

Inks

?; Esteban Marato

Colors

?; ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Article explaining some of the ideas behind the Marvel Value Stamps (and pledging to give a fuller explanation of what you get if you collect all 100). Article bragging about how Marvel's magazines are eight pages longer than most magazines and that Dracula Lives, Monsters Unleashed, Vampire Tales and Tales of the Zombie are put out six times a year with Crazy on sale seven times a year. Also, in a couple of months two more magazines will be launched. An item advertising Crazy #3 by listing some of the shows they parody and other articles (with an illustration from their "High Plains Drifter" story) and an item advertising Vampire Tales #4 (with an illustration from their "The Drifting Snow" story).

Monster Scrapbook: The "Original" Lost World! (Table of Contents: 4)

text article / 1 page (report information)

Script

Tony Isabella

Pencils

Mike Esposito ? (illustration)

Inks

Mike Esposito ? (illustration)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Article on the first "The Lost World" movie.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 5)

Them! The Readers That Wrote / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Script

Tony Isabella ?

Pencils

Dick Ayers (illustrations)

Inks

Dick Ayers (illustrations)

Colors

Linda Lessmann ?

Letters

Tom Orzechowski (logo)

Characters

It, the Living Colossus; Bob O'Bryan

Indexer Notes

Letters from Bob Hobart, Steve Scheibner, Steven M Scholz, K.J. Robbins, Rodney Schroeter, and Russell Lynn. Fields with two partial panels reprinted from Astonishing Tales #22.

Aunt May--Marrying Doctor Octopus? (Table of Contents: 6)

Spider-Man / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Script

? (promo copy)

Pencils

Gil Kane

Inks

Frank Giacoia

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Spider-Man [Peter Parker]; Aunt May; Dr. Octopus

Indexer Notes

Promo for Amazing Spider-Man #131 using a portion of the cover.

The Human Torch and the Magnificent Medusa-- (Table of Contents: 7)

Fantastic Four / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Script

? (promo copy)

Pencils

Gil Kane

Inks

Frank Giacoia; Mike Esposito ?

Colors

?

Letters

Gaspar Saladino

Genre

superhero

Characters

Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Medusa

Indexer Notes

Promo for Fantastic Four #145 using a portion of the cover.

[Worlds Unknown #6 Promo] (Table of Contents: 8)

Worlds Unknown / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Script

? (promo copy)

Pencils

Gil Kane; John Romita (re-touches on Killdozer figure)

Inks

Ernie Chan; John Romita (re-touches on Killdozer figure)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

horror-suspense; science fiction

Characters

Killdozer

Indexer Notes

Promo for Worlds Unknown #6 using a portion of the cover.