Tales to Astonish #81
Tales to Astonish #81 (July 1966) is a genuine double-debut issue in the Silver Age Marvel Universe: it introduces both Boomerang (Fred Myers) and the Secret Empire in the same package, giving readers two villains who would cast long shadows across decades of storytelling. Boomerang began here as a Hulk antagonist before migrating to become one of Spider-Man's most enduring — and later surprisingly comedic — foes, eventually headlining Nick Spencer's critically acclaimed Superior Foes of Spider-Man run. The Secret Empire debuted as a Hydra-backed terror cell and went on to anchor Steve Englehart's landmark 1970s Captain America 'Secret Empire' arc, a Watergate-era allegory widely regarded as one of Marvel's most politically pointed storylines, and later the company-wide Secret Empire event of 2017.
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The issue was written by Stan Lee and published with a cover date of July 1966, going on sale April 5, 1966. It runs two concurrent serials under one cover, a format Tales to Astonish had pioneered since becoming a split-book in 1964: the Sub-Mariner story ('When a Monarch Goes Mad!') was drawn by penciler Gene Colan and inker Dick Ayers, while the Hulk story ('The Stage Is Set!') carried Jack Kirby layouts finished by penciler and inker Bill Everett — with the cover itself by Kirby and Everett. Stan Lee served as editor-in-chief across both features, as was standard for the period, and letterer Sam Rosen rounded out the production credits.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Boomerang (Fred Myers), created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby — a disgraced professional baseball pitcher recruited by the Secret Empire and armed with trick boomerangs; he debuts here as a Hulk villain before becoming most closely associated with Spider-Man's rogues gallery.
- First appearance of the Secret Empire, a hierarchical subversive organization originally structured as a Hydra subsidiary, whose numbered members are masked and anonymous; the group would later become central to one of Marvel's most acclaimed Captain America storylines in the 1970s.
- First appearances of Secret Empire members Number Two, Number Five, and Number Seven within this issue.
- The issue contains two parallel serials: the Sub-Mariner story follows Namor's rage after Lady Dorma agrees to marry the exiled Warlord Krang (having been blackmailed to do so), while the Hulk story shows the Secret Empire hiring Boomerang to steal the Orion Missile, with Boomerang kidnapping Betty Ross as leverage.
- Bruce Banner, still trapped underground, must fight through the warring armies of Tyrannus and the Mole Man before transforming into the Hulk to reach Tyrannus's matter-transference device and return to the surface.
- Cover and Hulk-story art by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Bill Everett (pencils/inks); Sub-Mariner story art by Gene Colan (pencils) and Dick Ayers (inks); both stories scripted by Stan Lee.
- The Sub-Mariner story from this issue was reprinted in Marvel Super-Heroes #36 (May 1973) and later collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner Vol. 1 (2002) and Essential Sub-Mariner Vol. 1 (2009); the Hulk story was collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 3, Essential Hulk Vol. 1, and the Incredible Hulk Omnibus Vol. 1 (2008), among others.
- James Bond appears in this issue only as a cameo mention in the character index, not as a featured character — sources indicate this is a contextual reference within the story rather than a substantive appearance.
Cast · 19 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
The Secret Empire hires Boomerang to obtain the plans for the Orion missile and the new bad guy on the block heads for gamma base. As Rick, Betty and Glenn are returned to the surface from the underground subterranean kingdom, Boomerang captures Betty to use as a bargaining chip for the missile. Banner frantically makes his way through a pitched battle between the forces of the Mole Man and Tyrannus, trying to find a way to return to the surface and help his friends but it is only when he once again becomes the Hulk that he accidentally stumbles on the right machine that accomplishes the task.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).