Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #116
Published January 1964
Frequency monthly
Cover Price 0.12 USD
Pages 36
Editing Stan Lee
Notes Distributed to newstands in October 1963. This issue includes 10 pages of paid advertisements. Distribution date from Joseph Marek's Marvel Comics Group history website.

Cover Details - "The Human Torch Battles the Thing!"

Characters Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Puppet Master [Philip Masters]; Alicia Masters
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee
Pencils Jack Kirby
Inks George Roussos
Colors Stan Goldberg ?
Reprinted in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001) [black & white]; in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006)

13 page The Human Torch story "In the Clutches of the Puppet Master!"

Characters Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Puppet Master [Philip Masters]; Alicia Masters
Synopsis The Puppet Master manipulates the Thing into fighting the Human Torch, hoping to pick off the Fantastic Four one at a time.
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee
Pencils Dick Ayers
Inks George Roussos [as Geo. Bell]
Colors Stan Goldberg ?
Letters Ray Holloway
Notes Puppet Master last appears in Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #14 (May 1963), he next appears in Fantastic Four #28 (July 1964). The story was "Based upon an idea by Tommy and Jimmy Goodkind, Hewlett Harbor, New York".
Reprinted in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #19 (March 1969); in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006); in Fantastici Quattro, I (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #14 (October 5, 1971) [as "Nella stretta del Burattinaio", Italian translation]

2 page text story "The Radio"

Characters Bill Barton; Mr. Sparks
Synopsis A ham radio enthusiast picks up a genie on one frequency but wastes his three wishes before he knows what's happening.
Genre occult
Letters typeset
Notes Text story with illustration.
Reprinted from Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1949 series) #133 (April 1955)

8 page Dr. Strange, Master of Black Magic! story "Return to the Nightmare World!"

Characters Nightmare; Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]; Ancient One [Yao] (cameo); Wong (unnamed); Dr. Warren
Synopsis Nightmare has discovered the ability to capture humans and bring them to his world for study while they sleep. The police ask Strange's help, as a "last resort," to discover the cause behind a rash of people unable to awaken. Strange tracks the cause down to the Nightmare World, and has a rematch with his old foe.
Genre superhero
Script Steve Ditko (plot, un-credited); Stan Lee (script)
Pencils Steve Ditko
Inks Steve Ditko
Letters Artie Simek
Notes Nightmare last appears in issue #110 (July 1963).
Reprinted in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #6 (December 1966); in Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts (Pocket Books, 1978 series) #nn [1]; in Doctor Strange Master of the Mystic Arts (Simon and Schuster, 1979 series) #nn; in Marvel Masterworks (Marvel, 1987 series) #23 (1992); in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (2001) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003)

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Another Marvel Masterpiece"

Notes Advertises Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #22 (January 1964). Printed between the pages of the Dr. Strange story.

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Another Marvel Masterpiece"

Notes Advertises Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 1959 series) #49 (January 1964). Printed after the Dr. Strange story.