Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Jack Kirby
Inking: Steve Ditko
Lettering: Art Simek
So, this is the moment that made me walk off the show (thankfully, towards the very end of the story, so Andy and Jon weren't left high and dry for too long). I've always found the idea that roller skates popping out of shoes make someone uncatchable to be pretty ridiculous. For the record, it's my least favourite of Iron Man's gadgets. The guy can fly - why does he need roller skates?
Here, a master of disguise also turns out to be a master of a miniaturisation technology, as he fits perfectly balanced wheels, a control system and actual rocket propulsion into a standard pair of shoes. To catch him, Spider-Man once again makes a connection with the speed force and overtakes him. Instead of, say, webbing him.
Stan, Jack and Steve were fairly straight-laced, but it's hard not to imagine that this issue was cooked up after a heavy night of drinking, or some specialist smoking...
Check out our coverage of Strange Tales Annual #2 on our sixteenth episode: The Best Of Annuals, The Worst Of Annuals. It's the one where Steve walks out over the utter ridiculousness of the story, leaving the show in the hands of Andrew and guest-host Jon M. Wilson.
[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_16.mp3]