The Classics - Strange Tales #167

After more than 45 years of reading comics, it would be nearly impossible to pick a favorite single issue. But this one would be mighty close to the top of the list.

Strange Tales #167 carries a cover date of April 1967, but reading it again, it's still at the cutting edge of comic book art, and features writer / artist Jim Steranko schooling the rest of the industry.

Steranko exploded on the comics scene as one of the first artists to write his own comic. He took over the Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD half of Strange Tales (Dr. Strange was featured in the second half) and transformed it with his dynamic, complex writing. Each issue ended on a powerful cliffhanger, leaving you desperate to see the next installment.

Then there's the art - simply the best of its time, he spawned an army of imitators. Steranko combined the power of Jack Kirby, the energy and craft of Wally Wood, used cutting-edge design and printing techniques, and created an amazing body of work in the relatively short time he worked in comics.

This issue would be a legend just for its iconic cover, but the interiors are even more amazing. What other comic featured a four-page splash, as the armies of SHIELD fought the minions of the evil Yellow Claw? (Yep, you had to buy two comics to get the full effect.)

This issue was the final showdown between Fury and the Claw - a dramatic event with a shocking final page - and then an even more shocking revelation on the next page (the other final page), as the true depth of the story was finally revealed.

What can I tell you - it blew my 11-year-old mind!

The second half of the comic, with Dr. Strange, only suffers by comparison. With a story by Denny O'Neil and art by the vastly-underrated Dan Adkins, it was the next-to-the-last chapter in Strange's battle with the super-scientist Yandroth.

The story was just ok, but I loved Adkins' art during his short run in this comic. The only thing about it I didn't like was his use of swipes - they were obvious even to my young eyes.

Still, all together, this was a terrific comic, and it makes me wish again (for the zillionth time) that Steranko would do more comics.

Or at least finish his third volume of The History of Comics.

Grade: A+