This Monster Unmasked!
By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Syd Shores
Apr 1968
The issue opens with a few pages retelling the story of how the Avengers found Captain America floating in icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean in Avengers 4. It is presented as a waking dream of Cap's as he and the Black Panther shake off the lingering effects of the debilitating gas and start to fight back. They are joined in their fight against the forces of evil by Agent 13. This is after she pretends to shoot at Cap and then blows her own cover by destroying the control panel for Zemo's death-dealing satellite.
At first Cap doesn't recognize Agent 13 but after her hat and glasses come off he realizes who she is. This is of course laughable considering how little her disguise changed her appearance.
The fighting ends after Cap unmasks Zemo and reveals him not to be the real Zemo but an impostor. It's funny how he was able to figure that out considering the heavy mask that Zemo wears but was unable to recognize Agent 13. She should have given him an earful for that. Maybe she does so off panel or maybe she's just so blinded by her love for Cap that the thought doesn't occur to her.
The inking is noticeably better than in Tales of Suspense 99. The action is the typically great stuff that Kirby produced at this time. I particularly like the splash page featuring Cap, the Panther, Agent 13, plus Zemo and his goons. It isn't an action filled page but I really like angle and the way it is laid out.
At the end of the issue Cap suggests that Black Panther should take his place on the Avengers. The Black Panther made his first of many appearances in Avengers 51, which hit the newsstands the same month as this comic book.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21794/
Showing posts with label CA-BP-1968. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CA-BP-1968. Show all posts
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Tales of Suspense 99
Captain America: The Man Who Lived Twice!
By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Syd Shores
Mar 1968
Captain America and Black Panther climb out of the pit with some help from their captors. Cap is stunned that Zemo is still alive. He thought he was killed in Avengers (1963) 15.
The pair of heroes aren't docile for very long. They fight back against Zemo's troops. They are making progress when they are each hit with a Hypno-Light missile. It has the combined effect of weakening them physically and causing them psychological damage. Even after they are partially recovered they are unable to get themselves to attack Zemo.
Zemo explains his plans to the heroes as he talks about how he will blackmail the world with his orbiting death ray. Cap and the Panther try to fight back once again but are knocked unconscious by the purple and white clad mercenaries.
Agent 13 arrives, disguised as Irma Kruhl. She has successfully deceived Zemo and his men. Zemo puts her loyalty to the test right away. He hands her a gun and tells her to kill the heroes. Agent 13 is distraught but knows what she must do.
The art in this issue is not as pleasing to my eye as that in the previous one. Jack Kirby penciled both issues but this one was inked by Syd Shores. His inks are not as tight as those of Joe Sinnott. Despite the inferior inks, the energetic action scenes penciled by Kirby shine through.
This is the final issue of Tales of Suspense. The numbering and story continue in Captain America 100.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21734/
By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Syd Shores
Mar 1968
Captain America and Black Panther climb out of the pit with some help from their captors. Cap is stunned that Zemo is still alive. He thought he was killed in Avengers (1963) 15.
The pair of heroes aren't docile for very long. They fight back against Zemo's troops. They are making progress when they are each hit with a Hypno-Light missile. It has the combined effect of weakening them physically and causing them psychological damage. Even after they are partially recovered they are unable to get themselves to attack Zemo.
Zemo explains his plans to the heroes as he talks about how he will blackmail the world with his orbiting death ray. Cap and the Panther try to fight back once again but are knocked unconscious by the purple and white clad mercenaries.
Agent 13 arrives, disguised as Irma Kruhl. She has successfully deceived Zemo and his men. Zemo puts her loyalty to the test right away. He hands her a gun and tells her to kill the heroes. Agent 13 is distraught but knows what she must do.
The art in this issue is not as pleasing to my eye as that in the previous one. Jack Kirby penciled both issues but this one was inked by Syd Shores. His inks are not as tight as those of Joe Sinnott. Despite the inferior inks, the energetic action scenes penciled by Kirby shine through.
This is the final issue of Tales of Suspense. The numbering and story continue in Captain America 100.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21734/
Friday, May 12, 2017
Tales of Suspense 98
Captain America: The Claws of the Panther!
By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott
Feb 1968
Cap arrives in Wakanda in the remotely piloted plane. He fights with Black Panther and his men but it is just a test. T'Challa wanted to be sure that it was the real Captain America and not an impostor.
Captain America and the Black Panther take off to find and destroy the ground control station for a death-dealing satellite. It almost vaporized Cap on the flight in to Wakanda and has been used numerous times on the Panther's homeland.
They encounter a trio of the purple and white clad mercenaries that Black Panther fought in the previous issue. The mercenaries overpower the heroes and knock them out. Before the mercenaries can decide what to with the unconscious superheroes, Agent 13 of SHIELD disguised as the evil Irma Kruhl arrives on the scene. She demonstrates her deadliness by taking down all three mercenaries and then ordering them to take her to their leader.
Cap and Panther wake up alone. They continue their search but quickly fall into a concealed pit. As they prepare to climb out of the trap they look up to see the leader of the mercenaries, Zemo.
I love the action in this installment of the story. Whether Captain America and the Black Panther are fighting each other or the mercenaries the fights are beautifully depicted by Jack and Joe. I love the tech as designed by Kirby in this issue. Two pages in particular stick out in my mind. The first is the opening splash page in which Cap is still in the plane which executes evasive maneuvers to avoid the beam emitted by the deadly satellite. The other panel is the one which depicts the satellite itself.
There's no real explanation for why the mercenaries don't kill Cap and the Panther or at least take them prisoner. The Panther's theory is laughable.
I love how they manage to work in a thought bubble where Cap pines about Agent 13. So silly.
A fun but dated read. By no means is this required reading for everyone.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21667/
By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott
Feb 1968
Cap arrives in Wakanda in the remotely piloted plane. He fights with Black Panther and his men but it is just a test. T'Challa wanted to be sure that it was the real Captain America and not an impostor.
Captain America and the Black Panther take off to find and destroy the ground control station for a death-dealing satellite. It almost vaporized Cap on the flight in to Wakanda and has been used numerous times on the Panther's homeland.
They encounter a trio of the purple and white clad mercenaries that Black Panther fought in the previous issue. The mercenaries overpower the heroes and knock them out. Before the mercenaries can decide what to with the unconscious superheroes, Agent 13 of SHIELD disguised as the evil Irma Kruhl arrives on the scene. She demonstrates her deadliness by taking down all three mercenaries and then ordering them to take her to their leader.
Cap and Panther wake up alone. They continue their search but quickly fall into a concealed pit. As they prepare to climb out of the trap they look up to see the leader of the mercenaries, Zemo.
I love the action in this installment of the story. Whether Captain America and the Black Panther are fighting each other or the mercenaries the fights are beautifully depicted by Jack and Joe. I love the tech as designed by Kirby in this issue. Two pages in particular stick out in my mind. The first is the opening splash page in which Cap is still in the plane which executes evasive maneuvers to avoid the beam emitted by the deadly satellite. The other panel is the one which depicts the satellite itself.
There's no real explanation for why the mercenaries don't kill Cap and the Panther or at least take them prisoner. The Panther's theory is laughable.
I love how they manage to work in a thought bubble where Cap pines about Agent 13. So silly.
A fun but dated read. By no means is this required reading for everyone.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21667/
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Tales of Suspense 97
Captain America: And So It Begins..!
By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott
Jan 1968
Captain America fights thugs on a rooftop in New York City. Black Panther fights well-armed shock troops (clad in purple and white) of unknown origin in Wakanda. Cap mopes about missing Agent 13. Agent 13 mopes about missing Cap. Cap gets a call for help from Black Panther. Cap leaves for Wakanda in a plane that Black Panther sent for him.
Nothing too deep. The real treat is Kirby's art. I love the final panel of Cap in the plane shooting away from NYC. What strikes me about it is the angle of the shot and the way Kirby drew the city.
This is the first meeting of Captain American and Black Panther. Prior to this Black Panther had only appeared in Fantastic Four, had yet to join the Avengers or get his own book.
5/3
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21598/
By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott
Jan 1968
Captain America fights thugs on a rooftop in New York City. Black Panther fights well-armed shock troops (clad in purple and white) of unknown origin in Wakanda. Cap mopes about missing Agent 13. Agent 13 mopes about missing Cap. Cap gets a call for help from Black Panther. Cap leaves for Wakanda in a plane that Black Panther sent for him.
Nothing too deep. The real treat is Kirby's art. I love the final panel of Cap in the plane shooting away from NYC. What strikes me about it is the angle of the shot and the way Kirby drew the city.
This is the first meeting of Captain American and Black Panther. Prior to this Black Panther had only appeared in Fantastic Four, had yet to join the Avengers or get his own book.
5/3
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21598/
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