Fantastic Four 186
“Enter: Salem’s Seven!”
Published June 1977
Writer: Len Wein
Pencils: George Perez
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Len Wein
Cover: Perez and Sinnott

Synopsis

Captured last issue by Nicholas Scratch in New Salem, his town of witches, the Fantastic Four watch as Scratch prepares to execute Agatha Harkness for the crime of revealing the town to the outside world. Although Scratch takes Franklin hostage to ensure the FF’s docility, they escape their cell only to confront Salem’s Seven, a group of super-powered minions. The Seven are defeated when they encounter Reed’s artificial arms (no, it doesn’t make much sense) and the FF manages to turn New Salem against Scratch by revealing it was he, not Harkness, that revealed their location of the outside world when he abducted Franklin. The town’s witches banishes Scratch and as the FF depart, Harkness reveals she is Scratch’s mother.

What’s going on here?

This is a pretty satisfying comic, despite a few questionable plot holes. It neatly wraps up the New Salem arc that has been percolating for a few issues, introduces some fun new villains, fills in some of Agatha Harkness’s backstory and adds some desperately needed dimension to Sue and her power set. All of these developments are proof of Len Wein’s confidence as writer and his willingness to both plumb the FF’s history for ideas while forging ahead with new ones.

The most obvious development in the comic is the introduction of Salem’s Seven, who are later revealed to be the children of Scratch (and grandchildren of Harkness). There’s a fun, goofy quality to these villains, who don’t really seem supernatural at all but rather like generic characters created by rolling dice in a role playing game. They’re generic enough that they could sub in for other Marvel villains-of-the-month, like the Wrecking Crew or Seprent Squadron, and it’s a bit surprising that they are not more frequently used. Nor did they ever become first tier FF villains.

(It’s also a bit odd their debut doesn’t at get a full splash page).

Also interesting is the glimpses into Harkness’s history. Her mysteriousness was a defining part of her persona, and while peeling back the curtain on characters with a murky past is not always a good thing (see: Puck, Han Solo), what we learned in this issue adds depth and a bit of tragedy to Harkness. Dropping the line about Scratch being her son in the final panel was definitely a dramatic twist I didn’t see coming.

The art in this issue is much like last issue’s, with Perez contributing layouts and breakdowns and Sinnott finishing it up. It works but lacks the richness of detail Perez is capable of when he fully applies himself.

What I liked

Wein seems determined to expand Sue’s use of her powers and with them, her role on the team. While there’s still a bit of her being treated like a hysterical mother when Franklin is abducted, she rises to the occasion by breaking the FF out of their jail cell (the key was it has to be done stealthily as not to raise the alarm and endanger Franklin).

Later, she uses her invisibility in a way we’ve seen many times but it still comes at a pivotal point in the story.

Perhaps not coincidentally, this expanded role for Sue comes in an issue when there are three letters to the editor making the case for just that. Notably one of the letters is from Kurt Busiek, who went on to become a longtime writer for Marvel and DC (but sadly, never of the Fantastic Four). Did Wein, who was also the comic’s editor, choose these letters to advance the case about Sue he was making in the story? It certainly seems possible.

Also: Star-Lord!

What I didn’t like

The resolution of the story, where Reed and Johnny convince the town of New Salem that Scratch is the bad guy, seems a bit too pat. Why would the town believe these outsiders over their leader (It’s possible he had them ensorcelled, and when he loses his staff he loses his power over them, but that is never explained).

There is something very silly about how Salem’s Seven introduces themselves by announcing their names in the third person. To be clear, all seven of them do this.

And the FF’s defeat of Salem’s Seven makes no sense. Somehow encountering Reed’s artificial arms negates their powers?

Anything else?

I remember this ad for the Orca movie when I was a kid and thinking it was very exciting. In retrospect it looks a lot like a Jaws rip-off, even if has a decent cast (fwiw, it gets an 11% rating from Rotten Tomatoes). Also, I’m pretty sure I had no idea who Johnny Unitas was when I first saw the ad for Daisy BB guns. Still not sure why he was a pitch-man for these things.

Overall

A fun if flawed comic