Thunderbolt - Assassins!

Thunderbolt #59 is dated September 1967. The cover for this issue is by Pete Morisi under his P.A.M. pseudonym and it's the last work he did for Charlton directly on Thunderbolt. With this issue the art chores are given to Pat Boyette who filled in on an issue previously and who does both the drawing and writing on this last-minute fill-in issue. 

"Assassins" is the title of this story. (And while the official special case numbers for the stories gets dropped, I will still use them as markers for the remaining T-Bolt stories.) The tale begins with an introduction to the Hooded One who we see sans his hood for the first time. His scarred face is nonetheless still obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. The setting is Morley's Wax Museum in London, England and after Mr.Morley closes up he is assaulted by the Hooded One and an accomplice who steal three wax dummies and then burn down the museum to cover their crime. The pair take the dummies into the depths of underground London as the Hooded One plots his revenge. (Note: Pages 1 and 2 are flipped in this book. I'll have to be honest and say that I don't think it really impacts the story all that much.) Meanwhile Peter Cannon and Tabu are aboard the S.S.Manson heading from American to England and Tabu is a little seasick. Peter is coming to London on a writing assignment. The scene shifts back to the underground lair of the Hooded One where he has returned to his familiar robes and we see that his stolen wax dummies resemble a 30's gangster, an ancient sword-wielding warrior, and the Minotaur. He claims to be able to bring these dummies to life to bring about his revenge on T-Bolt. As Peter and Tabu check into their hotel suddenly the gangster dummy of Machine Gun O'Brien attacks with his tommy gun and only Peter's quick reflexes save the day as he knocks the dummy's head off, and they discover their attacker is wax. The Hooded One is keeping track of this attack in a mysterious pool and immediately dispatches Barbo the Deadly, the ancient warrior. Peter and Tabu prepare to go to see the sights of London, but while Peter plans on Tower Bridge, Tabu wants to check out the Purple Panic, a mod hangout. Tabu suggests that T-Bolts costume will fit in well with the mod fashions of the day. Nonetheless Peter wears an overcoat and they go to enjoy the music of The Scorpions at the Purple Panic. While there Barbo attacks but is quickly defeated by T-Bolt who disassembles the dummy. The Hooded One is furious and sends his henchman to lure T-Bolt to his lair and the prepares the Minotaur dummy. Despite knowing it's a trap T-Bolt and Tabu head into the lair and T-Bolt finds himself battling the Minotaur, but using a torch he melts the monstrous opponent, as the Hooded One escapes vowing to get his revenge another time. Back at the Crown Hotel, Tabu begins to record the adventure, but Peter stops him saying it's too absurd. And Tabu agrees that no editor will touch such a lame story, but then Peter asks him if he's ever heard of a guy named "Dick Giordano". 

"Thunderbolts" offers up three fan letters. One is full of praise for the book though the static nature of the covers is bothersome, another offers to buy back issues of Charlton if other fans will send lists, and the third really likes T-Bolt and will fight to defend his honor as an exciting and original character. An editor's note confirms that P.A.M. is no longer working on Thunderbolt due to time constraints for such a long regular story, though there is indications that he will be working on westerns in the future. Pat Boyette is announced as the new artist and praised for the speedy way he turned around the current issue. Sergius O'Shaugnessy is announced as the new regular scripter for the title. 

The Sensational Sentinels begin their final installment titled "Night of Doom" with Crunch (Brute) Wilson on the verge of pushing a button that will destory the minds of Cindy (Mentalia) Carson and Rick (Helio) Strong. The story is written by Sergius O'Shaugnessy (Denny O'Neil's pseudonym) and drawn by Sam Grainger. Dick Giordano is listed as editor. Before Crunch can push the button though, Rick draws the Mind-Bender into revealing his plot and his past. He says that the minds of Rick and Cindy will be put into two more Titan androids and they will be under his control. With these soldiers and more like them he will gain great riches. He indicates that he was a research scientist who during a "brain wave" experiment was struck by electricity and given great mental powers. While the Mind-Bender has been talking though, Rick has spotted one of Brute's power gloves and has been using his flying pack to gain leverage to reach it. With the glove on, he damages Mind-Bender's machine and he and Cindy get free. Crunch comes to his senses and the trio battle the Mind-Bender who tries to escape. Helio flies and tries to stop him, but they fight with Mind-Bender ultimately losing his balance and falling to his apparent doom. The lab begins to burn and the Sentinels leave through a hole Brute broke open using an inert Titan. The trio escape and wile Crunch wants to go get coffee, Rick and Cindy walk off together leaving him alone and brooding. This will presumably be picked up next issue, but there will not be another Sentinels story.

The book closes with the great "Action-Heroes? We Got'em!!!" house ad featuring Thunderbolt, Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, Judomaster, and Captain Atom. This might just be my favorite house ad of all time. Surprisingly solid issue given the last-minute nature of the production. Thunderbolt nears its end of course despite noble efforts of Giordano and company, the whole Action-Hero line will soon disappear. This story by Boyette has a neat self-consciousness about it giving the tale a bit more whimsy and humor than usual. The Hooded One's London henchman makes quite a few jokes about his role and then Peter's final snippet about Giordano really breaks the fourth wall. This is also reinforced by a fake "memo" used at the beginning of the story from Giordano. So I guess "Dick Giordano" is a character now in the Charlton universe, just like Stan and Jack and the Bullpenners are in the Marvel Universe. 

To read the complete comic book use this link. 

 One more Thunderbolt issue to go. 

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Thunderbolt - Encore The Hooded One!

Thunderbolt #58 is dated July 1967. Pete Morisi under his pseudonym of P.A.M. back for what will be his final full issue of the character he created. He is listed as the creator, writer and artist of the lead story and he did the cover too. Special Case Number 0009 from T-Bolt's Personal Files is titled "Encore: The Hooded One". 

It begins as do most T-Bolt tales in the secluded mansion Peter Cannon has outside New York City. He and Tabu are boxing and discussing the world. Specifically Tabu brings up the disappearance of a young woman in the Himalayas who was searching for the grave of her father killed during WWII. It turns out that Peter has all ready gotten plane reservations to take them to the Himalayas to search for the girl who turns out to be the daughter of the pilot who crashed his plane next to the lamasery and in which were found an unexploded bomb which was carried away by the man who would one day become the Hooded One. His face was destroyed by his good deed and he was to be rewarded with access to the Ancient Scrolls until the deeds of Peter's parents superseded his claim. His bitterness has made him T-Bolt's most tenacious enemy. Peter and Tabu get to the lamasery and quickly arrange to travel into the mountains to the Cave of the Peaks, the hideout of the Hooded One. Arriving there, Peter becomes Thunderbolt and leaves Tabu in the cavern as he travels deeper into the cave finding again the entrance to a hidden valley filled with all things that have lived including prehistoric dinosaurs. He eludes a Pteranodon and battles a pair of lions before finding a fortress wall. He enters and finds prehistoric dwarves all too ready to fight him. He is about to invoke his mantra to inspire his will when a stone axe knocks him out. He awakes in a room with Lori Carson, the girl they've come to rescue. Soon enough the pair find themselves in an arena where the Hooded One presides as leader of the dwarves. He condemns to the beast of the arena demanding revenge on Thunderbolt and the daughter of the man he holds responsible for his suffering. A giant gorilla appears and T-Bolt must muster all his will to defeat it which he does. Then dispatching the dwarves, he and Carson escape from the fortress. The are assaulted by deadly army ants, but leap into the river to escape and then T-Bolt is able to use the river to escape the valley and the dinosaurs carrying Carson to safety. In the lamasery Lori meets Peter Cannon and Tabu and wishes to thank the man who saved her. They say they came to assist her and she insists on returning with them, saying they are now responsible for her according to ancient traditions. Peter scoffs, but Tabu says it might be so and the story ends as the trio fly back to America. 

"Thunderbolts" offers up three letters this time. One writer praises the odd nature of Thunderbolt's stories, and rejects the critics who want more action at the expense of the characterization between Peter and Tabu. The Sentinels get praise but generally it seems folks want more T-Bolt and fewer pages dedicated to the trio. Dick Giordano indicates the shorter T-Bolt stories have more to do with P.A.M.'s deadline woes than a desire to increase the Sentinels exposure. A new cover design is announced and perhaps a new logo to boot. 

The Sensational Sentinels return in a story titled "Into the Lair of the...Mind-Bender!". The story features artwork by Sam Grainger, but writing this time is by Sergius O'Shaughnessy a pseudonym for Denny O'Neil. The story picks up with Sarge Steel arresting the trio for spying, saying that Dr.Kolotov who gave them their powers was a Soviet agent. But Steel's aggressive nature and his attempt to shoot the trio in an alley convince them he is being controlled and Mentalia uses her ESP powers to overcome him. Then Brute and Mentalia are attacked by a hotdog vendor who they realize must be the Mind-Bender. They repel the attack but he escapes. They then take both Sarge Steel and Rick Strong, also known as Helio to the hospital where the reports are good for both that they will recover. Then Crunch Wilson and Cindy Carson resume their roles as two-thirds of the Protesters, a singing group and try to perform. But they are attacked by a very hostile crowd clearly under the sway of the Mind-Bender. Helio returns just in time to save them using his flying belt and the trio escape. Later that evening Helio gets a call from Crunch and goes to the location only to find that he and Mentalia are taken prisoner by Brute who is under the power of the Mind-Bender. As the story closes, Helio and Mentalia are strapped to tables while Brute pushes a button which will kill them. 

This issue is one of two that my beloved grandmother got me when I was a mere youth. It was my first exposure to P.A.M. and I immediately fell in love with the spare and romantic style of the artist. This is sadly Morisi's last Thunderbolt adventure. He will turn up again on the cover of the next issue, but deadlines apparently were too much for the full-time policeman and so his hero gets turned over to the capable hands of Pat Boyette full time. This is a solid adventure, a few additional pages making a big difference in the apparent scope of the struggle. But there is alas no real solution to the Hooded One's threat.

This issue was reprinted under the Modern imprint in the late 70's. 

To read the complete comic book use this link. 

 More Thunderbolt to come. 

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Thunderbolt - Beware The Cobra!

Thunderbolt #56 is dated February 1967. Once again, the feature is credited as created, written, and dawn by Pete Morisi under his P.A.M. pseudonym. Morisi did the cover too as he has done all the covers for the series so far. Special Case Number 0007 from T-Bolt's Personal Files is titled "Beware...The Cobra". 

It begins in Peter Cannon's secluded mansion outside New York City where Peter and Tabu are sparring in judo. After the bout, they again talk about Peter's responsiblity as Thunderbolt to his fellow man with Tabu urging him to take a greater role. Tabu also asks about the nature of Peter's power which Cannon explains as tapping into that unexplored reserved that all human beings have. He is vague and says the way it's tapped must remain a secret. The origin of "Thunderbolt's Personal Files" is revealed as Tabu announces that he has been recording Thunderbolt's adventures. What follows is a two-page review of the previous issues with a panel devoted to each of the previous six cases. The scene shifts to the waterfront area where a mysterious bearded man named Cobra meets with some eccentric looking types and conducts a slave auction, offering up men who are compelled to follow orders because they've been given some drug derived from cobra venom. The Cobra makes one hundred thousand dollars from the auction and has his henchmen go out into the city to get more potential slaves. What follows is a wave of kidnappings that terroize the city and attract the attention of Peter and Tabu. Again Peter is reluctant to investigate until Tabu tells him that one man who has disappeared is a surgeon who is the only man able to cure a young girl currently waiting for the operation. She has only a day left to live. With that deadline facing him Peter becomes Thunderbolt and heads through his hidden tunnels into the heart of the city. He leaps about on rooftops for a time looking for clues. He at last finds an area that seems suspicious and investigates further finding the prisoners and the Cobra and his men. He attacks but the Cobra shoots him with darts coated with the drug and has him tied up. While he is bound, the Cobra unleashes a real cobra into a room with T-Bolt who uses his teeth to subdue the deadly serpent. Shocked the Cobra attempts to cajole the Thunderbolt into being his partner but a punch sends him falling and he lands on the fangs of the dead cobra, and is killed. Tabu and Peter discuss the case later and Peter urges Tabu to end the installment with "The End", but Tabu insists on "To be continued". 

 

"Thunderbolts" offers up four letters from fans. There is praise for The Sentinels save for one writer who wants them replaced with Nightshade. It's noted that a number of fans have become writers for Charlton in recent months and that is encouraged. One writer apparently knows the identity of P.A.M. and uses his name in the letter though Dick Giordano edits it out. Speculation about P.A.M.'s job though is erroneous. The new Blue Beetle book is announced as well as a new showcase-type book which certainly must be Charlton Premiere though the title is not mentioned. It is also announced that the next issue of Thunderbolt will be by Pat Boyette, filling in for Morisi. 

The Sensational Sentinels return in a story titled "Where Walks...The Titan!" written by Gary Friedrich and drawn by Sam Grainger. Dick Giordano is listed as editor. This story is advertised as "Another Cataclysmic Charlton Classic", a bit of a stretch even for a diehard like me. The story begins with Ed Sullivan introducing the Protesters who sing a fairly lame song about being in jail and throwing a pie in the warden's face. They are nonetheless mobbed by girl fans. Their manager the Colonel is happy and takes them out to eat, but they bicker as usual. Meanwhile at Coney Island a young boy (who looks like Billy from the last few issues) and his grandmother find themselves in harm's way when an orange giant appears demanding to know the whereabouts of the Sentinels. The man who calls himself Titan begins to wreak havoc in the park. TV news informs the Sentinels who don their garb and head on over to face the threat. Helio flies up but he is unable to control his flight and Titan smacks him hard to the ground. Mentalia finds that as with the Mind-Bender's robot she is unable to effect this Titan with her ESP. That leave Brute to confront the foe and they have a knockdown dragout fight for a few pages until finally Titan throws Brute from the top of the roller coaster. In the last panel Helio awakes but apparently is suffering from amnesia. The story ends at this point. I liked the idea that the comic is developed from the records kept by Tabu. This gives a neat meta-fictional twist to the proceedings, not unlike the mechanism used by Arthur Conan Doyle with Watson and Sherlock Holmes. It's a clever bit. The story though, like last issue felt a bit rushed. With a lot of page count used in reprise, this left precious little time for the story unfold. It's not really clear how Thunderbolt found the Cobra, he just sort of does it.

One neat thing though is a panel by Morisi showing Thunderbolt biting the cobra which is clearly a swipe/homage to Bill Everett's Amazing-Man cover from Centaur Comics. Thunderbolt is clearly inspired by Amazing-Man in many ways, though perhaps streamlined a bit for the 60's, and it's nice that Morisi pays tribute to his inspiration. Here's some more information about Amazing-Man. 

To read the complete comic book use this link. 

More Thunderbolt to come. 

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Thunderbolt - Where Stalks The Mummy!

Thunderbolt #55 is dated December 1966. Again, the entire Thunderbolt story is written and drawn by P.A.M. the pseudonym of Peter Morisi. Special Case Number 0006 from T-Bolt's Personal Files is titled "Where Stalks the Mummy?". 

The story begins with Peter Cannon and Tabu playing basketball and once again discussing Peter's role as Thunderbolt, and Peter repeats that he is reluctant to involve himself in a world filled with greed and hate and violence. The scene shifts to Egypt and an archeological dig where Professor Hugo Drummond and his team unearth a sarcophagus with an undisturbed mummy inside. Drummond only wants the mummy for his work, rejecting the other riches and has the mummy shipped to his castle-like armory in America. He begins a series of experiments searching for the gift of immortality the ancient Egyptians have possibly hidden in the mummy. He uses technology to connect himself mentally to the mummy and a merging takes place with the mind of Drummond and the mind of the slave who was mummified blending. It is primarily Drummond's consciousness though that now animates the mummified body. He then uses his new-found power to kidnap his former colleagues and begin a crime wave of terror. 

Tabu and Peter Cannon read of these events, the crimes carried in many newspapers it seems. And Tabu convinces Peter once again that he has a responsibility to become Thunderbolt to help his fellow man. Peter though reveals that his reluctance comes from his desire to work peacefully and not through violence, but he ultimately accepts that he must. He follows the clues to Drummond's castle and finds the kidnapped archeologists and Drummond in his mummy form. Drummond is just about to kill the men in his gas chamber when T-Bolt appears and breaks the glass of the chamber freeing the men. Thunderbolt then pursues Drummond into the basement of his castle but is under surveillance by camera as he does so. Drummond unleashes a fully-grown tiger on T-Bolt and it takes all of T-Bolt's skill to defeat and possibly slay the man-killer. Thunderbolt then confronts the mummified Drummond and they fight, with Drummond finally falling from the parapet of the castle. The castle then catches fire as T-Bolt leaves. Later no sign of Drummond is found as Tabu and Peter discuss the case in his secluded mansion, and they note that Drummond's human body is now under observation though it seems in a vegetative state. They wonder if such a thing as the mummy could exist, but ultimately are forced to accept that such superior beings as the mummy and Thunderbolt himself exist. 

The Sensational Sentinels return in a story titled "Beware...The Menacing Mind-Bender!". The story is edited by Dick Giordano, written by Gary Friedrich, and drawn by Sam Grainger. The story begins with the trio trying on their new uniforms and arguing incessantly all the while, especially Crunch Wilson know as Brute and Rick Strong known as Helio. Cindy Carson known as Mentalia tries to keep the peace as much as she can. Ultimately, they head into public and endure the stares of the crowd each harboring secret thoughts. Rich wonders what money can be made in addition to the good they can do, Cindy only wants to help her fellow man, and Crunch is reluctant and looks forward to his pro football contract. They see a purse-snatching and intercede, but their inexperience comes into play as Helio smacks into a street sign and Brute crashes through a brick wall. They get arrested but are bailed out by their manager "Colonel" Juniper Julep who wants them to appear as the folk singing act "The Protesters" on the Ed Sullivan Show. He says they can wear masks on stage to protect their identities. Meanwhile the leaders of the world are undergoing changes in attitude which result in war being declared between Russia and the United States. The Sentinels get a message from the late Dr. Kolotov (who gave them their powers) by way of his grandson Billy and they learn that he feared one former colleague known as the Mind-Bender. No sooner do they learn this than they are attacked themselves by a robot sent by the the Mind-Bender and after a brief struggle they send the machine out the window, but out of the ruined machine a warning from the Mind-Bender erupts and the Sentinels brace for more attacks. 

"Thunderbolts" features four letters from fans. Among the concerns are a desire to see Blue Beetle again and the new Ditko version of the hero then appearing in Captain Atom is promoted. One writer thinks P.A.M. is a woman and is corrected. There are a number of requests for original artwork, but Dick Giordano says that selling this material is not possible. As he puts it "For reasons too lengthy to go into in this space, we MUST keep all of it! It is carefully stored and indexed, and it is necessary to our operation that we maintain this procedure." Given the haphazard way the artwork was ultimately treated, with much of it forgotten and destroyed carelessly, this is painful to read today.

 And that wraps another issue. This particular issue of T-Bolt seemed the most formulaic yet. The threat was defined, T-Bolt reluctantly goes to fight it and is triumphant but broods. Maybe it's the loss of pages, but the ending seemed a bit abrupt without an interesting twist. The villain was a nice one though and seemed poised for a return at some point. The Sentinels story was full of plot for such a small tale, but still the incessant bickering among the team does get tiresome very swiftly. 

To read the complete comic book use this link. 

The Sentinels get an entry in The League of Regrettable Superheroes by Jon Morris. They are better than that, but maybe that's nostalgia talking. 

 More Thunderbolt to come.

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Thunderbolt - This One's For Tabu!

Thunderbolt #54 is dated October 1966. Again, Pete Morisi using his pseudonym P.A.M. is responsible for the story and art for most of the issue including the cover. Special Case Number 0005 from T-Bolt's Personal Files is titled "This One's for Tabu!". 

The story begins in Peter Cannon's secluded mansion where he and friend Tabu are discussing the Peter's role as Thunderbolt and the current whereabouts of the Hooded One. Peter is still reluctant to become T-Bolt. The two get into the boxing ring yet again and spar but Tabu using Savate knocks Peter onto the canvas for a change. But before Peter can retaliate Tabu collapses. A doctor then informs Peter that Tabu has contracted African Tryanosomiasis better known as "Sleeping Sickness". The doctor regrets that there is no cure. But Peter knows of one from his days in the Himalayas and immediately takes a trip back to the land that gave birth to Thunderbolt. He consults the High Abbot of the lamasery and discovers that the plants he needs have been destroyed by the winter snows. But then Peter remembers the "Cave of the Peaks" a dangerous location where the Mongols patrol, but where all things exist. He immediately heads off on horseback to find it. He is confronted by Mongols and his horse is killed by gunshots. But when the Mongols attack in close quarters Peter overcomes them and they then tell him of the location of the Cave of the Peaks. He again rides into the snow and eventually discovers the cave. Inside he changes his wet clothes but finds only his Thunderbolt costume which Tabu persistently packs in his supplies. Putting it on he explores the cave and finds dinosaurs frozen in ice. 

He is then confronted by the Hooded One and the pair exchange threats. Put Peter leaves the Hooded One and explores the cave further and discovers an opening into a hidden jungle region seemingly from the prehistoric past. He starts his search for the plants he needs and encounters many types of dinosaurs even getting charged by a Styrachosurus (a one-horned dinosaur similar to the more famous Triceratops). He avoids the beast which gets its horn stuck in a tree. Taking to the trees, Thunderbolt explores the jungle further before he is struck down by tiny arrows fired by pygmy warriors. Using his vast will power he overcomes the effects of the arrows and charges into his small attackers overcoming them when they suddenly run away. The reason is all too obvious as a Tyrannosaurus Rex appears. T-Bolt takes a spear and launches it puncturing the beast on its nose. It dies and the pygmy warriors are impressed enough to help T-Bolt find the plant he needs. Quickly he retraces his steps and is soon flying back to America. At the hospital he arrives with only an hour to spare as the cure awakes Tabu. Peter tells a grateful Tabu that he only went on this quest so that they could have a return boxing match and Peter could repay Tabu for his kick to the head.

 

"Behold...The Sentinels" is a new back up feature created and written by Gary Frierich and drawn by Sam Grainger. The story begins in a smoke-filled Greenwich Village nightclub where a trio of folk singers called "The Protesters" are performing. They are Rick Strong, a 21-year old college graduate, Cindy Carson, a 19-year old beauty with a future in Hollywood, and Crunch Carson a beefy fellow with a potential future as a professional football player. After the performance in their dressing room they are arguing with Rick indicating that unless they find some financial success relatively soon he might have to take a job as a teacher. The keep bickering for some time when a small boy opens the door and asks them to come see his uncle Mr.Jones their landlord. The go to see him and he reveals that his real name is Kolotov and he's an exiled Russian opposed to Communism. To that end he has invented some great weapons that he wants to share with the trio, who he has been watching for two years preparing for this moment. He gives Rick a power pack that straps to his back which will make him lighter than air and he dubs him "Helio:, he gives Cindy a headband which will give her ESP and dubs her "Mentalia", and finally he gives Crunch a pair of gloves which will make him super-strong and he dubs him "Brute". Crunch demonstrates the power of the gloves by punching through a solid oak door. Kolotov makes the trio swear a pledge to use the devices only to combat evil and promptly dies. The three agree to stay together and become Sentinels of Justice. 

"Thunderbolts" is the name of the letters page and this time offers up four letters. The lackluster cover design of Charlton books is mentioned. One fan thinks that P.A.M. is actually editor Pat Masulli, but is disabused of that notion. One fan regrets that P.A.M. has left the westerns and Dick Giordano, the editor who did these pages informs us that P.A.M. does comics part time only. The Sentinels back-up feature is mentioned and a new policy is announced that all of Charlton's Action-Hero books will feature back-ups and fans should certainly let editorial know what works and what doesn't. And that wraps another Thunderbolt issue. 

With this installment the book is fully ripened. The T-Bolt adventure is a dense one filled with good action, and the concern Peter has for Tabu gives us an insight into this aloof hero. The addition of the Sentinels completes what will be the format of the book for several months. I found the bickering between the trio a bit hard to take since it had so little background to support it as relevant characterization. It seemed forced like Friedrich wanted to ape the Marvel style which was becoming dominate in the comics of the time. Mighty Comics was the worst offender of this habit of creating bickering heroes, but sadly losing the deep context which made it work so well for Marvel. The Sentinels is a very Marvel-feeling strip, especially with Grainger's artwork. I really like Grainger though I know many folks don't. He's got a lively line and there's a real energy to his work. The strip is a very neat visual counterpoint to the more austere Thunderbolt lead. 

To read the complete comic book use this link. 

Tabu unfortunately gets an entry in The League of Regrettable Sidekicks by Jon Morris. He didn't deserve this ignominy. 

 More Thunderbolt to come.

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Sarge Steel And The Sentinels

Above is a delicious pin-up shot of Sarge Steel by co-creator Dick Giordano, from the 1974 CPL Gang's Charlton Portfolio which also sported a wraparound Don Newton cover. Just wanted to share this nugget before we dive into our main course today. 

Thunderbolt #57 is dated May 1967. The Sensational Sentinels appear again in a story titled "If This Be Triumph!". The story is plotted by D.C.Glanzman and the script and the art are by Sam Grainger. Lettering is by A.Machine. The story begins soon after the battle from the previous issue where we find Brute, Mentalia, and Helio in their apartment recovering. Brute apparently survived the fall from the roller coaster by landing in some water. Rick still has amnesia. The android Titan breaks into the apartment to continue the battle and he and Brute exchange blows, with Titan eventually flinging Brute toward a window. But Mentalia exerts her thoughts and is able to stop Brute in mid-air revealing for the first time not only an ability for telepathy but telekinesis as well. The Titan captures Mentalia and climbs down the building with her in tow. Brute follows using his great hand strength to grip the bricks on the side of the building. He and Titan again mix it up until Brute realizes that he was granted great strength over other men and not androids, so he changes tactics and uses a light pole to attack Titan to great effect. Then Brute leaps to attack Titan and Mentalia adds her telekinetic might to the thrust and they severely damage the android who ultimately collapses. 

Returning to their apartment the find Rick still confused but just they are dealing with what that means for the team Sarge Steel appears and announces that the Mind-Bender and Titan were creations of the C.I.A. and that Dr.Kolotov who gave them their powers was a Soviet spy. As the story ends, he is taking the team into custody in order for them to make statements.

 

Thunderbolt #58 is dated July 1967. The Sensational Sentinels return in a story titled "Into the Lair of the...Mind-Bender!". The story features artwork by Sam Grainger, but writing this time is by Sergius O'Shaughnessy a pseudonym for Denny O'Neil. The story picks up with Sarge Steel arresting the trio for spying, saying that Dr. Kolotov who gave them their powers was a Soviet agent. But Steel's aggressive nature and his attempt to shoot the trio in an alley convince them he is being controlled and Mentalia uses her ESP powers to overcome him. 

Then Brute and Mentalia are attacked by a hotdog vendor who they realize must be the Mind-Bender. They repel the attack, but he escapes. They then take both Sarge Steel and Rick Strong, also known as Helio to the hospital where the reports are good for both that they will recover. Then Crunch Wilson and Cindy Carson resume their roles as two-thirds of the Protesters, a singing group and try to perform. But they are attacked by a very hostile crowd clearly under the sway of the Mind-Bender. Helio returns just in time to save them using his flying belt and the trio escape. Later that evening Helio gets a call from Crunch and goes to the location only to find that he and Mentalia are taken prisoner by Brute who is under the power of the Mind-Bender. As the story closes, Helio and Mentalia are strapped to tables while Brute pushes a button which will kill them. 

This saga has a third chapter, but we never see Sarge Steel again. Read these stories here and here. 

More Sarge Steel to come...eventually. 

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The Coming Of The Invaders!

Never have I been so ready to consume a comic book than I was the debut issue of the The Invaders. The notion of the Timely "Big Three" (Captain America, Human Torch, Sub-Mariner) becoming a team (as they had done very briefly in the pages of All-Winners) was an idea I thought downright ripe and ready as 1975 rolled around. So, when Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins sprung The Invaders on us "Marvelites" of the time, I was aboard the Fortress Europa Express in a nanosecond. I love the concept so much I have all the originals, the paperback reprints and I've just added The Invaders Omnibus, which is what I'm reading the epic war saga in this time. 

(Gil Kane)

I had been made ready, eager, and willing by a host of forces. Fantasy Masterpieces was a potent comic in the late 60's, giving fans not just reprints of Marvel's vigorous Silver Age, but reaching back into the then not-so-distant mists of time to bring forth true-blue Golden Age stories of likes of Cap, Subby, and the Torch among others. The comic was a peephole into comic book lore, allowing a glimpse but little else of the sprawling vista the Golden Age had been. But it was enough.

(Sal Buscema and Sam Grainger)

The Golden Age heroes started popping up in actual comics, specifically those written by Roy such as The Avengers and The Uncanny X-Men. The mostly forgotten Red Raven flew into a single story with the high-flying Angel when the X-Men had gone their separate ways for a time. Golden Age heroes sprang from the mind of Rick Jones in the climax of the awesome space-spanning Kree-Skrull War. The Invaders themselves were presaged in earlier pages of that same comic when time-traveling Assemblers at the behest of Kang traveled to wartime Paris to battle the Timely trio. Former All-Winners Squad members Whizzer and Miss America had recently shown up in the back story of Marvel's mysterious mutant siblings Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. The Golden Age was bubbling up all over creating a heady brew indeed.

(Gil Kane and Bill Everett)

So, The Invaders were inevitable really, and when Roy "The Boy" Thomas relinquished the reins of Editor-in-Chief of the mighty Marvel Bullpen, he had a project he'd been born to write, a ret-conned history of Marvel's most vintage heroes. He created The Invaders, and made them "Giant-Size" to boot. 

(The original splash page by Frank Robbins was tweaked by John Romita and became the debut cover.)

Giant-Size Invaders was the original format for Marvel's WWII heroes, a format which was widespread and popular with yours truly. We got a new story of extended length along with a great Golden Age reprint, in this issue one starring Namor, the Sub-Mariner from his first self-titled comic way back in 1941 by his creator "Wild" Bill Everett.

(Frank Robbins created this splash which shows the scene on the cover from the reverse angle.)

The debut story assembles our disparate heroes as they all confront a threat on the high seas. The Nazis are trying to kill the Prime Minister Winston Churchill before he can come to the Americas to ask for aid for his afflicted country. To that end they kidnap a scientist who was a part of the creation of Cap himself and force him to assist them in the creation of their own ideal warrior dubbed "Master Man". Controlled by Colonel Kreighund the Master Man battles to destroy Churchill's ship but is stopped when Cap, Bucky, Torch, Toro and Namor combine forces to stop him. Afterwards Churchill himself suggests the heroes form a team to storm Fortress Europa itself, and dubs them "The Invaders".

(John Romita)

But that was the last Giant-Size issue for many decades. With the very next installment, that format was dropped and The Invaders went to a then-regular sized twenty-five cent comic, but that meant the next story originally developed for the larger size was shifted to two full issues. In those the newly assembled Invaders head to London where they confront the deadly Blitz and in the midst of that find a mysterious girl who seems to have a link to the rumored "Brain Drain" which was itself connected to the Master Man they'd defeated in their first adventure.

(John Romita)

They soon enough find sufficient reason to travel to into enemy territory where they find and battle three seeming gods from legend, but who turn out to be space travelers instead used by the Brain Drain, a scientist who has been transformed by their coming into a man with a brain encased in a glass dome. The girl turns out to be the fourth space traveler and they all decide since they are stranded here they are better off dead and the world is introduced to nuclear energy sooner than has been documented.

(Jack Kirby and John Romita)

(Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia)

Following that deadly struggle the heroes return to the United States for a time and run afoul of a new foe, one of the Sub-Mariner's own Atlantean minions named Merrano who has used his science to make himself into a super-powered soldier for the Reich calling himself "U-Man" after the deadly submarines which threatened the Eastern coast of the United States and all of the Atlantic at the time.

(Gil Kane)

The Invaders eventually put down the threat of the U-Man, but not before uncovering a mystery in the region we commonly call the Bermuda Triangle, an enigmatic area which seems to drag in the unsuspecting into a time warp to a deadly zone filled with prehistoric creatures, among other things. This is a shout out to another Marvel comic of the time, Skull the Slayer which explores the area in modern times.

(Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott)

The Invaders then begin one of their most important missions, one which finds them back home front hawking war bonds.

One offbeat note is a panel in which Bucky and Toro are seen reading the comics above, a reference to the Marvel Comics within the Marvel Universe in which they get many things different than "reality".  Sadly the heroes, save for Bucky who is deemed too weak to fool with, are captured by the Red Skull and turned into mind-controlled super-soldiers for the Third Reich, and turn their attention to destroying weapons plants.

(Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia)

Bucky left alone takes steps to assemble other superheroes of the time and creates the Liberty Legion made up the Patriot, the Whizzer, Red Raven, Miss America, the Blue Diamond, the Thin Man, and Jack Frost.

(Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott)

These heroes confront the Invaders as the latter attack different regions of the United States, but the battles are somewhat inconclusive, though Toro is captured.

(Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia)

Then eventually the tide turns, and the Liberty Legion is able to free the Invaders of the Skull's mind-control, which was made possible by use of technology developed by the now-dead Brain Drain. Afterwards it seems the Legion will stay together to defend the Homeland while the Invaders return to their primary mission to "invade" Fortress Europa.

For the record this story wove between two issues of The Invaders and two issues of Marvel Premiere which showcased the Liberty Legion drawn by Don Heck. Rich Buckler and Dick Ayers stepped in to handle one issue of the crossover, a springtime blockbuster of sorts. The name "Liberty Legion" was one Roy Thomas had created when he was a teenager and is now finally able to use.

(Jack Kirby, Frank Giacoia, and John Romita)

When the team returns to London, they find almost immediately that the Blitz continues. Amid that destruction they discover the supernatural in the form of Baron Blood, a for-real vampire.

(Neal Adams)

We eventually learn that Baron Blood was created by none other than Dracula himself, though this was of course decades before the Count's then modern adventures in the pages of The Tomb of Dracula.

(Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia)

The team also meets for the first time Union Jack, a British hero of the earlier World War I. He turns out to be Lord Falsworth and the secret of Baron Blood is closer to him than he realizes. We learn that Union Jack is one of several heroes from the "Great War" who formed a team not unlike The Invaders themselves. The Phantom Eagle was a colleague of the Union Jack. Also threatened by the deadly vampire is his daughter Jacqueline, a high-born but brave woman.

(Jack Kirby and Frank Springer)

The Invaders work together alongside Union Jack to defeat Baron Blood, despite injuries which prevent Lord Falsworth from being able to continue in his heroic role.

(Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia_

Worth noting is that with the ninth regular issue, original inker Vince Colletta gave way to Frank Springer who would be the regular for several years to come. Also, the return of Jack Kirby to Marvel was most important as he became a regular cover artist for the line for a while and some of his absolute best work is seen on these Invaders covers. 

(Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott)

But the stage is set for something new as the ranks of The Invaders is about to grow permanently.

The invasion continues. More tomorrow. 

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