Strange Tales #117

(February 1964)

The Return of the Eel! (Table of Contents: 1)

Human Torch / comic story / 14 pages (report information)

Script

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

Pencils

Dick Ayers (credited)

Inks

Dick Ayers (credited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Artie Simek (credited as Art Simek)

Job Number

X-546

Genre

superhero

Characters

Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Eel [Leopold Stryke]; Invisible Girl [Sue Storm]; Mr. Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Thing [Ben Grimm] (cameo)

Synopsis

Having served his time, The Eel is released from jail, but Johnny's suspicious because he left prison wearing his Eel costume. Taking a security guard job at an aquarium, The Eel begins pulling crimes, but eventually, Johnny tracks him down and defeats him again.

Reprints

• in Astounding Stories (Alan Class, 1966 series) #6
• in Uncanny Tales (Alan Class, 1963 series) #70 (?)
• in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #17 (16 Novembre 1971)
• in Nova (Editions Lug, 1978 series) #86 (5 mars 1985)
• 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 The Human Torch & The Thing: Strange Tales - The Complete Collection (Marvel, 2018 series) (2018)

Indexer Notes

Second appearance of The Eel; previous appearance in issue #112 (September 1963); Eel has a 2-panel cameo in Fantastic Four Annual (Marvel, 1963 series) #3 (1965), then returns in X-Men (Marvel, 1963 series) #22 (July 1966). Story not reprinted in Marvel Tales run.

From Outer Space (Table of Contents: 2)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Job Number

9498

Genre

science fiction

Characters

Jonathan Ditmar

Synopsis

When hostile aliens come to Earth of the future they are persuaded not to enslave humanity because of Earth's music.

Reprints

• from Mystery Tales (Marvel, 1952 series) #26 (February 1955)
which is reprinted
• from Adventures into Weird Worlds (Marvel, 1952 series) #3 (March 1952) [as "From Outer Space"]

Indexer Notes

Text story with illustration.

Another Marvel Masterpiece (Table of Contents: 3) (Expand) /

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

The Many Traps of Baron Mordo! (Table of Contents: 4)

Doctor Strange / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee (credited); Steve Ditko (credited) (co-plot)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (credited)

Inks

Steve Ditko (credited)

Colors

?

Letters

Sam Rosen (credited as S. Rosen)

Job Number

X-557

Genre

superhero; fantasy-supernatural

Characters

Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]; Baron Mordo [Karl Amadeus Mordo]; Ancient One [Yao]

Synopsis

Mordo places a spell over Strange's house that causes it to vanish to another dimension. Strange manages to track Mordo down using his ethereal form, but it becomes trapped in Mordo's lair. Mordo goes to see The Ancient One, claiming he's changed his way, just so he can attack him unawares. But Strange had found a way to escape by going straight thru the center of the Earth itself, and warned his mentor in advance. Though defeated, both Strange and The Ancient One know Mordo is becoming more powerful all the time.

Reprints

• in Doktor Strange der Magier (BSV - Williams, 1975 series) #9
• in Uncanny Tales (Alan Class, 1963 series) #6
• in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #7 (February 1967)
• in Terrific! (IPC, 1967 series) #6 (20 May 1967)
• in Uncanny Tales (Alan Class, 1963 series) #61 ([circa 1969-1970])
• in Etranges Aventures (Arédit-Artima, 1966 series) #23 (novembre 1971) [N&B et recadré [B&W and reframed]]
• in Marvel Premiere (Marvel, 1972 series) #11 (October 1973)
which is reprinted
• in Le Fils de Satan (Arédit-Artima, 1975 series) #7 (2ème trimestre 1977) [N&B et remonté [B&W and reframed]]
• in Marvel. Официальная коллекция комиксов (Ашет Коллекция [Hachette], 2014 series) #118 - Доктор Стрэндж: Разделенная Реальность
• in The Avengers (Marvel UK, 1973 series) #6 (October 27, 1973) [black & white]
• in Capitaine America (Editions Héritage, 1970 series) #80/81 ([Mai 1978])
• in Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts (Pocket Books, 1978 series) #[1] (June 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 Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 [Third Edition] (2015)
• in Doctor Strange Omnibus (Marvel, 2016 series) #1 (2016)
• in Doctor Strange Epic Collection (Marvel, 2016 series) #1 - Master of the Mystic Arts (2018)
• in Ditko Is... Strange King-Size (Marvel, 2020 series) (2020)
• in Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2021 series) #1 - The World Beyond (2021)

Indexer Notes

This is the fourth appearance of Baron Mordo; his last chronological appearance is in issue #114 (November 1963); he next appears in issue #121 (June 1964).