“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine” Fantastic Four No. 87

16 Monday Jan 2023

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 87, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four 87
“The Power and the Pride”
Published March 1969
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencil: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

The issue immediately follows the events of the last issue, when the Invisible Girl showed up to save the team from destruction in Latveria. Now, the team—reunited and with Crystal—prepares to take on Dr. Doom in his castle. Doom, however, welcomes their incursion, as he plans to destroy them with a piano that emts “hyper-sound.” That’s right, a super piano.

As the FF crosses the drawbridge, a trap door opens and Sue and Crystal are whisked inside the castle. When the Thing tries to open the door, a booby-trap sends him, Mr. Fantastic and the Human Torch to the castle’s roof, where a “air gun” fires on the Torch. As Ben and Reed battle their way in, Sue and Crystal eventually find themselves before Doom, where he invites them to a feast.

Meanwhile, Doom”s lackey, Hauptmann, has discovered Doom’s portrait artist and art curator is a secret agent of SHIELD, and prepares to incinerate him and Doom’s priceless collection of artwork. Doom is horrified at the thought of his art being destroyed and uses the hyper-sound piano to kill Hauptmann instead. Then, seemingly bored with it all, Doom gives the FF safe passage to leave Latveria and instead of pushing their advantage, the team exits.

What’s going on here

As genuinely suspenseful and thrilling as last issue was, Fantastic Four 87 is as unsatisfying and anti-climactic. The finale of a four-issue arc that brought the FF to Latveria only to be tormented by Dr. Doom, we’ve been primed for a confrontation between our heroes and their nemesis. Instead, we get a plot that turns on an incoherent narrative about Hauptmann and concludes with a fizzle. The ending is reminiscent to the poorly-paced FF stories from the early 60s where Stan and Jack would cram fives pages worth of story into the last page.

Further, much about the story makes little sense. Reed and Doom both maintain the FF are still prisoners in Latveria, but it’s not obvious how; they have their powers back and they are no longer mind-controlled. And then, just as the FF have battled their way into Doom’s stronghold, they seem willing to abandon the fight just because Doom has lost interest. Why not press on and capture Doom?

It’s hard to not to feel Stan and Jack just mailed this one in.

The Feasts of Doom

Fantastic Four 87 features a splash page of Doom welcoming Sue and Crystal to join him with an extravagant feast before him.

Doom hosting his friends, enemies and frenemies with lavish meals has become something of a Marvel comics trope. Here are a few examples from over the years.

Here, Doom surprises Reed at a Empire State University reunion (Doom is a fellow alum, after all):

Fantastic Four 142 (1973, Gerry Conway, Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott)

At his castle in the Adirondack, he hosts Storm:

Uncanny X-Men 145 (1981, Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum and Joe Rubinstien)

In Latveria, Ben is offered a solo feast:

FF 380 (1993, by Tom DeFalco, Paul Ryan and Danny Bulanadi)

Doom offers Namor a lesson on the rights of kings over a meal.

New Avengers 24 (Vol. 5) (2014, Johnathan Hickman, Valerio Schiti and Joe Caramagna)

And here he hosts the Savage Avengers after they have triumphed over Kulan Gath (this team’s lineup is extremely eclectic):

Savage Avengers 27 (2021, Gerry Duggan and Patrick Zircher)

Nazis! I hate these guys!

In FF 87, we find out that Doom’s toady, Gustav Hauptmann, was a Nazi who worked for Hitler. (Incidentally, his death in this issue complicates his reappearance in FF 258 (as discussed here) but that Hauptmann was apparently his brother, Gert Hauptmann.)

Mrs. Who?

Crystal initially shows Sue proper respect and calls her “Mrs. Richards” but a few panels later they are on a more familiar basis.

Weird science

Here’s that hyper-sound piano.

It’s Clobberin’ Time

Ben apparently now has super-breath. No sign of X-ray or heat vision yet.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

Another cool Doom splash:

Another postcard from scenic Latveria:

And a cool panel (with lots of credit to Joe Sinnott):

Also on newsstands

What other comics were on sale in March of 1969?

Next issue: Reed and Sue go real estate shopping!

“The World’s Greatest Comic magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 86

07 Saturday Jan 2023

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1969, Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 86

Fantastic Four 86
“The Victims”
Published Feb. 1969
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

Rendered powerless by Dr. Doom’s hypnosis last issue, the Fantastic Four are trapped in a Latverian village targeted for destruction by Doom’s new robot army (Doom wants to test their prowess). The FF (minus the Invisible Woman, but with Crystal) rally the villagers, and prepare to defend the town as best they can when their powers begin to return as the robots attack.

Meanwhile, Doom secretly concedes the robots are out of control, and might turn on him, but that he has a failsafe device to shut them down. He also has planted explosives under the village, to destroy it if necessary.

Back in the village, the fighting continues when Mr. Fantastic finds Doom’s failsafe device, which he uses to slow the robots. When a last attack by the robots fails, an enraged Doom detonates the explosives beneath the village. The FF and townspeople are saved, however, by a force field created by Sue, who followed the team to Latveria. The issue concludes with the team preparing to take on Doom.

What’s going on here?

This is a really good issue, one of the best of the Lee/ Kirby run so far. It’s taut, tightly plotted and has genuine high-stakes and suspense. It doesn’t have the pyrotechnics of issue 60 or the pathos of issue 51, but in its way it might be better. The FF aren’t just fighting for themselves, but for the villagers, and the outcome is genuinely in doubt. Sue’s appearance feels a bit deus ex machina but it makes sense in the context of the story (and haven’t I been complaining Sue is rarely seen or mentioned lately?) and I was genuinely surprised. Even her appearance on the cover didn’t give it away.

Structurally, the story has a timeless quality — heroes banding together to save a village from marauders. We’ve see it in the Seven Samurai, Lord of the Rings (the Battle of Helm’s Deep) and even Return of the Jedi. It works particularly well here because Kirby contrasts the old-timey Latverian village with the gleaming sci-fi polish of the robots. For what it’s worth, this story arc—called “Within This Torture Land”—ranked 14th among all Fantastic Four stories by a poll of readers at CBR, and sixth among Lee/ Kirby arcs.

Latveria, Sweet Latveria

Jack really seems to dig drawing these quaint European towns. Maybe he took a vacation to Bavaria before he drew these issues. We even get a Latveria splash page.

Jack particularly likes to draw the town from above, the view Doom has from his castle, or looking down the cobble-stoned streets. The uncredited colorist does a great job here, too.

Non-Robotic Robots

As I have discussed elsewhere, Lee and Kirby have a habit of making some of their robots very un-robotic. Here, one of Doom’s standard-issue robot servo-guards seems pretty human, down to the musculature of its (his?) legs.

Weird Science

Instead of just building an off-switch for his robots, Doom instead made this … thing.

The sexist sixties

It feels a bit unfair bringing this up in a issue where Sue is the clear hero, but does Crystal really have to be shunted aside like this? (and womenfolk? really?)

It’s Clobberin’ Time

Well, sort of. Ben never actually say it in this issue.

For a smart guy …

Reed can be pretty dense. Stretching is not flying. Of course the robot would grab his legs. That’s where he left them

Topical references

Spiro Agnew, the Kamala Harris of his era.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

A few more amazing splash pages

Plus some other great images:

Also on newsstands

What else was on sale in February of 1969?

Next issue: The conclusion of the Latveria story arc!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 85

24 Saturday Dec 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 85, Latveria

Fantastic Four 85
“Within This Tortured Land”
Published January 1969
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek

Synopsis

Fantastic Four 85 pick up where the last issue left off, with a de-powered FF stuck in Latveria, where Dr. Doom demands they fall in line like the rest of his subjects. The team is rendered unconscious after eating a meal laced with tranquilizers, then subjected to further hypnotic treatment.

Meanwhile, back in the US, the Invisible Girl is house hunting, and is taken to see an unusual, subterranean home with a mysterious provenance.

Back in Latveria, Doom proceeds to test an army of new, seemingly invulnerable robots on a pair of Latverians who attempt to escape. Doom then plans to unleash his new army on an entire Latverian village, where the rest of the FF are trapped.

What’s going on here?

This is an interesting and well-constructed issue. Unlike almost every FF comic that came before it, the Fantastic Four aren’t engaged in battle, not even with each other (the Thing is knocked out in one panel). The only real action sequences come when Doom’s prisoner attempt to flee and they battle his robots. The FF members in Latveria are almost inert, as they are hypnotized and powerless. Much of the comic devoted to Doom and his machinations.

The issue falls in the middle of longer arc, and from a story-telling perspective it make sense to establish the FF’s helpless predicament and set up the following two issues. But it’s definitely unusual for a comic from this era not to show its heroes in action, and I think it speaks to both Stan and Jack’s maturity as storytellers, and their faith that Marvel’s readers could handle a more deliberately paced story.

Speaking of Doom

As with last issue, this arc expands our understanding of Doom and his kingdom of Latveria. It’s very clear this story inspired Fantastic Four 258, a classic comic from 1983 written and drawn by John Byrne that focuses entirely on Doom (the FF never appear in their own comic).

Take, for example, this sequence where Doom is offended by his lackey, Hauptmann:

And compare it to these panels from FF 258:

As for Hauptmann, he makes his final appearance in FF 258:

In FF 85 we also see Doom out of his armor, a very rare occurrence, in an amazing Kirby splash. Doom’s new-found confidence about his appearance did not last long.

The sexist sixties

While the rest of the team is in Latveria, Sue is stuck back in the U.S., looking for a new house where she and Reed can raise their (still unnamed) new son. She looks impossibly glamorous while doing so.

She’s quickly surrounded by a group of kids who look a whole lot like the Newsboy Legion, characters Kirby co-created in the 1940s with Joe Simon, and would reintroduce in a few years in Jimmy Olsen when he left Marvel for DC.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

Along with the above-mentioned splash, Kirby gave us this awesome image of Doom:

Some other cool images:

Also on newsstands

What else was on sale in January 1969? Covers by Adams, Kubert and Kirby.

Next issue: The Latveria story arc continues!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 84

18 Sunday Dec 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 84, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four 84
“The Name is Doom!”
Published Dec. 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

After their adventure with the Inhumans last issue, the Fantastic Four—Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, the Human Torch and Crystal filling in for the Invisible Girl—are flying back home through the Himalayas in a “gyro-ship,” a gift from Inhuman king Black Bolt. They are intercepted by Nick Fury and Dum Dum Dugan of Shield, who need the FF’s help with a secret army amassing in Europe. As Fury shows the FF a robot arm sent by a Shield agent, the arm takes on a life of its own, grabbing a gun and blasting the FF before Johnny destroys it.

Reed suspects the robot is the handiwork of Dr. Doom, and the team travels incognito from a neighboring Communist country to Latveria, where their car is quickly destroyed and they are surrounded by Doom’s robots. While Reed urges the team not to fight back—his plan is for them to be captured to learn Doom’s secrets—Johnny attacks when they seize Crystal, and the rest of the team battles back before they are subdued. The team awakens in a comfortable inn, and are greeted warmly by Latverians. Doom, monitoring them, reveals they have been hypnotized into not using their powers

Eventually they are reunited with Crystal in a town square, and only when Reed attempts to escape does Doom warn the FF that they must remain in Latveria as his prisoners, where they must be happy or die.

What’s going on here?

This is a promising set-up for a Doom story, with Doom engaged in his typically sinister machinations, this time with Latveria as the backdrop. While we’ve seen Latveria before, this is the first time the FF (or readers) have spent much time with Latverians, and it adds to the more nuanced view of Doom and Latveria that Marvel writers have developed over the years. Yes, Doom is an absolute monarch and a dictator, but he ensures his people are cared for and happy, provoking questions about security vs. freedom. It’s a bit of a simple construct for political analysis, but hey, it’s a comic book.

There have been too many depictions of Latveria and Doomstadt to count, but they generally use the template established here by Stan and Jack, of a kind of story-book, fairy-tale European kingdom. John Byrne took the ball and ran with it here in FF 258 (from 1983). In Latveria, the men are all strong, the women are all pretty and the children are all above average. Just don’t ask too many questions.

Where are we?

Geographically, we are told in this issue Latveria lies “deep in the heart of the Balkans,” which is more or less consistent with how it’s described over the years and where it’s depicted in a Marvel Universe map from 1987.

Yet here in FF 84 a dissident tries to escape via the sea. At least it looks like the sea. Maybe it’s a big lake.

The sexist sixties

The comic again pays short shrift to Sue and her (still) unnamed baby. Reed at one point mentions he’d like to go home and see his baby, but he is overruled by Nick Fury, who seems to command anyone at will. Well, at least he tried.

Deus Ex Fury

Fury’s appearance here is typical of how he’s used in many Fantastic Four (and Avenger) comics over the years: He shows up briefly, asks he super-team to investigate someting, then vanishes. It’s an effective way to getting the plot rolling, even if it becomes a bit of a cliche.

It’s Clobberin’ Time

Indeed it is.

Red Menace

A reminder that it’s still the Cold War.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

Here’s a totally nuts opening splash page:

Plus another excellent splash:

This is an outstanding page:

And a cool panel:

Also on sale

What else was on the newsstands on December 1968? (Sheng the Savage is not to be confused with Ming the Merciless).

Next issues: In the clutches of Doom!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 83

11 Sunday Dec 2022

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1968, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 83, Inhumans, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four 83
“Shall Man Survive?”
Published November 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

After the events of last issue, in which Maximus the Mad imprisoned the Inhumans and the Fantastic Four, Mr. Fantastic, the Human Torch and the Thing attempt to escape a sealed room, but can’t because Maximus’s hypno-rays leave unable to fully use their powers.

Elsewhere, as Maximus prepares to unleash his hypno-gun on humanity and conquer the earth, Black Bolt uses his voice power to shatter the glass enclosure, freeing the rest of the Inhumans. Separately, the Fantastic Four breaks free after Reed convinces Ben and Johnny to concentrate and realize they weren’t actually trapped. The three then quickly defeat Zorr, Maximus’s robot, before it can use the hypo-powers that beat them last issue.

The Inhuman and the FF then converge on Maximus, and as Crystal destroys his hypno-gun, Maximus escapes.

What’s going on here?

Fantastic Four 83 is a mostly satisfying conclusion to the events of last issue. It’s full of action, has some fun art, and lots of Ben cracking wise. The Inhumans’ escape seems a bit too easy—surely Maximus would have accounted for Black Bolt’s voice—and ultimately Maximus’s plan is foiled without much trouble. But the story is well paced, and we get a lot of Maximus as a mustache-twirling super villain.

The only big development in FF 83 is we finally see Sue and her baby, three issues after his birth in FF Annual 6. It’s only a few panels, but it’s a sign of life!

Silent Night

Unusually, FF 83 has a long sequence of the Inhumans battling without word balloons, sound effects or narrations. It’s the first time I’ve seen this in the FF, and I wonder if it’s related to Black Bolt’s silence. It reminds me of a sporting event, when the announcers shut up after a big moment (in this case, it was after the Inhumans freed themselves).

Those Wacky Inhumans

Jack clearly has fun coming up with zany Inhuman characters. A centaur, a flying guy, a tree guy etc.

The sexist sixties

This may be the most pathetic example of Sue’s helplessness. I can accept her needing Reed’s help to fight Dr. Doom, but to name a baby????

It’s Clobberin’ Time

These get better and better

Reunited

This is a fun panel

Dig that Kirby Krackle

We get two full page splash pages in this issue. If I’m being honest, I don’t love the Inhumans one – Black Bolt’s proportions seem off.

Some other cool panels

Also on sale

What else was on the newsstands in November 1968?

Next issue: The return of Dr. Doom!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 82

03 Saturday Dec 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 82, Inhumans, jack Kirby, Maximus the Mad, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four 82
“The Mark of the .. Madman!”
Publiched Oct. 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

With Crystal now a member of the Fantastic Four—filling in for the Invisible Woman, who recently gave birth—she tells the rest of the team she needs to secure permission from her family, the Inhumans. But as soon as she speaks it, Lockjaw teleports into the Baxter Building, followed by a horde of Alpha Primatives who capture her and disappear with her and Lockjaw. Back at the Inhumans Great Refuge (still not called Attilan), Crystal discovers Maximus the Mad has subdued the rest of the Inhuman Royal family via his “hypno-potions,” and capturing Crystal was his final blow.

Meanwhile, the three male members of the FF pursue Crystal via the FF’s ICBM, and once they arrive in the Himalayas, they are first trapped in a chamber by Maximus, then attacked, and eventually subdued by a robot called Zorr. The issue ends with Maximus planning to conquer the rest of the Earth. (For what’s it’s worth, the scene on the cover appears no where in the comic).

What’s going on here?

This is a fairly straightforward adventure comic that feels somewhat predictable. It features the return of the Inhumans, so naturally the villain is Maximus, and of course his plan is conquering the world. For the second issue in a row, Sue (and her still unnamed) baby are noticeably absent. I get why Stan and Jack wouldn’t want to bog down a comic with too much domesticity, but part of the FF’s appeal is it’s focus on family. Surely checking in on Sue and her new baby once wouldn’t be too much to ask?

If anything helps this comic rise about the average, it’s Jack’s great pencils and layouts. The art looks better than ever, and as we enter the final quarter of his run on the FF, he’s clearly letting his art air out. There’s more four- and even two-panel pages, and more splash pages, including two in this issue. It wasn’t uncommon to go many issues without a single splash page (aside from the opening page) and now they’re a regular feature.

I’m not a robot

Zorr is yet another very human-like robot the FF have fought in the last dozen or so issues. Along with the Kree Sentry, there was also Galactus’s Punisher, and the Thinker’s Android Man. All had very human-like speech patterns and behaviors (aside from the Punisher, but that was specifically described as half creature, half machine). It’s not clear if this is just a coincidence, or a conscious decision by Stan and Jack, but seems worth noting.

These guys look familiar

The Inhuman Alpha Primatives here look a lot like the Parademons Jack would create in a few years when he jumped to DC.

Oy vey

Another very specifically Jewish reference from Ben (a megillah is literally a scroll from the Book of Esther). Ben wasn’t explicitly identified as Jewish until much layer (not until in 2002). but he was the character that most resembled Jack (both grew up on the Lower East Side etc) and it made sense that Ben to sounds like a New York Jew, whether or not Stan and Jack intended to make him Jewish.

Who?

Reed calls Ben “Benjy” here. Which seems like a mistake.

It’s Clobberin’ Time

A pretty good one, at that.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you Joe Sinnott

More great inks from the master.

For sale

Live monkeys? Seriously?

We get letters

Someone had too much time on their hands

Dig that Kirby Krackle

Along with the great splash pages, there are some impressive smaller panels.

Also on newsstands

What else was on sale in October 1968?

Next issue: Does Maximus conquer Earth?

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 81

27 Sunday Nov 2022

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1968, Crystal, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 81, jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Wizard

Fantastic Four 81
“Enter — The Exquisite Elemental!”
Published Sept. 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

Crystal, the Inhuman girlfriend of the Human Torch, appears in a Fantastic Four costume of her own design and makes the case she should join the team to fill-in for the Invisible Girl, who has just given birth. As the rest of the team expresses doubts because of her age, the Wizard attacks. Johnny rushes out to confront him alone, but is soon joined by Mr. Fantastic, the Thing and Crystal. The FF battles the Wizard, and Crystal demonstrates both her strategic savvy and power, subduing the Wizard almost singlehandedly. The Wizard escapes but the team welcomes Crystal as its first replacement member.

What’s going on here?

After a tense and momentous annual (Annual 6 – read all about it), and before another multi-issue arc begins, this issue feels like an opportunity for everyone to catch their breath. The Wizard is a useful villain for this sort of story: threatening enough to keep it interesting, but not so dangerous that he can’t easily be beaten in a few pages.

The introduction of Crystal as a member of team is obviously the big development here, and the story serves as a reminder she has considerable superpowers of her own. After spending most of the last year sidelined as Sue’s companion and nurse, it would have been easy to forget. Also worth noting is the great cover, which highlights Crystal.

A cast of thousands

Crystal is the first replacement member, but there have been many over the years. Here’s a round up of the most notable, both official and unofficial, new members.

Crystal’s cousin Medusa also replaced the Invisible Girl:

*Fantastic Four 132 (1973, Thomas/J. Buscema/Sinnott)*

Power Man, better known today as Luke Cage, famous replaced the de-powered Thing for a few issues:

*Fantastic Four 168 (1976, Thomas/Buckler/Sinnott)*

She-Hulk also replaced the Thing. after he elected to stay on Battle World following the Secret Wars:

Under writer Steve Englehart, both Reed and Sue were replaced, by Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura) and Crystal again.

*Fantastic Four 307 1987 (Englehart/J.Buscema/Sinnott)*

During Tom Defalco’s run, Ant-Man (Scott Lang) was hired by the team as a replacement scientist for Reed. I don’t recall if he ever became an official member, but he hung around for a long time.

*Fantastic Four 384 (1994, Defalco/Ryan/Bulanadi)*

After the Civil War, in which Reed and Sue were on opposite sides, the two took a leave of absence and were replaced by Storm and the Black Panther (who were married at the time).

*Fantastic Four 544 (2007, McDuffie/Pelletier/Magyar)*

And when Johnny apparently died—he was actually captured by Annihilus—Spider-Man stepped in.

The sexist sixties

Virtually this whole issue could qualify as an example of Stan and Jack’s casual sexism, starting with the title (“the exquisite elemental”). Sue never appears, and he decision to replace her is made without any discussion with her. Crystal is dismissed and condescended to throughout, up until the final panel where Reed asks her to join the team, and Johnny makes a “powder-puff” reference. The Wizard is particularly bad, though.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Joe Sinnott

I don’t highlight Sinnott’s inking enough.

Crazy credits

It’s been a while since we had one of these:

Dig that Kirby Krackle

Some more great splash pages in this issue:

And this one:

Also on newsstands

What else was on sale in September 1968?

Next issue: The return of the Inhumans!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four Annual 6

24 Thursday Nov 2022

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1968, Annihilus, Annual, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four Annual 6, Franklin Richards, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four Annual 6
“Let There Be … Life!”
Published Nov. 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

The story begins with Mr. Fantastic frantically looking for a way to save the Invisible Girl, who is about to give birth to their child, from the “cosmic radiation” that remains in her blood following the accident that gave the team its powers. Reed has determined that one element, found only in the Negative Zone, can save her, and as he prepares to enter the zone to retrieve it, the Thing and the Human Torch insist on joining him.

Once in the Negative Zone, Reed is attacked and captured by a Scavenger, a creature in the employ of Annihilus, an insect-like warlord. Eventually Ben and Johnny are also captured, and the three are sent to the arena, where they are subject to Annihilus’s torture devices. The team overcomes them, and Reed realizes Annihilus’s control rod, which he wears around his neck, contains the element he needs to save Sue.

Reed steals the control rod and the team escapes, only to be pursued by Annihilus and his minions. Eventually the trio reaches a zone where “space is transformed into antimatter” (last seen in issue 51) and where they are powerless. Trapped, they strike a deal with Annihilus, who returns their harnesses, which allow them to travel through the Negative Zone, in return for the control rod, (save for a small amount of the element within Reed keeps t save Sue).

The team returns to earth in time to deliver the element to the hospital, and after an anxious wait, find Sue has given birth to a healthy (unnamed) son.

What’s going on here?

This is a big issue, with a lot going on. Aside from some very notable first appearances, it’s just a great story, one of the best of Stan and Jack’s run. The stakes are high and there is genuine suspense, and even if Negative Zone science is a little peculiar, it all make sense. Jack’s art has never looked better, and the extra page count (it’s 48 pages of story) gives him room to stretch out, with six splash pages, including one double-page splash, just the second in his FF run to date.

This comics was voted the 38th best Fantastic Four story in a CBR poll, but I would argue it’s better than that, one of the best of the Lee / Kirby run.

While technically a King Size Special, this comic really functions as an annual, with its numbering consistent with other annuals. And it has all the elements of a great comic annual, with an exciting story anchored by a Big Event. Often it’s a wedding, but here it’s the birth of Franklin Richards.

Who’s the new guy?

The birth of Franklin Richards added a significant new dimension to the Fantastic Four. He helped solidify the family nature of the team, and was often playing with toys or getting underfoot in the Baxter Building. He also was often thrust into the hands of baby sitters—usually Alicia Masters or Agatha Harkness—and opened Reed and Sue up to accusations they were negligent parents (this became a story arc in J. Michael Straczynski’s run in the 2000s). After Dan Slott’s run sent Reed, Sue and their kids into space for six years, Franklin is now a surly teenager who inexplicably died his hair black (I suspect it’s to distinguish him from Johnny in group shots) and uses the horrible codename Powerhouse. Here he is mouthing off to his dad.

*X-Men/Fantastic Four 3 (2020), Zdarsky/Dodson/Dodso*n

After it was revealed Franklin had mutant powers in FF 130, generations of Fantastic Four writers haven’t been able to resist tinkering with him in various ways, whether it’s him using his powers as a child, prematurely aging him, or introducing us to teenage or adult Franklins from the future or other dimensions (or both). Franklin has been depicted by so many writers and artists in so many different ways over the years it would be impossible to show them all, but here are some of the more noteworthy (or egregious) examples.

For a long time, this was Franklin’s basic look (I always loved the “4 1/2” sweatshirt). This is a John Byrne image, but not sure from where.

This is a pretty typical depiction of this era. Note Agatha Harkness.

*Fantastic Four* *Annual 14 (1979) Wolfman/Perez/ Marcos*

Here he is prematurely aged:

Here’s an alternate future version of Franklin:

*Fantastic Four* 377 (1993) Defalco/Ryan/Bulanadi

Another (short-lived) alternate future version, from the classic Days of Future Past

*Uncanny X-Men 141 (1981) Claremont/Byrne/Austin*

A painful stint as a super hero in the present, as part of Power Pack

As a superhero in the future:

*Fantastic Four 605 (2012) Hickman/Garney*

And finally, a future version with his present self:

Enter the bad guy

The other major debut in FF Annual 6 is Annihilus, who becomes a top-tier Fantastic Four villain, maybe trailing only Doom as an FF bad guy. Almost every Negative Zone story features him in one way or another, and he was responsible for the apparent death of Johnny Storm in Johnathan Hickman’s run. Although I’m tempted to post his major appearances as well, I think I’ll just go with these great Kirby panels from this issue.

Reed Richards is a Jerk

I get that Reed is stressed, but jeez man, chill out.

It’s Clobberin’ Time

Of course it is.

The sexist sixties

Of course fathers aren’t allowed in the delivery room. That would be crazy!

Read all about it

Surely this is a HIPPA violation:

Weird science

That’s “Mr. All-Engulfing Sonic Sponge” to you.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

This issue is frankly a bit insane. Almost every other page has an example of over-the-top Kirby craziness, so I’m going to restrain myself to showing the very best examples. Hold on!

First up of course is this beauty:

More splash pages:

And some other amazing panels:

And some more:

And some more:

Really, I could go on. It’s a hell of an issue for Kirby fans.

Also on sale

August 1968 was a great month for comic covers. Here are a few more classics, from Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert and Gene Colan:

Next issue: Crystal (finally) joins the team!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 80

13 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 80, jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Wyatt Wingfoot

Fantastic Four 80
“Where Treads the Living Totem!”
Published: August 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

The Human Torch and the Thing are lazing around the Baxter Building avoiding housework when they receive a letter from Wyatt Wingfoot, Johnny’s former roommate, asking for help defeating a “living totem.” While the Invisible Girl is still expecting her baby, Mr. Fantastic says she is still a week away from delivering and the doctors urged him to leave the hospital.

As the three teammates fly west, Wyatt encounters Tomazooma, which appears to be legendary figure in the form of a gigantic Native American totem set on destroying him. While he flees the totem and is eventually overcome, Johnny briefly skirmishes with members of Wingfoot’s tribe before the three members of the FF meet with Silent Fox, the chief and Wyatt’s grandfather. He explain the tribe is wealthy because of its oil reserves, but they are fending off the Red Star oil company “from behind the iron curtain.”

Soon it becomes clear that Tomazooma is actually a giant robot designed to scare the tribe from its lands for their oil. After a battle, the FF helps Wyatt and his tribe defeat the robot, while what appears to the real Tomazooma is glimpsed in the distance.

What’s going on here?

This is a zany issue, full of over-the-top action, big Kirby splash pages, some highly cringe-worthy depictions of Native Americans, and a plot ripped straight from the pages of Scooby-Doo. Unlike recent issues, FF 80 has little impact on the bigger Fantastic Four narrative, aside from reintroducing Wyatt Wingfoot. Rather it’s a one-and-done adventure with a gimmicky villain and lots of glorious splash pages. It certainly feels dated now, but I imagine this would have been a lot of fun for kids to read in 1968.

Indigenous issues

First things first, FF 80’s depictions of Native Americans and their culture is highly problematic, bordering on the racist. Basically, every pop-culture stereotype about Natives is trotted out, short of peace pipes and smoke signals. The story may be set in 1968, but its Native Americans are apparently still stuck in 1868.

Stan and Jack attempt to blunt their depictions of Wyatt’s tribe by giving them wealth and technology, not unlike how they elevated their Wakanda from a African backwater to a technologically superior nation. But in the case of Wakanda, they took the time to build a country and its culture. Here, we get a few Native Americans with ray guns, and a lot of clumsy writing.

As if that wasn’t enough, we also get references to “red skins” and “pale faces.”

About that plot

As it turns out, the giant Tomazooma isn’t actually the living incarnation of Native American myth, but a giant robot the Red Star Oil company deployed to seize oil fields. All that’s missing is Tomozoom pulling off its mask and saying “I would have gotten away with it if weren’t for you kids!”

Still, there’s a lot that goes unexplained. What is the significance of the villainous company being from behind the iron curtain (surely there are evil American oil companies), and how could they drill on US soil anyway? And who built a robot so powerful it thwarted three member of the Fantastic Four? None of this is addressed.

The sexist sixties

Not only is Crystal in charge of cleaning the Baxter Building, but she wears a French maid’s apron to do it in. Plus she gets left behind to look after Sue when the boys go on their adventure.

Shenanigans

Not entirely sure why this scene merited a splash page, or what song Ben is singing, but it sure is something.

It’s clobbering’ time!

Is it ever!

Weird science

Why can’t Tomazooma shoot laser beams like all the other killer robots?

Never leave home without it

Apparently Wyatt travels with a portable bazooka at the ready

The incredible Mr. Fantastic

This is a new trick for Reed

Letters page

This is a great letter, from a fan who says the FF was better in the Good Old Days of four years earlier, in part because there were more panels per comic (he also anticipates the infamous Hulk story by John Byrne, which ran in Marvel Fanfare 29, where every page was a panel, or every panel was a page).

Bullpen bulletins

All sorts of juicy details in this months bulletin: John Romta has a new car, Roy Thomas has a Nehru jacket, Stan has grown a beard …

This is new

The cover has a message for retailers about a new marketing program. It’s as boring as it sounds, but it’s odd they felt they needed to mar the cover to get the message across.

For sale

All sorts of stuff on offer, from horse posters to plastic pillows. And I’m kind of digging these Cheerios ads.

Dig that Kirby Krackle

The show stopper is this splash of Tomazooma, although it’s not clear if he is the Totem that Walks, or the Death that Walks. I guess it can be both

An excellent sequence

Also on newsstands

August 1968 was just a stellar month for covers. I chose three great Marvel covers, from John Romita, Jim Steranko, and John Buscema, but there were another dozen just as good.

Next issue: Annual 6 and Annihilus!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 79

06 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by percivalhenry in The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

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1968, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 79, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four 79
“A Monster Forever?”
Published July 1968
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Jack Kirby
Letters: Artie Simek
Cover: Kirby and Sinnott

Synopsis

Fantastic Four 79 opens with the Human Torch, Crystal and the Thing hanging out in the Baxter Building, celebrating Ben’s return to human form. As Johnny and Crystal head out for a day on the town, a nervous Ben takes a taxi to see his girlfriend, Alicia. In his anxiety, he absent-mindedly brings along the Wizard’s “wonder gloves,” confiscated after their battle last issue.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fantastic is confronted with test results that show the Invisible Girl’s pregnancy might be threatened by her exposure to the cosmic rays that gave her powers. When Sue asks him what’s wrong, he deflects and doesn’t share his concerns.

Elsewhere, the New York police are examining the workshop of the Mad Thinker, last seen in issue 71, when they inadvertently awaken his Android Man, which has been programmed to seeks out a signal sent by the Thinker. For reasons not really explained, the Android Man picks up a signal from the Wizard’s wonder gloves, and crashes into the restaurant where Ben and Alicia are dining in pursuit of the holder of the gloves. In the confusion, Alicia hangs on to the gloves, and Ben, in human form, tries to slow the Android. But with Alicia in danger, Ben forces himself to transform back into the Thing, knowing the change will be irreversible, and defeats the android.

What’s going on here?

This is an excellent issue, full of humor, drama, and tension. The focus is really on three couples: Johnny and Crystal, who are enjoying being young in New York; Reed and Sue, who are expecting a child and full of worry; and Ben and Alicia, who are struggling to adjust to the dramatic change in Ben’s appearance.

The Android Man is a useful villain, even if its appearance doesn’t make a ton of sense (did the Thinker make the Wizard’s gloves? it’s never explained). There is an inevitability to Ben returning back to the Thing, but it doesn’t make the moment any less poignant.

Ben and Alicia

There is a painful awkwardness between Ben and Alicia’s meal together …

.
… which is —almost thankfully—interrupted by the Android looming in the window, then bursting through it.

Clobberin’ time

This is an all-time-great use of Ben’s signature line.

In a family way

Reed’s unwillingness, or inability, to be truthful with Sue about her condition is equally uncomfortable. Thus far, this is as close to appearing pregnant as we’ve seen Sue.

We also get this splash-page portrait of Reed and Sue, apparently due to popular demand:

Young love

There’s a lot of fun, flirty banter between Johnny and Crystal.

Top O’ the Mornin’

FF 79 marks the debut of Sergius O’Hollihan, the Baxter Building’s doorman and a (very) minor supporting character distinguished mainly by his caricatured Irish brogue.

He shows up a few more times over the years including, bizarrely, as a a mental construct the Thing conjures up while stuck on Battleworld in 1985’s Thing 21 (by John Byrne, Ron Wilson and Joe Sinnott).