Fantastic Four 39
“A Blind Man Shall Lead Them”
Published: March 1965
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Frank Giacoia (credited as Frank Ray)
Letters: Art Simek
Cover: Kirby and Chic Stone
Synopsis
Fantastic Four 39 picks up where FF 38 leaves of, after the detonation of the Frightful Four’s Q-Bomb leaves the FF floating unconscious on a raft and with the Thing reverted to human form. FF 39 opens with the team being rescued by a US Navy submarine, and realizing they have all lost their powers.
Back at the Baxter Building in New York, Reed builds devices to mimic the team’s lost powers, reasoning that the team will be vulnerable to its enemies if they were thought powerless. Meanwhile, in Latveria, a hypnotist causes Dr. Doom to remember being tricked by Mr. Fantastic into thinking he defeated the FF (as show in FF Annual 2). Doom vows revenge and flies to New York.
In New York, blind attorney Matt Murdock meets the FF at a warehouse where they are rehearsing their new devices. As Reed explains he wants Murdock to ensure the FF’s affairs are in order if something happens to them, the warehouse is attacked. Murdock quickly changes in his Daredevil costume and helps the FF evade the attacks from Doom, who has seized control of the Baxter Building and is using the FF’s devices against them. The FF scatters and Daredevil draws Doom’s fire on the streets of New York. The issue ends with another cliffhanger as the powerless FF plans their assault on the Baxter Building.
What’s going on here?
There’s a lot going on in FF 39, although not necessarily what you might expect. While readers of last issue’s cliff-hanger ending might have reasonably anticipated a showdown with the Frightful Four, those villains aren’t even mentioned. Instead, we’re off on a new adventure with Doom. The FF’s powerlessness is the big event in this issue, and it’s framed as a major disaster for the team, even for Ben who might otherwise be pretty happy not to be the Thing again. It sends Reed into a inventing frenzy, and gives Jack an opportunity to whip up some fun devices.
While the FF’s need for these mechanical powers is short lived (I assume!) Reed’s artificial, extendable arms reappear in FF 185, when he again has lost his powers.
The Thing robot doesn’t reappear, but it’s a precursor of a Thing exo-skeleton worn by Ben and others on numerous occasions.
At various points, all the members of the FF have lost their powers, although the only other time I am aware of them all being powerless was in a 1982 What If? by John Byrne, which imagines the team as a Challengers of the Unknown-type team of adventurers.
About that cover
If the cover of FF 39 looks familiar, it’s because it’s been frequently homaged (or swiped, depending on how charitable you’re feeling). Here’s a handful of homages just with Doom (including one from Kirby himself):
And while it’s not a cover, this double-page splash from Byrne in FF 236 is a literal interpretation of the cover metaphor, since the FF in this issue has been reduced to tiny size.
Get me my lawyer
Daredevil makes a rare guest appearance in the FF. Unlike Spider-Man, who is in dozens of issues and eventually becomes a team member, DD shows up only sporadically. This appearance slots between Daredevil issues 6 and 7 and was doubtless an opportunity for Stan to goose DD’s sales. This is technically their second meeting, after Matt Murdock was hired at their lawyer in Daredevil 2.
Who’s the new guy?
FF features inks by Frank Giacoia, a longtime comic artist with credits that date from 1942 to 1987. He was a regular inker on Daredevil and later on Spider-Man but inked the FF only a few other times after this issue. Here he is credited as Frank Ray, which FF fans might recall is very similar to Frankie Raye, the name of the Human Torch’s girlfriend in the 1980s before she became Nova and a herald of Galactus. Is there a connection? Knowing John Byrne’s obsession with these early issues of the FF, I would bet on it.
Krazy Kredits
Reed Richards is a Jerk!
Reed doesn’t care about your feelings.
Dig that Kirby Krackle
FF 39 features another photo collage, although I’m not sure this one is as successful as the previous, cosmic ones.
This is a great image of the FF after losing their powers. The body language says everything.
Another cool panel.
And Doom with Reed’s gizmos in the Baxter Building:
Next issue: The Battle for the Baxter Building!
Percival Henry: The Fantastic Four and more 