Appearing in "The Menace of... Mysterio!"
Amazing Spider-Man #13
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mysterio (Quentin Beck) (First appearance as Mysterio) (Impersonates Spider-Man (Peter Parker))
Other Characters:
- Peter Parker's High School Classmates
- NYPD Officers
- Human Torch (Johnny Storm) (Mentioned)
- Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Spider-Man's Suit and Web-Shooters
- Spider-Man's Belt Camera
- Spider-Man's Spider-Signal
- Spider-Tracer
- Mysterio Suit (First appearance)
Synopsis for "The Menace of... Mysterio!"
Amazing Spider-Man #13
Reports of Spider-Man robbing various establishments at night hit the news, causing Peter to wonder if he's developed multiple personality disorder and go on crime sprees in his sleep as Spider-Man. He decides to see a psychiatrist, however changes his mind about getting help, as Spider-Man believes that it may compromise his secret identity.
Later, Peter goes to visit J. Jonah Jameson for a loan, so his Aunt May can make her mortgage payment on time. While there, he snaps at Betty when she asks him why he hasn't taken any pictures recently. Jameson rejects his request and tells him to go out and take more pictures. When Peter tries to find crimes to photograph as Spider-Man, he only succeeds in getting an angry mob after him. Later, at school, Liz Allan tries to impress people with her new hair style, and she snubs Flash Thompson when he comments that her new look is so beautiful that he didn't recognize her.
Meanwhile, a new costumed being named Mysterio appears at the Daily Bugle and tells Jameson that he's a crime fighter, and he will bring Spider-Man to justice. He vanishes in a puff of smoke and leaves a note for Jameson, telling him to publish a challenge to Spider-Man to meet on the Brooklyn Bridge. Peter meet this challenge, but Mysterio, who appears to have magical powers, easily defeats him.
The next day Mysterio is heralded as a hero, and later, when he appears at the Daily Bugle for a photo opportunity with Jameson, Peter tags him with a Spider-Tracer.
Spider-Man tracks Mysterio to his base, and Mysterio reveals that he is a special effects artist who has decided to turn his skills to crime. He reproduced Spider-Man's abilities artificially, in order to frame him for the crimes. Spider-Man reveals to Mysterio that he recorded the whole confession. A battle ensues, and Spider-Man uses his spider-sense when Mysterio fills the room with smoke.
With Mysterio turned over to the police, Jameson realizes that he's been made a fool of, again. However, when he finds that Parker has brought him pictures of Spider-Man's fight with Mysterio, his mood changes. Later, Spider-Man pays another visit to Jameson. He strings Jameson up from his office ceiling and mocks him for once again making a fool out of himself with his anti-Spider-Man press.
Appearing in "The Threat of the Torrid Twosome"
Strange Tales #106
Featured Characters:
- Human Torch (Johnny Storm) (Main story and recap)
Supporting Characters:
- Fantastic Four
- Invisible Girl (Sue Storm)
- Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) (Main story and recap)
- Thing (Ben Grimm)
Antagonists:
- Torrid Twosome (First appearance)
- Acrobat (Carl Zante) (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Ben (Human Torch fan) (First appearance)
- Miracle Man (Joshua Ayers) (Only in recap)
- Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie) (Only in recap)
- Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom) (Only in recap)
- Glenville National Bank
- Numerous unnamed employees
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Cows (Invoked)
- Mutant Atlantean-Human Hybrids (Only in recap)
- Fish (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Earth-616
- Sol
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York
- Long Island
- New York City (Main story and recap)
- New York
- United States of America
- North America
- Earth
- Sol
Items:
- Fantastic Four Uniforms
- Doctor Doom's Armor (Only in recap)
- Torrid Twosome Uniforms (First appearance)
- Acrobat's Asbestos Gun (First appearance)
- Unstable Molecules (Mentioned)
Vehicles:
- Century Limited (Mentioned)
- Fantasti-Car MK I (Only in recap)
- Acrobat's Car
Synopsis for "The Threat of the Torrid Twosome"
Strange Tales #106
After a training session, Johnny is visited by Carl Zante, the "world's greatest acrobat" to convince the Torch to join him. Convincing him that he is the most valuable member of the Fantastic Four and that he is could make a living working with the Acrobat, the two form a partnership as the Torrid Twosome.
Zante tricks the Torch into breaking into a bank vault telling him that somebody was trapped inside. However, the Torch realizes the truth and when he doesn't want to go along with Zante to rob the bank, the Acrobat uses a hose to douse the Torch's flame. However, as the Acrobat is escaping the bank he is confronted by the other members of the Fantastic Four.
The Torch recovers his flame powers and helps his fellow Fantastic Four members in capturing Zante and turning him over to the police. Realizing that he made a mistake in teaming up with Zante, Johnny rejoins the Fantastic Four and is welcomed back with open arms.
Appearing in "When Wakes the Colossus!"
Tales to Astonish #53
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Colossus
Antagonists:
- Mingo
- Mingo's Horde
Other Characters:
- Asikii Tribe
- Deltonians
- Gods of Asikii Tribe (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Alien world
- Mingo's Palace
- Mines (Mentioned)
- Veterans' Hospital (Mentioned)
- Heaven (Mentioned)
- Limbo (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "When Wakes the Colossus!"
Tales to Astonish #53
One day in Henry Pym's lab, the Wasp prepares to go on one of her routine visits to a local Veterans hospital to entertain wounded soldiers with her science fiction stories. Goaded on by Henry, the Wasp decides to give Hank a preview of the story she was going to tell the soldiers.
She tells the story of an alien world that is ruled by a warlord named Mingo, whose tribe gets enjoyment out of subjugating the more primitive species on the planet. He tells his people that their next victims will be the Asikii tribe by using their superstitious nature against them.
Soon, Mingo's tribe manages to defeat and rule over the Asikii tribe. Realizing that his newly acquired slaves might rebel against him, he decides to have a huge statue constructed. Dubbing it "Colossus," he warns the Asikii people that if they were to rebel, the statue would come to life and crush them.
Eventually the Asikii people grow weary of being slaves and revolt against Mingo and his people, and truth be told, the statue does come to life. However, the Colossus doesn't attack the Asikii but destroys Mingo's palace instead, freeing the Asikii people. The story ends with rumors that Mingo was last seen roaming the countryside, muttering to himself.
Once finished with her story, the Wasp realizes that Henry had resumed the experiment he was working on and hadn't listened to a word she had said, and storms off in anger.
Appearing in "Trapped by the Carbon-Copy Man"
Journey Into Mystery #90
Featured Characters:
- Thor (Main story and flashback)
- Dr. Donald Blake
Supporting Characters:
- Jane Foster
- Odin (Main story and flashback)
Antagonists:
- Carbon Copy Men (First appearance)
- Xartan Fleet (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Mayor Harris (First appearance)
- NYPD
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Asgardians
- Xartans (First appearance)
Locations:
- Planet Xarta (First appearance)
- Asgard (Only in flashback)
- City of Asgard (Only in flashback)
- Sol
Items:
Vehicles:
- Xartan Ship (First appearance)
Synopsis for "Trapped by the Carbon-Copy Man"
Journey Into Mystery #90
On the distant planet of Xarta, the alien warlords Ugarth and Zano wish to conquer the planet Earth and so they prepare an invasion fleet, believing that the planet will be an easy victory for their empire.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Donald Blake contemplates revealing his true identity as Thor to Jane Foster in the hopes of winning her love. However, right when he is about to tell her Odin contacts Thor telepathically and warns him against doing so. Donald then quickly departs to make his rounds at the nearby hospital. Exiting his office Blake is witness to a strange spectacle: police officers ordering pedestrians to walk in the gutter while drivers are allowed to drive their vehicles on sidewalks. He also sees other strange laws being enacted such as cigarette advertisements being plastered over the windows of an apartment, and the Brooklyn Bridge being painted with polka dots.
Returning to his office, Donald receives a mayoral notice advising him that treating charity patients free of charge has now been outlawed. Blake is further shocked when Jane agrees with this new law and calls Blake a weak willed quack and storms out on him. Finding this all very suspicious, Blake changes into Thor and pays a visit to the mayor's office. There the mayor denounces Thor and orders him to be arrested as a criminal, prompting the Thunder God to flee the scene. Thor comes to realize that the only logical explanation for everyone's sudden change in behavior must be that they are impostors.
Searching the city, Thor comes across an alien ship and sets his hammer down while he begins looking for an opening. He is suddenly struck with a magnetic bolt that immobilizes him against the hull of the ship. As the 60 second limit on his hammer runs out Thor changes back into Donald Blake and is found by two of the Xartans and taken aboard their ship. There he finds the real mayor and Jane Foster prisoner. The Xartan leaders explain that they are "carbon copy men" able to duplicate the appearance of anyone and are using this power to slowly subvert and take over the entire planet Earth.
When Jane and the mayor tell the aliens that Thor is powerful enough to stop them, they scoff at the idea until Blake tells them where they can find the Thunder God, which leads Foster and the mayor to think that Donald is a traitor to his people. Taken outside the ship, Blake distracts the aliens long enough to recover his hammer and change back into Thor. When he confronts the Xartans, they use their shape changing powers to their advantage.
After a battle with Zano, who tries to to freeze Thor in a block of ice and then fails to beat him in hand to hand combat, he battles their leader Ugarth. Ugarth gains the upper hand at first when he renders himself invisible, but Thor defeats the warlord by summoning a rain storm that betrays Ugarth's location. Thor easily defeats the Xartan leader and throws him into deep space, prompting his invasion fleet to go to the rescue of their leader. With their leader defeated and their invasion fleet gone the remaining Xartans are now trapped on Earth and Thor suggests taking them prisoner to prevent any invasion from happening again.
With the risk of the Xartans simply changing into anyone and escaping, Jane and the mayor are worried that these carbon copy men will cause Earth a lot of trouble. Thor offers a solution however, and orders the Xartans to change themselves into trees. The Xartans, figuring that they will simply change back to normal after the humans leave and escape comply, playing right into Thor's hands. Thor explains to Jane and the mayor that since the carbon copy men gain all the attributes of whatever they change into, and since trees don't think, they are trapped in the form of trees because they cannot think to change back to their normal forms. Thor then explains to Jane and the mayor that Donald Blake had aided him and was not a traitor.
Later, back at Blake's office, Jane recounts what Thor had told her to Donald, and wonders how Donald could have been a help. Blake just wryly dismisses the episode, telling her that not everyone can be as brave as the mighty Thor.