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?

Commie-Clobbering Kaiju STRANGE TALES "Fin Fang Foom!" Conclusion

When Last We Left Our Favorite Comics Kaiju...

Aroused from his centuries-long slumber, Fin Fang Foom pursues the human who awakeened him, not realizing the human has an ulterior motive...using the kaiju as a living weapon against a Communist invasion force!

Yes, we know FFF was green on the cover, but orange on the inside!

It's another of those screw-ups that occur because covers (on slick magazine stock) and comic book interiors (on newsprint) are printed on different presses on different schedules, so they don't get processed or leave the publisher's offices at the same time!

And considering Editor Stan Lee was handling the entire Atlas/Marvel line all by himself, it's lucky FFF wasn't purple on either the inside or outside of Strange Tales #89!
When Fin Fang Foom began appearing in new stories, starting with Marvel's Astonishing Tales #23 (1974), he consistently remained green, though with red, purple or green shorts!

(BTW, you'll be seeing FFF's fellow kaiju It: the Living Colossus later this month!)

He's been a part of the Marvel Multiverse, numerous animated Marvel TV series and even the Marvel Cinematic Universe (named "Great Protector") in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings!

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Commie-Clobbering Kaiju STRANGE TALES "Fin Fang Foom!" Part 1

You Know Him!
You Love Him!
You Can't Stop Saying His Name!

And now you're going to see his introduction (though not his origin) exactly as it appeared in Atlas' Strange Tales #89!

To be Concluded...TOMORROW!

You may wonder why we're going to break away.from the story just as the Chi-Com Clobbering is about to begin!

There's a very simple reason!

It's because editor/plotter Stan Lee, writer Larry Lieber, penciler Jack Kirby, and inker Dick Ayers ended the first chapter here!
You'll also note that Fin Fang Foom is orange, yet most fans are used to seeing him green, like this...

...and since the reprint (above) in Marvel's Where Monsters Dwell #21 (1973), he's been some shade of green!

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Russkie-Smashers JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY "Propaganda"

Not every Russkie-Smasher is a super-hero...or even human...

...as this tale from over sixty years ago seems as timely as ever!

Note: because of racial stereotypes common to the era of publication, this may be NSFW, though it is Comics Code-approved!

This story from Atlas' Journey into Mystery #80 (1962) by plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, penciler Jack Kirby, and inker Dick Ayers, is a reworking of an earlier more horror-oriented story, also called "Propaganda", from Atlas' Uncanny Tales V1N9 (1953).
That one was reprinted in Marvel's Uncanny Tales V2N1 (1973) and can see it on our "brother" RetroBlog, Seduction of the Innocent by clicking HERE!

In the meantime, here's a special treat...scans of the complete original art for this tale!

Enjoy!

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Russkie-Smashers ASTONISHING ANT-MAN "Part 3: The Ant-Man's Revenge!"

We Have Already Seen...

...research scientist Henry Pym and his team, working on an anti-radiation gas, have been captured by Russkie spies.

Donning his protective uniform, Pym becomes ant-sized, uses his cybernetic helmet to contact ants and begins freeing the other scientists!

Now, witness...

Pym battled a number of Russkies, and even a couple of Chinese Communists during his run in Tales to Astonish!

Trivia: you may not realize it, but the original Ant-Man/Giant-Man costume has a reverse color scheme from Spider-Man's outfit!

Was it a deliberate choice to point up the difference between insect and arachnid heroes?

Only editor Stan Lee and colorist Stan Goldberg knew, and (sadly) we can no longer ask them!

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TPB collection of mini-series about all four people who have been Ant-Man in the Marvel Comics Universe!