Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #118
Published March 1964
Frequency monthly
Cover Price 0.12 USD
Pages 36
Editing Stan Lee
Notes Distributed to newstands in December 1963. This issue includes 10 pages of paid advertisements. Distribution date from Joseph Marek's Marvel Comics Group history website.

Cover Details - "The Return of the Wizard, Master of Evil!/The Possessed!"

Characters Wizard [Bentley Wittman] (disguised as the Human Torch); Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee
Pencils Jack Kirby; Steve Ditko (inset)
Inks Chic Stone; Steve Ditko (inset)
Colors Stan Goldberg
Notes Inks credit from Nick Caputo via the GCD Error List (26 July 2005); the original indexer credited George Roussos.
Reprinted in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001) [black & white]; in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #2 (2009)

13 page The Human Torch story "The Man Who Became the Torch!"

Characters Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Wizard [Bentley Wittman]; Invisible Girl [Sue Storm]; Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Thing [Ben Grimm]
Synopsis The Wizard breaks jail, and begins pulling crimes using a new anti-gravity flying device he's invented. Via trickery and disguise, he captures Johnny, then Sue, and begins impersonating Johnny, while planning bigger and bolder crimes with which to use his anti-gravity device. With the help of Reed and Ben, Sue and Johnny escape, and Johnny goes after The Wizard, who attempts to escape by flying higher and higher with his anti-grav disc. But it malfunctions, and, unable to control it, he just keeps going higher and higher...
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee (co-plot, script); Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited)
Pencils Dick Ayers
Inks Dick Ayers
Letters Artie Simek
Notes This is the fourth appearance of The Wizard; he last appears in issue #110 (July 1963) and he next appears in Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #36 (March 1965), when he was rescued by Paste-Pot Pete and The Sandman. The time-frame is a bit off, as Pete and the Sandman broke jail sometime after Pete's appearance in issue #124 (September 1964), and most or all of the remaining Torch solo stories up to Strange Tales #134 (July 1965) take place before the formation of the Frightful Four! (How long was he up there in the atmosphere?). Colors credit for Stan Goldberg removed due to lack of attribution. (26/03/2010)
Reprinted in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #20 (May 1969); in Fantastici Quattro, I (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #18 (November 30, 1971) [as "Il ritorno del Mago!", Italian translation]; in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #2 (2009)

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Another Marvel Masterpiece"

Notes Advertises Tales to Astonish (Marvel, 1959 series) #53 (March 1964). Printed between the pages of the Human Torch story.

2 page text story "The Weatherman"

Characters Willie Wimms; Hugh Wimms
Synopsis In the future, young boy's afternoon is nearly ruined by a scheduled rainstorm, but when he runs into the rainmaker's magical assistant, he gets a delay.
Genre science fiction
Pencils Joe Maneely
Inks Joe Maneely
Letters typeset
Notes Text story with illustration.
Reprinted from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #49 (August 1956)

8 page Dr. Strange story "The Possessed!"

Characters Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]; Herr Braun; Fraulein Lieber
Synopsis Using his "Earthly Scanner," in which is a small replica of the planet, Strange senses evil somewhere in Bavaria. In a remote village, he finds the townspeople the victims of some strange form of possession, and believes a supernatural force is at work. But he soon discovers it's really the work of aliens from another dimension. He sends them packing, and seals off the dimensional doorway forever.
Genre superhero
Script Steve Ditko (plot); Stan Lee (dialogue)
Pencils Steve Ditko
Inks Steve Ditko
Colors Stan Goldberg ?
Letters Sam Rosen
Notes This is the first appearance of The Orb Of Agamotto. The dimensional doorway which changes appearance to that of a large rock resembles the alien house in "The Outer Limits" episode, "The Guests."
Reprinted in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #8 (April 1967); in Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts (Pocket Books, 1978 series) #nn [1]; in Marvel Masterworks (Marvel, 1987 series) #23 (1992); in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003)

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Another Marvel Masterpiece"

Notes Advertises Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 1959 series) #51 (March 1964). Printed between the pages of the Dr. Strange story.