Adventure into Fear

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Adventure into Fear #11 (Dec. 1972). Cover art by Neal Adams

Adventure into Fear (officially titled simply Fear) is an American horror comic book published by Marvel Comics from November 1970 through December 1975, for 31 issues. The first nine issues of Fear reprinted science fiction/fantasy and monster stories from the late-1950s and early 1960s "pre-superhero Marvel" comics, primarily Journey into Mystery, Strange Tales, Tales to Astonish, and Tales of Suspense. Most were written by Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee and/or Larry Lieber, and generally penciled by Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, or Don Heck, though occasionally by Paul Reinman or Joe Sinnott. Most covers were reprints, though Marie Severin drew the new top half of #4, John Severin the cover of #8, and the team of Gil Kane (penciler) and Frank Giacoia (inker) the covers of #5, 6 and 9.

[edit] Man-Thing

With issue #10 (Oct. 1972), the series was retitled Adventure into Fear (though remained titled Fear in the indicia) and began featuring new material. Issues #10-19 featured the swamp creature the Man-Thing, continuing from his introduction in the black-and-white comics-magazine Savage Tales #1 (May 1971). Following a story written by co-creator Gerry Conway, scripting was taken over by Steve Gerber, for whom the feature and eventual series Man-Thing would prove a signature work. Through issue #14, a back up reprint story would be featured, similar to those that appeared in the first nine issues.

The story in #19 (Dec. 1973) introduced Howard the Duck, a cynical, cigar-smoking, anthropomorphic water fowl — a parody of Disney-style funny animals — and intended as a minor throwaway character. That plan changed when the duck quickly proved popular, eventually one of Marvel's biggest 1970s characters and a pop-culture phenomenon who would later get a solo series as well as a notoriously disastrous feature film produced by George Lucas.

[edit] Morbius

Adventure into Fear #20 (Feb. 1974). Cover art by Gil Kane (penciler) and Frank Giacoia (inker).

Morbius, the Living Vampire, introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (Oct. 1971), became the starring feature with Adventure into Fear #20 (Feb. 1974), and continued through the rest of the run. After a single issue by writer Mike Friedrich and penciler Paul Gulacy, Steve Gerber wrote several issues in which Morbius went on a picaresque interdimensional journey and fought the Caretakers of Arcturus and was advised by the eyeball-headed I, followed by Doug Moench and Bill Mantlo. The round-robin of artists also included Kane, P. Craig Russell, Frank Robbins, George Evans, and Heck. Back up reprints shortly resumed in issue #20.

[edit] Bibliography

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Fear #1-9; Adventure into Fear #10-31 (Nov. 1970 – Dec. 1975)
Morbius Revisited #1-5 (Aug.–Dec. 1993; reprints Adventure into Fear #27-31)
Man-Thing: Whatever Knows Fear trade paperback (2005; includes reprint of Adventure into Fear #16)