Strange Tales #121

(June 1964)

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

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

Script:

Stan Lee; Dick Ayers (co-plot)

Pencils:

Dick Ayers

Inks:

Dick Ayers

Colors:

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters:

Artie 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 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, 1974 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)

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; Steve Ditko (co-plot)

Pencils:

Steve Ditko

Inks:

Steve Ditko

Colors:

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters:

Artie Simek

Job Number:

X-665

Genre:

superhero

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 Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #12 (December 1967)
• 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] (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 ([September] 2016)

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.