| Characters |
Nick Fury; "Wild Bill" Robot; E.S.P. Division; Mentallo; The Fixer |
| Synopsis |
After a new "Wild Bill" robot goes wild, Fury checks out the "Encephalogram-Inducer", which, when hooked into the "Brainwave Stimulator" can transform the thoughts of the ESP Division into images. (Wha'd he say?) Mentallo breaches multiple defenses of The Fixer's underwater base, then convinces him to join forces. Fury contacts another SHIELD base for info about "Inferno 42" and Batroc The Leaper. Mentallo & The Fixer travel underground to SHIELD HQ in a "Thru-The-Ground Tank", which The Fixer mentions was supplied by "THEM". The Fixer uses "Jericho Tubes" to knock a hole in a 20-foot-thick concrete wall. Inside SHIELD HQ, he uses a "Static Distorter" to cut off all outside communications. After making it thru several more traps, Mentallo & The Fixer take on Fury & his men directly, using "Element Z" to render everyone unconscious. Placing an electronic mask on Fury's face, The Fixer turns him into a mindless slave... |
| Genre |
Spy |
| Script |
Jack Kirby (plot); Stan Lee (dialogue) |
| Pencils |
Jack Kirby |
| Inks |
Mike Esposito [as Mike Demeo] |
| Letters |
Artie Simek |
| Notes |
Part 2 of 3. Story occurs concurrently with TALES OF SUSPENSE #75 (March 1966). 1st mention of "THEM". 3rd & final SHIELD episode where Jack Kirby did full pencils. Kirby would not do full pencils on Nick Fury again until the Captain America story in TALES OF SUSPENSE #92 (August 1967). |
| Reprinted |
from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #142 (March 1966) |
| Characters |
Dum Dum Dugan; Mentallo; Nick Fury; The Fixer; Gabe Jones; Tony Stark; ESP Division |
| Synopsis |
While SHIELD HQ is in the hands of Mentallo & The Fixer, and Fury a helpless prisoner, Dum Dum & his men prepare to strike back! Tony Stark takes command as the technos prepare his "Neutralizer". The ESP Division are unable to pick up any trace of Fury's thoughts, but the Doctor in charge of suspects Stark has a heart condition. The baddies attach a miniature H-Bomb to Fury's wrists, then remove the mind-control mask. Big mistake-- as Fury immediately begins thinking of an old war song, which acts as the "go" signal. After a burning chemical forces the baddies to remove their protective helmets, they come under attack by the ESP Division. While Fury holds out, Stark's Neutralizer disolves the H-Bomb! Mentallo & The Fixer fight to escape, but are quickly captured, with the help of SHIELD's "Metronome Unit". It's revealed that the ESP attack has destroyed Mentallos' powers, and that Fury was wearing a "Mental Transmitter" to contact them. But elsewhere, a jet takes off from The Heli-Carrier-- but is quickly shot down by a flying golden egg... |
| Genre |
Spy |
| Script |
Jack Kirby (plot); Stan Lee (dialogue) |
| Pencils |
Jack Kirby (layouts); Howard Purcell |
| Inks |
Mike Esposito [as M. Demeo] |
| Letters |
Artie Simek |
| Notes |
Part 3 of 3. Fixer mentions the H-Bomb was supplied by "THEM". The "Metronome Units" join the ranks of Jack Kirby's wildest design ideas. Without their helmets, The Fixer & Mentallo bear a striking resemblance to DC's Lex Luthor & Brainiac! (The bearded mind-reading Mentallo in particular may well have been the inspiration for John Byrne's human mentalist "Brainiac" who debuted in ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #438 (March 1988). |
| Reprinted |
from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #143 (April 1966) |
| Characters |
The Druid; Dum Dum Dugan; Nick Fury; Jasper Sitwell (SHIELD Academy, Class of '66); "Clipper Charlie" (SHIELD barber) |
| Synopsis |
A mysterious villain called The Druid, using "mystic rites" to disguise "modern, sinister science", sends another deadly flying egg, to kill Nick Fury! Meanwhile, at the crash site of the downed jet, Fury races thru the fire to shut down the plane's nuclear reactor before it can explode and take out half the countryside. Dugan refuses to enter the "Mobile Fallout Shelter", and waits for Fury-- thinking for a moment he's just died, then overjoyed to find his old friend alive and ornery as ever. On the road in his Porche 904, Fury & Dugan are attacked by the egg. The car dodges a flame-thrower, strikes back with a "Borer-Bomb", then falls victim to plastic self-forming tank traps. As the car flips over, its "Air Sacs" activate, then Fury uses its jet fans to fly away and land safely. The pair finally use "Grenade Guns" to take out the offensive omelette. Back at the SHIELD barber shop, clean-cut new recruit Jasper Sitwell has a hard time convincing the barber he's really a SHIELD agent. He tells Fury he's been assigned to help him against the flying eggs, which remain a mystery. |
| Genre |
Spy |
| Script |
Jack Kirby (plot); Stan Lee (dialogue) |
| Pencils |
Jack Kirby (layouts); Howard Purcell |
| Inks |
Mike Esposito [as M. Demeo] |
| Letters |
Sam Rosen |
| Notes |
Part 1 of 2. The opening sequence of a mystic rite above-ground while technos supply the goods bears a striking resemblance to the "graveyard" scene in the film LIVE AND LET DIE (1973). The car chase in this episode stands out as one of the most exciting (and fun) action scenes in the series. The "Air Sacs", which "airlines are experimenting with now", predate air bags in cars by decades! 1st appearance of Jasper Sitwell (based on Roy Thomas!). Series ends on cliffhanger. Reprints continue 2 years later in SHIELD #1 (February 1973), but skips STRANGE TALES #145 (June 1966), still NOT reprinted as of this indexing! |
| Reprinted |
from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #144 (May 1966) |