“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 81

27 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Crystal, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 81, jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Wizard

Fantastic Four 81
“Enter — The Exquisite Elemental!”
Published Sept. 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

Crystal, the Inhuman girlfriend of the Human Torch, appears in a Fantastic Four costume of her own design and makes the case she should join the team to fill-in for the Invisible Girl, who has just given birth. As the rest of the team expresses doubts because of her age, the Wizard attacks. Johnny rushes out to confront him alone, but is soon joined by Mr. Fantastic, the Thing and Crystal. The FF battles the Wizard, and Crystal demonstrates both her strategic savvy and power, subduing the Wizard almost singlehandedly. The Wizard escapes but the team welcomes Crystal as its first replacement member.

What’s going on here?

After a tense and momentous annual (Annual 6 – read all about it), and before another multi-issue arc begins, this issue feels like an opportunity for everyone to catch their breath. The Wizard is a useful villain for this sort of story: threatening enough to keep it interesting, but not so dangerous that he can’t easily be beaten in a few pages.

The introduction of Crystal as a member of team is obviously the big development here, and the story serves as a reminder she has considerable superpowers of her own. After spending most of the last year sidelined as Sue’s companion and nurse, it would have been easy to forget. Also worth noting is the great cover, which highlights Crystal.

A cast of thousands

Crystal is the first replacement member, but there have been many over the years. Here’s a round up of the most notable, both official and unofficial, new members.

Crystal’s cousin Medusa also replaced the Invisible Girl:

*Fantastic Four 132 (1973, Thomas/J. Buscema/Sinnott)*

Power Man, better known today as Luke Cage, famous replaced the de-powered Thing for a few issues:

*Fantastic Four 168 (1976, Thomas/Buckler/Sinnott)*

She-Hulk also replaced the Thing. after he elected to stay on Battle World following the Secret Wars:

Under writer Steve Englehart, both Reed and Sue were replaced, by Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura) and Crystal again.

*Fantastic Four 307 1987 (Englehart/J.Buscema/Sinnott)*

During Tom Defalco’s run, Ant-Man (Scott Lang) was hired by the team as a replacement scientist for Reed. I don’t recall if he ever became an official member, but he hung around for a long time.

*Fantastic Four 384 (1994, Defalco/Ryan/Bulanadi)*

After the Civil War, in which Reed and Sue were on opposite sides, the two took a leave of absence and were replaced by Storm and the Black Panther (who were married at the time).

*Fantastic Four 544 (2007, McDuffie/Pelletier/Magyar)*

And when Johnny apparently died—he was actually captured by Annihilus—Spider-Man stepped in.

The sexist sixties

Virtually this whole issue could qualify as an example of Stan and Jack’s casual sexism, starting with the title (“the exquisite elemental”). Sue never appears, and he decision to replace her is made without any discussion with her. Crystal is dismissed and condescended to throughout, up until the final panel where Reed asks her to join the team, and Johnny makes a “powder-puff” reference. The Wizard is particularly bad, though.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Joe Sinnott

I don’t highlight Sinnott’s inking enough.

Crazy credits

It’s been a while since we had one of these:

Dig that Kirby Krackle

Some more great splash pages in this issue:

And this one:

Also on newsstands

What else was on sale in September 1968?

Next issue: The return of the Inhumans!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four Annual 6

24 Thursday Nov 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Annihilus, Annual, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four Annual 6, Franklin Richards, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four Annual 6
“Let There Be … Life!”
Published Nov. 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

The story begins with Mr. Fantastic frantically looking for a way to save the Invisible Girl, who is about to give birth to their child, from the “cosmic radiation” that remains in her blood following the accident that gave the team its powers. Reed has determined that one element, found only in the Negative Zone, can save her, and as he prepares to enter the zone to retrieve it, the Thing and the Human Torch insist on joining him.

Once in the Negative Zone, Reed is attacked and captured by a Scavenger, a creature in the employ of Annihilus, an insect-like warlord. Eventually Ben and Johnny are also captured, and the three are sent to the arena, where they are subject to Annihilus’s torture devices. The team overcomes them, and Reed realizes Annihilus’s control rod, which he wears around his neck, contains the element he needs to save Sue.

Reed steals the control rod and the team escapes, only to be pursued by Annihilus and his minions. Eventually the trio reaches a zone where “space is transformed into antimatter” (last seen in issue 51) and where they are powerless. Trapped, they strike a deal with Annihilus, who returns their harnesses, which allow them to travel through the Negative Zone, in return for the control rod, (save for a small amount of the element within Reed keeps t save Sue).

The team returns to earth in time to deliver the element to the hospital, and after an anxious wait, find Sue has given birth to a healthy (unnamed) son.

What’s going on here?

This is a big issue, with a lot going on. Aside from some very notable first appearances, it’s just a great story, one of the best of Stan and Jack’s run. The stakes are high and there is genuine suspense, and even if Negative Zone science is a little peculiar, it all make sense. Jack’s art has never looked better, and the extra page count (it’s 48 pages of story) gives him room to stretch out, with six splash pages, including one double-page splash, just the second in his FF run to date.

This comics was voted the 38th best Fantastic Four story in a CBR poll, but I would argue it’s better than that, one of the best of the Lee / Kirby run.

While technically a King Size Special, this comic really functions as an annual, with its numbering consistent with other annuals. And it has all the elements of a great comic annual, with an exciting story anchored by a Big Event. Often it’s a wedding, but here it’s the birth of Franklin Richards.

Who’s the new guy?

The birth of Franklin Richards added a significant new dimension to the Fantastic Four. He helped solidify the family nature of the team, and was often playing with toys or getting underfoot in the Baxter Building. He also was often thrust into the hands of baby sitters—usually Alicia Masters or Agatha Harkness—and opened Reed and Sue up to accusations they were negligent parents (this became a story arc in J. Michael Straczynski’s run in the 2000s). After Dan Slott’s run sent Reed, Sue and their kids into space for six years, Franklin is now a surly teenager who inexplicably died his hair black (I suspect it’s to distinguish him from Johnny in group shots) and uses the horrible codename Powerhouse. Here he is mouthing off to his dad.

*X-Men/Fantastic Four 3 (2020), Zdarsky/Dodson/Dodso*n

After it was revealed Franklin had mutant powers in FF 130, generations of Fantastic Four writers haven’t been able to resist tinkering with him in various ways, whether it’s him using his powers as a child, prematurely aging him, or introducing us to teenage or adult Franklins from the future or other dimensions (or both). Franklin has been depicted by so many writers and artists in so many different ways over the years it would be impossible to show them all, but here are some of the more noteworthy (or egregious) examples.

For a long time, this was Franklin’s basic look (I always loved the “4 1/2” sweatshirt). This is a John Byrne image, but not sure from where.

This is a pretty typical depiction of this era. Note Agatha Harkness.

*Fantastic Four* *Annual 14 (1979) Wolfman/Perez/ Marcos*

Here he is prematurely aged:

Here’s an alternate future version of Franklin:

*Fantastic Four* 377 (1993) Defalco/Ryan/Bulanadi

Another (short-lived) alternate future version, from the classic Days of Future Past

*Uncanny X-Men 141 (1981) Claremont/Byrne/Austin*

A painful stint as a super hero in the present, as part of Power Pack

As a superhero in the future:

*Fantastic Four 605 (2012) Hickman/Garney*

And finally, a future version with his present self:

Enter the bad guy

The other major debut in FF Annual 6 is Annihilus, who becomes a top-tier Fantastic Four villain, maybe trailing only Doom as an FF bad guy. Almost every Negative Zone story features him in one way or another, and he was responsible for the apparent death of Johnny Storm in Johnathan Hickman’s run. Although I’m tempted to post his major appearances as well, I think I’ll just go with these great Kirby panels from this issue.

Reed Richards is a Jerk

I get that Reed is stressed, but jeez man, chill out.

It’s Clobberin’ Time

Of course it is.

The sexist sixties

Of course fathers aren’t allowed in the delivery room. That would be crazy!

Read all about it

Surely this is a HIPPA violation:

Weird science

That’s “Mr. All-Engulfing Sonic Sponge” to you.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

This issue is frankly a bit insane. Almost every other page has an example of over-the-top Kirby craziness, so I’m going to restrain myself to showing the very best examples. Hold on!

First up of course is this beauty:

More splash pages:

And some other amazing panels:

And some more:

And some more:

Really, I could go on. It’s a hell of an issue for Kirby fans.

Also on sale

August 1968 was a great month for comic covers. Here are a few more classics, from Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert and Gene Colan:

Next issue: Crystal (finally) joins the team!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 80

13 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 80, jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Wyatt Wingfoot

Fantastic Four 80
“Where Treads the Living Totem!”
Published: August 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

The Human Torch and the Thing are lazing around the Baxter Building avoiding housework when they receive a letter from Wyatt Wingfoot, Johnny’s former roommate, asking for help defeating a “living totem.” While the Invisible Girl is still expecting her baby, Mr. Fantastic says she is still a week away from delivering and the doctors urged him to leave the hospital.

As the three teammates fly west, Wyatt encounters Tomazooma, which appears to be legendary figure in the form of a gigantic Native American totem set on destroying him. While he flees the totem and is eventually overcome, Johnny briefly skirmishes with members of Wingfoot’s tribe before the three members of the FF meet with Silent Fox, the chief and Wyatt’s grandfather. He explain the tribe is wealthy because of its oil reserves, but they are fending off the Red Star oil company “from behind the iron curtain.”

Soon it becomes clear that Tomazooma is actually a giant robot designed to scare the tribe from its lands for their oil. After a battle, the FF helps Wyatt and his tribe defeat the robot, while what appears to the real Tomazooma is glimpsed in the distance.

What’s going on here?

This is a zany issue, full of over-the-top action, big Kirby splash pages, some highly cringe-worthy depictions of Native Americans, and a plot ripped straight from the pages of Scooby-Doo. Unlike recent issues, FF 80 has little impact on the bigger Fantastic Four narrative, aside from reintroducing Wyatt Wingfoot. Rather it’s a one-and-done adventure with a gimmicky villain and lots of glorious splash pages. It certainly feels dated now, but I imagine this would have been a lot of fun for kids to read in 1968.

Indigenous issues

First things first, FF 80’s depictions of Native Americans and their culture is highly problematic, bordering on the racist. Basically, every pop-culture stereotype about Natives is trotted out, short of peace pipes and smoke signals. The story may be set in 1968, but its Native Americans are apparently still stuck in 1868.

Stan and Jack attempt to blunt their depictions of Wyatt’s tribe by giving them wealth and technology, not unlike how they elevated their Wakanda from a African backwater to a technologically superior nation. But in the case of Wakanda, they took the time to build a country and its culture. Here, we get a few Native Americans with ray guns, and a lot of clumsy writing.

As if that wasn’t enough, we also get references to “red skins” and “pale faces.”

About that plot

As it turns out, the giant Tomazooma isn’t actually the living incarnation of Native American myth, but a giant robot the Red Star Oil company deployed to seize oil fields. All that’s missing is Tomozoom pulling off its mask and saying “I would have gotten away with it if weren’t for you kids!”

Still, there’s a lot that goes unexplained. What is the significance of the villainous company being from behind the iron curtain (surely there are evil American oil companies), and how could they drill on US soil anyway? And who built a robot so powerful it thwarted three member of the Fantastic Four? None of this is addressed.

The sexist sixties

Not only is Crystal in charge of cleaning the Baxter Building, but she wears a French maid’s apron to do it in. Plus she gets left behind to look after Sue when the boys go on their adventure.

Shenanigans

Not entirely sure why this scene merited a splash page, or what song Ben is singing, but it sure is something.

It’s clobbering’ time!

Is it ever!

Weird science

Why can’t Tomazooma shoot laser beams like all the other killer robots?

Never leave home without it

Apparently Wyatt travels with a portable bazooka at the ready

The incredible Mr. Fantastic

This is a new trick for Reed

Letters page

This is a great letter, from a fan who says the FF was better in the Good Old Days of four years earlier, in part because there were more panels per comic (he also anticipates the infamous Hulk story by John Byrne, which ran in Marvel Fanfare 29, where every page was a panel, or every panel was a page).

Bullpen bulletins

All sorts of juicy details in this months bulletin: John Romta has a new car, Roy Thomas has a Nehru jacket, Stan has grown a beard …

This is new

The cover has a message for retailers about a new marketing program. It’s as boring as it sounds, but it’s odd they felt they needed to mar the cover to get the message across.

For sale

All sorts of stuff on offer, from horse posters to plastic pillows. And I’m kind of digging these Cheerios ads.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

The show stopper is this splash of Tomazooma, although it’s not clear if he is the Totem that Walks, or the Death that Walks. I guess it can be both

An excellent sequence

Also on newsstands

August 1968 was just a stellar month for covers. I chose three great Marvel covers, from John Romita, Jim Steranko, and John Buscema, but there were another dozen just as good.

Next issue: Annual 6 and Annihilus!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 79

06 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 79, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four 79
“A Monster Forever?”
Published July 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Jack Kirby
Letters: Artie Simek
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

Fantastic Four 79 opens with the Human Torch, Crystal and the Thing hanging out in the Baxter Building, celebrating Ben’s return to human form. As Johnny and Crystal head out for a day on the town, a nervous Ben takes a taxi to see his girlfriend, Alicia. In his anxiety, he absent-mindedly brings along the Wizard’s “wonder gloves,” confiscated after their battle last issue.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fantastic is confronted with test results that show the Invisible Girl’s pregnancy might be threatened by her exposure to the cosmic rays that gave her powers. When Sue asks him what’s wrong, he deflects and doesn’t share his concerns.

Elsewhere, the New York police are examining the workshop of the Mad Thinker, last seen in issue 71, when they inadvertently awaken his Android Man, which has been programmed to seeks out a signal sent by the Thinker. For reasons not really explained, the Android Man picks up a signal from the Wizard’s wonder gloves, and crashes into the restaurant where Ben and Alicia are dining in pursuit of the holder of the gloves. In the confusion, Alicia hangs on to the gloves, and Ben, in human form, tries to slow the Android. But with Alicia in danger, Ben forces himself to transform back into the Thing, knowing the change will be irreversible, and defeats the android.

What’s going on here?

This is an excellent issue, full of humor, drama, and tension. The focus is really on three couples: Johnny and Crystal, who are enjoying being young in New York; Reed and Sue, who are expecting a child and full of worry; and Ben and Alicia, who are struggling to adjust to the dramatic change in Ben’s appearance.

The Android Man is a useful villain, even if its appearance doesn’t make a ton of sense (did the Thinker make the Wizard’s gloves? it’s never explained). There is an inevitability to Ben returning back to the Thing, but it doesn’t make the moment any less poignant.

Ben and Alicia

There is a painful awkwardness between Ben and Alicia’s meal together …

.
… which is —almost thankfully—interrupted by the Android looming in the window, then bursting through it.

Clobberin’ time

This is an all-time-great use of Ben’s signature line.

In a family way

Reed’s unwillingness, or inability, to be truthful with Sue about her condition is equally uncomfortable. Thus far, this is as close to appearing pregnant as we’ve seen Sue.

We also get this splash-page portrait of Reed and Sue, apparently due to popular demand:

Young love

There’s a lot of fun, flirty banter between Johnny and Crystal.

Top O’ the Mornin’

FF 79 marks the debut of Sergius O’Hollihan, the Baxter Building’s doorman and a (very) minor supporting character distinguished mainly by his caricatured Irish brogue.

He shows up a few more times over the years including, bizarrely, as a a mental construct the Thing conjures up while stuck on Battleworld in 1985’s Thing 21 (by John Byrne, Ron Wilson and Joe Sinnott).