Fantastic Four 109 “Death in the Negative Zone!” Published: Jan. 1971 Writer: Stan Lee Penciler: John Buscema Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Sam Rosen Cover: Buscema and Sinnott
Synopsis
Reed, Ben and Johnny pursue Janus, the Nega-Man, into the Negative Zone to prevent him from helping Annihilus destroy Earth. While they succeed, Reed is left behind in the Negative Zone.
What’s going on here?
This is a fun comic, and big improvement from the mess of last issue. The pace is brisk, the stakes are high and Ben’s banter is zinging. The Buscema/ Sinnott combo really clicks, as well. The story does feel vaguely familiar, probably because so many Negative Zone stories have the same elements, but all in all it reads like a Fantastic Four comic should.
What I liked
Annhilus is a great villain, and Stan let’s him shine here, with the right mixture of grandiosity and nastiness. In a great and creepy sequence, Reed doesn’t hold back about the threat he poses (never mind that in future issues Annihilus comes to Earth and none of this stuff happens):
I also liked this sequence with Sue, which captures the dilemma faced by modern women everywhere:
These ads were cool (I kind of want a Bug Bomb now):
What I didn’t like
I have never understood Annhilus’s title, “The Living Death that Walks.” If the death is alive, the walking part is sort of implied. Plus, Annihilus has wings! He doesn’t need to walk!
On a more personal note, someone took a pair of scissors to my copy of this issue and did unspeakable violence to it:
Anything else?
The statement of circulation shows the FF is averaging about 519,000 issues a month. That’s roughly 10 times what a decent selling comic averages these days.
Fantastic Four 108 “The Monstrous Mystery of the Nega-Man!” Published: Dec. 1970 Story: Stan Lee Pencils: Jack Kirby, John Buscema and John Romita Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Sam Rosen Cover: Buscema and John Verpoorten
Synopsis
In a lengthy flashback, Reed reveals the origin of Janus, the Nega-Man, a former colleague who tapped the power of the Negative Zone to heal an injury only to divide into good and evil versions of himself.
What’s going on here?
Jack’s back! Well, sort of. The comic’s pencils are credited to Jack Kirby, and quite a bit of the comic is drawn by him. But there’s a lot of John Buscema in here, too. It’s pretty clear from reading the story that Marvel decided to salvage some unpublished artwork by Kirby, using it in a flashback device to explain the origin of the new villain, Janus. In his blog, longtime Marvel editor Tom Brevoort confirms as much, explaining the Kirby sequences were intended for FF 102, but Stan Lee, unsatisfied with the story, set them aside. This was taking place in the weeks prior to Jack’s departure for DC, so there may have been some bad blood involved as well. It makes sense the ever-parsimonious Stan would find a way to reuse those Kirby pages, even if they are shoe-horned into a story that makes little sense.
What I liked
The Kirby art! Duh. This may not be peak Kirby, but it’s a reminder of what we lost when Jack decamped for DC. Check out this awesome panel:
Also, after years of cataloging all the times Sue is slighted by Reed, here’s a rare example of Reed actually taking her on a mission (not that she gets to do much, but baby steps):
What I didn’t like
The story is unfortunately incoherent. The flashback structure doesn’t help, adding a layer of complexity to an convoluted story, but the way the ploy unfolds is just a mess to begin with. The story does end with a tease of an appearance of Annihilus in the next issue, so here’s hoping things get back on track.
Fantastic Four 107 “And Now … the Thing!” Published: Nov. 1970 Writer: Stan Lee Pencils: John Buscema Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Artie Simek Cover: Buscema and Sinnott
Synopsis
Reed finally succeeds at returning Ben to human form, and this time with the ability o revert back and forth to the Thing. But as Alicia suspects something is not quite right with Ben, a new villain, Janus, breaks into the Negative Zone.
What’s going on here?
The big news here is that this is the debut Fantastic Four issue for Big John Buscema. Buscema had been drawing comics since the 1940s, but only started doing Marvel superhero comics in the late 60s. He’ll be the regular FF artist for the next 30 issues or so and I think of him as the defining Bronze Age Fantastic Four artist. Of course, Sinnott is still inking, so the art has the same consistent feel. In a lot of ways, the ’70s is actually the Sinnott age.
This is also the debut of the villain, Janus, who is a pretty minor figure, only showing again much later in 2001, when Carlos Pacheco was writing the comic, and much later again in Alex Ross’s Full Circle graphic novel, which came out last year.
What I liked
The comic itself is excellent. Along with the drama of Ben reverting back to human—and with it, the unspoken question of how long will it be before he returns to being the Thing permanently—there’s some character development with Johnny, Sue and even baby Franklin, who seems to be manifesting signs of his powers. It’s been a while since the FF had what is sometimes called a “quiet issue,” and this one was very satisfying.
What I didn’t like
More jerk-like behavior from Reed. “He’s never spoken to that way before?” Lady, I can find a dozen issues where he has, and worse.
Also, the title makes no sense. “And Now .. the Thing!” What does that even mean? It’s not like he hasn’t been in every issue for the last nine years. If anything, it should be “And Now … Ben Grimm.”
Fantastic Four 106 “The Monster’s Secret” Published: Oct. 1970 Writer: Stan Lee Pencils: John Romita Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Artie Simek Cover: Romita and Sinnott
Note: Apologies for the long delay since my last post. I have been dealing with some personal business. I’m hoping to get back to regular, weekly posts.
Synopsis
To save Sue and the city from a rampaging energy monster, Reed leaves Johnny to ice down Ben, who is mid-way through a process that could return him to human form. The energy monster turns out to be the son of a scientist and former colleague of Reed’s, part of an experiment gone awry, and with Reed’s help he is restored to normal.
What’s going on here?
This is a much more satisfying comic that last issue, which was notably disjointed. There are still plenty of plot holes—why, exactly, does Johnny need to put Ben in a deep freeze?—but the story is pretty straightforward and the reveal, that the monster is Dr. Rambow’s son, adds a poignant (if predictable) note.
The issue is also notable for the return of Joe Sinnott, who missed the last three issues. John Verpoorten did a credible job in his absence, but under Sinnott the comic looks and feels more like Kirby hadn’t left. That includes a panel like this:
Dig that Kirby Sinnott Krackle!
What I liked
The Romita / Sinnott combination is pretty effective, and the art hits some high notes. I particularly liked this sequence:
There’s also one of Stan’s moral lessons, about Dr. Rambow’s hubris. These maxims can be a bit corny, but I like how Stan is reaching for an elevated purpose in his stories. (Also: more Krackle)
What I didn’t like
The story feels like a bit of a throwback to one-and one plots of early issues, where the FF tangles with some bad guys and Reed whips up some gizmo to save the day. Outside of the twist about Rambow’s son, it’s all very obvious and linear. There’s no way of knowing for sure, but the lack of originality in the storiy may be a result of Kirby’s departure, with a distracted Stan cooking up plots on his own and resorting to old, clichéd story lines.
Anything else?
The cover is another in a line of “quad” covers that dates back all the way to issue 17 and extends far into the future. Here are a handful:
Fantastic Four 105 “The Monster in the Streets” Published Sept. 1970 Story: Stan Lee Pencils: John Romita Inks: John Verpoorten Letters: Artie Simek Cover: Romita and Verpoorten
Synopsis
While a mysterious energy creature roams the streets of Manhattan, Crystal falls ill and must return immediately to the Inhuman city of Attilan. Then, as Reed prepares to return Ben back to human, Johnny urges him to help save Sue from the creature.
What’s going on here
This is a bit of an odd issue, with a bunch of different threads that don’t really weave together. There’s Crystal’s illness, which initially seems tied to the energy monster, but not really. There’s her need to return to Attilan, which distracts Johnny, but mostly seems to be a device to get back to a team of four. There’s Reed once again trying to transform Ben, which is loosely tied to Crystal’s illness—Reed saw something Crystal’s blood that he could use to cure Ben—but isn’t really impacted by Crystal. Then there’s Sue battling the energy monster, which is strangely removed from the rest of the action until the end.
What I liked
There’s a brief re-cap of the origin of the FF, which I we haven’t seen for a while, and it gives us a chance to see John Romita’s rendition of these iconic events. After an uneven issue the previous month, Romita and John Verpoorten seem to be hitting their stride, and the art overall seems more polished and dynamic. They are aided by the uncredited colorist, who creates some dramatic effects, like these:
What I didn’t like
As mentioned above, the story is disjointed, and seems engineered to A) create an emotional separation between Crystal and Johnny and B) force Reed to choose between transforming Ben and saving Sue. Both of these basic plot points have been use before, and cramming them into one story just seems to ramp up the melodrama at the expense of a coherent plot.
Also, we have an unfortunate flashback to the Sexist Sixties when Sue, in a free moment, is depicted shopping.
Anything else?
This issue features the introduction Dr. Zolten Rambow, about as obscure an FF character as exists. Savor him, because he will gone soon.
Fantastic Four 104 “Our World –Enslaved!” Published: Aug. 1970 Writer: Stan Lee Art: John Romita and John Verpoorten Letters: Artie Simek Cover: Romita and Verpoorten
Synopsis
To thwart Magneto’s plans and free his hostages, Mr. Fantastic convinces the Sub-Mariner to return to the evil mutant’s side. Then, with the Earth on the brink of defeat, Reed deploys a weapon that turns Magento’s powers against him, saving the day.
What’s going on here
We are now in the second issue of the post-Kirby era and unfortunately this one has a formulaic, paint-by- numbers feel. This is not the first time Earth has been brought to the brink by invading Atlanteans, nor the first time Reed has saved the day by whipping up a gizmo. In all, the plot reads a lot like FF stories from the first two dozen issues.
What I liked
There are some more fun nods to Nixonian geo-politics, including an ironic comment about the US never losing wars. And I loved the design in the climactic panel above.
What I didn’t like
Along with the dull story, the art felt rushed and un-Romita like, making me suspect he only did breakdowns and Verpoorten did the finished work.
Fantastic Four 103 “At War With Atlantis!” Published: July 1970 Story: Stan Lee and John Romita Script: Lee Pencils: Romita Inks: John Verpoorten Letters: Sam Rosen
Note: I’m back! After taking the summer to mourn Jack Kirby’s departure from the Fantastic Four, I plan to resume regular weekly blog service. You may notice some changes in the format; basically I’m trying to streamline the writing process and make it more efficient so I can continue doing this. But hopefully nothing will be too jarring. As always, let me know if you have ideas or suggestions. Onward!
Synopsis
Magneto goads Namor into war against the surface world, then takes the Invisible Girl hostage.
What’s going on here?
This is obviously the first issue without Jack Kirby—and notably, also without Joe Sinnott—but Stan and the two Johns do a credible job of covering for them. In part, that’s because Romita and Veroorten seem to be deliberately copying Jack’s style. There are places where it’s obviously not Jack, such as close ups of the characters faces, but overall it’s a successful effort. Romita takes a back seat to no one in the comic-art business, so there will be no nitpicking of him here.
What I liked
It’s always fun when a villain crosses over from one book to another. This is the first time the FF tangle with Magneto, as far as I am aware, and he’s definitely in his early, raving megalomaniac mode here (vs. his more statesman-like megalomaniac mode of more recent years).
There’s also a very overt depiction of Richard Nixon as president (and Ben even makes a Spiro Agnew reference). While the president often shows up in comics, he’s often more generic, and not always this recognizable as an actual person.
What I didn’t like
One of the oldest and most tedious cliches in the early FF plots was how often Sue was taken hostage. By my count it was like a dozen times in the first 40 issues. Now, despite it being a new decade and with a new art team, Sue is once again taken hostage (along with Lady Dorma, for good measure).
Also, the Bullpen Bulletin item welcoming Romita as the FF’s new penciler fails to acknowledge jack or his accomplishments, which seems a bit bush league.
Yes, I know I said I was taking a break from Fantastic Four blogging for a while. And I am. Really. But before I do, I thought I’d be remiss if I didn’t try to do a bit more to commemorate the 107 issues by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the greatest sustained run of creativity in the history of comics.
What follows is a run down of some of my favorite stories from Stan and Jack. It’s not a list of the best issues (whatever that means) and certainly not the most famous. But these are the stories I think of first when I think of their run, and the ones I most enjoyed reading. Could this list change? Yes! Do I feel strongly about the order? No! Are there great issues I left off? Of course! Do I hope you read some of these comics? Absolutely!
10) Fantastic Four 94
Fantastic Four 94 is a delightful comic. It comes very near the end of the Lee / Kirby run, and an indication there despite whatever disagreements the two had, there was still plenty of creative juice in the partnership.
In FF 94, the team travels to Whisper Hill to meet Agatha Harkness, a potential nanny for baby Franklin. Harkness appears to be a witch and her house seems haunted. But rather than tell a typical horror story, however, Stan and Jack upend our expectations by having Harkness become the hero, single-handedly defeating the Frightful Four and leaving the FF baffled. It’s a great story, told with lots of wit and humor.
9) Fantastic Four 13
Fantastic Four 13 is a classic Silver Age story, full of Cold War symbolism, as the FF travel to the moon where they encounter the Russian Red Ghost and his Super Apes. Significantly, the story introduces the Watcher, and expands the horizons for this comic and, eventually, the whole Marvel universe. It’s fair to say that FF 13 initiated the Marvel cosmic tradition that eventually leads to not just Galactus and the Silver Surfer, but the Kree, the Shi’Ar, Adam Warlock, Mar-Vell, infinity stones, Thanos, Guardians of the Galaxy and so on. It’s also just a fun comic.
8) Fantastic Four 28
There was a roughly two year period when the FF teamed up with most of the nascent Marvel universe—the Hulk, the Avengers, Nick Fury, Ant-Man, Dr. Strange, Daredevil—but this story featuring the X-Men was the best. If the plot, featuring mind control and the team’s eventually joining forces to defeat the bad guys, feels familiar, it’s because it’s the template for hundreds of subsequent super-hero team ups. It’s also a great cover that has been referenced many, many times over the years.
7, Fantastic Four 91-93
Another story from late in the Lee / Kirby run. Ben is abducted by Skrulls to fight as a gladiator on a planet where the natives have adopted the appearances and mannerisms of 1920’s gangsters. It’s a great adventure that lets Kirby draw both cool alien stuff AND cool urban New York scenes in the same story. And it has one of the most touching endings of any comic (see above).
6) Fantastic Four 54
Fantastic Four 54 falls in the heart of the Lee / Kirby peak period (issues 44-60) so it’s understandable if it gets overlooked amid stories introducing Galactus, the Black Panther and the Inhumans. But it hold its own. Not only is there a fun and interesting adventure involving Johnny, Wyatt Wingfoot and the medeival knight Prester John, but there are loads of other subplots and supplemental story lines involving Wakanda and the Inhumans. This issue helps establish Wyatt as a major supporting character, and features some of Jack’s strongest work during this middle period (and that’s saying something).
5) Fantastic Four 38-43
This is the first real multi-part Fantastic Four story (aside from issues 25-26, where they team up with the Avengers) and as if to make up for lost time, it’s a sprawling six-parter. It begins with the FF battling, and very clearly losing, to the Frightful Four (featuring the first appearance of Medusa), who render them powerless. Then, an un-powered FF teams with Daredevil to battle Dr. Doom, who has captured the Baxter Building. The team’s powers are returned and in the aftermath of that fight, Ben, who is now in his rocky form again, quits the team in disgust, and falls party to the Frightful Four (they’re back!), who hypnotize him and set him against his team. The Frightful Four captures the Fantastic Four, who then escape and reverse Ben’s mind control, freeing him to defeat the bad guys.
Whew!
It’s a lot, and arguably not one unified story, but I think of it as one epic with many twists and turns. It works in part because the FF keep getting beat, but they pick themselves up and keep fighting.
4) Fantastic Four 78-79
Another story that hinges on the transformation of the Thing back to his human form. Ben is the heart of the Fantastic Four, and his constant struggle with his monstrous appearance lies at the heart of his character. Here, he has to choose between his personal happiness and his duty to his adopted family in a story that is particularly well-crafted and poignant. When human-looking Ben and Alicia are having dinner at a restaurant, it’s so painfully awkward we’re almost relieved when the villain bursts into interrupt them.
3) Fantastic Four Annual 6
This comic is, simultaneously, a ripping Negative Zone adventure, a high-stakes quest to save the life of Sue and her unborn baby, the introduction of a top-tier villain in Annihilus and, arguably, Jack Kirby’s single best issue of the Fantastic Four. With the birth of Franklin at risk, the stakes are high and Stan and Jack rise to the occasion in one of the best Marvel annuals ever.
2, Fantastic Four 48-50
This is probably the most well-known and beloved story from the Lee / Kirby run (and maybe from the entire Silver Age), but its fame and popularity is no reason to exclude it. There are many, many reasons to love this story, from the introduction of Galactus and the Silver Surfer to the Torch’s journey across the universe, but ultimately what sets it apart is its ambition. Stan and Jack gave the FF a threat to the world that not just theoretical, but immediate and seemingly unsolvable. That they needed the help of both Watcher and the Silver Surfer doesn’t diminish the Fantastic Four, but raises the consequences of the threat and hence the story
1) Fantastic Four 57-60
This story concludes the peak Lee / Kirby period and in my considered opinion, it’s the best of their entire run. It’s a gripping story, with Dr. Doom stealing the power of the Silver Surfer and using it to subdue the entire planet, and one that really cements Doom as a bad guy without equal. No one else in comics combines his genius, his ruthlessness and his arrogance with his twisted sense of nobility and purpose. He is a compelling villain and he’s at his best here.
Like all great FF stories, this one also features the Fantastic Four getting their asses kicked. It’s only when they are beaten do we understand how big a challenge they have to overcome. It’s well-paced as well, with the story building over four issues.
But what really sets this story apart is how it combines so many threads of the Fantastic Four up to this point. It’s as if Stan and Jack had been mixing ingredients for five years and they finally pulled the finished cake from the oven. Doom stealing the Surfer’s power, the appearance of Wyatt Wingfoot, the Inhumans sub-plot; they all adds up to be more than the sum of their parts.
That said, they story isn’t without its flaws, particularly the anti-climactic ending, which I have discussed previously. But there is no perfect FF story, even from Stan and Jack (and rushed ending are endemic in their run), and this one comes closer than most.
That’s it! That’s the list! Agree? Disagree? Let me know! And stay tuned for more installments of So Random!, where I analyze a comic picked from my collection at random.
Fantastic Four 102 “The Strength of the Sub-Mariner!” Published June 1970 Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Script: Lee Pencils: Kirby Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Artie Simek Cover: John Romita and John Verpoorten
Note: This is a milestone issue of the Fantastic Four, the last issue penciled by Jack Kirby. It’s also a fitting place for me to take a break from blogging duties. After nearly two-and-half-years of writing (almost) weekly posts about the world’s greatest comic magazine, I’m a bit burned out and going to take a short hiatus. I’ll still write occasional entries like So Random!, but I’ll leave the FF alone for a while. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone, but when I return, I will be looking forward to diving back into the post-Kirby era.
Synopsis
As per usual, the issue opens with Thing and the Human Torch—plus Crystal—hanging out in the Baxter Building. This time, Ben has a cold and is being a baby about it. The action then shifts beneath the ocean, where the Sub-Mariner, investigating a disturbance, discovers Magneto unconscious on a tropical island. He takes him back to Atlantis to recuperate, and there Magneto tries to convince Namor to join him in his fight against humans.
Meanwhile, back in New York, metal objects start to fly out of control, including the machinery in Mr. Fantastic’s lab. Reed uses a “magna-tracer” to track magnetic waves to Atlantis, and as a warning, sends a “sonic probe” which creates tremors under the sea. When the magnetic attacks against New York don’t stop, Ben sends a torpedo to Atlantis, against the protests of Reed, and the provocation leads Namor to declare war on the surface world, with Magneto behind him.
What’s going on here?
This, of course, is Jack Kirby’s last issue of the Fantastic Four and one of his final stories for Marvel before he decamped for rival DC. He didn’t even stick around to draw the cover, which was handled by John Romta.
Kirby’s frustrations with Stan Lee and Marvel had been brewing for years, and ranged from creative—such as seeing his character, the Silver Surfer, taken from him and given to John Buscema to draw—to financial. According to author Sean Howe, Marvel was by then licensing its characters to an entrepreneur who sold posters and other merchandise using Kirby’s images, but Kirby wasn’t compensated. Nor did he receive his share of a settlement in a dispute about the ownership of Captain America. After previously rejecting overtures from DC’s Carmine Infantino to jump ship, in March of 1970 a fed up Kirby finally signed a three-year contract with DC.
There’s no easy way to sum up the significance of the Lee / Kirby run on the Fantastic Four and I’m not sure I’ll be able to do so adequately here. There have been longer sustained runs (Dave Sims wrote and drew 300 issues of Cerebus!) and shorter runs with more recent acclaim (Neil Gaiman’s 75-issue Sandman run is often at the top of fans polls). But when combining quality, creativity, longevity and influence, I don’t think there’s really any comparison.
The Lee/ Kirby FF run seeded the Marvel universe, and the concepts and characters they created became the foundations on which a multi-billion-dollar entertainment empire has been built. Even a short list of characters introduced or reintroduced in their run is breathtaking: The Skrulls, Dr. Doom, Latveria, Namor, Atlantis, Rama Tut aka Kang, the Watcher, the Negative Zone, Annihilus, Galactus, the Silver Surfer, the Inhumans, the Black Panther, Wakanda, Agatha Harkness, Ronan the Accuser, the Kree, the Molecule Man, Him aka Adam Warlock and the Microverse. All of them have been recycled dozens, if not hundreds, of times across thousands of comics, TV shows and movies.
When I was a kid I had a Fantastic Four poster by John Byrne, in which the FF are surrounded by dozens of other characters. All I knew at the times that they were cool characters; what I didn’t realize is that they all had debuted in the Lee / Kirby run.
Back to issue 102
After about eight or 10 uninspired issues, Stan and Jack at least go out on a high note. Fantastic Four 102 isn’t a classic, but it it’s a reminder of how good the book could be when the elements combined into something greater than the whole. We have the Ben and Johnny hijinks, the noble-yet-misguided Namor, a dastardly villain in Magneto, and some amped-up stakes as Atlantis is on the brink of war with the surface world. Jack also leaves us with some great images, his best in a while.
Magneto’s presence is an interesting choice. It’s the first time he’s appeared in the FF’s own book, and according to a footnote, it follows his appearance in X-Men 63, a classic Roy Thomas / Neal Adams comic that features Ka-zar and the Savage Land mutates. In that issues, he’s last seen in a burning compound in Antartica that is collapsing above him. How he winds up on an island and in a differently colored costume is not explained.
Jack’s Magneto isn’t a mad genius like Adams’s, or the hero he later becomes in later X-Men comics. Here, he’s a conniving sneak in a helmet that barely fits him.
The sexist seventies
The Invisible Girl doesn’t appear in this comic, and the only time Sue is mentioned is in a passing mention by Reed.
The latest in men’s fashion
Johnny’s sweater looks a bit like Black Bolt’s costume
Dig that Kirby Krackle
In our last installment of DTKK (sob), some great work from the Kirby, including this splash).
More from the King
Also on newsstands
What other comics were on sale in June 1970? Covers by Romita, Adams and Franzetta.
Fantastic Four 101 “Bedlam In The Baxter Building!” Published May 1970 Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Pencils: Kirby Inks: Joe Sinnott Letters: Artie Simek Cover: Kirby and Sinnott
Synopsis
The Fantastic Four, plus Crystal and Alicia Masters, are relaxing at the Baxter Building when they receive a notice from their doorman they need to vacate the building as it has been purchased by “the maggia,” Marvel’s versions of the mafia. The action cuts to a meeting of a crime family, led by “the top man” discussing how they plan to legally evict the FF to seize their weapons and inventions.
While in the park, the FF see helicopters approaching the Baxter Building. As the team investigates, first the Human Torch, then Mr. Fantastic, the Thing and Crystal are captured by maggia henchmen. The four are placed in caskets and dumped into the ocean, but escape after Crystal breaks free.
Meanwhile, the Invisible Girl resists capture and battles the thugs until the rest of the team arrives. The leader of the maggia is then shot by the Baxter Building doorman, who is revealed to be the “top man” in disguise.
What’s going on here?
Sadly, this is another lackluster issue of the FF as we count down the few issues remaining in the Lee/ Kirby partnership. While the structure of the comics is sturdy enough—Stan and Jack have used this basic formula and pacing for one-and-done stories many times—the plot is ridiculous. The mob buys the Baxter Building (signing a note announcing that’s who they are?) and the team has to vacate immediately, leaving all their stuff behind? Even the average 12 year-old reader has a better sense of real estate law than that. Then there is the problem of mobsters taking down four of the most powerful heroes in the marvel universe. None of it makes much sense.
By this point Marvel had been using “maggia” instead of mafia for years (it dates back to Avengers 13) but it never stops sounding odd to me. I’ve never read why Stan felt he couldn’t use “mafia” – was he really worried the real-life mob would object? Given how often they are portrayed in TV and movies, it seems overly sensitive.
Stan and Jack attempt to give the story a bit of a twist with the reveal at the end that the doorman was the mob boss, but it falls flat. We don’t have anything invested in either the doorman or the mafioso, and his infiltration of the Baxter Building hardly seemed worth the trouble.
It’s bedlam, I tell you
This is the second of at least three FF comics that use Bedlam in or at the Baxter Building. (For those curious, the term “bedlam” derives from the name of a mental hospital in London).
The first instance was in FF Annual 3:
And it appears again on the cover of FF 169 (although that’s not the name of the story)
The sexist seventies
Reed once again wants to protect Sue and the other “girls” from bad news.
Later in the comic Sue does hold her own against the maggia thugs and kicks some ass. Silly Reed.
Half bad
This issue has another one of these awful half pages (thankfully they are consolidated into one in the digital comic).
We get letters
Longtime comic writer Alan Kupperberg has a letter in this issue (at least I assume it’s the same guy). He had his first published story, in Hulk 172, just two years later.
Dig that Kirby Krackle
Another subdued issue from the great Mr. K. There’s no interior splash pages, although the lead one is very fun.
As befitting the nature of this issue, we don’t have much gee-whiz images, but lots of Jack’s city scenes, which can be just as good (note how the mob restaurant is called “sleazy.”)
Percival Henry: The Fantastic Four and more 