Strange Tales #121

(June 1964)

Prisoner of the Plantman! (Table of Contents: 1)

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

Script

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

Pencils

Dick Ayers (credited)

Inks

Dick Ayers (credited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Artie Simek (credited as Art Simek)

Job Number

X-666

Genre

superhero

Characters

Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Plantman [Sam Smithers]; Doris Evans; Mr. Evans (flashback); Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards] (cameo); Thing [Ben Grimm] (cameo); Invisible Girl [Sue Storm] (cameo)

Synopsis

After improving his plant ray, The Plantman captures Johnny to get him out of the way while he pulls a robbery. After, Doris, worried about her father, begs Johnny to stop the villain. They have a duel at the Botanical Gardens...with predictable results.

Reprints

• in Creepy Worlds (Alan Class, 1962 series) #64 ([circa 1967-1968])
• in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #23 (November 1969)
• in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #22 (25 Gennaio 1972)
• in Spécial Strange (Editions Lug, 1975 series) #3 (15 mars 1976)
• in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 ([October] 2003) [black & white]
• in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #2 [Regular Edition] ([March] 2009)
• in The Human Torch & The Thing: Strange Tales - The Complete Collection (Marvel, 2018 series) (2018)

Indexer Notes

Second appearance of Plantman; last appears in issue #113 (October 1963) and next appears in X-Men (Marvel, 1963 series) #22 (July 1966). Plantman redesigns his costume in this episode, going from "mystery man" to "super-villain" in style.

Witchcraft in the Wax Museum! (Table of Contents: 2)

Doctor Strange / comic story / 9 pages (report information)

Script

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

Pencils

Steve Ditko (credited)

Inks

Steve Ditko (credited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Artie Simek (credited as Art Simek)

Job Number

X-665

Genre

superhero; fantasy-supernatural

Characters

Dr. Strange [Stephen Strange]; Baron Mordo [Karl Amadeus Mordo]

Synopsis

A phone call lures Strange away in his ectoplasmic form, so Baron Mordo can steal his body. Knowing that if the two are not reunited in 24 hours Strange is doomed, Mordo places a spell over the body so Strange cannot return to it. Using his amulet to retrace Mordo's steps, he finds Mordo, and his own body, in a wax museum. Tricking Mordo into fighting him in his ectoplasmic form, Strange turns the tables by trapping Mordo outside his body, and with Mordo held thus, is able to return to his own. Mordo warns Strange his unwillingness to finish him will be his undoing.

Reprints

• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #56
• in Creepy Worlds (Alan Class, 1962 series) #64 ([circa 1967-1968])
• in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #12 (December 1967)
• in Eclipso (Arédit-Artima, 1968 series) #21 (août 1972) [N&B et recadré [B&W and reframed]]
• in Giant-Size Defenders (Marvel, 1974 series) #4 (April 1975)
which is reprinted
• in Capitaine America (Editions Héritage, 1970 series) #66 ([Février 1977])
• 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 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 fifth appearance of Baron Mordo; he last appears in issue #117 (February 1964) and next appears in issue #125 (October 1964). Doctor Strange guest-stars in Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #27 (June 1964) shortly after this story.

Now on Sale (Table of Contents: 3) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.8 page (report information)

Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation (Table of Contents: 4)

statement of ownership / 0.2 page (report information)

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Average monthly paid circulation/print run October 1962–September 1963 (issues #104–115): 189,160/321,212. Paid circulation/print run for issue #115: 190,820/317,493. This shares the page with the promo.

The Salesman (Table of Contents: 5)

text story / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Job Number

[K-141]

Genre

humor

Characters

Mr. Frankel; Mr. Karl; Red Mop

Synopsis

A dull salesman gets some zing from a famous clown's laughing powder, but learns that confidence is its own magic.

Reprints

• from Mystic (Marvel, 1951 series) #51 (September 1956) [page 2]

Indexer Notes

Text story with illustration. Continues from last issue. Printed after the Dr. Strange story.