- Title: Strange Tales #89
- Comic Vine: link
- Writers: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber
- Artist: Jack Kirby
As part of Dragon Week, Throwback Thursday turns its attention back to the first appearance of Marvel’s most awesome dragon (created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby!). Because what’s a Dragon Week without an appearance by Fin Fang Foom!? Released in July 1961, Strange Tales #89 takes place in Communist China from the perspective of Chan Liuchow, a native of the small nation the Republic of Formosa. Oppressed by the Chinese invasion of his home, Chan decides to awaken a sleeping giant (literally) and tricks him into attacking China.
There’s certainly a propaganda-ish slant to the the tone and especially some of the Kirby artwork involving the Chinese that hasn’t aged all that well. That said, despite being outsmarted time and again by the little human (and being without his trademark purple underpants), there’s still joy to be found in seeing Lee and Kirby’s near-unstoppable rampaging creature’s first (but certainly not last) appearance in comics.
[Marvel, $.10]