Tales to Astonish #66Tales to Astonish #66
Title: "The Menace of Madame Macabre”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Bobby Powell
Inker: Frankie Ray
Giant-Man is at giant size standing in his lab while fixing the antenna on the roof. He thinks to himself that this is a lot cheaper than paying for a TV service call. Wasp wants to tell Hank something, but he is so large that he can’t hear her calling him. Wasp shrinks down and flies up to Hank’s face. She says that he is the most infuriating male, and says that she has been wanting to show him something. Hank asks why she didn’t just call him. Wasp asks him what he thinks she has been doing. Wasp shows Hank some newspapers writing about a “Madame Macabre”. Wasp tells Hank that Madame Macabre is an oriental scientist who claims to be able to make any object grow and shrink at will. Wasp says that she might be competition for him. Hank says that he wouldn’t worry about it, and that it is probably just a publicity stunt. He says that if she does have powers like them that maybe they can make her part of the team. He says to think about how useful she would be. Wasp says that she is thinking more about what competition she would be for her, and that she doesn’t like it.
In her laboratory, Madame Macabre is having Gogo help her test her powers again. Gogo says that he has carved this one with great care, and says that it will work perfectly. Gogo places it on the pedestal, and Macabre tells him to stand aside while she makes the necessary gestures. Gogo says that he only lives to serve her. Macabre expands Gogo’s tiny tractor into a full size tractor. Macabre says that even though the power is hers that the craftsmanship is his. She commends his skill. Gogo is thrilled to get this praise. Macabre is frustrated that her power only works on objects carved from the uncanny plastic material that Gogo has developed. She shrinks the tractor back down to toy size. Macabre says that she wants the power of living things the way Giant-Man has. Gogo says that she must not, and that it is impossible. Macabre says that nothing is impossible for her. She says that Giant-Man will never tell her his secret voluntarily, but that she will use her toys to force him to do so. Gogo says that no one has ever beaten the titanic Avenger. There is a knock on the door and Kalya enters. Kalya pushes Gogo out of the way, and says that he has business with his mistress. Gogo warns Kalya that one day he is going to push him too far. Macabre tells Kalya not to touch Gogo. Macabre tells Kalya to take a small toy wall to the Central Park art gallery. She says that while he does that she if going to go to Giant-Man’s laboratory. Gogo says that she must not, but Macabre tells him to be silent and fetch her car.
Wasp interrupts Giant-Man and says that someone is there to see him. Giant-Man says that he is too busy, but when Wasp says that she will send “her” away Hank realizes who Wasp is talking about. He says that perhaps he does have the time. Giant-Man shrinks down to regular size and shakes Madame Macabre’s hand. He asks himself why she has to be so exotic looking. Macabre tells Wasp to leave, and that what she has to say is for Giant-Man only. Wasp says that she wouldn’t stay on a bet. Wasp slams the door and Giant-Man says that wasn’t very diplomatic of her. He asks that Macabre tell him about this power she claims to have.
Madame Macabre tells Giant-Man of her past. She was a youth in China pulling a rickshaw with her peasant father. One day the rickshaw tumbled over. The Mandarin uses his lightning fast reflexes and snatches her out of the way. Mandarin sees that the child is carrying an abacus instead of a doll. He says that she should receive an education, and says that he will do it himself. Her father tells Mandarin that their lives are his, and that it will be as he says. Macabre says that Mandarin sent her away to Lamasery where she studied for years. She studied the ancient arts and skills that are unknown to the western world. To be worthy of the honor bestowed to her she studied like crazy.
Macabre says that the most important thing
she learned was how to shrink and grow certain objects. She takes
some of her miniature toys out of her purse and shows them to
Giant-Man. He says that they are very skillfully made, but asks
why she is showing them to him. Macabre says that they are more
than miniature cars. She tells him to step back. Macabre makes a
certain gesture and grows the car to a full size. Giant-Man says
that her power is incredible. He says that he has the power over
living things. 
Macabre says
that she can only do it with her little toys, but that together
they would be invincible. Macabre raises her hands into the air
in celebration. She says that everyone told her that she was
wasting her time talking to him, but she says that she knew that
he would understand. Giant-Man tells her to hold on, and says
that he thought that she was fooling around with “that corny
‘we can rule the world’ jazz”. Macabre asks
Giant-Man if he is rejecting her offer for partnership. Giant-Man
says that he needs another partner like the Human Torch needs a
match. She says that only Giant-Man might be able to stop her
plans, and so she is going to defeat him with her little toys.
Giant-Man thinks that Macabre opens the door as she waves her
hand at it and storms out. The one who really opened the door was
the Wasp, who was eavesdropping. She tells Hank that she is proud
of him. She says that she knows that she has no right to act
jealous, but that she can’t bear seeing other women making
plays for him. Hank says that he wouldn’t make Jan unhappy
for the world. Hank asks Jan how she thinks he feels since she
hasn’t even noticed his new crew cut. Jan says that changing
the subject isn’t going to cheer her up, but that a kiss
might.
Back at her luxurious quarters, Macabre tells Gogo that he never fails her. She asks him how she can best defeat Giant-Man. Gogo says that the chain is only as strong as the weakest link. He says that she should attack the Wasp. Macabre says that Gogo is right as usual. She says that Central Park is the perfect place to trap her since Kalya is already on his way there. Macabre starts to tell Gogo her plan, but Gogo says that he can already tell what she is thinking.
Later on, Jan shows Hank an invitation she just received to go to the art exhibit at the Central Park Gallery. Hank tells her to run along, and that maybe he will join her later. Wasp heads to the exhibit since she has wanted to see it for days. She wonders why they wanted her to come in uniform, but figures that they just wanted to take a few publicity photos. Wasp wonders where everyone else is as she enters. She says that she knows that the gallery is closed, but that her invitation said they were going to have a special showing for her. She walks in to see if anyone is inside. The lights are off and Kalya, Gogo, and Madame Macabre grab Wasp and knock her out with chloroform. Kalya says that they should unmask her, but Macabre says that she is not worth the trouble as she won’t be bothering them anymore. She tells Kalya to tie Wasp securely and to place her somewhere that Giant-Man will see her.
After a while, Hank starts to wonder why Jan hasn’t called him to tell him where to meet her. He decides that he had better go out to see where she is. He gets to the gallery and sees that the place looks deserted. Hank decides to investigate as Giant-Man. He grows and spots Wasp tied up through a window. Giant-Man reaches in and unties Wasp. Realizing that she has been gassed he places her on another rooftop until she regains unconsciousness. He heads back to see if whoever trapped her is still around. Giant-Man looks in the window as sees Kalya and Gogo pretending to be art thieves. Gogo tells Kalya that they must act like they don’t suspect anything. Hank shrinks down enough to fit in the window. Kalya and Gogo start to run. As soon as they exit the room, the room starts to shrink around Hank. He realizes that he has fallen victim to Madame Macabre’s trap. Hank is forced to shrink down to ant-size to keep from being crushed by the reinforced plasticized steel walls. Gogo tells Macabre that she has defeated Giant-Man. Macabre says that she has not quite won yet because Giant-Man still lives. She says that they must take him back to her lab. Hank manages to send a signal to the Wasp.
Wasp wakes up on the rooftop. She realizes that it must have been Hank that rescued her. Suddenly she gets a signal from Hank. Hank wants Wasp to follow them so Wasp follows the signal.
In the inner chamber of Macabre’s hideout, Macabre says that this is Giant-Man’s last chance to tell her the secrets of living size control or he will never leave the box alive. Giant-Man says that he can’t tell her or they will kick him out of the superheroes union. Macabre asks how he dares mock her now. Hank says that this is as good a time as any. Macabre says that if she can’t have the secrets that no one can. She starts shrinking the box smaller and smaller. She says that she is going to shrink it into nothingness with Hank inside. Wasp says that she was hoping that she would get a chance to use her wasp’s sting on her. Wasp blasts Macabre, but when Wasp turns her attention to Hank Macabre catches Wasp in a bottle. Macabre says that she is going to shrink the entire room, and that Giant-Man and his lover can share the same fate.
Macabre exits and the entire room starts to shrink except the cork in the bottle trapping Wasp. Wasp realizes that the cork is not made of the same plasticized metal. The cork causes the bottle to shatter as it shrinks. Wasp grabs Hank’s cage and quickly flies through a hole in the wall. Macabre sees that they have escaped and enlarges a tractor to crush them. Jan can’t carry Hank anymore and has to drop him. She enlarges to regular size so that she can control the tractor. She swerves the tractor so it doesn’t kill Hank. Wasp dives at Macabre. Macabre ducks, but Wasp manages to swipe the wig off Macabre’s head. Wasp spots all the circuitry inside the wig and realizes that is how Macabre was controlling the size of things. Macabre lunges at Wasp, but then for no discernable reason Hank is able to break out of the cage. He grabs Macabre. Macabre says that Giant-Man defeated her, but only because he was lucky. She says that she is trickier than he is, and that in the end she will defeat him. Giant-Man tells Wasp to take out the notebook and add another villain. Wasp tells Giant-Man that she wants a lift too.
Later on, Hank tells Jan that the police discovered that Macabre’s finger guard was attuned to the circuits in her wig. He asks Jan what she thinks of that. Jan says that she has decided that she likes Hank’s crew cut.
Avengers Files rating: 4.5 out of 10
Ugh. You have no idea how long it as taken me to get up the energy to wade through this issue. Hank has the absolute worst enemies ever. Macabre is supposed to be the evil opposite of Giant-Man because she can only make one type of metal grow and shrink, but she is so lame. Why in the world would the ability to make things shrink and grow make someone think that they could take over the world? The writing gets a 1 out of 5. The art is actually pretty good, but it’s difficult to appreciate with the borefest that the story is. Powell has a good scope on the scale of Giant-Man and Wasp versus the rest of the world.
Title: “The Power of Doctor Banner!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Steve Ditko
Inker: Vince Colletta
The freedom-loving scientist says that he
has treated Hulk’s wounds and given him food, but that now
he has to go continue smashing the “red tyrants”. Hulk
tells the man to get away and that he walks alone. Suddenly, the
commandant that gave Banner the tour earlier comes up behind them
wearing a deadly proton gun. The commandant shouts, “Death
to the green-skinned brute!” The scientist says that his
usefulness is over, but that the Hulk can still fight for
freedom. The commandant fires and the scientist throws himself in
front of Hulk to take the proton blast. The commandant thinks
that the man must have been insane to give his life for the Hulk.
The commandant starts to run because it takes an hour for the
proton beam to recharge. Hulk holds the scientist in his arms. He
says that because of the Hulk that at least he didn’t die as
a slave. Hulk realizes that the man died for him. Hulk’s
clouded brain then realizes that this man took care of him and
fed him, and that he was actually a friend to him. Hulk freaks
out when he realizes that they have killed his friend. 
Hulk charges
through the wall after the commandant and says that now it is his
turn. Hulk knocks over an entire building as he chases after the
commandant. Hulk says that he will find and destroy him. The
commandant wonders what power has been loosed upon his land. He
says that the Hulk powers are unimaginable. Hulk starts pounding
on a giant wall between him and the commandant. The commandant
thinks to himself that the Hulk will be on him in minutes and
that he will show no mercy because he knows the horrible things
that he has done. The harder Hulk pounds the faster his
heartbeats and the faster his blood pressure rises. Finally the
rampage triggers the transformation turning Hulk back into Bruce
Banner. Hulk realizes that his arms are getting tired, and then
he realizes that he is changing back. The harder Hulk fights the
transformation the quicker it comes. The commandant wonders why
the pounding has stopped as Bruce Banner falls over unconscious.
The red tanks continue rolling towards the Hulk. One scientist says that it seems madness to him to send so many tanks after one freedom fighter. Another man in the tank says that he is a fool and asks if he has never heard of the Hulk.
In America, they are having a top-level meeting about the fact that Banner is behind the Iron Curtain. One officer says that Banner has to be rescued or silenced, and that he must not tell the reds what he knows about America’s defenses. Talbot is in the meeting and says that he volunteers to go behind the Iron Curtain to do what needs to be done to protect security. Talbot is turned down and is told that it could cause an international incident. Talbot says that he would resign his commission and go as a civilian. Talbot is again denied. One officer tells Talbot not to blame himself, and that he warned them that Banner was a security risk. The officer adds that Banner might just be a captive of the reds. Talbot thinks to himself that is why he wanted to go himself. He thinks how they will never believe that Banner is a traitor unless he brings them proof. He thinks that he wants to convince Betty Ross of Bruce’s guilt in order to win her love.
At Ross’ office, Betty asks her father if there has been any word on Bruce yet. Ross tells Betty to hold on and says that he is getting a report now. After he is done on the phone Ross tells Betty that Bruce is behind the Iron Curtain, and that the Justice Department won’t rule out the possibility that Banner has defected to the reds. Ross says that he never liked Banner, and never thought that he was man enough for Betty, but that he never thought that Banner would go traitor. Betty asks how they can be sure, and says that there must be an explanation. Talbot enters the room and says that the only explanation is that Banner is a red spy. Betty asks Glenn if he believes it too. Ross says that it is better that she learned it now. He asks what would have happened if she had married him. Betty wonders if that is why Bruce never proposed to her or spoke of their future together. She says that she can’t believe it of the man she loves. Glenn comforts Betty and says that time heals all wounds and that he will get over him. Ross tells Talbot that he has been a good friend, and that he won’t forget that Talbot warned him about Banner early.
In the Leader’s lair, Leader reflects
on the fact that he has failed top capture the Hulk. He says that
he must never stop trying because with Hulk as his ally that they
can rule the world. He says that Hulk must join him or be
eliminated. Leader says that they must be destined to become
partners since he believes that Hulk gained his limitless
strength the way he gained his limitless intelligence. Leader
says that no matter where the Hulk is that Banner is nearby as
well. He says that Banner must somehow be the key to the Hulk.
Leader decides to contact the Chameleon since he is in charge of
stealing technology from Banner and figures that he would know
where Banner is. Chameleon tells Leader that he was about to
contact him. Chameleon says that Banner is behind the Iron
Curtain, and that it is believed that he may have defected.
Without a word, Leader cuts the transmission. He figures that
Hulk must be behind the Iron Curtain too, and that he must turn
his attention eastward. Leader decides to contact the “would
be conquerors who are foolish enough to think that the Leader
works only for them!” The red on the other end asks Leader
what he has to report. Leader says that he has nothing at the
moment, but that he is looking for information about Bruce
Banner. The officer says that Banner is currently their
“guest”. Leader says that is where he will find the
Hulk as well. 
The officer is
flustered and asks how Leader knows that since it their most
closely guarded secret. Leader says that there can be no secrets
from him and signs off. The officer is angry as Leader signs off.
He says that no one else would treat him that way. He says that
one day Leader will go to far, and that with his super
intelligent brain that Leader could be more dangerous to them
than an army. Leader decides that he isn’t going to do
anything right now, but that he is going to wait until Banner and
the Hulk come out from behind the Iron Curtain.
Back in Russia, red planes fly overhead
looking for the Hulk. Bruce Banner wakes up. He says that he
would have been better off as the Hulk right now because at least
the Hulk has strength to help himself. Bruce wonders what hope he
has defenseless in a hostile land. The planes spot Bruce and
start firing on him. Bruce figures that they must have orders to
shoot anyone. Banner runs away and comes across the body of the
deceased scientist that gave his life for the Hulk. Bruce
remembers the man’s sacrifice and rage surges through his
body as a heavy artillery hit rocks the ground. Bruce is blown
off his feet, but it is the Hulk that hits the wall from the
force. Hulk gets up and says that now he will strike back. The
planes spot Hulk and close in. Hulk grabs two pieces of junked
machinery. Hulk says that they have come to kill him, but that no
one can kill him. Hulk leaps into the air and smashes the broken
machinery into the planes. As Hulk falls towards the ground he
sees the oncoming column of tanks advancing towards him. 
He hits the
ground and starts striding towards them with a new burning desire
to avenge his friend.
No Excuses rating: 4.5 out of 10
As much as I hate to give any appearance of the Leader such a low grade I’m afraid I have to in this case. If you basically accept that Talbot and Ross think of Banner as a traitor (like they’re always saying), and that Leader wants to team up with Hulk as he suspects Hulk is a gamma person as well (as he is always saying), then the only thing that happens in this issue is that Hulk smashes some things between transformations into Bruce (1 out of 5). Ditko’s art looks good for the most part, but I don’t get what is happening there when the Hulk knocks over the building on the commandant. It makes no sense to me visually.