Journey Into Mystery #85

Trapped by Loki, the God of Mischief!

And now we leave Midgard for the first time. In another dimension just above Earth, across a bridge of rainbow named Bifrost lays the realm of the Norse gods, Asgard. In a particular remote section of Asgard there rests a tree. Inside this tree is the imprisoned trickster god Loki. Loki claims to have been imprisoned within the tree for centuries. The only way out is if his plight causes somebody to cry for him. It just so happen that Heimdall, Warden of Bifrost, walks beneath the tree. Loki uses his enchanted will to cause a leaf to fall from the tree. The leaf floats into Heimdall's eye, thus causing the tears Loki needs to escape. Once free, Loki promises revenge on the one who imprisoned him, Thor.

Loki uses a mental link he has developed with Thor's hammer in order to find him. He spies the thunder god at a hospital entertaining a room of sick kids. Bounding down Bifrost, Loki changes his appearance of horned hood and tunic to the suit and tie look of modern times. He reaches the hospital, but just misses Thor. So he uses his magic to draw Thor out. He invokes a spell that causes a group of people around him to appear as film negatives. The ensuing chaos is witnessed by Jane Foster and Don Blake, who races off to secretly stamp his cane and turn into mighty Thor. Returning to the negative men, Thor spins his hammer fast enough to cause anti-matter particles to disrupt the negative energy around them and turn them back to normal. As the crowd gathers to thank Thor, the disguised Loki reveals himself before him.

Thor barely recalls Loki from his past while Jane Foster looks on in awe. Suddenly Loki uses his powers to float on top of a carpet as he challenges Thor to battle. Thor follows the trickster god up into the air with his whirling hammer. Above the mortals, Loki uses an enchantment to hypnotize the god of thunder. Loki guides Thor to Central Park where he commands Thor to toss Mjolnir into a nearby lake. The hammer swiftly returns to its wielder as Loki remembers it always returns to him. To overcome this obstacle, Loki uses more magic to create a duplicate of Thor. He then commands the god of thunder to hand his hammer over to the fake Thor. At which point the image of Thor dissipates and Mjolnir lands solidly on the ground.

Under Loki's hypnotic spell, Thor is commanded to free all the animals from a nearby zoo. Meanwhile, people in the park are trying desperately to lift up Thor's hammer. Before Thor can go through with Loki's instructions, the 60 seconds of not having Mjolnir in his possession triggers a different enchantment that supersedes Loki's. Now in the form of Don Blake, the physician is no longer under Loki's thrall and he goes to retrieve his hammer.

In a blinding flash, Don Blake stamps Mjolnir to turn back into Thor. Seeing Thor free of his spell, Loki summons all of the pigeons in the area to float underneath him like a cloud of birds to drift him up into the sky. Thor spins his hammer and takes off after Loki. He chases him down to a theater where Loki taunts him from the stage. As Thor prepares to confront him, Loki makes the curtains drop entangling Thor. Loki flees in the confusion.

Thor chases Loki down into a subway tunnel. Loki starts shoving people in front of an oncoming train to keep Thor busy by rescuing all of them. Outside Loki mounts a display of a Pegasus for a gasoline company. Using his enchantments, the Pegasus comes to life and whisks Loki through the sky.

Thor resumes the chase throughout New York. Spotting a large construction pipe, Thor uses it to stop Loki. He hurls the large tube so it slips around Loki, causing him to drop from the sky into a harbor. Thor remembered a legend that Loki's powers do not work underwater. Diving in to grab him, Thor saves Loki from drowning. He then takes the sopping wet Loki up to the top of the Empire State Building. He ties Loki up to his hammer and then tosses far up into the sky and into Asgard where Odin, Tyr, Baldar and a host of other Asgardian gods await. Odin realizes that his son Thor must be back. Back on Midgard, Mjolnir returns to Thor just in time before it causes him to turn into Don Blake. Once he has returned to Jane as Don Blake, she comments on how romantic it seems to have both Loki and Thor battling here on earth.

Notes:

This is the first appearance of Loki, Thor's main antagonist throughout his run. A great, conniving villain to under cut Thor's incredible brawn. In this issue and in these early years of Loki, his trickery isn't as malevolent as it becomes later. Except for the part where he shoved folks into an oncoming train.

This is also the first appearance of Odin, but we only see him briefly for one panel. He realizes Thor is active on earth again. Also the first appearance of Heimdall who guards Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge that connects Midgard (earth) to the Asgardian realm. A few others are with Odin, but they don't really have much to say to give them a proper presence. This is also the first time we see that not just anybody can lift up Thor's hammer.

My favorite of Loki's magic in this issue is the negative people enchantment. It looks really interesting visually. It reminds me of Elenor Rigby from the Yellow Submarine. In fact as I go through the panels, I'm noticing a lot of interesting use of shadow which hasn't been much of a style in this infant Marvel Universe.

There is a possible error when Thor turns into Blake after Loki makes him drop the hammer, Mjolnir remains as Mjolnir instead of changing back to the gnarled cane. I guess it could be explained that Loki's specific interference caused this, or Stan Lee/Jack Kirby/Larry Leiber just forgot.

The List

1. Amazing Fantasy (Spider-Man) #15
2. Fantastic Four #1
3. Fantastic Four #4
4. Incredible Hulk #1
5. Fantastic Four #5
6. Amazing Adult Fantasy (X-Men) #14
7. Fantastic Four #6
8. Journey into Mysetry (Thor) #85
9. Journey into Mystery (Thor) #83
10. Fantastic Four #2
11. Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #35
12. Journey into Mystery (Thor) #84
13. Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #27
14. Fantastic Four #3
15. Incredible Hulk #2
16. Incredible Hulk #3

Tales To Astonish #35

Return of the Ant-Man

Over the past few months, Henry Pym has become fascinated by ants. Last time we met Henry he had dumped his shrinking formula after the incident with the ants covered in Tales to Astonish #27. Since then he has gone back on his decision, he has recreated the shrinking formula and stores the capsules in a hidden safe in the office of his laboratory. Using his research on the ants, Henry Pym invents a helmet to communicate with them, under the suspicion that the ants communicate through their antennae.

On the same day Henry has finished working on his ant helmet, he is contacted by the US government. They want him to attempt to invent an anti-radiation gas to help with the Cold War. Nearing completion a few weeks later, the Soviets discover what the US is up to and decide to intervene. Domestic agents suddenly burst into Henry Pym's lab with guns drawn. They round Henry Pym's assistants up and find Henry himself back in his office.

The communist agents tell Henry they want his anti-radiation formula. When Henry denies them this, they threaten his assistants. He tells them...

As the communists leave to talk to Pym's assistants, they lock him in his office.

Now alone, Henry Pym dons his costume and helmet. Looking outside he sees that the entrance to the building is being guarded. Assembling a launching device from an ash tray and rubber bands, Henry Pym takes some thread and splashes the shrinking formula on himself. As Ant-Man, he uses the launching device to spring himself up to a window sill. From there he is small enough to crawl through the window frame where he lowers the string down to the ground outside.

Climbing down the string outside, Ant-Man quickly comes upon an ant hill. Following the ant colony trails, he quickly comes upon an aggressive group. Before they can attack he uses his helmet to successfully subdue them all except for one worker ant who continues to charge at him. Ant-Man, who still retains his normal human strength even when he's so small, grabs the ant over his head and tosses it. The ant comes back to bite Ant-Man, but he is protected by his costume made of a fine steel mesh. Ant-Man strikes the insect unconscious with a judo blow. He then commands the rest of the swarm to follow him.

On his way out, Ant-Man is confronted by a beetle on the lawn. Ant-Man quickly uses his strength to dig a hole in the ground large enough to trap the beetle in. After successfully beating it he leads his ant army back to his lab.

Ant-Man mounts one of the insects as they crawl up the side of the building to a lab window where he can see his fellow scientists being held captive by the soviet agents. Lifting the window to just a crack, Ant-Man guides the insects inside. Attempting to loosen the tied ropes of one of his assistants, he is carelessly brushed away. The ants rescue him from a deadly fall before he tries untying his peer again, to success this time.

Through his helmet, Ant-Man commands the ants to attack the enemy spies. Suddenly thousands of the insects swarm up the legs of the enemies, biting and clogging up their guns with honey. The communist agents go into chaos as the ants continue to swarm. Biting and stinging until Ant-Man can free all of his men. No longer bound by ropes, the scientists overcome the soviet men.

As the scientists round up the spies, Ant-Man sneaks back into his office. Inside he douses himself in chemicals again to return to his normal size. Rejoining his peers, Henry Pym finds the spies all tied up as they wait for the authorities to show up. After they are taken away, Henry ponders if the world will ever need Ant-Man again.

Notes:

Of course Ant-Man will appear again, this is only the beginning.

Henry Pym officially becomes the superhero Ant-Man in this issue.

Here we see the beginning of Henry Pym's OCD with his mounting obsession with ants. Something that while not expressly stated here, will be explored years down the line.

The List

1. Amazing Fantasy (Spider-Man) #15
2. Fantastic Four #1
3. Fantastic Four #4
4. Incredible Hulk #1
5. Fantastic Four #5
6. Amazing Adult Fantasy (X-Men) #14
7. Fantastic Four #6
8. Journey into Mystery (Thor) #83
9. Fantastic Four #2
10. Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #35
11. Journey into Mystery (Thor) #84
12. Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #27
13. Fantastic Four #3
14. Incredible Hulk #2
15. Incredible Hulk #3

Fantastic Four 6

Captives of the Deadly Duo!

Coming back from a search for Doctor Doom, the Human Torch and his sister the Invisible Girl race past a crowd of startled onlookers. When Sue reaches the Baxter Building lobby, she is greeted by a young mail delivery boy who is having trouble opening an elevator. Sue explains to the kid that this particular elevator can only be accessed by members of the Fantastic Four. She demonstrates with her special belt buckle that shoots a beam to unlock the doors. Reaching the living quarters, Sue is greeted by the rest of the team. Johnny, who I assume came in through a window, informs the team that he couldn't find any trace of Doctor Doom.

Going through their mail, Reed finds a letter from a young boy in a hospital. He realizes the hospital is right across the street, so he stretches through the window into the boy's room. The boy has so many questions, the answer we are privy to is about how the Fantastic Four's clothing remains on them when they use their powers. Reed explains...

Back in the Baxter building, Thing receives a letter from the Yancy Street Gang. They've been trying to rile him up. Thing responds by using his strength to roll a 6-inch block of titanium steel up like a newspaper and sending it to them. Ben wishes for a proper fight with the likes of Namor or Doctor Doom. Sue expresses she'd rather fight Doctor Doom rather than Namor because he is just misunderstood. He is villainous because he is hurting from losing his mind and his people for so many years.

Off the coast of New York, a group of dolphins are spotted at play. Among the porpoises is one Namor, the Sub-Mariner, also at play. While guiding them through maneuvers, an aerosub from above seeks his attention. Inside is Doctor Doom, he draws Namor out to greet the Atlantean. Doom tells Namor that their goals are the same in defeating the Fantastic Four and then mankind.

Namor guides Doom down into the ocean to his home among the Atlantean ruins. Once inside Doom expresses his desire for them to team up. He notices a photo of Sue Storm and realizes that his attraction to her is why Namor has softened in his attacks on the surface. Doctor Doom coerces Namor to join him in the team's defeat. Namor agrees, if they spare the Invisible Girl. It is then Doom reveals his method for their destruction, a small, red, cylindrical gadget he calls a "Grabber" that can attach itself to any object and, no matter the weight, draw it back towards the person with the remote control. With the plan agreed upon, Namor takes the device before he breaches the ocean.
Now on the surface world, Namor flies off to New York. Walking among a busy, startled crowd towards the Baxter Building.

Inside the Baxter Building, Johnny finds a photograph of Namor tucked behind some books. Immediately figuring out it belongs to his sister, Johnny confronts her about it. Being the obnoxious teenager he is, Johnny burns the photo up with his flame while Sue rightfully expresses that he has no right to do that. Reed and Thing find out what is going on and also express their frustration towards Sue. As she tries to explain herself, Namor himself appears in the doorway.

The three men go to attack mode, but Sue guards Namor using herself as a shield. Namor brushes her away to battle the Torch, but his flame goes out before they can really get into it. Reed asks Namor to explain himself. Namor responds he is there to offer his friendship, but Reed immediately thinks it's a trap. Johnny and him search throughout the building for any signs of tampering. Coming up short, Reed can't shake the feeling that Namor is up to something. As Namor makes plans to take Sue out of the building a loud CRACK! is heard by all.

The Baxter Building's foundation is split and the building itself starts ascending through the Manhattan sky. As the structure lifts off, Namor realizes Dr. Doom has betrayed him. He gives himself away to the Fantastic Four, explaining that he planted the Grabber device in the basement of the building and now Doctor Doom is in an aircraft above them, essentially towing them up into space. They all head to the orbit plane only to find it damaged and unusable from the tower shifting. They all don space helmets as soon as they leave the atmosphere. Johnny stupidly tries to flame on and fly out a window, before he remembers he needs oxygen to flame on. Reed stretches his arm out to save the lad.

With Thing holding onto him as an anchor, Reed attempts to stretch himself up to Doom's rocket. Just out of reach, Reed fails and the rocket flames burst in his face sending him reeling back. After they patch the injured Reed up, Thing decides to strike back the only way he knows how, by beating up on Namor. As the two of them tussle, Doctor Doom's voice reverberates throughout the room. He announces his plan to send them careening into the sun.

With the Fantastic Four basically defeated, Namor comes up with a plan. He finds a water storage tank the FF conveniently have. He douses himself in the water to renew his strength. Feeling refreshed from his bath, Namor hurls himself out to an oncoming meteor swarm. Leaping from rock to rock, Namor bounces onto Doom's rocket.

As soon as he lands, Namor is pulled down magnetically to the hull. Using his mighty strength Namor tears into the side of the rocket with his bare hands. Breaching the insides of the rocket, Namor attempts to force open the cabin door to reach Doom, when he is electrocuted. Hearing Namor's commotion cease, Doctor Doom prepares to detach the Baxter Building when suddenly he is electrocuted. On the other side of the cabin door, Namor is revealed to have absorbed the electric charges into his body and resupply them into Doom's cabin, wracking the villain in pain. Doom leaps out on to one of the passing meteors, holding on tightly as it takes him far away into deep space.

With the threat of Doctor Doom gone, the Fantastic Four are able to get the Baxter Building back into its proper space in Manhattan with Namor driving Doom's rocket to help guide it back. Sue reasserts her belief that Namor is not their enemy, but is full of pain and bitterness towards humanity for what they did to his people. Johnny finds the Grabber in the basement, but even the Thing's strength won't budge it. It suddenly drops by itself and flies off out a window. The Grabber homes in on the controls inside Doom's rocket being piloted by Namor over the ocean. Namor lets the Grabber destroy the rocket, making them both inert at the bottom of the sea. Namor decides he will return there too where humanity will not stir him up yet again.

Notes:

This marks the first team up of Doctor Doom and the Sub-Mariner. A team that will resurface several times way down the road. They even get a brief lived title in the 70's. Three other firsts in this issue, we get a name for the FF's headquarters, The Baxter Building, and we get the Unstable Molecules explanation for their costumes. Also, the first mention of the Yancy Street Gang.

We see a new power of Namor's. He can absorb and channel electricity through his body like an eel. It's an ability that is rare to use, but does come up again every so often. The explanation of him having "eel" powers is silly, but I do find it interesting that he has this ability.

Sue Storm and Namor's attraction to one another becomes a broad issue in this story. I think Johnny's obnoxious behavior is explained that he is afraid of ruining the family dynamic the team has been building. He & Sue have already lost their mother and father(as far as they know) and doesn't want things to change further. This is a very important story for Sue as a character, despite all the men in her life yelling at her about it, everything she believes about the morally ambiguous Namor turns out to be true.

The List

1. Amazing Fantasy (Spider-Man) #15
2. Fantastic Four #1
3. Fantastic Four #4
4. Incredible Hulk #1
5. Fantastic Four #5
6. Amazing Adult Fantasy (X-Men) #14
7. Fantastic Four #6
8. Journey into Mystery (Thor) #83
9. Fantastic Four #2
10. Journey into Mystery (Thor) #84
11. Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #27
12. Fantastic Four #3
13. Incredible Hulk #2
14. Incredible Hulk #3