Fantastic Four 169
“Five Characters in Search of a Madman!”
Published January 1976
Writer: Roy Thomas
Pencils: Rich Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Phil Rachelson
Editor: Thomas
Cover: Buckler and Sinnott

Synopsis

Ben Grimm, still adjusting to no longer being the Thing, gets tangled up in a bar fight before he’s rescued by Mr. Fantastic and the Human Torch. Meanwhile, Power Man — the FF’s newest member — kibitzes with the Invisible Woman and Alicia Masters before he falls under the mind-control of an unknown bad guy and attacks Sue. He battles Sue and the rest of the FF before fleeing in a Fantasti-car. The issue ends with Reed showing Ben a life-size replica of the Thing.

What’s going on here?

This comic continues an arc about a de-powered Thing began last issue and is on the whole a lot more successful. Ben is still struggling with his new reality, but instead of picking needless fights like last issue, he is instead vents his frustration in a bar brawl not of his making. And Power Man’s heel turn make sense when we’re reminded of the clues dropped by Roy Thomas last issue. There’s also some interesting character development, between Ben’s brooding introspection and Sue’s chit-chat with Luke.

This issue also marks the end of Rich Buckler’s first run on the FF (he’ll return to draw another half-dozen issues in the last eighties). Buckler’s work on the FF was generally solid, with some high points and few duds. Of the three main pencil artists on the FF to this point — Jack Kirby, John Buscema and Buckler — he’s clearly the weakest, but thanks to Joe Sinnott’s steady inks, the book never diverged far from the standard set by Kirby.

What I liked

Regular readers of this blog know I have complained about Sue’s treatment under Stan Lee and Gerry Conway. Thomas has expanded her powers and slowly added depth to her character. Here, she provides an answer to a question many readers probably have about her name:

She eventually changes her name to Invisible Woman in issue 284.

I also liked how Thomas and Buckler alternate Ben’s flashbacks to fighting as the Thing with his present barroom brawl:

I also liked this tease of future (or maybe past) mayhem involving Dr. Doom’s time machine:

What I didn’t like

Thomas is up to his old tricks again, with heavy-handed narration and a title that seems designed to show off that he went to college (it’s a play on Pirandello’s “Six Characters in Search of an Author”) without making much sense.

He also rolled out the cliched “Bedlam in the Baxter Building” blurb on the cover, reprising a title used for Fantastic Four Annual 3 and FF 101.

Also, Thomas is a good enough writer to avoid this silly introduction for Luke. Maybe Luke should give his resume while he’s reciting his title.

Overall

A fine comic