| Characters |
Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Wizard (flashback); Zemu (flashback); "Scar" Tobin (gangster chief) (Intro); The Painter [Wilhelm Van Vile] (counterfeiter) (Intro); Nick (gangster); Sam (gangster); Eddie (gangster); Mr. Fantastic (image); Invisible Girl (image); Thing (image) |
| Synopsis |
Johnny captures a gang of truck hijackers, and a gang robbing a costume party. Meanwhile, gang leader "Scar" Tobin is visited by counterfeiter Wilhelm Van Vile, a painter notorious for his carelessness, which causes Tobin to fear he's been followed by the cops, and tells him to hit the road! But Van Vile demonstrates his new "talent"--the ability to quickly make paintings which come magically to life, and follow his telepathic commands! These include a 3-headed gorilla, a gun that wears tons, and a flying carpet. While zooming over the city, Van Vile tells Tobin's gang how he found the paints, left behind by aliens from space, in an underground cavern while tunneling out of jail. His ambition is to create an army of crime, and he feels beating The Human Torch (who helped send him to jail) will be a good test-case. But despite sending painting-images of Reed, Sue and Ben to kill him, Johnny triumphs, destroys the alien paints and rounds up the gang. |
| Genre |
Superhero |
| Script |
Stan Lee (Plot); Robert Bernstein [as R. Berns] (Script) |
| Pencils |
Jack Kirby |
| Inks |
Dick Ayers |
| Letters |
Terry Szenics |
| Editing |
Stan Lee (Original Editor) |
| Notes |
"Scar" Tobin, apparently, makes a one-panel cameo appearance in the Iron Man story in this month's TALES OF SUSPENSE #41 (May 1963). Credits moved, splash page reformatted with extra art added and page numbers removed for reprint. |
| Reprinted |
from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #108 (May 1963) |
| Characters |
Original Human Torch [Jim Hammond]; Toro; The Un-Human (Introduction); Comrade X (Red Planet) (Introduction; no appearance); Dr. Carter |
| Synopsis |
A spaceship flies over the city, dropping a message from "Comrade X" of the "Red Planet" saying the world will be destroyed as they need it for their growing population. A gigantic, monstrous creature with 8 heads parachutes from the craft and begins destroying the city! The Torch and Toro tackle it, but it appears fireproof. It also has a poisonous, fang-like tongue, which poisons Toro. The Torch rushes him to Dr. Carter, who says the only way to save Toro's life is with a transfusion, and The Torch is the only one with the same blood type. As buildings continue to be destroyed, The Torch uses the Doctor's chloroform to knock the creature out, then returns to give Toro the transfusion. |
| Genre |
Superhero |
| Script |
Stan Lee ? |
| Pencils |
Dick Ayers |
| Inks |
Dick Ayers |
| Editing |
Stan Lee (Original Editor) |
| Notes |
"The Original" added to reprint splash to distinguish story from lead feature. |
| Reprinted |
from Marvel Super-Heroes (Marvel, 1967 series) #16 (September 1968) |