Fantastic Four 175
“When Giants Walk the Sky!”
Published July 1976
Writer: Roy Thomas
Pencils: John Buscema
Inks: Buscema
Letters: Joe Rosen
Colors: Jan Cohen
Editor: Thomas
Cover: Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott

Synopsis

The High Evolutionary, with the help of the Fantastic Four, attempt to stop Galactus from devouring Counter Earth. At the last moment, the Invisible Girl seemingly appears and offers Galactus a new world, one she has just returned from. Galactus agrees, but after consuming it, becomes incapacitated and the High Evolutionary de-volves him to a state of pure energy. The Invisible Girl is revealed to the the Impossible Man, who offered his own planet Poppup to Galactus because his people’s shared consciousness means they had no need for a planet. The real Invisible Girl returns and lastly, Ben Grimm reverts to his Thing form, a result of Galactus zapping him with cosmic energy.

What’s going on here

This issue is very much a mixed bag. There’s some clever ideas here and the long-awaited confrontation between the High Evolutionary and Galactus begins on a strong note, but like many of Roy Thomas’s arcs, it fizzles out anti-climactically. The Impossible Man reveal feels too deus ex machina (although it’s totally in keeping with Thomas’s love of obscure call-backs) and the idea his people would sacrifice their planet makes little sense. Unlike the stories of the Lee / Kirby era, where Reed would whip up some solution to save the day, Thomas delivers another storyline where the FF are reduced to spectators as events swirl around them.

One note on the art: John Buscema handles both pencils and inks, filling in for Joe Sinnott. As a result, his characters look a bit more Busecma-esque (in fact, in some places they look as if they were drawn by Sal Buscema, John’s younger brother). Check out the close up of Reed below.

I was surprised to learn this was only the second appearance of the Impossible Man, a character so annoying it feels like he’s always showing up. Marvel’s version of Mr. Mxyptlk — another insufferable character — he first appeared way back in FF 11, and will hang around for the next several issues. I will try to keep an open mind but I am dreading these stories.

Kirby and Joe Sinnott return for the cover, which is stronger than their last few.


What I liked

Ben’s reversion back to his Thing form at the hands of Galactus was well done. Ben wasn’t going to remain in the exoskeleton forever, and if Thomas needed a mechanism to change him back, the wrath of Galactus feels like a good choice.

I also liked the posturing and pompous boasting between the High Evolutionary and Galactus. This was the clash this arc promised, but besides a few panels, didn’t really deliver.

What I didn’t like

I’ve detailed my bigger complaints with this issue above, but here are few other nits to pick:

As I’ve mentioned, I hate it when writers force Galactus into physical fights with lesser foes. He should be above such things.

The devolution of Galactus was also peculiar. It’s an interesting way to remove him from the board (although of course it won’t be permanent) but I’m not sure it’s very successful.

Anything else?

Here’s a Bullpen Bulletin notice that Archie Goodwin is taking over as editor, the fifth in four years in an era that led to lots of instability in the comics. This run of editors reminds me of late Rome, where emperors were crowned and deposed every few months.

Goodwin would last two years before he was replaced by Jim Shooter, who will hold the job for a decade and put his own stamp, for better or worse, on Marvel and comics in general.

Overall

A disappointing conclusion to a fun arc.