Oh, Cap, if only you knew the degrading spectacles you and your shield would be part of in the 1990s…

In this issue, Cap and the Falcon, on the hunt for the Madbomb, are held in the hidden HQ of the New Society and forced to participate in the violent Kill-Derby in order to recover Cap’s shield. Man oh man, wild combat on turbo-charged skateboards, does it get more Kirby than that? Some nice scripting, as Kirby plays off the contrast of the idealistic Cap and Falcon with the greed based thoughts and actions of the New Society. I like this bit from the last page:

SOMEHOW, THE NAZI GHOST NEVER SEEMS TO DIE WITHIN MAN. IT MARCHES WITH INSANE PRIDE… RESPECTING NOTHING… TAKING EVERYTHING AND IGNORING THE PAIN OF OTHERS. CAP SIGHS IN RESIGNATION. HE WILL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR HIS SHIELD.

D. Bruce Berry inks Kirby on the 17-page story while Frank Giacoia inks the cover.

This cover from the 1970s is a bit too busy with the multiple bits of squiggles and crackle, and probably needs some more differentiated colouring and inking to make it clear that the bottom half is supposed to be underwater. I do like the tech in the background, though.

Al Milgrom inks on this one.

Published 1976

Of course I love the Kirby leaps, strides and punches, but one of my favourite Kirby visual cues (and one far less copied than the big ones) is the quieter hand across the chin when a character is thinking or planning. Not sure why, but it always makes me smile when I see that pose, very well constructed and telling, especially when you’ve got some good crazy eye-action to go along with it.

“The Flames of Battle” continues the great Troll War, as Thor goes down to Earth to rescue Sif, imprisoned by Ulik, while in Asgard the forces of King Geirrodur, guided by the powers of the captive Orikal, launch an all out attack on Asgard, where even Odin armours up for combat. This is just a gorgeous story, full of big battles and big concepts.

In the Tales of Asgard back-up, Thor and his compatriots are in the middle of “The Quest for the Mystic Mountain”, which brings them in battle with the monstrous one-eyed guardian of Wizar the Prophet. Always good to see Thor against a monster, and a good Volstagg joke to end the story.

Colletta inks the cover, 16-page lead and 5-page backup.

Published 1967

Kirby takes back control of one of his creations from a decade earlier with this issue, jumping right into a wild ride as T’Challa has been led on a mission by collector Abner Little, an acquaintance of his grandfather. The find King Solomon’s brass frog, which turns out to be a time machine, responsible for all sorts of strange historical happenings, including Ali Baba’s Genie (?) and the Loch Ness Monster.

The beings the frog summons have the unfortunate tendency to kill their summoners without the control codes found in Solomon’s tomb. Unfortunately after finding the frog, they’re confronted by Princess Zanda, another collector, and in the ensuing battle Mister Little is apparently killed and the frog is activated, bringing forth the futuristic Hatch-22.

Kirby’s run on Panther had a few problems, but it more than makes up for them with some of the inspired goofiness, epitomized by Abner Little and the search for a time machine in a brass frog being the opening gambit.

Mike Royer inks the cover and 17-page story. Kirby also writes a text page about his plans for the series.

Published 1977

A reprint from X-MEN #10 (1965) in this issue, as the X-Men hear about a mysterious being down in the Antarctic, and suspecting it may be a mutant (and craving some adventure) they go down and find a hidden land of long-extinct beasts and of course Ka-Zar (pronounced Kay-Sar, but since I didn’t see that helpful hint until a few years after I first saw the character I still pronounce it the other way. Of course, I also still say “Mag-net-o”). In a not-then-quite-as-cliche turn of events, they fight…

…and then they team up to rescue captured members Marvel Girl and the Angel. Along the way are a few dinosaurs, mastodons and other assorted creatures.

Chic Stone inks the 20-page story and the original cover reprinted inside. Not my favourite of Stone’s ink jobs, really. While I’ve grown to appreciate his work a lot more over the past few years, this one has a few more of the clunky bits that detractors of Stone’s work tend to mention. Still, there are some good bits, especially a few of the shots of Zabu.

Published 1995

Boy, thank goodness the people at “X-Men” magazine were willing to work with those people at “Tales of Suspense” magazine to allow this crossover. I wonder what that special arrangement entailed?

Sol Brodsky inks (uncertain, see the comments) on this attractive cover. I love anything that gives a different kind of view of those great Kirby cityscapes, and Iron Man’s then-new armour looks great on here.

Published 1964