Appearing in ""The Brand of the Brainwasher!""
Amazing Spider-Man #59
(originally printed as The Brand of the Brainwasher!)
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Aunt May
- George Stacy (See chronology)
- Gwen Stacy (See chronology)
- Harry Osborn (See chronology)
- Mary Jane Watson
Antagonists:
- Dr. Winkler (First appearance)
- Kingpin (Wilson Fisk)
- Mr. Slade, Louie and other hired goons
Other Characters:
- NYPD
- Police Commissioner
- Assistant D.A. (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York State
- New York City
- Queens
- Manhattan
- Tribeca
- Police Station
- Stacy Residence (First appearance)
- Gloom Room A-Go-Go (First appearance)
- New York City
- New York State
- United States of America
- North America
Items:
- Winkler Device (First appearance)
- Spider-Man's Suit and Web-Shooters
Synopsis for ""The Brand of the Brainwasher!""
Amazing Spider-Man #59
(originally printed as The Brand of the Brainwasher!)
Spider-Man is on his way to go see his Aunt May in the hospital, when the police attempt to apprehend him, but he manages to get away. Finding out which room his Aunt May is in and switching back to his civilian guise, he goes and visits her. When the doctor reminds him that he's been a missing person for days, Peter goes to the police station to tell them what happened. There he explains that Spider-Man took him hostage while the hero was suffering from amnesia. When his memory returned, Peter was let go. This partially true explanation is accepted by Captain Stacy who reunites Peter with Gwen. Gwen is so happy to see him, that she kisses Peter on the lips, much to his surprise. The pair then meet up with the rest of their friends at the Coffee Bean.
They decide to go and check out Gloom Room A-Go-Go, the new nightclub where Mary Jane works as a dancer. They are unaware that this club is secretly a front where a criminal scientist Gerhard Winkler is using brainwashing technology to get control of the most influential people in New York. To this end, his employer has Mary Jane snap photographs of people with a special camera that makes them return to the club later where Winkler brainwashes them to be subservient to his employer. That evening, Mary Jane uses the camera on a local councilman, as well as Captain Stacy.
Stacy tells everyone that he is going out for fresh air, but Gwen begins to worry about her father when he doesn't return. Peter, also finding it suspicious decides to go look for him -- but as Spider-Man. Spidey goes in back and catches Winkler in the process of brainwashing George Stacy, but before Spider-Man can stop him, he's grabbed by Winkler's employer: The Kingpin.
Appearing in "Iron Man Versus Kala, Queen of the Netherworld!"
Tales of Suspense #43Iron Man Versus Kala, Queen of the Netherworld!
Featured Characters:
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Main story and flashback)
Antagonists:
- Netherworlders (First appearance)
- Queen Kala (First appearance)
- Baxu (First appearance)
- Unnamed Netherworlders
Other Characters:
- Stark Industries (First appearance) (Unnamed)
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Netherworlders
- Gods (Invoked)
Locations:
- Sol
- Earth
- North America
- Atlantis (Only in flashback)
- Netherworld (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
- Earth
Items:
- Iron Man Armor Model 1
- Iron Man's Briefcase
- Netherworld's Disintegrator Cannon (First appearance) (Destruction)
- Netherworld's Imper-Sonic Flame Thrower (First appearance)
- Netherworld's Magnetically-Directed Machine Gun (First appearance) (which fires atomic bullets)
Events and Eras:
- Pre-Cataclysmic Age (Only in flashback)
- Great Cataclysm (Only in flashback)
Synopsis for "Iron Man Versus Kala, Queen of the Netherworld!"
Tales of Suspense #43Iron Man Versus Kala, Queen of the Netherworld!
A wind tunnel at a Stark Industries test facility goes berserk, producing hurricane force winds that send a test missile slamming into the side of a hill. The technicians call Anthony Stark to alert him to the problem. Stark, as Iron Man arrives on the scene destroys the machine by creating a countervailing wind current using his armor’s magnetic transistors to spin himself around. He quickly slips away and changes back into Tony Stark, arriving on the scene shortly afterward. While surveying the damage, a security guard named Jim suddenly vanishes into thin air! Soon afterward, a lab technician named Evans also disappears! Stark and his people stand around in shocked disbelief, until a prism-like object rises out of the ground, surrounds Stark, then sinks back beneath the Earth carrying him with it.
Within the prism, Stark descends down through the crust of the Earth, until he arrives in a highly advanced and technological world. He is greeted by a beautiful woman named Kala, who introduces herself as Queen of the Netherworld. Kala explains that it was her people who kidnapped Stark. Jim and Evans are also there as well, although it was an error that caused them to be kidnapped, as Stark was their true target. She goes on to explain that Netherworld was once the legendary city of Atlantis, which had been sealed within a protective dome in order to escape a barrage of gigantic tidal waves. As the continent of Atlantis sank, Netherworld settled to the bottom of the sea and continued to sink until eventually it arrived at its current location at the core of the Earth. Kala introduces Stark to her military commander, Baxu and announces that she decided to invade the surface world.
Baxu gives Stark a tour of Netherworld and shows off some of their advanced weaponry. Kala explains that the one thing the Netherworlders lack is machinery capable of getting them to the surface. She commands Stark to help her create such machinery and threatens to reverse the Earth’s axis, an act that would destroy everything on the surface if he does not comply. Stark explains that there are many powerful individuals on the surface, such as Iron Man, who are capable of defeating her armies, but Kala remains undeterred. Stark agrees to help her, while his employees look on, considering him a traitor to the human race. Stark demands a lab and total privacy. As Baxu guides him to a lab, he confesses that he doesn't think it is wise to invade the surface, and that he is very uncomfortable taking orders from a woman, despite his love for her.
Alone in the lab, Stark creates replacement parts for his Iron Man armor, then busts out to confront Baxu and Kala. He tells them that he sent Stark back up to the surface to warn them of their coming. Iron Man defeats Baxu and explains to him that he doesn't want to kill him, only convince him to persuade Kala to call off her crazy mission. Baxu cooperates, but Kala still wants to fight. She calls out a Disintegrator Cannon to be fired at Iron Man, who destroys the weapon using a “Reverse Energy beam." Iron Man manages to successfully counter several more of Netherworld’s weapons, until he is able to get close enough to Kala to grab her and bore a tunnel through the crust of the Earth, to the surface. In the atmosphere of the surface world, Kala begins to rapidly age, her facial features turning into that of a "hideous old hag!" She realizes that she can never return to the surface and maintain her beauty. Iron Man convinces her to return to Netherworld in peace, marry Baxu and together rule her kingdom wisely. She decides to do so, regaining her beauty upon returning to Netherworld.
Appearing in ""Whom the Gods Would Destroy!""
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Hercules (Heracles)
- Odin
- Balder
- Jane Foster
- Heimdall
- Unnamed talent scout working for J.B. Stardust
Antagonists:
- Seidring (First appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for ""Whom the Gods Would Destroy!""
Continued from last issue....
Thor and Hercules are fighting over Jane Foster, both mens egos preventing an end to the fight, however the two appear to be evenly matched. While in Asgard, Odin is still furious over Thor's disobedience in first revealing his double identity to Jane and returning to Earth against Odin's wishes. The All-Father then begins thinking of a suitable punishment for his disobedient son.
Back on Earth, Thor and Hercules' battle takes them across the city, as each man tries to out match the other, accomplishing nothing more but a lot of collateral damage to the city around them. Their battle eventually leads them to a construction site. As the battle rages, on Asgard, Odin has called forth Seidring the Merciless to exact a punishment on Thor: to gradually drain his strength to half power. In spite of Seidring's reservations, he complies with Odin's wishes, striking Thor with a mystical bolt that will weaken the Thunder God just as Odin commanded.
This of course turns the tide of battle in Hercules' favour who begins to beat Thor in combat. However, Hercules realizes that Thor has been weakened and no longer desire to fight an inferior foe. Angered by this, Thor continues his fight even though his strength is at a low ebb. In trying to defeat Hercules, Thor lifts a heavy construction vehicle and finds that his strength is insufficient to keep the device aloft, prompting Hercules to kick it out of his hands, Thor then collapses to the ground.
With the battle over, Hercules is swarmed by spectators, including the talent agent trying to convince Hercules to go to Hollywood and star in a Hercules movie. This time Hercules accepts the offer and departs. When Thor revives he finds that the crowd has lost interest in him and mock his easy defeat at the Prince of Powers hands. Feeling the rejection, Thor is confronted by Jane Foster who says that she only went to lunch with Hercules to make Thor jealous and that she is true to the Thunder God. Feeling that he has lost honour in the face of this defeat, Thor leaves Jane telling him he will not return to her until he has restored it in his eyes.
Jane is upset, until she contacted telepathically by Odin, who tells her that Thor has fought like a true Asgardian and that he is remorseful toward his son and tells Jane to go to him. Heeding this command, Jane follows after the Thunder God.
This story is continued next issue...