STRANGE TALES 110 (1963)
written by Stan Lee & Hernie Hart
pencils by Dick Ayers
cover by Dick Ayers & Jack Kirby
This is a pretty valuable issue of Strange Tales, since the first Doctor Strange story was published here. He didn’t make it to the cover, though!
We begin with the Human Torch studying for high school (it might be the only time we ever see him study!), which leads him to a convoluted mention of the Wizard.
Meanwhile Paste-Pot Pete is also thinking about the Wizard.
Turns out getting him out of jail is ridiculously easy.
Not that the Wizard really needed help, mind you.
Well they were the only villains of note seen so far; if they gang up on the Torch and don’t waste time with something ridiculous, they should ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
He’s STILL fixated on the idea of discrediting him!? J. Jonah Jameson is less obsessed!!!
So naturally:
Amazingly, the Torch remembers that the Wizard already did the same trick before!
The Torch refuses the offer for help of the Fantastic Four, then sets a trap by disguising himself as a wealthy target (!!!), and the villains fall for it.
As seen on the cover, the Wizard’s clever trap is… mirrors.
I’m disappointed that those were not asbestos mirrors.
Turns out that mirrors are not a great defense against a guy who can melt steel, because why the heck would they be!?
To be fair, the Wizard’s idea was to flood the room of mirrors with a gas that would’ve stopped the Torch’s flame. But, again, why would that work!?
The bad guys are arrested, but the Torch is sad because now he has less time to study.
It’s amazing how much the Spider-Man formula really doesn’t work with the Human Torch.
Historical significance: 4/10
First team-up the Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete (later called Trapster), which will be the basis for the Frightful Four.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
On the Marvel scale, but the Torch’s relationship with the police and especially the disguise are top Silver Age.
Does it stand the test of time? 2/10
It looks like “the public turns on the hero at the first occasion” was already a Marvel cliché in 1963. There’s nothing particularly bad, but this is a very very very dull story.