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Tales to Astonish
Tales to Astonish #51
Hank continues to push himself in speed trials. Will Giant-Man ever be fast enough to catch the Human Top? Janet's concern for Hank grows, while the Top's trail of chaos ends!
- GenresComicsComic BookMarvel
26 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 1964
19 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,562 books2,344 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 4, 2021
The Human Top is back! Spinning around Giant-Man (GM)! This is enough to make any one dizzy (with laughter) but then the Wasp tells the story of the Wobbows! If you want some 60's silliness guaranteed to make you laugh then this is the series for you! I love reading TTA when I am feeling down...takes me back to a simpler time.
August 9, 2019
TALES TO ASTONISH 27, 35-52 (Ant-Man's First Arc)
Stan Lee made the fantastic decision when taking over this magazine to make it entirely dedicated to stories featuring Ant-Man from that point onward. This was really the right move, seeing as that was the only story in this magazine that was unique let alone deeper in its thematic content.
ANT-MAN has a great dynamic, where you can achieve suspense with something as simple as his size comparable to his enemies. The tactics one might use to kill an ordinary insect, like flypaper, are equally lethal against someone of Ant-Man's size. It's also a nice visual metaphor, as he is forced to understand and appreciate the perspective of someone much smaller than himself. He no longer can view the world as inferior or insignificant to himself; its an interesting dynamic, as his villains always are a reversal of this notion by using this very thinking of superiority as justification for their crimes.
The biggest flaw with the stories up to this point is the dialogue… unsurprising of comic books in this era, but surprising for the man writing it. Ant-Man has no-one to really interact with, so it feels really unnatural for him to be talking to himself all the time. It also makes all his dialogue really expository, leaving no room for character accesorization. It is something Lee quickly realized though, prompting him to introduce the Wasp in issue 44; It provides an interesting character dynamic, a bickering husband and wife, because it makes them feel much more real and consequently make us career about the danger they’re in even more.
The other big flaw is that all the villains are one-off villains of the week; if the villains are always defeated, it leaves the reader feeling as if these stories are inconsequential to the protagonists and thus eliminating any sense they’re ever in real danger. But more importantly, it misses a valuable opportunity for character development; if there is a re-occurring antagonist, it mirrors the re-occurring protagonist. The villain and the hero grow and change together, each progressing alongside each other. By having no re-occurring villains, it makes the hero unchallenged and makes us fear the villains even less.
Despite these flaws, the issues are worth reading for the character interaction between the Ant-Man and the Wasp, which is really what carries these stories.
Stan Lee made the fantastic decision when taking over this magazine to make it entirely dedicated to stories featuring Ant-Man from that point onward. This was really the right move, seeing as that was the only story in this magazine that was unique let alone deeper in its thematic content.
ANT-MAN has a great dynamic, where you can achieve suspense with something as simple as his size comparable to his enemies. The tactics one might use to kill an ordinary insect, like flypaper, are equally lethal against someone of Ant-Man's size. It's also a nice visual metaphor, as he is forced to understand and appreciate the perspective of someone much smaller than himself. He no longer can view the world as inferior or insignificant to himself; its an interesting dynamic, as his villains always are a reversal of this notion by using this very thinking of superiority as justification for their crimes.
The biggest flaw with the stories up to this point is the dialogue… unsurprising of comic books in this era, but surprising for the man writing it. Ant-Man has no-one to really interact with, so it feels really unnatural for him to be talking to himself all the time. It also makes all his dialogue really expository, leaving no room for character accesorization. It is something Lee quickly realized though, prompting him to introduce the Wasp in issue 44; It provides an interesting character dynamic, a bickering husband and wife, because it makes them feel much more real and consequently make us career about the danger they’re in even more.
The other big flaw is that all the villains are one-off villains of the week; if the villains are always defeated, it leaves the reader feeling as if these stories are inconsequential to the protagonists and thus eliminating any sense they’re ever in real danger. But more importantly, it misses a valuable opportunity for character development; if there is a re-occurring antagonist, it mirrors the re-occurring protagonist. The villain and the hero grow and change together, each progressing alongside each other. By having no re-occurring villains, it makes the hero unchallenged and makes us fear the villains even less.
Despite these flaws, the issues are worth reading for the character interaction between the Ant-Man and the Wasp, which is really what carries these stories.
January 10, 2018
Ant-Man, as Giant Man, finally captured the Human Top. First Giant Man practiced catching a replica, but he wasn't very good. Out in the field, he sought the Human Top after he blew up an old boat. He actually caught him, but couldn't hold on. As Giant Man, Hank Pym lumbered along and could not catch up. The Wasp was more successful, but ultimately failed as well.
A new plan was hatched without the help of his "imp" (love that description of The Wasp). Fake plans were provided tot he Defense Department that the Human Top stole. A deal was made to hand them off to the (presumed) Soviets. Once the Human Top showed, so did Giant Man. A chase ensued. The Human Top easily got away, but not really. Giant Man had cordoned off the neighborhood (I have noticed that Marvel writers love the word cordon). So, the Top ultimately was caught. Giant Man could hold on this time as he applied glue to his gloves. Good thinking.
While I have enjoyed the Giant Man stories, I miss Ant-Man.
"The Sorcerer" is a sad little tale. The prodigal son returns home. as it were. Tom, a world traveler, returns to visit his brother, his SIL, and nephew. They are interested in all his travels. They ask him about his favorite place. He shares about India. At that, the brother explains that his son is a sorcerer in his own right. Apparently, a toy train follows him around everywhere. No string, no winding up, no nothing, the train just follows the boy.
When Uncle Tom witnesses this, he crushes the boy by stating obviously this can't be. The boy is crushed. He goes outside with the train and kicks it. The train no longer follows the boy.
Uncle Tom states he now needs to return to India. Huh? Odd story that deflates a boy. Not my favorite.
"Wobbows" is a story Janet, a la The Wasp, tells to some men. Yeah, the comments the men make wouldn't fly today.
Anyhow, we learn of a scoundrel in space time. He steals something and then sets out on his own. After a near miss, he lands his ship when he sees a planet replete with gold. He is leery because of the Wobbows. Seeing none he decides their fictional to keep folks from landing here and taking the gold. But he does. In flight, the gold changes to Wobbows. That was the end of our scoundrel.
"No Place to Turn" is an interesting little story. Aliens surveil Earth to gather data to see if they should conquer it. Unfortunately, their signal is too weak to capture color. Nevertheless, they create a clone to go among the Earthlings. He is not to draw attention to himself or he will change back to his alien self. Of course, he does. Despite looking just like an Earthlings, he was found out because he was green. The lack of color in their surveillance video cost them. Cute.
A new plan was hatched without the help of his "imp" (love that description of The Wasp). Fake plans were provided tot he Defense Department that the Human Top stole. A deal was made to hand them off to the (presumed) Soviets. Once the Human Top showed, so did Giant Man. A chase ensued. The Human Top easily got away, but not really. Giant Man had cordoned off the neighborhood (I have noticed that Marvel writers love the word cordon). So, the Top ultimately was caught. Giant Man could hold on this time as he applied glue to his gloves. Good thinking.
While I have enjoyed the Giant Man stories, I miss Ant-Man.
"The Sorcerer" is a sad little tale. The prodigal son returns home. as it were. Tom, a world traveler, returns to visit his brother, his SIL, and nephew. They are interested in all his travels. They ask him about his favorite place. He shares about India. At that, the brother explains that his son is a sorcerer in his own right. Apparently, a toy train follows him around everywhere. No string, no winding up, no nothing, the train just follows the boy.
When Uncle Tom witnesses this, he crushes the boy by stating obviously this can't be. The boy is crushed. He goes outside with the train and kicks it. The train no longer follows the boy.
Uncle Tom states he now needs to return to India. Huh? Odd story that deflates a boy. Not my favorite.
"Wobbows" is a story Janet, a la The Wasp, tells to some men. Yeah, the comments the men make wouldn't fly today.
Anyhow, we learn of a scoundrel in space time. He steals something and then sets out on his own. After a near miss, he lands his ship when he sees a planet replete with gold. He is leery because of the Wobbows. Seeing none he decides their fictional to keep folks from landing here and taking the gold. But he does. In flight, the gold changes to Wobbows. That was the end of our scoundrel.
"No Place to Turn" is an interesting little story. Aliens surveil Earth to gather data to see if they should conquer it. Unfortunately, their signal is too weak to capture color. Nevertheless, they create a clone to go among the Earthlings. He is not to draw attention to himself or he will change back to his alien self. Of course, he does. Despite looking just like an Earthlings, he was found out because he was green. The lack of color in their surveillance video cost them. Cute.
January 11, 2025
ok so i don't like hank and Janet's relationship, i think he can be really condescending to her and honestly she needs to get a hold of herself and realize this man does not feel the same way about her as she does him. anyway, the resolution of the human top story was dumb fun, which i say as a compliment. if i was expecting high art and potent drama from 1960s marvel comics i would be the most disappointed man alive. they're kinda stupid but they're cute and charming, and this issue is mostly no different. they almost tricked me into reading the sci-fi pack in story by smacking wasp on the front page, so good on them for getting me i guess. this issue is so silly
December 31, 2022
Dumb. The best was the short story wasp told veterans. But the other story line. And short stories were disappointing
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews