Marvel 1967 Reimagined - pt. 1

[An unfinished project of mine from a year or two ago was to "make" fanfiction faster by just summarizing it in bulk. I was going to make this a blog of its own had I done more, but quit after going through four months. Sometimes the entries vary little from what I found on the Marvel Wiki site, while other entries are completely different. As per another project I shared on this blog, the creator credits are fictional, based on who I wish I could have got to work on those titles at that time (which will sometimes include myself!). Covers shared reflect the actual printed contents and not necessarily my made-up contents. I will be sharing what I wrote here.]

May 1967

 

Marvel Tales #8 (34 pages of reprints)

Becomes a reprint title for random, older, non-superhero stories.

“Draft Dodger” (from Young Men #9, 7 p., 6/1951)

3rd story (from Millie the Model #45, 5 p., 8/1953)

“Frankie’s Fortune” (from Willie Comics #18, 5 p., 2/1949)

“I Created Krang” (from Tales to Astonish #14, 13 p., 12/1960)

4 pages of pin-ups

 

Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D #1

“The Tribunal”

Bronson is set to take Laura to a medical facility (the one on the Heli-Carrier being damaged in the earlier battle) in the "Dyna-Soar", a brand-new aircraft whose design is based and improved upon from the captured Hydra saucer. No sooner does he depart than Fury's quarters are blasted to bits, apparently killing him. Bronson changes course and heads for Hydra Island, an artificial island and hi-tech fortress in the Pacific, then resumes his guise as Supreme Hydra. He then announces to the world that he's placed a "Death Spore" bomb on board the Heli-Carrier, which will unleash a deadly plague upon the entire Earth and cannot be deactivated; any country that surrenders within 24 hours will be spared its effects.

During that hour, while the superheroes of the world confer on how to find Hydra Island in time, the Supreme Hydra stages a fake trial for Laura, as an example to all who would defy him. Unknown to him, Fury is alive, having suspected Bronson from the start, and was hiding aboard the Dyna-Soar in order to discover Hydra's plans and the location of their base. But after taking on several agents, Fury is captured, and on awakening, discovers the true identity of the Supreme Hydra is none other than Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker, his old enemy from WW2!

Script, Pencils: Jim Steranko

Inks: Marie Severin

 

The Strange Tales of Dr. Strange #156

“Umar Walks the Earth”

Dr. Strange has found Umar and confronts her, but she confounds him by refusing to fight. As he came to her dimension and bested her brother by his world’s rules, she has now come to best Stephen by his world’s rules. She seduced the billionaire she has married the old fashioned way, so Stephen cannot release him from any spell. Stephen threatens that he will be watching her, but leaves. Afterwards, Umar summons the spirits of dead lawyers to her to consult with them.

Soon, Stephen learns how she intends to have her revenge. The city gives him notice that they want to condemn his home. A former patient sues him for negligence.

When Stephen learns Umar is summoning disciples of Dormammu to her, he decides to turn the tables. Instead of observing magically, he arrives in a mundane disguise as one of the disciples. There, he learns about Zom, the imprisoned monster that can stop her. Stephen decides to check this out and leaves to visit Zom’s pocket dimension. There, Zom wakens and Stephen learns that Zom hated the Ancient One, not Umar, and that he is highly resistant to magic. Stephen flees to Earth, but does not seal the passage behind him fast enough and he senses that Zom is somewhere on Earth, and he has been tricked into making things worse.

Script: Roy Thomas

Pencils: Marie Severin

Inks: Steve Ditko

   

Invincible Iron Man #1

"The Monstrous Menace of the Mysterious Melter!"

While rebuilding the Stark Industries building, there is an on site accident that almost kills Pepper and Happy if not for the intervention of Tony Stark. However, afterward, Pepper seeks Happy for comfort, convincing Tony that she has finally chosen who she cares for more, and so resumes the lifestyle of a millionaire playboy in order to forget about her.

Soon, however, the Secretary of State’s office contacts Tony Stark and asks if Iron Man can help discourage Syria from attacking Israel by going on maneuvers with the Israeli army. Feeling it’s better to throw himself into work rather than meaningless dates, he accepts and flies in a jet with his new 8’ tall Iron Man Mark IV armor to Israel. There, the maneuvers are interrupted by the unexpected attack of the Melter, in a new militaristic costume. The Melter just assumes that Iron Man is there to capture him, but obviously Iron Man knew nothing about this.

Iron Man’s Israeli liaison comes between them, because it turns out they were both accidentally recruited, with the Israelis feigning unawareness of the Melter’s criminal record. Both hero and villain retire to discuss the matter with U.S. Ambassador Walworth Barbour. But during negotiations, the Melter decides to take Barbour hostage and demands that Iron Man summon Tony Stark. The Melter is working on an omni-directional melting ray, but needs Stark’s help with it.

To stall, Iron Man claims that he himself has studied the melting tech and knows how to improve it by amplifying the output through his own glove, and offers his glove in exchange for Barbour’s life. The Melter can’t resist and examines the glove, giving Iron Man the opening he needs to separate the Melter from his gun. But the Melter now carries incendiary grenades as backup weapons, and Barbour is seriously injured in the blast. Iron Man stays behind to make sure Barbour is safe, while the Melter flees, vowing to sell his services to Syria.

Plot:  Stan Lee

Script:  Scott Casper

Pencils:  Gene Colan

Inks:  Wallace Wood

 

Captain America #89

“Back from the Dead!”

Captain America and Sharon Carter are still on Sea Gull Isle, hunting for the Red Skull, who Steve is sure he saw after his fight with the Swordsman and Power Man here. They are separated by traps when they find an arena on the island where the Red Skull is waiting for him. The Red Skull refuses to tell how he escaped death after losing the Cosmic Cube, and gives Steve robots to fight in the arena instead. His last challenge is to best Bucky in battle, but Bucky is also a robot. Sharon finds Steve and helps him escape the arena before it explodes and, coming back, he finds that the Red Skull too was a robot. A voice speaks to Steve from the Red Skull robot, which he recognizes as the 1940s Black Talon. The Talon taunts him, saying he has more resources now than he ever could have dreamed of in the 1940s to bedevil Captain America with.

Script: Scott Casper

Pencils: Jack Kirby

Inks: Frank Giacoia  

 

MY JSA - pt. 10

"`Yeah,' I added, `and we were awfully lucky to all get on board before we took off so fast.  Almost like some of us were meant to get left behind?  Trying to lighten the load, or keep from having to split the loot so many ways?'  Some of the crooks were starting to take off their Skyman helmets, so I didn't have much time to remain anonymous.

"`Someone said they heard sirens,' the lead crook explained.  `Don't go trying to pin anything on me.  I've been –`

"'Look out, he's going for his gun!' I shouted, as I lunged at the lead crook and slugged him hard in the jaw.  The blow sent him reeling, and when he hit his head on the cabin wall he went down.  Of 

course, he hadn't done anything like going for his gun, but no one had been watching him closely when I said that.

"`He took out Joe!' one of them exclaimed.  `What's the deal?'

"'Hey…who is he, anyway?'  One of them had finally pieced together that there was one too many crooks on the plane!  But it was too late.

"I'd narrowed the odds to three against one, and as my fists started flying I knew none of them had the martial training or stamina to stand against me.  I stunned the first one with a kidney punch, then 

leaned on him as he doubled over so I could do a high kick to the second one.  The third one went for his revolver, but I picked up the first one at the waist and threw him into the third one.  He had to 

drop his gun to catch his balance.  The second one came at me with a fire axe, but I ducked back as he swung it at me, caught his arm while he was on the back swing, and sucker punched him in the face.

He dropped the axe and nursed his broken nose in his hands.

"The boys in the cockpit shouted back, `What's going on out there?'

"'He must be the real Skyman!' the one I'd kidney punched shouted as he recovered.  `Take us down so we can scram out of here!'

"A one-two punch combination folded over the third one, and then I had only the first one to worry about again.  He charged me, trying to overbear me to the cabin floor.  But I raised my fists over his 

head and clubbed him on the back of the neck.  He went down too.

"There was some commotion going on in the cockpit, and the co-pilot emerged with a pistol in hand.  While he was drawing a bead on me, I dived onto the floor, scooped up one of the dropped weapons, and fired a shot into the co-pilot's hand.  He screamed and dropped his weapon so he could grab his bloody wound.  I had one crook left to deal with, and he was still in the pilot's seat.  As I approached the cockpit, I could feel the plane diving downwards.  I slid to the cockpit door and looked in.  The remaining crook had a wild look in his eyes, like he'd completely lost it.  `Don't come any closer,  Skyman!' he cried.  `I'll crash us and kill us all if you do!'

"Not wasting any time on conversation, I grabbed him, yanked him out of the pilot's seat, and cold-cocked him on the back of the head with the pistol I was still holding.  When he fell to the floor, I took  the controls, and fought to regain control of our descent.  It was a close call because our altitude had still been so low, but I pulled us out of the dive with only a second to spare.

"Coming around to the airport, I could see that, this time, the police really were there.  I decided we needed a detour first, and I took us out to where my own plane was stashed.  I called back to

Dawn, `Don't worry, miss!  I am the Skyman, and I'll have you back on the ground in no time.'  After landing, I bound up all the crooks and blindfolded them.  I went over to my plane and did a quick change into my real uniform.  Then I moved everyone over to my plane, and took off Dawn's blindfold and gag.  `There you go!' I said, as I undid the rope binding her wrists.  `You'll be good as new as soon as  the circulation comes back to your hands.'

"'Thank you, Skyman,' she said, `but how did you know about the robbery?'

"Luckily, I'd had awhile on the plane to think up a good story.  `I'd heard that Skyman was spotted at the airport,' I told her, `and I knew it wasn't me, so I naturally assumed that something suspicious was going on.'

"Dawn recovered quickly from her ordeal and told me about the costume party, and why she was in a Skyman costume.  I listened and tried not to smirk as we returned to where we had started.  I landed on a runway that was quickly surrounded by police cars.  I tossed the crooks outside, and lowered the ramp so Dawn could step down safely.  She would tell the police where I would deposit the crooks' plane for  them.  So, I had to switch planes again, and still had to get back to the party and explain where I'd gone off to!  And that, gentlemen, was one of the busiest days I've had yet as Skyman."

Captain Marvel tapped his gavel and said, "Before we end this meeting of the Justice Society of America, we need to settle on a time and place for our next meeting.  But before we do that, I'm afraid we need to ask our guest to leave."

Scotty Thunder knew who that was.  He stood up and faced the assembled heroes.  "Thank you, all, for letting me sit with you this afternoon.  I thought you men were role models for courage and valor

before based solely on what I'd read, but that was nothing compared to what I've learned from hearing your own stories from each of you.  I'll strive to follow your example, and do everything I can to be accepted amongst you again someday."

Scotty saw some of the assembled heroes smile or nod, but he was too embarrassed now to look any of them in the eye.  He walked out on the Justice Society of America, but vowed to himself, as he had done before them, that he would be back someday.

MY JSA - pt. 9

With a word and a gesture he cast Stare of Icy Daggers - a simple spell, but deadly with the magical energy Oom could surge into his spells. I was all of a sudden on the defensive as he began a rapid barrage of spells against me.  The Ibis-stick could counter them all, but I could not renew my own attacks under this pressure.  I could see that the gestures Oom's spells required were causing his cracked fingers to break.  In his madness, Oom was destroying himself!

"At last my defenses faltered.  His Whirlwind of Blades had shredded my suit and cut into my flesh.  I offered him then a bargain. 'Oom, wait!  End this contest and spare me, and I shall give you the gem from my turban!'

"Oom laughed and said, 'So, you are not such a powerful wizard after all!  I should slaughter you for what you've done to me, but I will take your gemstone as compensation and allow you to live.'

"I pulled the turban from my head and tossed it into space.  It flew through the air until Oom snatched it with the remaining fingers on his right hand. 'Fool-' he said, just as he plucked the gemstone from the turban, but that was all he could say that I could hear.  In that moment, he vanished from the earthly plain."

As Ibis paused from his narrative, the center of the smoke ring grew dim.  Ibis turned to us and continued. "I could tell from his actions that Oom could no longer change from the enchanted stone form he must have long ago assumed.  Had he persisted in his actions, with his cracks spreading, it might have been the death of him.  In a way, I chose to be lenient.  The spell of protection I had placed on the magic stone I wear would transport anyone who touched it to the mystic plane of Yzgartyl.  This fate seemed particularly apropos for Oom because…well, I shall show you…"

Ibis gestured, and a new image appeared in the smoke ring.  It showed Oom appearing in a strange place, filled with ancient ruins and a star-filled sky.  Oom could not be heard, but was clearly cursing Ibis.  Suddenly, something huge lumbered into view.  Bronze scales covered its enormous serpentine body.  It was some monstrous dragon!  Everyone but Superman and Captain Marvel nearly jumped out of their chairs.  The Flash did jump out of his chair.  Scotty Thunder was afraid he might have wet himself.

The dragon picked up Oom in its scaly paw, turned him over to examine him, and then trod off through the ruins.  The magical viewing screen followed the dragon to an open court, where the dragon set down Oom in a collection of statues.  The dragon cast a spell of its own, and Oom moved no more.

When the image faded, and the smoke cleared, Ibis quietly sat down in his seat.  Everyone was silent for a moment.  Then Skyman spoke up. "Oh no," he said, "I have to follow THAT?"

There was chuckling in the room as the mood lightened.  Hawkman offered cigars around the room as a waiter entered to offer chasers of brandy to the distinguished diners.  "I think we have time for one more," Hawkman joked, "and you've had more time than anyone to remember a good story."

“I don't think mine can compete with half your stories," Skyman offered apologetically. "I'm just a pilot with some inventions.  But I do have a story that you might find amusing. It involved a Case of Too Many Skymen…"

Everyone got comfortable and listened as Skyman began his tale.  "My adventure as well happened in just the past few months, and it all started as an invitation to a costume party.

"The party was actually a reunion for my father's WWI squadron," Skyman continued, "but family or surviving family was invited to come.  Making it a costume party was just this year's theme. I'd started attending

these reunions alone since I became the oldest male in the family. This year, I had the pleasure of inviting my girlfriend, Fawn, to come too.  She was delighted with the idea. Wanted us to go as gypsies. I had a

better idea in mind, I told her.  There would be a lot of people wearing their old aviator uniforms, but we would do them one better and both go as that 'new hero' Skyman.

"I'd had the idea since I first saw a Skyman costume for sale in costume shop.  It looked so hokey and unlike my own that I figured if Fawn saw me in it, she would never be able to think of me as the real Skyman.  

It actually took some doing to talk her into it, but once she agreed I figured my plan couldn't fail.  I've seldom been more wrong.

"First of all, at a costume party for old pilots, nearly half of them wound up coming as either me or a Blackhawk.  Fawn was a hit, though.  No one else had brought their wives or girlfriends as Skywoman.  In fact, she looked so good in my helmet and cape that I started thinking maybe we could be true partners someday.

"Maybe I was admiring Fawn too much, because something had entirely escaped my attention until it was mentioned to me in conversation.  Ol' Douggie was re-telling an anecdote of my father and him from the old days

when his voice trailed away, and I noticed he was eyeing someone else at the party dressed as Skyman.

"'Allan,' he asked me, 'who was that? I don't recognize some of these people from last year.'

"Well, truer words were never spoken.  I excused myself and began circulating about the room more.  Sure enough, I spotted a good half-dozen people - all dressed as me! -- who I couldn't recognize by their build or chins.  

Not a one of them was old enough to have been from my father's generation.  I noticed that they were giving each other secret signs - nods and gestures --  which seemed to be indicating that they were ready.  I could have stopped things before they started if I'd been able to reach the exit and gone to my car.  The Disintegrator had been in the trunk long enough that it would be only half-charged by then, but it would still even the

odds against these apparent crooks.  I didn't get there.  Fawn was looking for me, and intercepted me just yards from the exit.  She wanted to talk to me about some of our mutual friends she'd run into.

"That's when the crooks made their move.  All six of them drew concealed handguns and they began announcing loudly that this was a stick-up.

"Once the six crooks started moving through the crowd, all dressed like me in their Skyman costumes, I decided it was safe to move. In such a crowded room, they couldn't possibly see all their comrades at once, and so I was banking on being mistaken for one of their own.  But first, I had to get Fawn safely out of the way.  I grabbed her by the arm and started to move her with me, hoping she would catch on and not make a scene.

"Instead, Fawn leaned over and whispered to me, 'Good idea.  Now we can find a phone and call the police.'

"And while that might have been a good idea, I had other intentions.  We moved to a back room that had a phone. Fawn rushed to it. I looked at the room.  It was storage area for the convention hall, with stacks of folded up tables and boxes stacked high all along the back half of the room. There was a high window that faced outdoors.

"'The phone's dead,' Fawn said, and I was not much surprised.  I had another idea, but I was again banking on the crooks not having guards posted out back.

"'I'll help you climb up to that window,' I told her.  She climbed up onto the boxes, and I helped hoist her up to the window.  The window was stuck, but it was openable, so with a few painful elbow bashes, Fawn had opened it.

"She started to climb out when she stopped and said, 'I'll help you up too.'

"'No, there's no time for that.  You run for help.  I'll be fine.' She seemed hardly convinced, but saw the logic in it and climbed out.  I heard no cries of alarm, and once I assumed she was out of sight, I lea

pt up, grabbed the windowsill, and pulled myself up for a quick look.  It looked like Fawn had made good her escape.  Finally, I could get to work.

"Moving back into the main room, I could see that the crooks had done a thorough job already of looting the guests.  I moved in closer to see if my ruse could continue to work.  It paid off, when

one of the crooks turned to me and asked, 'Did you find any loot in there?'

"'Naw, there's nothin' in there but junk,' I told him.

"'Then c'mon; we're done here!' he said.  And sure enough, his companions started running for the exit with sacks full of wallets, purses, and jewelry.  To complete my disguise, I grabbed a tablecloth, wrapped a bunch of snack trays into it, and ran after them.

"The convention center had been built near a small airport, and the crooks were running towards the nearest runway where a two-prop private plane was sitting.

"I followed the crooks as they got into their plane," Skyman continued, "eager to be in my element again.  But, as the first crook boarded the plane, he cried out in alarm.  Being last in line, tense moments passed before I got to see wh

at was going on.  The lead crook was holding Dawn with her arms pinned behind her, while the other crooks argued about what to do with her.  The poor girl must have spotted the plane when she went to look for help and found it suspicious, like a parked getaway car.

"'Let's ice her,' one of them said.

"'No!' I said, in a gruff voice.  I also had to make sure Dawn didn't see me, as she might recognize the costume shop version of my real Skyman uniform.  `I think I hear sirens.  We have to take off now, so there's no time to get rid of her!'

"The cowardly crooks panicked at the suggestion that the police were already coming, and herded into the plane despite not hearing anything themselves.  One of the crooks began tying her hands, and

another gagged her when she protested.  I continued my suggestions from within their ranks.  `Blindfold her too, so we can take off our helmets.'  I hoped that the crooks weren't enjoying the bondage at poor Dawn's expense.  I felt so sorry for her, but she was truly safest the way she was.

"Once they'd tossed her against the side of the cabin, two of the crooks took to the cockpit.  Even before we were off the ground, some of the crooks had started bickering.  `Easy loot, you said!' one of them accused another.  `We'll cross the country, robbing whatever's in reach of the airports, and be in Canada before anyone connects the robberies.  And we almost got caught on our first haul!'