STRANGE TALES 104 (1963)
by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby
“Paste-Pot Pete”. Just in case you were wondering if Silver Age artists were smoking something.
Everybody’s been making fun of the name since 1963, AND I GET IT. It’s a ridiculous name.
But is it more ridiculous than his costume?
We begin with Pete robbing a bank with his glue gun.
We’re still in the period where the Torch has a secret identity, although it’s exclusively in this serial. Still weird to see him hesitant to reveal his powers!
He is SO worried, in fact, that he just creates a duplicate made of fire follow Pete out of the bank.
If he has THAT much control over his flame, can’t he command the duplicate to stop him!?
While the Torch follows his flame duplicate, Pete moves to his next target: a missile base!
Well that escalated quickly.
And just how does he plan to steal the missile! By shooting glue at it and carrying it around with his truck!!!
The Torch finds him, but Pete is apparently a stunt driver. Either that or the Torch sucks at shooting fire.
How is it possible that the least ridiculous thing about Paste-Pot Pete is his name!?!?
AND HIS PLAN WORKS!!! Mostly because the Torch suddenly loses his flame, something that used to happen frequently in his early career.
So, uhm… this isn’t exactly the Torch’s finest moment.
Fortunately for the Torch, he still has enough flame to ignite his finger.
I would’ve liked the idea of showcasing the normally hot-headed Johnny keeping his cool in a very tense situation… but the entire premise is too silly to take anything seriously.
Oh well. At least it’s drawn by Kirby, so it’s not a complete waste.
After sucking so much, the Torch takes every opportunity to be hot again.
Yeah, maybe the pot wasn’t such a good idea.
Pete would be finished… if he couldn’t hitch a ride on a plane! (WTF!?!?)
I was giving the Torch the benefit of the doubt when he was able to breathe while he was glued to a rocket, since he doesn’t pass out when he flies.
But HOW IS PETE ALIVE!?!?
So… yeah. The Human Torch couldn’t even capture Paste-Pot Pete.
No wonder his identity is a secret in this series. I wouldn’t want anybody to know my face if I was defeated by a guy called Paste-Pot Pete.
Historical significance: 7/10
This probably is as significant as this serial gets. Paste-Pote Pete will obviously return, and more importantly in 1965 he will rename himself Trapster. He’s not a bad villain and he has his fair share of good stories… but even to this day, he’s haunted by EVERYBODY making fun of his first codename!
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
This is as Silver Age as Marvel gets.
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
Only if you’re sniffing glue! Pete is way too ridiculous to be taken as a serious threat, and the Human Torch is just a terrible hero.
Cancer count: this is the first issue that doesn’t include asbestos! And I have to assume that Pete’s glue isn’t toxic, otherwise…