Fantastic Four 92
“Ben Grimm, Killer!”
Published August 1969
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Note: Fantastic Four Annual 7 came out between issues 91 and 92, but since it consisted of reprints of three older stories (boo, hiss) I’m skipping it for these purposes.


Synopsis

Fantastic Four 92 picks up where the last issue leaves off: The Thing has been kidnapped to be a gladiator by slavers from a planet of Skrulls that has adopted the appearances and mannerisms of 1920s American gangsters. As he awaits his battle in the arena with Torgo, the champion of a mob boss who is the rival of Ben’s abductor, Ben is subjected to “training,” which mostly means fighting other gladiators. He also learns he’s been exposed to a “hypno-glow” rendering him unable to fight his captors.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the rest of the Fantastic Four prepares to rescue Ben, using a Skrull flying saucer the team has been storing since their first encounter with the aliens in issue 2.

Back on the Skrull planet, as Ben prepares to escape, Torgo informs him that any slave that attempts to escape will have their home planet destroyed in retribution. The issue ends with Ben preparing to enter the arena and the rest of the FF departing Earth.

What’s going on here?

This is very much a place-holder issue, extending the story arc that began in earnest last issue, when Ben arrived on the Skrull planet, until next issue’s (likely) conclusion. That’s not to say the comic isn’t without its rewards: We’re treated to a lot of Ben in solo action, Jack gets to draw a ton of both funky aliens and ’20s goons, and the story is brisk and never feels padded. But ultimately I suspect you could skip this issue and not miss a beat of the plot.

Did I mention Jack has a ball drawing the alien gladiators? Here they are:

Magno-Man’s design is a bit literal:

Next, a “Rhinogon”

Here’s a nice group shot:

Indomitable Will

It’s been a while since we had one of these sequences of the Thing overcoming impossible odds through dogged determination (although I’m not sure Magno-Man deserves this level of exertion).

The Sexist Sixties

This sequence is horrible.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

Jack seems to enjoy drawing 1920s scenes as much as aliens

Also on newsstands

What else was on sale in August 1969?

Next issue: The Thing vs. Torgo in the arena!