Fantastic Four 155
“Battle Royal!”
Published November 1974
Writer: Len Wein
Pencils: Rich Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Buckler and Sinnott

Synopsis

The Silver Surfer attacks the Fantastic Four in Central Park, but rather than kill them, he explains in a lengthy flashback how he discovered his beloved Shalla Bal was the captive of Dr. Doom. To save her, Doom demanded that he destroy the Fantastic Four.

What’s going on here?

This is Len Wein’s first full issue was writer of the Fantastic Four and I wish I could say it was a promising debut. It’s not. The entire issue hangs on a tired comic-book cliché — one hero must battle another because of reasons — which in this case makes even less sense than normal. The Silver Surfer, with all his cosmic power and wisdom, is really so smitten by Shalla Bal than he sees no other way to save her but killing his friends? That at no point does he think it might make more sense to enlist the aid of the Fantastic Four and the world’s smartest man, Reed Richards? I’m fairly sure that’s what will happen in the next issue, but it doesn’t make this comic any less tedious. It doesn’t help that much of it is narrated by the Surfer, who, as scripted by Wein, speaks in ornate, purple prose. “So, to the crest of this planet’s highest peak I did fly.” Seriously, why does he talk like that?

What I liked

The opening sequence, where the FF is mugged in Central Park, has a fun, gritty-New York-in-the-70s cinematic quality to it. The muggers look like extras in “Warriors.”

And while we know what’s coming, it’s satisfying to see them get their comeuppance when they attack the Thing:

I liked the Doom reveal at the end, although it was pretty obvious the Surfer was in Latveria:

And this was fun: The Surfer hit Ben so hard he knocked off his shoes

What I didn’t like

For the umpteenth issue in the row, the Invisible Girl plays no meaningful role. In fact, she’s not even mentioned or seen in the comic.

As mentioned above, much of the issue is consumed with the Surfer lengthy and convoluted explanation of why he’s attacking the FF. After he unknowingly arrives in Latveria, he then stumbles across the FF battling robots. They are later revealed to be robots themselves, and the whole sequence ultimately has no bearing on the story at all, but simply serves as padding and a way to squeeze in another action sequence.

Anything else?

There’s a letter to the editor from future comics writer Peter B. Gillis. Also, Jane Starr wants a no-prize for naming her hamster Victor Von Doom.

I kind of want this Holiday Grab-Bag:

Overall

A boring slog