CATALOG RECORD

Tales of Suspense #14

Marvel · Series began 1959 · February 1961

first appearance of It, the Living Colossus

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WHY COLLECTORS WANT IT

It, the Living Colossus (Marvel) — introduction · origin

Dates

Cover date: February 1961
On sale: September 28, 1960
Pages: 36

Editions and covers (2)

Copies of #14 are not all the same book. Here is how to tell each one apart.

Original edition10¢ cover
Source ↗
UK pence edition9d [0-0-9 GBP] cover

British

Printed cover price 9d [0-0-9 GBP].
This edition’s page

Creators

pencils: Jack Kirby, Steve Ditkoinks: Dick Ayers, Steve Ditkocolors: Stan Goldbergletters: Artie Simek

Stories

Chapter One: I Created the Colossus! · 6 pages
Boris Petrovsky, an anti-regime dissident is forced by Ivan, his loyal brother, to build a giant statue glorifying the Iron Curtain dictatorship. An alien crash lands and fuses with the statue for protection, animating it. When Ivan and the party higher-ups come to view the statue, they are terrified when the Colossus comes to life and begins to attack them.
The Comic · 2 pages
A bored television comedian is mysteriously transported back to the small mining town and small theatres that he loves.
Chapter Two: The Colossus Lives! · 6 pages
The Colossus continues its attack against the Iron Curtain forces, destroying its military on land and sea. Boris lies to his brother Ivan, telling him that there was nothing inside the statue controlling it, but that he heard a voice saying that it was now time for the rule of dictatorships to end.
Chapter Three: The Power of the Colossus! · 6 pages
The Colossus, with the strength of the mind of the alien inside it, takes to the air and wipes out the Iron Curtain's air fighters sent against him. The alien’s companions come to Earth to retrieve him and Boris claims that the statue coming to life was a judgement against dictatorship, frightening the regime into now cooperating with other nations.
I Am... Gorak! · 5 pages
A famous magician is enraged when his power is questioned, and he reveals that the whole world is an illusion, and only he is real. He even confronts the reader, but fades away as the story ends.

Characters

It, the Living Colossus

Reprinted in

Secrets of the Unknown (1962), Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales of Suspense (2006), Monsters on the Prowl (1971), Monsters: The Marvel Monsterbus by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby (2017), Marvel Horror Omnibus (2019), Where Monsters Dwell (1970), Super Giant (1973), Marvel Masters of Suspense: Stan Lee & Steve Ditko Omnibus (2019)