STRANGE TALES 131 (1965)
by Stan Lee & Bob Powell
“The bouncing ball of doom” doesn’t sound like a threatening menace, but considering the villains of this series, it has a shot.
I’ve said it before, but to me it looks like Stan Lee was far more comfortable writing the daily shenanigans of the Torch and the Thing in their civilian life.
Case in point:
Something is causing the nearest bridge to collapse, and the two heroes rush to help.
Bob Powell tries to do something interesting with the perspective; I don’t think he quite succeeds, but at least this is creative.
By fixing the bridge, they thwarted the Mad Thinker’s plan without even knowing it.
The montage of the creation of the Ultimate Weapon…
…a ball. Yeah yeah, laugh all you want, but this thing is hardcore!
The Mad Thinker has programmed the Bouncing Ball of Doom ™ against any possible response.
EXCEPT DUCKING.
So you mean to tell me that one of the supposedly smartest people in the world didn’t consider the possibility that someone would try to dodge a metal ball coming at them?
Sounds legit.
The Thinker attracted the heroes’ attention by threatening to blow up a dam, and the ball is doing just that… until the Torch uses it to rescue both the Thing and the dam’s architect.
Also: the ball is not Nova-proof.
So, uhm… not exactly the Mad Thinker’s proudest moment.
Ah yes, the classic Mad Thinker’s “method of operation”: coming up with a stupid plan that is easily thwarted if you do the one thing that every single person on Earth would do in that situation.
What do you think about this story, Invisible Girl?
Yeah that’s about right.
Historical significance: 0/10
Probably forgotten out of fear of the Mad Thinker suing Stan Lee for defamation.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
On the Marvel scale of course, but dam.
(I’m not apologizing)
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
If I was the Mad Thinker I would definitely sue.