Scorpions, Spiders, and....Sumo?!?

     The highlight of my latest batch of reading is Amazing Spider-Man #20, introducing the Scorpion.  Jameson has hired a man to tail Peter to figure out how he gets his pics, but when he reads about a scientist who can imbue subjects with animal characteristics, he hires both to create a subject with abilities form an animal stronger than a spider -- a scorpion!!

    Ditko creates a taut atmosphere at the beginning of the book with Peter being harassed by the nameless stranger who we later learn is Mac Gargan.  As Scorpion, it is quickly established that the Scorpion is stronger than Spider-Man, and Spidey really gets put through the paces.  Some great characterization all around as we see the progression of Gargan's villainy as he realizes if he can beat Spider-Man, he can take what he want, and if Jameson knows his identity, Jameson has to go.  Jameson in turn goes from gloating to panic.  While he never questions the morality or legality in the experiment to create Scorpion, he is worried about the ramifications of creating a menace worse than Spider-Man.  Peter shows a maturation in his role of Spider-Man.  He gets defeated and knocked out by Scorpion, but unlike some of his earlier defeats, he doesn't let it dissuade him from tackling the Scorpion again or debate whether or not he should continue to be Spider-Man.  Compare this Peter Parker with the Peter Parker from Amazing Spider-Man #3.  The only weak point in the issue are the unnecessary plot point of Stilwell's experiment turning Gargan evil.  While we haven't seen any over acts of villainy, the way he is drawn and his language gives the impression of a shadier character.  His villain turn at the realization of his power and flush from beating Spidey, sold his turn to me.  It didn't need to be explained further.  There is also a bit where because Scorpion pincers are really strong and sharp, Scorpion can cut break Spider-Man's webbing.  I'm okay with him being strong enough to break the webbing, but the dialogue explaining it doesn't work, mainly because visually there's nothing to indicate Gargan's fingers having a similar property.
 

   Released the same month, Spider-Man also makes a guest appearance in Avengers #11.  Kang sends a Spider-Man robot from the future to fight the Avengers, best sums up the plot.  Its a really weird issue and isn't very exciting.  The art from Don Heck inked by Dick Ayers is good and together they do a passable Spider-Man.  It starts with a nice continuity beat with the Avengers granting Iron Man a leave of absence in absencia due to events in his title (see further down).  After that its a story mess. Kang build a Spider-Man robot and sends it to fight the Avengers.  The robot posing as Spidey confronts the Avengers stating that he knows where Iron Man is.  He will help them help Iron Man in exchange for Avengers membership.  The Avengers fly with him to Mexico to an old temple.  Spider-bot, Giant Man, and the Wasp arrive first.  The robot beats them by making Giant-Man reach around something and webbing his hands together, and then swats the Wasp with a web-swatter.  Thor arrives and, it encloses first Mjolner, then Thor in webbing, and Thor becomes Don Blake after 60 seconds still ensnared in webbing.  Captain America then parachutes in, is ambushed, and thrown from the temple to his death.  He is saved off-panel by...the real Spider-Man.  The two exchange blows, and Peter throws the Spider-bot from the temple who retorts by making web wings.  Peter then uses his tactics from dealing with the Vulture to quickly defeat and deactivate the robot.
     I really don't get this issue.  It hangs its narrative on continuity -- Iron Man being AWOL, then misses other beats.  Giant Man states that hes confronting Spider-Man based on what little hes gleaned from news coverage of Spider-Man, but the two have met and fought before in Tales to Astonish.  No allowance is made for how the real Spider-Man manages to get to (or for that matter leave) Mexico.   The setting makes no sense.  With their being no traps built for the Avengers in advance, this could have taken place anywhere.  A mountain retreat upstate as an example.  Finally, I don't see how this serves the Avengers.  A guest-spot by Spider-Man makes sense.  At this time he is probably the most popular character with the second-best selling book, behind FF.  However with his duplicate owning the Avengers, him so easily defeating the robot, and him never actually interacting with the team, I don't know what would make a Spider-Man fan stick with the Avengers based on this issue.  In the letter page, Stan says this we rewritten late in the production cycle because it was felt not having the real Spider-Man appear cheated readers, but I can't help but think that might have served the Avengers better.

   Finally a little about Tales of Suspense #61, since it played a part in Avengers #11.  Iron Man is on leave, because Tony Stark is believed dead, killed by an energy beam fired at his home by one of the Mandarin's satellites.  Iron Man has been having secret ID problems.  He has to wear the full armor to keep his heart going after a fight with Black Knight (TOS #59) and has been accused of kidnapping Stark by Pepper and Happy (TOS #60).  He gets partially out of the bind by appearing bedridden (to hide the armor), but this sets up his being thought dead when his house is destroyed this issue.  Tony flies to confront the Mandarin and quickly falls into a trap -- to be continued.  I don't think I can really judge this until I read the next part.  The bulk of this story is wrap-up of his identity woes and setting up the confrontation with Mandarin. 
    In the Cap story, Captain America challenges a general to free a soldier POW in Vietnam.  Another fight issue which is a little troublesome for the Cap solo feature as the run so far has been
    - Cap attacked by the Maggia
    - Cap attacked by Assassins
    - Cap fights the general
I've heard this gets better when the Skull shows up.  The fights continue to be dynamic, its just there's no breathing room for plot.  This story also makes the assumption that all things Asian are universal to all cultures within Asia with the General in Vietnam being a master of Sumo wrestling.

Marvel Silver Age Read-Through: Cap goes solo and android overload

Tales of Suspense #59


With this issue, Cap becomes the back-up in Tales of Suspense which Marvel has started calling Iron Man on its letter pages and special announcements.  In the Iron Man lead, Iron Man is attacked by the Black Knight looking to get back at the Avengers for his defeat as part of the original Master of Evil in Avengers #6.  This is standard Iron Man fare for the time and the Black Knight is a threat more by luck than actual ability.  Stan Lee ratchets up the drama this issue by having the chest plate alone not be enough to protect Tony's heart and Pepper and Happy start to distrust an Iron Man who refuses to let them see their boss and whom insists he is fine.
     The Cap feature is much more exciting.  Even the splash page of Cap jumping through a window crackles with energy.  In this story, the Maggia decide to strike the Avengers through their weak link, the "normal" Captain America.  There are plot holes to be sure.  You essentially have the mob do a B&E for the purpose of a hit.  Instead of ski masks and non-descript clothes, they go in open-faced purple body suits.  The bulk of the issue is one big fight, but it is a really dynamic fight, and Cap shines without the bruisers of the Avengers in his way.  This story also introduces Jarvis for the first time.  In fact, Jarvis points at a flaw in the Iron Man feature.  The Black Knight attacks Stark Industries because he knows that will draw out Iron Man which is the only Avenger he knows how to find.  However, the Maggia kidnap Jarvis to find out who is on-duty at Avengers Mansion with Jarvis telling them they could have achieved the same thing with a phone call.  Then why didn't Black Knight just call the mansion to see who answered?

Tales to Astonish #61

In the Giant-Man lead, Giant-Man and Wasp are attacked by an android courtesy of Egghead.  I am a big Hank Pym fan.  He is a seriously underrated character.  At this point, He is probably second only to Reed as a scientist, having invented Pym Particles, the Wasp's stingers, a chemically fueled flying car, and in my mind unstable molecules.  In his first or second appearance as a Ant-Man the Kirby drawn picture of his suit, it states it's made of unstable molecules, before the same is said of the FF.  It's a treat to get a Pym story drawn by Ditko.  The android is almost a proto-Vision with density powers, and I like Hank defeating Egghead by enducing vertigo through the android's senses.

The Hulk story continues from last week with the Hulk continuing to fight an unknown spy in a robot suit.  The spy is eventually dealt with and the Hulk is captured as the cliffhanger for next month.  This story is notable for introducing long-term antagonist Major Glenn Talbot.