WC: STRANGE TALES #129

This was the last issue of STRANGE TALES that I had gotten in the box of Silver Age comics that made up my Windfall purchase in 1988. As we've spoken about before, the series felt more and more like an afterthought, one that simply wasn't as important to the line as books like FANTASTIC FOUR, … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #129

WC: STRANGE TALES #128

This was one of the better issues of STRANGE TALES that I got in my Windfall comics purchase of 1988. While typically the series felt like something of an afterthought, here editor Stan lee appears to be trying to bring a bit more attention to the Human Torch feature by having Johnny and the Thing … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #128

WC: STRANGE TALES #124

As we've spoken about before, STRANGE TALES had become something of an afterthought in the Marvel line, a title where new prospective writers and artists could be tried out with limited risk. But after 22 issues of this, sales on the book seem to have slid enough for editor Stan Lee to look to make … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #124

WC: STRANGE TALES #122

The more time went on, the more that the Human Torch series appearing in STRANGE TALES had become something of an afterthought. There was a distinct feeling that neither editor/scripter Stan Lee nor any of the artists who drew it were really putting a lot of energy or imagination into it. It was a bit … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #122

Lee & Kirby: The Provenance of STRANGE TALES #103

I believe that it's inarguable that, when it comes to the creation of the early stories and characters of the Marvel Universe, Jack Kirby was for many years denied his rightful due, reduced to the level of a mere penciler of other people's stories and ideas. Clearly, Kirby was more than that--he was an equal … Continue reading Lee & Kirby: The Provenance of STRANGE TALES #103

WC: STRANGE TALES #121

It must have been becoming clear to editor Stan Lee that the quirky back-up strip that he'd let artist Steve Ditko introduce was growing in popularity among the readership. So while it would still be several months before Doctor Strange would headline a STRANGE TALES cover all on his own, he had gone from carrying … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #121

WC: STRANGE TALES #120

Tis was a slightly more noteworthy issue of STRANGE TALES than many of the other ones that were in the box of comics that I bought as my Windfall. For the most part, any issues that could have been considered "keys" for one reason or another had been extracted. But this one was close, and … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #120

WC: STRANGE TALES #119

As we begin to narrow things down among the various comics that I wound up with in my great Windfall Comics purchase of 1988, we're inevitably focusing more and more on the titles that simply weren't considered all that desirable by collectors in this period--that's why there were so many issues of them. This definitely … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #119

WC: STRANGE TALES #118

STRANGE TALES #118 was another book that I got in my Windfall Comics haul of 1988. By this point, it was a decidedly secondary title in the expanding Marvel line, not really possessing the spark of any of the other series of the era. This was really down to the lead Human Torch feature. While … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #118

WC: STRANGE TALES #117

This was another book that came my way in my Windfall Comics purchase of 1988. As I've mentioned before, the common factor that all of the books in this assortment had was that they were all Silver Age books, but none of them were keys in any way. So while the chunk of STRANGE TALES … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #117