Tower of Shadows #6, July 1970
Wallace Wood’s brief return to Marvel in 1970 gave us an early glimpse of the sword-and-sorcery wave that was about to hit like a tidal surge.
If you mostly know Wood from EC or straight-up superhero work, his Tower of Shadows run (#5–8) is a really fun side trip into that territory. This great page comes from the second story, featuring an offbeat take on Beowulf.
He wrote and drew all four shorts, so what we’re getting is pure, undiluted Wood: moody lighting, dramatic staging, and an always-present feeling that everyone’s living one bad decision away from doom.
These aren’t Conan-style epics. They’re more like dark fairy tales from a guy who clearly loved drawing adventurers, monsters — and gorgeous women. The earliest of them — including this one — actually predate Conan #1. Woody was ahead of the curve.
Short stories. Big atmosphere. Fantastic art.
And a preview of what he’d later unleash in his own indie — and decidedly adult — fantasy project, The Wizard King.
WALLY WOOD — MARVEL CHECKLIST (1964–1972)
1964–1965 Run (Primary Period)
☐ Daredevil #5 — Dec 1964
Pencils, inks
(Wood’s Marvel debut; defined early DD look)
☐ Daredevil #6 — Feb 1965
Pencils, inks
☐ Daredevil #7 — Apr 1965
Pencils, inks; co-plot
(Red costume redesign)
☐ Fantastic Four #39 — Jun 1965
Inks (Kirby)
☐ Daredevil #8 — Jun 1965
Pencils, inks
(Stilt-Man co-creation)
☐ Strange Tales #134 — Jul 1965
Inks (Powell) — Torch/Thing
☐ Fantastic Four #40 — Jul 1965
Inks (Kirby)
☐ Daredevil #9 — Aug 1965
Inks (Powell)
☐ Avengers #20 — Sep 1965
Inks (Heck)
☐ Daredevil #10 — Oct 1965
Inks (Powell); writing
☐ Avengers #21 — Oct 1965
Inks (Heck)
☐ Tales of Suspense #71 — Nov 1965
Inks (Heck) — Iron Man
☐ Avengers #22 — Nov 1965
Inks (Heck)
☐ Daredevil #11 — Dec 1965
Inks (Powell)
1970–1972 Return Period
☐ Tower of Shadows #5 — May 1970
Writing, pencils, inks
☐ Captain America #127 — Jul 1970
Inks (Colan)
☐ Tower of Shadows #6 — Jul 1970
Writing, pencils, inks
☐ Astonishing Tales #1 — Aug 1970
Pencils, inks — Doctor Doom
☐ Tower of Shadows #7 — Sep 1970
Writing, pencils, inks
☐ Astonishing Tales #2 — Oct 1970
Pencils, inks — Doctor Doom
☐ Tower of Shadows #8 — Nov 1970
Writing, pencils, inks
☐ Astonishing Tales #3 — Dec 1970
Pencils, inks — Doctor Doom
☐ Astonishing Tales #4 — Feb 1971
Pencils, inks — Doctor Doom
☐ Kull the Conqueror #1 — Jun 1971
Inks (Andru)
☐ Marvel Spotlight #1 — Nov 1971
Inks (Shores) — Red Wolf
☐ The Cat #1 — Nov 1972
Inks (Severin)