{"product_id":"tales-to-astonish-17-march-1961","title":"Tales to Astonish #17 (March 1961)","description":"\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eTales to Astonish #17 (March 1961)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003ci\u003e“Vandoom! He Who Made a Creature!”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrade:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e~1.5 (Fair) to 1.8 (Good-) |\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMarvel Comics (10¢ Cover Price)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Brief Recap of the Absurdity Within\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have ever found yourself standing in a dying rural business—say, a candle shop or a taxidermy museum where the owls are noticeably shedding—you will immediately relate to Ludwig Vandoom. Ludwig is a Transylvanian wax museum proprietor whose foot traffic has hit rock bottom. Rather than investing in targeted local radio advertising, Ludwig decides the obvious remedy is to sculpt a twenty-five-foot tall, shaggy, ape-like wax monster. In fact, the statue is so needlessly enormous that he is forced to chop a gaping hole in his own roof just so its forehead can stick out into the night air.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaturally, the local villagers—who apparently have nothing better to do than stare at Ludwig’s roof—form an immediate, hysterical mob. Just as they arrive with the traditional torches and pitchforks, a rogue bolt of lightning strikes the wax monster, bringing it to life. It promptly bursts out of the museum and lumbers into the countryside, causing everyone to scream and run in circles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore the villagers can properly beat the wax creature to death, actual Martian space invaders land in Transylvania, wielding ultra-gamma ray rifles and intending to enslave humanity. Realizing he has no other options, Ludwig politely asks his newly animated wax monstrosity if it wouldn't mind helping out. The creature Obliges, single-handedly obliterates the Martian fleet, survives a blast of alien gamma rays, and then collapses, thoroughly exhausted, back into a harmless statue. Ludwig puts it back inside the museum, fixes the roof, and charges admission. Human gratitude, as always, comes with a ticket fee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eCollector Significance: Why This Scrap of 1961 Matters\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublished in March 1961—a mere eight months before Stan Lee and Jack Kirby launched\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eFantastic Four #1\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand fundamentally altered pop culture—this issue is a pristine artifact of Marvel’s pre-superhero \"Monster Era.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Kirby \u0026amp; Ditko Era:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eFeatures raw, kinetic pencils from Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers on the main feature, backed by interior story art from the incomparable Steve Ditko (\u003ci\u003e\"Beware! Of the Ghastly Glass!\"\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe \"Vandoom\" Proto-Doom:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eLong before Doctor Victor von Doom first menaced the Fantastic Four in 1962, Stan Lee test-drove the name \"Vandoom\" right here. Whether Ludwig and Victor share a family tree in Latveria remains an unspoken Marvel mystery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSilver Age Marvel History:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eA key issue for anyone building an Atlas\/Marvel monster run or collecting early Silver Age Timely\/Atlas-era Marvels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eComplete Condition Report: An Honest Inventory of Wrinkles \u0026amp; Wounds\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike most sixty-five-year-olds who have lived through the second half of the twentieth century, this copy shows clear signs of having been tossed around, mishandled, and generally neglected by time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSpine \u0026amp; Structure:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eHeavy spine wear throughout, featuring multiple color-breaking creases, stress lines, and a noticeable split along the lower spine area. The staples are still holding, though they look tired and would prefer not to be handled aggressively.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFront Cover:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAbundant surface creasing, edge chipping, and rounded corners. There is noticeable scuffing across the dark title banner, and the lower-right margin exhibits small edge tears and diagonal fold lines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eInside Cover \u0026amp; Interior:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe upper margin of the inside front cover features a generous streak of vintage blue ballpoint ink \/ stray marker scribbles—presumably applied decades ago by a child who was unimpressed by Ludwig's wax artistry. Pages are aged to a warm, rustic cream\/tan with standard edge brittle wear, but remain fully readable and intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBack Cover:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eDisplays substantial foxing, surface dirt, and border discoloration from lying flat on unknown surfaces for decades, alongside small tears and edge chips along the top border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eOverall, it sits comfortably at a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.5 (Fair) to 1.8 (Good-)\u003c\/b\u003e—a complete, authentic, low-grade reader copy that wears its scars on its sleeve.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eComplimentary Leisurely Shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe do not participate in the modern hysteria of two-hour drone delivery or manic logistics centers where workers are chased by stopwatches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you order this book, it will be packaged securely in a heavy cardboard mailer, carefully taped, and handed over to the United States Postal Service at a deliberate, relaxed pace. It will travel across the country at a dignified speed, stopping at various regional distribution centers to rest, before eventually arriving in your mailbox.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eShipping is 100% free\u003c\/b\u003e, completely unhurried, and guaranteed to arrive safe, sound, and entirely unbothered by speed limits.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Grumpy Apothecary","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55882522755145,"sku":null,"price":57.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/grumpycomics.com\/products\/tales-to-astonish-17-march-1961","provider":"The Grumpy Apothecary","version":"1.0","type":"link"}