Well, this is the month the “Great Page Reduction of 1964” went fully into effect. This wouldn’t happen all at once! Either due to a lack of communication, or as a gift to us from the artists involved, we would still be getting some stories with a longer page count. When that happens I’ll make note of it.

Journey into Mystery #110, November 1964 [published 1 Sept 64] Yeah! I bought this one off the racks!

Notice how I said having such a large masthead (Journey into Mystery with the Mighty Thor) would create this odd little negative space under the corner logo (Marvel Comics Group 12¢). Well, this month it’s filled with the blurb, “See: mighty Thor battling against the Legions of Asgard!” Each month would be a challenge to see how that space would be filled.

Thor: “Every Hand Against Him!” - 16pp - Script: Stan Lee; Art: Jack Kirby; Inking: Chic Stone; Lettering: Art Simek

I think the second panel on page four is grossly underrated. It is just an incredible piece of artwork. It makes me wish I knew more about Jack Kirby’s influences. He didn’t have to portray Loki this way, he didn’t have to include all the creepy crawlies hiding in the background. But he did; and boy!, am I glad! To say this piece of art is incredible is not saying enough. I think this is one of Jack Kirby’s greatest pieces. His talent is just awe-inspiring, and this piece of art is one of the reasons why!

  

In fact I love it so much I did my own swipe of it!

And don’t sell the Cobra short. He may not have a lot of brute force, but he is a dangerous foe. I just wish Stan hadn’t forgotten all those neat gimmicks introduced with the Human Cobra in JiM98.

The scene of Odin’s anger at the top of page 8 (already illustrated in this thread) is also a great graphic. A lot of primo Kirby was seen during 1964-65.

I didn’t care for the drawing at the top of page ten, but the one at the bottom on that page was pretty dynamic. And the picture of the “innocent” Loki sniffing a flower oh-so-gently on page eleven is the ultimate HOOT! This scene is mirrored (of course) in [Audible Documentary wouldn’t want me to tell you where]!

Odin’s behavior is sort of a one-note symphony in these stories. He needs a new tune!

Overall, I’d say this was a good story. It certainly kept my attention. But I have to wonder: was it really involved enough to warrant being a continued story?

Tales of Asgard: “The Defeat of Odin!” - 5pp - Script: Stan Lee; Art: Jack Kirby; Inking: Vince Colletta; Lettering: Art Simek

I like the large panels; they really suit these stories.

And I like Odin’s words in the last two panels. I think they’re really cool. I constantly get a newfound respect for these stories.

In the lettercol Paul Cook writes in to say he’s studying astral projection because of the Dr. Strange stories; he reports that it works! Also the first Mighty Marvel Check List appears.


Anarchy and Chaos are the natural state of the human race. Civilization is unnatural. It is a whim of circumstance. And Chaos must always ultimately triumph.
Last Edited By: Joseph William Marek Aug 16 12 3:33 AM. Edited 5 times.