Writer: Stan Lee
Scripter: Larry D. Lieber
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Dick Ayers
Letterer: Raymond Holloway
“The Thunder God and the Thug” 
December 3, 1962

I haven’t even opened the file yet to read this and I’m struck with a number of things. First, we have this very generic cover to the issue. No mention of who the villain is, just a caption saying “See the Heroic Thunder-God Battle the Forces of Evil!!” Second, comes the title, “The Thunder God and the Thug”. Not exactly something that seems all that exciting, but perhaps this might be a really good human interest-type story. Finally, it is here that things start to shift in the Marvel Universe. This is the month where The Amazing Spider-Man and Iron Man debut. Of course, Marvel doesn’t realize the impact such debuts are going to have, but, interestingly, it will happen here when we lead the month off with what looks to be a bland story.

Now, on to the story. It opens with Thor returning to his office after his last adventure and having to distract his patients who have seen him fly by and perhaps connecting him to the Doctor. He uses a mannequin of himself and tosses it into the ocean so the patients think he’s flown away.

We’re then treated to a retelling of Thor’s origin for the next couple of pages (not a good sign). Finally, the story kicks in as Thug Thatcher is freed by his men, but is shot in a gunfight. His men kidnap Don Blake to remove the bullet and when he does, he orders his men to kill Blake. With his cane out of reach, he cannot change, so he mentally contacts Odin.

Odin sends an electrical charge to the cane, which is being held by one of Thug’s men. He drops it, giving Blake a chance to grab it and change. Thor rounds up Thug’s men, but the leader and his girl escape where they head to Blake’s office and hold Jane Foster hostage.

Thor is able to save her and capture Thug. He asks one more boon from Odin – to wipe the memory of Thug from his heartbroken girl. It’s an odd ending and I have to wonder will we ever have any follow-up with that in the comic.

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Writer: Stan Lee
Scripter: Larry D. Lieber
Artist: Don Heck
Letterer: Artie Semik
“Prisoner of the Slave World” 
December 3, 1962

One of the things I was concerned about when I started this run of reading and knew I would be dealing with these Ant-Man shorts was comparing the character to the Atom. To be fair, my only real exposure to the Atom was in the cartoons, be it the 60s Filmation ones or the Super Friends. This comic could just as easily have been a quick FIlmation short.

Hank visits a friend who has gone missing. More scientists disappear and then Hank himself is kidnapped by a man posing as a window washer. He soon finds himself with the others under the thumb of the alien, Kulla. Kulla wants them to make him a powerful weapon.

And of course, in a moment of quiet, Hank makes the change and chaos ensues as he tries to stop Kulla. I think the only thing that lets this story down is Hank kills Kulla with his own weapon thanks to the ants being used to fire it. It’s not very heroic, but this is the early days.