Strange Tales #102 (Human Torch)Issue(s): Strange Tales #102 (Human Torch story only) Review/plot: He's wealthy and respected. But i guess he's bored because he decides to mess with the Human Torch just for fun. The Torch beats him by calling in his sister to help. The Human Torch still had a secret identity at this point. The Wizard has a crazy Kirby face. I like it but it's a stark contrast to the ordinary faces of everyone else in the book. Quality Rating: D+ Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A References: N/A Crossover: N/A Continuity Insert? N My Reprint: Human Torch #2 Inbound References (4): show 1962 / Box 1 / Silver Age CommentsHey Wiz, why the long face? (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Posted by: Gary Himes | August 22, 2014 8:06 PM I actually like Wizard's look here, its rather unique in a Kirby manner. (maybe it should have remained long even with his power suit though...) Posted by: Ataru320 | August 23, 2014 6:26 AM That final panel was one of the best thing about Marvel Saga - to actually get reprints of how the characters looked in early appearances and think, wow, Kirby really drew some interesting stuff. Not accurate to humans, but interesting stuff. Since I no longer have Marvel Saga (or, actually 99% of my old comics collection - to relive it all is how I found this site in the first place), this site is great for remembering how fun it was to collect Marvel Saga and watch the history of the Marvel Universe. Posted by: Erik Beck | December 4, 2014 7:54 PM In later retellings of the beginnings of the Wizard (such as OHOTMU), it says the public interest in the Wizard and his inventions and feats declined when super-powered heroes like the Human Torch arrived on the scene, and thus in jealousy and rage, he turned his attention to defeating such heroes. But here? He's just messing with the Human Torch because screw the Human Torch. SILVER AGE!! Posted by: mikrolik | April 19, 2015 10:38 PM I like that the Wizard invented the air-chair that Kang uses. Super advanced 30th century tech my eye! Posted by: Thanos6 | April 27, 2015 2:38 AM Despite Strange Tales #106 showing that the Human Torch's identity wasn't really secret, the story in this issue only works if it is. The Wizard says that nobody knows the Torch's identity, which is why he stages a crisis to get the Torch to come to him. When he douses the Torch, fire still pointedly covers Johnny's face to prevent the Wizard from seeing it. And at the end, the Wizard tries to coerce the Torch into flaming off so Wizard can find out who he is and expose him. Posted by: Mortificator | November 15, 2015 8:30 PM I'm agreeing with Mortificator. This is Larry Lieber, not Stan Lee, writing full scripts for Kirby while simultaneously not reading the Fantastic Four. Larry didn't use the "Marvel Method." 2007 interview. This is Jack Kirby, under increasing pressure to produce more pages faster, following the full script because it's easier, and because, unlike his brother Stan, Larry always produced full scripts. Jack was using his more creative plot-as-you-go method on less peripheral titles like Fantastic Four, where he would not have a full script from Stan Lee. This is Dick Ayers, also under pressure and arguably not Jack's best inker. This is Stan Lee not editing the work *gasp* but rather depending on Larry and Jack without much supervision. No editor appears in the credits for these seminal Marvel Age titles. They're becoming more concerned about continuity as sales go up, but they ain't there yet. These scripts were developed several months in advance of publication. The previous issue, #101, had an editor's note addressing the continuity glitch regarding Johnny's "secret identity," but the scripts for #102-#105 had probably already been written before that editor's note was added, in #101, just prior to publication. They likely didn't have time or inclination to re-write any scripts, leaving the "continuity-fix" 'til #106. That's just my surmise based mainly on comparing Kirby/Lieber work against Kirby/Lee work. Continuity would become more obsessive as time went by, but the old, less-continuity-concerned production methods took time to adjust, and Kirby would be Kirby. Posted by: James Holt | July 30, 2016 4:57 PM I've always liked this aspect of the Wizard, something that was quickly lost as he became a traditional megalomaniacal villain. I think it would be good for the character if he went back to this role in a way. That would make him more like an evil Steve Jobs, and he could become the kind of villainous business mastermind using his corporate profits to fund the activities of a revived Frightful Four - to operate in areas outside human law. He'd steal from the Atlanteans, raid the Negative Zone, and interfere in Inhuman politics. Really be an "evil FF", but outside the jurisdiction of human law so they couldn't be arrested. So they could still to kill the FF and fight them "off planet" or whatever, but be content to be a business competitor to "Fantastic Four, Inc." which is Reed's business unit. Who wouldn't want a WizPhone? Posted by: Chris | January 12, 2018 1:00 AM Comments are now closed. |
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