Fantastic Four 55 “When Strikes the Silver Surfer!” Published: July 1966 Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Script: Lee Pencils: Kirby Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Sam Rosen Cover: Kirby and Sinnott
Synopsis
Much like last issue, there are two parallel stories in FF 55. In one, the Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot continue their quest to rescue Crystal and the Inhumans from the negative zone that surrounds their city. Johnny and Wyatt travel to a valley in the Himalayas, where they encounter Lockjaw, the Inhuman’s teleporting dog.
The other story, which takes up most of the issue, revolves around the Thing, who after his trip to Wakanda, visits his girlfriend Alicia. Unbeknownst to Ben, the Silver Surfer has chosen that moment to visit (quite the coincidence!) and when Ben discovers the two together, he assumes the worst. The two spend most of the issue fighting before Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Girl settle Ben down. Ben grudgingly apologizes and the Surfer chalks it up to the strange behavior of earthlings.
What’s going on here?
Not much! As a story goes, this issue is pretty thin. It moves some chess pieces around, setting up the eventual return of the Inhumans, and reintroducing the Silver Surfer, essentially establishing him as an ongoing character.
But most of the issue is devoted to the silly fight between Ben and the Surfer, all of which—like almost all super hero fights—is based on a misunderstanding that could have been cleared up in two seconds. To a certain extent, yes, it does reveal how plagued Ben is by his insecurities and fear of losing Alicia. But mostly it’s an excuse for a massive fight. Jack and Joe do not disappoint—the fight is full of amazing art—but it’s all pretty much in the service of nothing.
The fight kicks off with this great sequence, one of the best combinations of script, art and timing in the Lee/Kirby run:
Comic relief
There are more gags than usual in this issue, including this sequence:
And this rim-shot worthy line from Ben
Crazy Credits
Another Forbush mention:
Weird science
Reed seems to have invented a Ring home security system
Zit!
A fun sound effect, unless you’re a self-conscious teenager.
Joltin’ Joe
Check out Sinnott’s inking in these panels
Dig that Kirby Krackle
A lot to choose from, but here are some highlights:
Fantastic Four 54 “Whosoever Find the Evil Eye ..!” Published June 1966 Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Script: Lee Pencils: Kirby Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Sam Rosen Cover: Kirby and Sinnott
Synopsis
Fantastic Four 54 opens with the FF still in Wakanda, where they relax by playing baseball with the Black Panther. The Human Torch is plagued by visions of Crystal, the Inhuman trapped by the negative zone within her city of Attilan, and as the team prepares to leave Africa, he declares he will return to Attilan to try and free her. T’Challa makes him gift of a special gyroscopic vehicle, and Wyatt Wingfoot joins the Torch on his quest.
Meanwhile, in Attilan, the Inhumans are still trying to escape and the royal family attempts to coax Maximus the Mad—now truly insane—to reveal the secret of the negative zone. Running out of options Black Bolt enters the “cyclo-electronic chamber,” where he uses his power to energize the “asorba-bomb” in order to break through the barrier. The pressure is so great Black Bolt screams for the first time.
Johnny and Wyatt, traveling north through the African desert in the Wakandan vehicle, plunge through a crevice and land deep below the surface in a crypt that reveals a slumbering figure in armor. He awakens and tells the pair he is Prester John, who served Richard the Lionhearted during his crusades and afterward traveled the world before discovering Avalon, where he was given a powerful weapon called the Evil Eye. Johnny, realizing the device could be used to free Crystal and the Inhumans, steals it before Prester John can warn him it will exploded in his hands. As the Torch flees, Wyatt shoots the Evil Eye out of his hands, saving Johnny but leaving him despondent.
What’s going on here?
A lot! This comic is jammed packed, and one of the best issues to date. We get the FF enjoying some downtime, which builds their characters while simultaneously deepening our understanding of T’Challa and Wakanda. The Human Torch’s torment over Crystal, now well-established with several mentions over the last few issues, gives the story some emotional depth and drives the plot. The Inhumans arc becomes more complex as they develop into heroes, and the debut of Prester John adds an element of science fiction fantasy. Tying together the issue is some fantastic art from Jack and Joe Sinnott. The whole issue is busy, fun and very satisfying.
Who is this guy?
As with Thor, Hercules, the Black Knight and many other characters, Stan and Jack plucked the name and some basic facts about Prester John from mythology. Prester John was said to be a Christian king, descended from one of the three Magi, who ruled in a far-off kingdom in Asia or Africa. He was supposed to come to the aid of the Crusaders, but never arrived.
In Stan and Jack’s telling, he was instead an ally of Richard the Lionhearted, and at the conclusion of the crusade, traveled the world before finding Avalon, normally a fixture of Arthurian legend and not normally associated with the Crusaders. Apparently, for Stan and Jack, if it was old and English, it was good enough. It does give Jack an excuse to draw this awesomeness:
Prester John never is a major Marvel figure but he pops up a few times over the years in Thor and Defenders comics, and—bizarrely—in Deadpool & Cable:
Deadpool & Cable 14 (2004, art by Patch Zircher)
And is it just me, or does Jack’s version of Prester John look like the guy in those adds for Simplisafe home security systems?
Batter up
FF 54 opens with the Fantastic Four, Wyatt and the Black Panther playing baseball in Wakanda:
If you think a splash page of a super team playing baseball looks familiar, well, that’s because you’ve seen it many times in the ages of the X-men and related X-books. Here are a few examples from over four decades:
Uncanny X-men 110 (1978, art by Tony DeZuniga)Uncxanny X-Men Annual 7 (1983, art by Michael Golden)Uncanny X-Men 444 (2004, art by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer)X-Men ’96 (1996, art by Flores/Castrillo/Masssengill/Milgrom
I don’t know if Chris Claremont, the man behind many of these X-Men, ever acknowledged that he was borrowing from FF 54 but given how influential the Lee/Kirby FF run was to all of Marvel, perhaps it was just assumed.
Crazy Credits
Weird Science
If you think Wakandan science is strange …
… you should check out what the Inhumans are up to.
The sixties are sexist
Ok, maybe this one is a bit unfair. While Sue gets new dresses as a gift from the Wakanadans—reinforcing the narrative that she only cares about clothes and her appearance—it appears that Reed gets a new outfit too. And Sue does look great here. (Note the further development of Wyatt’s backstory here).
Dig that Kirby Krackle
Really, the entire issue is great, and here are too many panels to choose from (I’ve added as many above as I could). But if I had to pick just a few:
Fantastic Four 53 “The Way it Began!” Published: May 1966 Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Script: Lee Pencils: Kirby Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Artie Simek Cover: Kirby and Sinnott
Synopsis
After defeating the Black Panther in the last issue, the Fantastic Four (plus Wyatt Wingfoot) are now his guests. T’Challa explains his kingdom’s wealth and technological prowess derives from vibranium, a rare mineral that can absorb vibrations. He then tells the FF his origin: His father, T’Chaka, was murdered by Klaw (later named Ulysses Klaw), a villainous scientist who attempted to steal Wakanda’s vibranium. A young T’Challa chased them off by seizing Klaw’s sound weapons, and maimed Klaw in the process. T’Challa then devoted himself to revenge by adopted the mantle of the Black Panther.
Meanwhile, strange red monsters are rampaging through the Wakanda. The FF join T’Challa to battle the creatures, which are revealed to be made of solid sound by Klaw. As the FF fight the monsters, T’Challa tracks Klaw to a cave, where they battle until the Black Panther overload’s Klaw’s machinery, causing the cave to collapse as T’Challa escapes. With the FF’s encouragement, T’Challa pledges to continue to fight injustice while a battered Klaw enters his “sound transformer” machine.
What’s going on here?
FF 53 unveils the origin of the Black Panther, a story expanded on in much greater length over the decades. The main elements remain the same: T’Challa is from a royal lineage that venerated the Black Panther totem, and he swore revenge after the murder of his father by a plundering European. Stan and Jack seem aware how cliched the story sounds, so they employ Ben to wink at the audience.
Despite the relative progressivism of the idea that Wakanda is a technologically advanced society hidden in the African jungle, it’s hard for Stan and Jack to escape the exoticism that feels inevitable when comic characters travel to Africa. The splash page, as wondrous as Kirby makes it, embodies the contradictions in the treatment of T’Challa and Wakanda.
FF 53 is also the debut of Klaw, who goes on to become a major Marvel villain, who will debut a much different look in a few issues. He’s most associated with the Black Panther, but over the years battles the FF, Avengers and Daredevil, and plays a starring role in the first Secret Wars series (written as a loopy idiot by Jim Shooter).
Black Panther 15 (1979, J. Buscema/Milgrom)Secret Wars 12 (1985, Shooter/Zeck/Beatty)
Crazy Credits
An Irving Forbush reference
Living in the future
Reed is impressed by T’Challa’s hi-fi system, which includes … a tape recorder. And note the nod to Hugh Hefner.
Comparative Religion 101
Stan educates the reader via footnote.
It’s Clobberin’ Time
There’s something muted about its use in this panel, which is one of the first when Ben says it without simultaneously delivering a punch. This might mark it’s transition from an exclamation to an all-purpose catch phrase, as Ben even notes how “cornball” it sounds.
The sexist sixties
Only Sue is scared of the loud noises.
Dig that Kirby Krackle
Lots of cool stuff from Jack in this issue. Like this:
Percival Henry: The Fantastic Four and more 