Strange Tales #124: It’s… ASBESTOS!!! 30

Strange Tales #124, page 10, panel 6

Strange Tales #124: It’s… ASBESTOS!!! 30

Written by: Smilin’ Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers

Inked by: Peerless P. Reinman

Lettered by: Adorable Art Simek

You can probably tell I’ve got a big grin on my face whilst creating this post. I’m a huge fan of ridiculous uses of asbestos in 1960s Fantastic Four comics, and the suggestion that Paste Pot Pete has mixed asbestos with his paste to create a fireproof, quick-setting adhesive is completely ludicrous. I mean, for a start, there’s a very good chance that the smothering effect of the paste alone renders the need for a fireproof material null and void. And let’s not talk about the logistics of mixing a fibrous substance into a viscous liquid without further reducing its viscosity.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #124 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Strange Tales #124: Flamin’ ‘Eck 51

Strange Tales #124, page 10, panel 2

Strange Tales #124: Flamin’ ‘Eck 51

Written by: Smilin’ Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers

Inked by: Peerless P. Reinman

Lettered by: Adorable Art Simek

Ah, the infamous panel where Johnny was possessed by the Phoenix Force 13 years before its creation.

Or…

The infamous panel where Johnny inadvertently proves and disproves the theories regarding conservation of energy. Ignoring the fact that the kinetic motion of the car’s engine provides the energy to recharge the battery which is used to start the car itself, Johnny decides that he can expend his flame whilst creating new flame energy to store within him to use in the future. He’s literally creating energy out of nothing.

Sometimes, Stan’s pseudo-science hits the right level of believability. Other times, it’s pure crap.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #124 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Strange Tales #124: Flame On 72

Strange Tales #124, page 8, panel 6

Strange Tales #124: Flame On 72

Written by: Smilin’ Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers

Inked by: Peerless P. Reinman

Lettered by: Adorable Art Simek

It’s amazing how disparate Strange Tales is from the main Fantastic Four book at this time. I’m not just talking in terms of quality – and issues like the Molecule Man and the Infant Terrible ones show that the core book can read as badly as the spinoff – but in terms of aims and context it’s as if the two book are coming from very different eras. Whilst the main book is offering fast-paced tales featuring aliens and alchemists, mutants and Avengers, packed with character and a relentless drive forward, Strange Tales seems stuck in a depressingly domestic late 1950s as depicted in pop culture that probably never quite existed.

8 pages into this story, and we’ve seen some tame, uninspired shenanigans at home (with no authoritative presence), and then Johnny’s gone bowling with girlfriend. If it hadn’t been for his signal ring (making its one and only appearance a few panels earlier), you can just imagine the two going for some malted shakes together. Where’s the genre-defining, boundary-pushing storytelling seen in the Fantastic Four? It’s certainly not to be seen here.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #124 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Strange Tales #124: Flamin’ ‘Eck 50

Strange Tales #124, page 3, panel 1

Strange Tales #124: Flamin’ ‘Eck 50

Written by: Smilin’ Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers

Inked by: Peerless P. Reinman

Lettered by: Adorable Art Simek

As we make our way through the final 10-or-so issues of Johnny Storm’s solo adventures in Strange Tales, we’re going to see logic (not a quality seen in abundance, admittedly) become scarcer and scarcer. Here’s a good example of a panel which should never have been drawn, and which should have been picked up by anyone involved in the creative process from the penciling onwards.

Having had half of his house destroyed by The Thing’s refusal to use the front door, Johnny then decides to some on-the-spot spot-welding to repair the damage. So, he uses his intense heat and flame to repair his very obviously wooden house.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #124 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Strange Tales #124: Property Damage 31 / Flamin’ ‘Eck 49

Strange Tales 124, page 1, panel 4

Strange Tales #124: Property Damage 31 / Flamin’ ‘Eck 49

Written by: Smilin’ Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers

Inked by: Peerless P. Reinman

Lettered by: Adorable Art Simek

Our streak of The Thing destroying everything in his wake continues as we return to our favourite Silver Age punching bag, Strange Tales. This opening sequence sees Ben decide to give Johnny a wake-up call by… er… lifting a side of his house off its foundations, presumably destroying the structural stability of the house. Judging by the way that rear wall doesn’t change angle, there has to be a massive gaping crack somewhere along the side of the house as well. As Andy most likely said at the time, this makes no sense. And it still doesn’t.

We’ve also got yet another flaming lasso, easily my least-favourite thing in the entirety of Strange Tales (and beyond, as evidenced by its appearance in the comic covered on this week’s episode). At least this is 1964, and we can pretty much guarantee that the walls are lined with asbestos, explaining why Johnny can throw his flame around in such a cavalier fashion.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #124 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

 

Fantastic Four #30: Reed’s Stretchy Body 81

Fantastic Four #30, page 15, panels 5-6

Fantasticast Four #30: Reed’s Stretchy Body 81

Written by: Stan Lee (A rather nice writer)

Illustrated by: Jack Kirby (A quite noteworthy artist)

Inked by: Chic Stone (A somewhat nifty inker)

Lettered by: Art Simek (An occasionally neat letterer)

Sometimes, it’s the less-flashy things that catch my eye. I really get the feeling that Sue, Johnny, and the reader, just happened to stumble upon Reed as he was making his way through Diablo’s castle. There’s no showing off, no intimidating his enemies, just a guy using his powers to do a job. It’s very casual and understated, and I really like it.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #30 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Fantastic Four #30: Flame On 71

Fantastic Four #30, page 12, panel 1

Fantasticast Four #30: Flame On 71

Written by: Stan Lee (A rather nice writer)

Illustrated by: Jack Kirby (A quite noteworthy artist)

Inked by: Chic Stone (A somewhat nifty inker)

Lettered by: Art Simek (An occasionally neat letterer)

Ah, good old blank backgrounds. The sign of an artistic shortcut. Based on this panel alone, I have no idea where the Fantastic Four currently are. I mean it. I browse the comic for these posts visually, I pay little attention to the actual plot. I think they’re still in Transylvania, but so much has happened over the past few pages, that I’m not sure.

And by ‘so much’, I mean that Diablo has enchanted the whole world, re-seeded the African desert, done lots of dirty deals with tinpot dictators, un-cured the Thing and entrapped him, and enslaved the populace of the town near his castle. He’s been busy, and the Fantastic Four have… just let this happen? Way to be a super-hero team, guys!

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #30 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Fantastic Four #30: Reed’s Stretchy Body 80

Fantastic Four #30, page 7, panel 1

Fantasticast Four #30: Reed’s Stretchy Body 80

Written by: Stan Lee (A rather nice writer)

Illustrated by: Jack Kirby (A quite noteworthy artist)

Inked by: Chic Stone (A somewhat nifty inker)

Lettered by: Art Simek (An occasionally neat letterer)

It’s hard to work out just how Ben was able to knot Reed around the pillar so effectively. I can’t quite imagine that Reed would have been this pliant, or that he couldn’t undo the knotting all by himself. Still, it makes for a nice, fun, energetic image.

Or, it would, if it wasn’t for the strange depiction of Reed. We’re still in the era when Jack Kirby would happily use 6-9 panel pages, resulting in his art feeling more cramped than we are used to seeing it today. But there’s an almost complete lack of definition on Reed’s face, presumably as a result of trying to fit the entire Fantastic Four in a 1/6th page panel. It’s unfortunate, but it really throws off the entire image.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #30 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Fantastic Four #30: Flame On 70

Fantastic Four #30, page 5, panel 5

Fantasticast Four #30: Flame On 70

Written by: Stan Lee (A rather nice writer)

Illustrated by: Jack Kirby (A quite noteworthy artist)

Inked by: Chic Stone (A somewhat nifty inker)

Lettered by: Art Simek (An occasionally neat letterer)

We’re back. For a little bit, at least. The plan is to try and get ahead on these posts for the next few weeks and get the momentum going again. I suspect it might all go a little wrong, though, as I’m off for two weeks of holiday in mid-September, and it’s slightly more pressing to ensure the podcast hits its release schedule than the blog. Let’s see what happens…

Not that I’m avoiding writing about today’s panel at all, oh no. Reed, Johnny and Sue are on the trail of Ben, who has gone missing in the middle of night, leaving only a trail of destruction leading to a mysterious abandoned castle. Johnny’s ‘Flame On’ leads to his contribution to the tracking – melting through a thick stone wall to see what’s behind it.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #30 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]

Fantastic Four #30: Reed’s Stretchy Body 79

Fantastic Four #30, page 1

Fantasticast Four #30: Reed’s Stretchy Body 79

Written by: Stan Lee (A rather nice writer)

Illustrated by: Jack Kirby (A quite noteworthy artist)

Inked by: Chic Stone (A somewhat nifty inker)

Lettered by: Art Simek (An occasionally neat letterer)

I have no idea what’s going on with Reed on this page. On first glance, it’s pretty simple – he’s using his stretching powers to get above the undergrowth to see ahead. But on closer look, things just don’t seem right. Reed’s belt line is depicted as being below Sue’s crotch, when he’s normally depicted as being taller than her. So, should I presume that in order to stretch his upper body, Reed had to shrink his lower?

Normally, Reed maintains the general proportions of his body whilst stretching. If using his body to bridge the gap between two skyscrapers, his beltline will remain at the middle of his body, and his limbs will maintain similar sizes. I’m really not sure why he’s chosen to ignore those proportions here – just look at the difference in size between his two arms – but it’s unsettling to see him break the ‘rules’ of his stretching.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #30 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_33.mp3]