Journey into Mystery #96
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeIn "Defying the Magic of... Mad Merlin!", a self-assured billionaire ventures into the future with a time machine, seeking the secret to eternal life—only to discover Earth abandoned, its people long gone to a distant paradise. With no way back and his arrogance now his only companion, he must confront the consequences of his ambition in a world he never expected. Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Steve Ditko, with vibrant colors by Stan Goldberg and letters by Art Simek, this 1963 issue features a striking cover by Jack Kirby and Sol Brodsky.
In "Defying the Magic of... Mad Merlin!", the ancient sorcerer awakens after a millennium, ready to seize control of the world with his dark powers. When he targets Washington D.C.'s iconic landmarks, Thor steps in to stop him, leading to a clash of myth and might across the city's famed monuments.
In "Call Her...Medusa!" from Journey into Mystery #96 (1963), an alien gorgon arrives on Earth to scout for an impending invasion—only to find her petrifying gaze ineffective on the first humans she meets. With no way to confirm her power, she's forced to reconsider her mission, leaving the fate of Earth hanging in the balance.
In "Frederick Fenton's Future!" from Journey into Mystery #96 (1963), a wealthy and overconfident man uses his fortune to construct a time machine, driven by the desire to steal the secret of eternal life from the future. His journey takes him to a world where humanity has vanished from Earth, leaving behind a silent, abandoned planet—only to discover his machine can no longer return him home.
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↩ Reprints World of Fantasy #2 (1956)
Reprinted in Creepy Worlds #36 (1964), Thor Annual #2 (1966), Fantasy Masterpieces #8 (1967), Fantastic! #18 (1967), Marvel a Full Colour Comic Album #1 (1969), Il Mitico Thor #6 (1971), Eclipso #38 (1974), I Fantastici Quattro #87 (1974), I Fantastici Quattro #88 (1974), Eclipso #46 (1974), Hulk #12 (1974), The Mighty Thor #5 (1978), The Empire Strikes Back Weekly #127 (1980), Marvel Masterworks #18 (1991), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #[1] (1999), Spider-Man Komplett #34 [4] (2000), Essential Thor #1 (2001), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #1 (2003), The Mighty Thor Omnibus #1 (2010), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #1 (2010), Thor : L'intégrale #1962-1963 (2012), Marvel Famous Firsts: 75th Anniversary Masterworks Slipcase Set #9 (2014), Thor Epic Collection #1 (2014), Marvel Masters of Suspense: Stan Lee & Steve Ditko Omnibus #2 (2019) + 7 more
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