This is part two of my “History of Modok” series (see the tag below).
MODOK first appeared in 1967, and at the end of that appearance the panel caption said he was dying. And he appears to have remained dead for several years.
I don’t know how they could let a character as completely crazy as this one stay dead, especially in the 1960s.
We see a reference to him in Captain America #112 (right), but this is a flashback and tribute to the character.
But, apparently, Kirby still loved his wacky creation.
MODOK is officially revealed to be alive in Captain America #119, the penultimate issue of the four-issue arc introducing The Falcon (which you can read more about here) . He is on a race to find the Cosmic Cube, along with Red Skull and other baddies.
Captain America #120 is technically the end of the Falcon story, because the story wraps on page one of that comic. But it’s not really about Falcon. Most of the issue is a bizarre “only in the 1960s” book in which Captain America goes undercover at a college as a Physical Education teacher to prevent AIM from kidnapping a real professor. This was also the first time Jack Kirby wasn’t involved in a MODOK appearance. The art in this story is by Gene Colan.
So, it is the first non-Kirby MODOK issue!
MODOK, you’ve officially arrived as a Marvel character!
Next: The 1970s Begin