Fantastic Four 194
“Vengeance Is Mine!”
Published February 1978
Plot: Len Wein & Keith Pollard
Script: Bill Mantlo
Pencils: Pollard
Inks: Dave Hunt
Letters: Annette Kawecki
Colors: George Roussos
Editor: Marv Wolfman
Cover: George Perez

Synopsis

After surviving the crash of the Solar Shuttle, the Thing confronts Darkoth, who eventually overcomes a spell by Diablo and reveals to Ben he is his old friend Desmond Pitts. Ben then battles Diablo and is about to be killed by a solar cannon when Darkoth turns against Diablo, sacrificing himself to save Ben.

What’s going on here?

This comic efficiently wrap up the two-part Ben solo story while resolving the Darkoth storyline. If you didn’t think Darkoth was going to die in some noble fashion, then I guess you haven’t read many comic books. But despite its predictability, it’s a solid story and enhanced by the attractive Keith Pollard/ Dave Hunt artwork.

The next solo story, featuring Sue and the Sub-Mariner, is teased in a short cutaway, but other than that, the story is all Ben’s. No Reed or Johnny.

This the rare FF of this era not inked by Joe Sinnott but Hunt’s inks look great over Pollard’s pencils. Hunt is an interesting case; he seems like a true comic’s journeyman who has hundreds of credits as inker, letterer and colorist, and who spent a big chunk of his career on second- and third-tier titles like The Little Mermaid and Scooby-Doo. This is his second and last issue of the Fantastic Four.

Annette Kawecki is credited as the letterer, her first and only Fantastic Four credit. And George Perez returns to deliver an amazing cover.

What I liked

Even though we could see it coming from a mile away, there was a poignancy to Darkoth reclaiming his humanity by turning on Diablo, knowing it meant his death. Also note the great, over-the-top dialogue by Bill Mantlo, a master of purple prose.

And then, of course, comes his classically melodramatic death scene.

What I didn’t like

Even for a comic book, Diablo’s explanation of how he survived his seeming death and discovered Darkoth is hard to swallow.

Also, these “firehorns” are dumb.

Anything else?

More Star Wars-related ads this month:

Plus some other interesting ads, including another odd one for Pizzaz. Again, I can’t imagine buying this magazine based on these ads.

Overall

A perfectly fine comic book