Russkie-Smashers HUMAN TORCH & TORO "Human Torch - Fugitive at Large!"

Since We Spent All of March Punching Nazis...

...it's only fair we dedicate April to kicking Russkie ass, starting with Captain America's fellow Russkie-fighter, the original Human Torch!

Written by Hank Chapman, penciled by Dick Ayers, and inked by Ernie Bache, this tale  from Atlas' Sub-Mariner #35 (1954). is one of the most-reprinted of the 1950s Human Torch stories!
Understandable since its' packed with a lot of action in only five pages!
(BTW, besides appearing in the Men's Adventures and Young Men's anthology comics, the "Big Three" of Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and Human Torch all had backup features in each other's comics!
"Corporate synergy" long before the phrase was coined!)

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Russkie Smashers HUMAN TORCH COMICS "Rekindling the Flame of Confidence!"

Besides Catching (and Sometimes French-Frying) Russkie Spies...

...the Human Torch and his teen partner Toro occasionally have to render aid to the American military in other. somewhat more unique, ways!

The Human Torch displays a power/ability in this story by writer Hank Chapman, penciler Dick Ayers, and inker Ernie Bache that he never used before...the ability to move at super-speed, thus appearing invisible to the naked eye!
Maybe because this tale from Atlas' Human Torch #38 (1954) was the final appearance of the character in the 1950s, editor Stan Lee let the introduction of a totally-new ability go without trying to keep the character within established continuity!

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Nazi-Punchers SGT FURY AND HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS "Fighting Side-By-Side with Captain America and Bucky!" Conclusion

When Last We Left Our Heroes...

 Captain America and Bucky have discovered a Nazi plot involving movement of slave laborers to a French coastal site where large amounts of munitions are also being moved.

Why?

Freeing a group of captive American aviators who were about to be executed, Cap has an idea about how to discover the plan, but he wants backup...

 Now that was kool!

This wasn't the first time the Nazis tried this trick in the Marvel Comics Universe.

in Timely's Marvel Mystery Comics #16-17 (1941), Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner discovered another English Channel tunnel as well as a Japanese one under the Bering Strait!

After destroying the German tunnel single-handed, Namor then teams up with the Original Human Torch and Toro to destroy the Japanese tunnel.

In actual history, the idea of an invasion tunnel from mainland Europe to England dates back to 1804, when it was rumored Napoleon Bonaparte was digging one to bypass the British fleet!

1805 illustration showing proposed French invasion using a tunnel as well as barges and balloons.

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Nazi-Punchers SGT FURY AND HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS "Fighting Side-By-Side with Captain America and Bucky!" Part 1

It's Memorial Day Weekend...

...and since we wanted to show the actual (comic book) military in action, we thought we'd present them along with a pair of costumed heroes!

We hate to break into the classic Stan Lee-scripted, Jack Kirby-penciled, and Dick Ayers-inked action from Marvel's Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos #13 (1964), but you'll have to tune in tomorrow to see how the Howlers fit into this situation!

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Russkie-Smashing with AI! JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY / WHERE MONSTERS DWELL "Ruler of Earth!"

Despite the ominous-sounding title (and word balloon)...

...the Artificial Intelligence in this tale is benevolent...until Russkies enter the picture!
(Yeah, Russkies ruin everything!)

So, let's travel to the "future" year of 1990...as seen from 1962...

Appearing as the cover-featured story in one of the final pre-Mighty Thor issues of Atlas' Journey into Mystery (#82 in 1962), this story by plotter/editor Stan Lee, writer Larry Leiber, penciler Jack Kirby, and inker Dick Ayers is a clear Cold War/anti-Communist parable!

But, when the tale was reprinted at the end of the Cold War in Marvel's Where Monsters Dwell #25 (1973)...

...editor Roy Thomas had the hammer and sickle and red star insignias removed from the Russkies' hats...

...and replaced with an "H", which was explained with the change in the dialogue balloon above!
HYDRA???
Why not AIM...who were always more tech-oriented?
So, presumably, there are at least two worlds in the Marvel Multiverse where ROE presides, to this day, over a peaceful Earth!
Bonus for putting up with this all this fanboy mishigas...the lovingly-detailed original art for the spash page by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers!

BTW, did you note how warm, cuddly, and almost teddy-bear-like the cover's ROE is, compared to the version in the story itself?