Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Invincible Paste Pot

One thing Ace and I did in Memphis was go to a comic book store, the only kind of bookstore we don't have around here. I bought a volume of old Dr. Strange stories. The book includes covers of the original comics from which the stories were taken, which is how I found out about Paste Pot Pete. On one cover we are told that the Human Torch and the Thing are going to team up to "BATTLE THE NEW MENACE OF PASTE POT PETE!" I don't know anything about Paste Pot Pete, but does it really take two guys to battle him? On another cover, the Human Torch is trapped in a cage and some dude is encouraging Paste Pot Pete thusly: "YOU'LL FINISH HIM OFF WITH YOUR INVINCIBLE PASTE-POT GUN!" I don't know how the story comes out because this book has only the Dr. Strange stories in it, but I doubt that Paste Pot Pete finished off the Human Torch with a device that squirts paste. But maybe! There's so much I don't know. Why, I almost went my whole life without knowing who Walter Tetley was (a radio actor who became an adult without achieving puberty, natch). That's why my autumnal years are filled with the excitement of learning. It's never too late! On one cover, the Human Torch is saying "MY FLAMES DON'T AFFECT THE ASBESTOS MAN!!" On another, he's fighting the Eel, who seems to be a super villain who flies around in a helicopter, which doesn't seem like something an eel would do. (See also.)