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Strange Tales (1951) #105
Strange Tales #105
After the Wizard escapes from jail, Johnny Storm and Sue go after him! (note: this issue only contains the Human Torch story)
- GenresComicsMarvelComic Book
14 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1963
9 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,562 books2,347 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 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 7, 2020
The Wizard escapes from prison to challenge the Human Torch again! This time he’s armed with a mansion full of traps designed to kill the Torch! But can even the Invisible Girl come to his rescue this time?
This was a fun issue with a lot of deathtraps set up for the Torch to overcome. While most of the traps and solutions were interesting and fun, the final “flaming saw” was a little bit too far to stretch the imagination for me. But in general, I enjoyed seeing the sparring between the Wizard and the Torch. Lee and Lieber also make sure to reveal exactly how the Wizard escapes from prison to keep all the fans up to speed with the villains exploits. I enjoy the idea of seeing the villain overcome a previous challenge or cliffhanger in order to once again confront the heroes. We’ve seen this over in Fantastic Four and Journey into Mystery around this time and it’s a nice touch of this new Marvel era.
There aren’t a lot of character bits in this issue for Johnny or Sue - it’s pretty much a straight-forward actioner, and Sue is mostly relegated to the nagging “mother hen” role and getting captured by the Wizard. Sort of disappointing, but then the Torch is the featured character here. Even so, I prefer when she has a more feisty and headstrong role.
Kirby draws the Wizard with an even more elongated face than his previous appearance making his disfigurement even greater. We see a lot of Kirby’s intricately detailed machinery and gadgets which are always fun to look at, but nothing else particularly noteworthy jumps out from the art this issue. There are some cool sequences (such as the Torch melting an onrushing artillery shell) that do create a great storytelling method.
This was one of the better, more entertaining issues of this book so far.
This was a fun issue with a lot of deathtraps set up for the Torch to overcome. While most of the traps and solutions were interesting and fun, the final “flaming saw” was a little bit too far to stretch the imagination for me. But in general, I enjoyed seeing the sparring between the Wizard and the Torch. Lee and Lieber also make sure to reveal exactly how the Wizard escapes from prison to keep all the fans up to speed with the villains exploits. I enjoy the idea of seeing the villain overcome a previous challenge or cliffhanger in order to once again confront the heroes. We’ve seen this over in Fantastic Four and Journey into Mystery around this time and it’s a nice touch of this new Marvel era.
There aren’t a lot of character bits in this issue for Johnny or Sue - it’s pretty much a straight-forward actioner, and Sue is mostly relegated to the nagging “mother hen” role and getting captured by the Wizard. Sort of disappointing, but then the Torch is the featured character here. Even so, I prefer when she has a more feisty and headstrong role.
Kirby draws the Wizard with an even more elongated face than his previous appearance making his disfigurement even greater. We see a lot of Kirby’s intricately detailed machinery and gadgets which are always fun to look at, but nothing else particularly noteworthy jumps out from the art this issue. There are some cool sequences (such as the Torch melting an onrushing artillery shell) that do create a great storytelling method.
This was one of the better, more entertaining issues of this book so far.
December 22, 2025
As much as this story is riddled with plot holes and narrative choices that make very little sense, I genuinely appreciated both the humor and the return of an old enemy. Wizard, the Human Torch villain seen a few issues ago, manages to escape from prison, which I actually found quite believable, considering he had been introduced as a man with endless resources. He is obviously out for revenge against Johnny and challenges him through a few hastily improvised schemes, relying heavily on Johnny’s pride.
That said, there are many elements that feel almost nonsensical, starting with the way Wizard chooses to pursue his revenge. He could have acted in a far more stealthy manner instead of openly seeking direct confrontation. The weapons he uses, while entertaining to watch Human Torch deal with so easily, are far below what one would expect from a supposedly brilliant adversary. Another recurring issue that really needs to be addressed sooner or later is Johnny’s powers, which constantly change or lack consistency from one issue to another. Can he actually control fire at a distance? If so, he could have easily disarmed the bomb. And apparently he can almost create solid objects out of fire, like saws and trampolines, which is more than a little strange.
Another disappointing aspect is Sue’s role, which is completely useless here. By allowing herself to be captured, she is reduced once again to the girl waiting to be rescued. Her powers desperately need a buff. And honestly, I am also confused about whether Wizard knows her true identity. And how is it possible that Johnny’s secret identity still hasn’t been figured out, considering he is always seen around with Sue?
That said, there are many elements that feel almost nonsensical, starting with the way Wizard chooses to pursue his revenge. He could have acted in a far more stealthy manner instead of openly seeking direct confrontation. The weapons he uses, while entertaining to watch Human Torch deal with so easily, are far below what one would expect from a supposedly brilliant adversary. Another recurring issue that really needs to be addressed sooner or later is Johnny’s powers, which constantly change or lack consistency from one issue to another. Can he actually control fire at a distance? If so, he could have easily disarmed the bomb. And apparently he can almost create solid objects out of fire, like saws and trampolines, which is more than a little strange.
Another disappointing aspect is Sue’s role, which is completely useless here. By allowing herself to be captured, she is reduced once again to the girl waiting to be rescued. Her powers desperately need a buff. And honestly, I am also confused about whether Wizard knows her true identity. And how is it possible that Johnny’s secret identity still hasn’t been figured out, considering he is always seen around with Sue?
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews