Marvel by the Month

#079: March 1967 (w/Fred Hembeck) - “Blastaar, the Living Bomb-Burst!”

Episode Summary

Legendary cartoonist Fred Hembeck joins us to talk about a mind-blowing Nick Fury story, a ridiculous Dr. Strange tale, the most convoluted Avengers issue we've ever read, and Blastaar and Sandman's rampage through the streets of Manhattan!

Episode Notes

Fred Hembeck has spent more than four decades writing and drawing gag strips featuring just about every comics character you can think of (and a bunch you can't). His curly-Q-elbowed caricatures have graced the pages of the Comics Buyer's Guide, Marvel Age, Fantastic Four Roast, and Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe and have been collected in The Marvel Universe According to Hembeck and The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus.

Own a piece of his original art by bidding on his eBay auctions! And keep up with his goings-on at hembeck.com

Stories Covered In Detail This Episode:

Strange Tales #157, written and drawn by Jim Steranko - "Crisis!"

Strange Tales #157, written by Stan Lee, art by Marie Severin - "The End of the Ancient One!"

Thor #140, written by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby w/Vince Colletta - “The Growing Man”

Avengers #40, written by Roy Thomas, art by Don Heck w/George Bell - “Suddenly… the Sub-Mariner!”

Fantastic Four #63, written by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby w/Joe Sinnott - “Blastaar, the Living Bomb-Burst!”

Complete List of Comics Published This Month (courtesy of mikesamazingworld.com): 

Amazing Spider-Man #49, Avengers #40, Daredevil #28, Fantastic Four #63, Sgt. Fury #42, Strange Tales #157, Tales of Suspense #90, Tales to Astonish #92, Thor #140, X-Men #32, ©1967 Marvel Comics. 

"Marvel by the Month" theme by Robb Milne, sung by Barb Allen. All incidental music by Robb Milne. Visit us on internet at marvelbythemonth.com and follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth.

Much of our historical context information comes from Wikipedia. Please join us in supporting them at wikimediafoundation.org.