Strange Tales #167

(April 1968)

Armageddon! (Table of Contents: 1)

Nick Fury / comic story / 11 pages (report information)

Script

Jim Steranko (credited)

Pencils

Jim Steranko (credited)

Inks

Joe Sinnott (credited)

Colors

Jim Steranko

Letters

Sam Rosen (credited)

Genre

spy; superhero

Characters

Jimmy Woo; Suwan (deceased); The Yellow Claw; Nick Fury; Clay Quartermain; Dum Dum Dugan; Val [Contessa Valentina Allegro de Fontaine]; The Gaff [Sidney E. Levine]; The Prime Mover (chess robot); Dr. Doom

Synopsis

While Jimmy Woo cradles the body of Suwan in his arms a SHIELD Suicide Squad bursts in via The Dreadnought, a colossal tunneling machine. The Claw vanishes but Fury uses a Pseudo-Elliptoid Wrist Tracer to find him, but arrives just as the villain escapes into the Space-Time Continuum in an Infinity Sphere. Fury finds a Prototype Warp-Vest and follows The Claw as they have a psychic duel. Fury wins and uses The Satan Claw to peel open The Claw's armor, only to discover he was actually a robot. Unknown to SHIELD Dr. Doom was playing a cosmic chess game using automatons to confuse the agents.

Reprints

• in Nick Fury - Agent för SHIELD (Carlsen/if [SE], 1979 series) #1
• in Vengeur (Arédit-Artima, 1972 series) #16 (4ème trimestre 1975) [N&B et remonté [B&W and reframed]]
• in Captain Britain (Marvel UK, 1976 series) #17 (February 2, 1977) [Selected pages plus a new splash page, printed in the wrong order due to a printers' error.], #18 (February 9, 1977), #18 (February 9, 1977) [Pages 1-6 only]
• in Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Marvel, 2000 series) (May 2000)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2009), #2 ([December] 2009) [4 pp.]
• in S.H.I.E.L.D. by Steranko: The Complete Collection (Marvel, 2013 series) ([October] 2013) [pp. 2-5], ([October] 2013)
• in S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Complete Collection Omnibus (Marvel, 2015 series) (2015)
• in Die offizielle Marvel-Comic-Sammlung (Hachette [DE], 2013 series) #9 - Nick Fury: Agent von SHIELD, Teil 2 (September 2016)
• in Marvel. Официальная коллекция комиксов (Ашет Коллекция [Hachette], 2014 series) #126 - Ник Фьюри: Агент "Защиты"
• in Steranko Is... Revolutionary (Marvel, 2020 series) (2020)

Indexer Notes

Part 9 of 9. Features comics' 1st 4-page spread (requiring 2 issues side-by-side for full effect). SHIELD's invading The Yellow Claw's underground HQ pays tribute to the climax of the film YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) with the heroes coming thru the floor instead of the ceiling. SHIELD's Dreadnought, which takes its name (ironically) from the HYDRA killer robot is in the tradition of tunneling machines used by Cave Carson in BRAVE AND THE BOLD #31 (DC Comics, September 1960), The Hate Monger in FANTASTIC FOUR #21 (February 1963), International Rescue on the TV series THUNDERBIRDS (1965) and Japan's Science Patrol on the TV series ULTRA MAN (1966). The Claw's Infinity Sphere is similar to The Legion Of Super-Heroes' Time Bubbles in ADVENTURE COMICS. With Dr. Strange battling a science-fiction villain and Fury hurtling thru other dimensions the two series in STRANGE TALES had more similarities than usual. Baron Strucker's Satan Claw was last seen in STRANGE TALES #159 (August 1967). The Prime Mover returned in GIANT-SIZE DEFENDERS #3 (January 1975). While the ending of this story would be long debated among fans, writer Steve Englehart brought back the real Yellow Claw in CAPTAIN AMERICA #164-167 (August-November 1973).

Come 'n Get It, Tiger — Here's Our New Year's Gift to You!! (Table of Contents: 2)

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

Script

Stan Lee; ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Items; Stan's Soapbox!; The Mighty Marvel Checklist; Let's Meet 26 More M.M.M.S. Members!

This Dream --- This Doom! (Table of Contents: 3)

Doctor Strange / comic story / 11 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil (credited); Dan Adkins (co-plot, uncredited)

Pencils

Dan Adkins (credited)

Inks

Dan Adkins (credited)

Colors

?

Letters

Sam Rosen (credited)

Genre

superhero; fantasy-supernatural

Characters

The Ancient One; Dr. Strange; Victoria Bentley; Yandroth

Synopsis

The Ancient One is alive and tells Strange he made Zom believe he was dead so he could pass on his powers to his disciple. With the Cosmic Balance restored he was able to shatter the spell that bound him. In his Himalayan retreat Strange and the Ancient One discover that Victoria Bentley is a prisoner in the Dimension of Dreams. Using a mystic gem and with his mentor to mentally guide him Strange travels to Victoria. Strange catches up with Yandroth and Victoria and faces a giant behemoth and a pair of Viking warriors while Yandroth raises a gun and prepares to fire.

Reprints

• in Fantastic! (IPC, 1967 series) #77 (3 August 1968)
• in Eclipso (Arédit-Artima, 1968 series) #49 (1er trimestre 1975) [N&B et recadré [B&W and reframed]]
• in Giant-Size Doctor Strange (Marvel, 1975 series) #1 (1975)
• in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #2 ([September] 2005)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2010 series) #2 ([January] 2013)
• in Doctor Strange Omnibus (Marvel, 2016 series) #2 (2021)
• in Doctor Strange Epic Collection (Marvel, 2016 series) #2 - I, Dormammu (2023)

Indexer Notes

Part 21 of 22; part 4 of Yandroth sequence. Inspired by Steranko Dan Adkins begins using bizarre page layouts that resemble overlapping photos.

More Triumphs for Marvel..! (Table of Contents: 4)

Daredevil; Not Brand Echh / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.75 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Marie Severin; Gene Colan

Inks

Marie Severin; Frank Giacoia

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

humor; superhero

Indexer Notes

House ad for Not Brand Echh (Marvel, 1967 series) #7 (April 1968) and Daredevil (Marvel, 1964 series) #38 (March 1968), with covers shown, and both advertised as "Now On Sale".

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

statement of ownership / 0.25 page (report information)

Script

John F. Hayes (Business Manager)

Letters

typeset

Genre

non-fiction

Indexer Notes

Date of Filing: October 1, 1967. Total Paid Circulation: Average number of copies during preceding 12 months: 241,561.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6)

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

Script

?

Pencils

Dan Adkins; Jim Steranko

Inks

Dan Adkins; Frank Giacoia

Colors

?

Letters

Morrie Kuramoto; typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Dear Stan, Jackpot! Shield is an excellent comic...

Reprints

• in S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Complete Collection Omnibus (Marvel, 2015 series) (2015)

Indexer Notes

Letters of comment from Robert Klein; Michael Lawrence; Michael Pleasant; and John E Mullen.