Strange Tales #111: Flame On 42

Plot: Stan Lee

Story: H. Huntley

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Harold

I've been sitting here for ages, trying to work out how to use the fact that this is the 42nd Flame On to contrive a link between this panel, and The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. I haven't been able to do so.

So, instead, just enjoy the rare sub-belt ignition from Johnny as he decides to use his head as well as his flame to defeat the Asbestos Man. Based on past form, this probably isn't going to help all that much...

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #111 on our fifteenth episode: Whence Came The Man of Asbestos

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_15.mp3]

Strange Tales #111: It's... ASBESTOS 15

Plot: Stan Lee

Story: H. Huntley

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Harold

Earlier in the issue, the Asbestos Man claimed that his shield was made of iron, with no mention of asbestos. I guess someone re-thought this, as an iron shield would most likely have been melted into slag under an attack like this. So, we get the far more unlikely explanation that his shield is made of asbestos. Good at stopping fire, but probably fairly easy to punch into dust, which the Asbestos Man can inhale...

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #111 on our fifteenth episode: Whence Came The Man of Asbestos

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_15.mp3]

Strange Tales #111: It's... ASBESTOS 14

Plot: Stan Lee

Story: H. Huntley

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Harold

It's an issue featuring the Asbestos Man. I'd be very disappointed if we didn't add a fair few panels of ridiculous uses of asbestos over the next few days...

Like this asbestos letter. It looks and feels like paper, and clearly shares many of the same properties, allowing ink to stain it, or taking the markings of a pencil without ripping. And yet, it resists the hottest fire of the Human Torch. Marvellous! Now, if only he could do something about making it a bit less lethal, then he could make a fortune in the indestructible paper market. And not need to rob safes to fulfil his desire to be recognised for his works.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #111 on our fifteenth episode: Whence Came The Man of Asbestos

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_15.mp3]

Strange Tales #111: It's... ASBESTOS!!! 13

Plot: Stan Lee

Story: H. Huntley

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Harold

We're back to Strange Tales today, in a story that features the debut of a villain that seems completely natural to appear in this strip, and one who really should have gone on to be the Human Torch's greatest nemesis: The Asbestos Man!

A brilliant scientist who felt his talents were going unappreciated, the Asbestos Man attempted to steal from the company's safe, only to overlook the presence of an alarm.  A chance encounter on the street made him realise that if he were to defeat the Human Torch, criminals might want to share their expertise with him.

Thus, he takes normal sheets of asbestos and chemically treats them to make them extra... asbestos-y... Clad in the material, he prepares to do battle with the Torch.

Of course, he's a completely ridiculous villain, encased in a suit that is far more likely to do him harm than anything the Human Torch could do to him, and stupid enough to not even consider the presence of an alarm on a safe. It's not surprising he barely resurfaced following this issue...

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #111 on our fifteenth episode: Whence Came The Man of Asbestos

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_15.mp3]