September 2020

September 1962

Journey into Mystery #84, vol. 1

“The Mighty Thor vs. The Executioner”

EIC: Stan Lee

Cover Artists: Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott

Writers: Larry Lieber

Pencilers: Jack Kirby

Inkers: Dick Ayers

Letterers: Artie Simek

Editors: Stan Lee

Cover Date: September 1962

Release Date: July 1962

Pages: 13 Cover Price: $0.12

Dr. Don Blake is at the hospital where he is treating a patient. We find out that Dr. Blake has feelings for his nurse, Jane Foster, and that she also has feelings for him, although neither is aware of this mutual affection.

Dr. Blake learns that a revolution has broken out in San Diablo led by a communist known as The Executioner. Dr. Blake is given a chance to go to San Diablo to help the people there. Jane Foster joins Dr. Blake on this trip, although it might prove to be a dangerous one.

While on the way to San Diablo the ship is attacked by the Executioner’s planes. Dr. Blake has to transform into Thor who is easily able to destroy the planes. After, he dives into the water unseen so that he can transform back into Dr. Blake.

In San Diablo, the Executioner learns that his planes have failed to accomplish their mission of destroying the ship and he orders the commander be taken to firing squad.

After landing at San Diablo the doctors make their way to the sick who need help, but are ambushed by the Executioner’s soldiers. Dr. Blake, while hiding behind a rock, hits his staff twice on the ground to summon a storm which disorients the soldiers and causes them to flee.

After continuing on their way for a bit, the doctors run into a squad of tanks. Finding a hiding spot, Dr. Blake transforms himself into Thor and easily over powers and destroys all the tanks. During the fight, Jane is taken hostage and Thor flees, seeing no way to save her at the moment.

Jane is taken to face the Executioner when Dr. Blake shows up and offers a trade, him for her. The Executioner takes Blake’s cane and orders him to face the firing squad. Jane, not wanting to see the man she likes killed, offers to marry the Executioner in exchange for Blake’s life. Not wanting to see this, Dr. Blake taunts the Executioner into fighting him without the cane.

When the Executioner drops the cane, Blake picks it up and hits it on the ground transforming into Thor. Before the soldiers are able to recover themselves from the bright flash of the transformation, Thor hurls his hammer into a nearby tent bringing it with the hammer when it returns. The tent falls onto the soldiers as the troops for the Democratic faction arrive.

Seeing that the Executioner’s troops fleeing, Thor strikes his hammer four times causing a nearby mountain to erupt, blocking them from fleeing. In the confusion, the Executioner tries to escape with as much money as he can. Seeing this, his troops realize that he is only in it for himself and kill him before he can get away.

After the fighting, Jane asked Dr. Blake where he was while everything was going down. When he tells her that he was hiding, Jane thinks him a coward and how handsome and courageous Thor was.

<<<Previous Issue in Reading Order—-Next Issue in Reading Order>>>

<<<Previous Issue in This Series———-Next Issue in This Series>>>

September 1962

The Incredible Hulk #3, vol. 1

“Banished to Outer Space”

EIC: Stan Lee

Cover Artists: Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers

Writers: Stan Lee

Pencilers: Jack Kirby

Inkers: Dick Ayers

Editors: Stan Lee

Cover Date: September 1962

Release Date: July 1962

Pages: 24

Cover Price: $0.12

SYNOPSIS:

Rick Jones is on his way to Bruce Banners cottage when the military spot him and take him to see General Ross. General Ross tricks Rick into helping to get rid of the Hulk by telling him that they need the Hulk to test a new space ship for the G-forces in the name of national defense.

Rick goes back to the secret lab to release the Hulk. The Hulk is angry that Rick had locked him up and begins chasing him to the military base and up the ship. Rick traps the Hulk inside the ship.

General Ross launches the ship. Once in space the Hulk, transforms back into Dr. Banner just before the ship passes through a radiation belt. Rick Jones over hears General Ross celebrate ridding the Earth of the Hulk. Rick goes to the control panel and turns the ship around.

The capsule plunges toward Earth with its chute deployed and slams into the ground. As Rick approaches the ship he is surprised to discover that it is the Hulk who is leaving the capsule as it is the middle of the day. Hulk, angry that Rick led him into the ship chases Rick to a cliff with nowhere to run.

Rick pleas to the Hulk to stop and is shocked when the Hulk obeys him. No longer in danger, Rick makes the Hulk take him to Banner’s cottage to sleep. Right after falling asleep Rick is awakened by a noise only to discover that he has escaped and has to chase him down.

Rick catches up to him just as the Hulk begins destroying a town and the troopers shooting at him. He is able to regain control of the Hulk and has him take the both of them back to the secret lab. Rick tries his best not to fall asleep, afraid of whether or not the Hulk will remain sealed away.

The issue now shifts to the town of Plainville, a town that has been looted clean and the inhabitants standing around in a trance. A small group of FBI agents search for clues as to what is going on in this town and several others that have been hit in the same manner.

The scene shifts to a big top of a circus where the Ringmaster begins to hypnotize the audience and sends the rest of the circus performers to loot the town, hypnotizing anyone they come across. Rick Jones has managed to stay awake all night but is feeling the effects of doing so.

Rick decides to leave the Hulk where he is so that he can get cleaned up at his aunt’s house. On the way back from his aunts he notices a crowd of people gathered for a circus and decides to take a look.

Before falling completely under the Ringmaster’s hypnotism,  Rick is able to summon the Hulk. The Hulk reaches the circus and begins to take out the circus folk who stand in his way, until he suddenly stops to await further commands from Rick.

At this moment the rest of the circus folk take the Hulk down and take him hostage to the next town they visit. While at the next town the FBI catch up to the circus and the Hulk. Upon hearing Rick the Hulk breaks free. The Ringmaster tries to escape during the chaos but the Hulk stops him with the main tent support pole.

After catching the Ringmaster, armed troops arrive to capture the Hulk, but Rick is able to escape with him, with General Ross swearing to capture the Hulk no matter how long it takes.

<<<Previous Issue in Reading Order—-Next Issue in Reading Order>>>

<<<Previous Issue in This Series———-Next Issue in This Series>>>