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

Issue Details

Issue #125
Published October 1964
Frequency monthly
Cover Price 0.12 USD
Pages 36
Editing Stan Lee
Notes Distributed to newstands in July 1964. This issue includes 10 pages of paid advertisements. Additional and updated information for this index supplied by Henry Kujawa via GCD Errors list (August 2007). Distribution date from Joseph Marek's Marvel Comics Group history website.

Cover Details - "The Sensational Sub-Mariner"

Characters Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Sub-Mariner [Namor McKenzie]; Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee
Pencils Jack Kirby
Inks George Roussos
Colors Stan Goldberg ?
Notes Nick Caputo via the GCD Error List (26 July 2005) contends that the cover inker is Sol Brodsky; the original indexer of this issue credited Frank Giacoia. Inset panel at lower right illustrates Doctor Strange.
Reprinted in Fantastici Quattro, I (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #26 (March 21, 1972); 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 Human Torch and Thing story "The Sub-Mariner Must Be Stopped!"

Characters Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Sub-Mariner [Namor McKenzie]; Invisible Girl [Sue Storm] (cameo); Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards] (cameo)
Synopsis The latest fight between Ben and Johnny is interrupted by the arrival of a pair of reporters from LIFE Magazine, but it turns ugly when they find out it's Reed and Sue the reporters want to interview! When the news reports Sub-Mariner is heading for NYC, Ben and Johnny figure they can make an impression by tackling him on their own. Taking out the "U-Car," they soon find Namor, who seems to be expecting them. A big fight breaks out, ending when the Sub-Mariner leaves, feeling he's been "lied to." Reed and Sue arrive, with Reed chastising Ben and Johnny for ruining the peace talk he'd spent weeks trying to set up. Feeling betrayed, Namor promises himself that their next fight will be to the finish.
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee
Pencils Dick Ayers
Inks Paul Reinman
Letters Sam Rosen
Notes Sub-Mariner last appears in X-Men #6 (July 1964) and next appears in Fantastic Four #33 (December 1964). Namor's "electric eel" power crops up again, for the last time. The reporters from LIFE suspiciously resemble Jack Kirby and Larry Lieber. Colors credit for Stan Goldberg removed due to lack of attribution (31/03/2010).
Reprinted in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #27 (July 1970); in Fantastici Quattro, I (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #26 (March 21, 1972) [as "Bisogna fermare Sub Mariner", 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) "More Triumphs for Marvel..!"

Script ? (promo copy)
Notes Advertises Marvel Tales Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964), Amazing Spider-Man Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964) and Fantastic Four Annual (Marvel, 1963 series) #2 (1964). Printed between the pages of the Human Torch and Thing story.

10 page Dr. Strange story "Mordo Must Not Catch Me!"

Characters Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]; Baron Mordo [Karl Amadeus Mordo]; Ancient One [Yao]
Synopsis Three followers of Mordo attack Strange in his sanctum. After dispatching them, he uses the Eye of Agamotto and his amulet to contact his mentor, but to no avail! Mordo appears saying he's captured The Ancient One. In their ectoplasmic forms, a running battle begins that takes them halfway around the world, until Strange locates his mentor in a half-hidden jungle somewhere in Tibet. The battle continues, until the light of Strange's amulet forces Mordo to give in and free The Ancient One. With Mordo apparently beaten "for a long time," Strange heads back to NYC.
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee
Pencils Steve Ditko
Inks George Roussos [as Geo. Bell]
Letters Artie Simek
Notes Sixth appearance of Baron Mordo; Mordo last appears in issue #121 (June 1964) and next appears in issue #130 (March 1965). Doctor Strange guest-stars in Journey Into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #108 (September 1964), and has a cameo in Amazing Spider-Man Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964) shortly before this story. This episode leads directly into Strange's first encounter with Dormammu in the next issue. Stan Goldberg colors credit removed due to lack of attribution. (31/03/2010).
Reprinted in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #16 (August 1968); 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 text story "The Message"

Characters Bill Benson
Synopsis An unhappy foundry worker finds a message from a prisoner and rushes to help, finding that the message was merely a test of courage, and that his actions have gained him his dream job.
Genre adventure
Letters typeset
Notes "Continued next issue..." is written at the bottom of the page, but the second page was not reprinted in subsequent issues. Printed between the pages of the Dr. Strange story. This is the last text story page in Strange Tales. The synopsis describes the whole story, but only those characters that appear on this page are listed here.
Reprinted from Astonishing (Marvel, 1951 series) #47 (March 1956) [page 1]