“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 152

10 Sunday Nov 2024

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1974, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 152, Gerry Conway, Marvel comics

Fantastic Four 152
“A World of Madness Made!”
Published Aug. 1974
Writer: Genny Conway
Pencils: Rich Buckler
Inks: Jim Mooney
Letters: Artie Simek
Colors: Jan Brunner
Cover: Buckler and John Romita

Synopsis

Thundra confronts Mahkizmo, who had just defeated most of the Fantastic Four, and as they battle they are transported to Machus, his male-dominated world (yes, I know – aren’t they all?). Mr. Fantastic modifies Dr. Doom’s time machine so the FF can pursue them, but when they arrive in the future dimension, they are again defeated and enslaved by Mahkizmo. Medusa escapes, but instead of freeing the rest of the FF, she uses the time machine to travel elsewhere.

What’s going on here

This issue continues the arc that began in FF 151. By now Mahkizmo and his bombastic rhetoric is starting to get tedious, and the story feels padded out with fight scenes that are pretty repetitive. I still like the multiversal plot, but the execution is not idea. The twist with Medusa is promising — we’ll see if Conway can stick the landing next issue.

The big development is the change of inker. Jim Mooney fills in for Joe Sinnott (John Romita Sr. chipped in to ink the cover) and the difference is pretty noticeable, with a rougher, thicker line. By this point, Mooney had been around forever, with his first credit in 1940 (!), and he worked pretty regularly until 1991. A true comics lifer.

Here are some representative examples of Mooney’s inks:

He’s not Sinnott (who is?) but the change is interesting.

What I liked

There were some fun moments in this comic, such as this exchange between Reed and Ben. I also liked Reed’s screen, which seems to use the Time magazine logo.

I also liked this line from the Torch. Very Walter White.

What I didn’t like

Sue is technically back, but in such a limited role that she might as well not be here. Of course, once she returns to the team she is immediately shunted to the side. Also, the way she’s carrying that machinery makes me wonder if it wasn’t initially drawn to be Franklin, then redrawn later.

Yes, I have complained Medusa doesn’t have enough of a role. And she’s a lot more present here. But this sequence doesn’t make sense. Mahkizmo, who bounces back from Ben’s blows, is knocked out by a wine bottle?

Anything else?

This feels an April Fool’s joke. Did Marvel really produce a comic called HITLER? (If it exists, I can’t find a record of it).

Overall

Pretty typical

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 151

02 Saturday Nov 2024

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1974, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 151, Gerry Conway, Rich Buckler

Fantastic Four 151
“Thundra and Lighting!”
Published July 1974
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Rick Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Colors: Petra Scotese
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Buckler

Synopsis

The Thing and Human Torch’s clothes shopping is interrupted when an interdimensional warrior, Mahkizmo, invades the Baxter Building, demanding the whereabouts of Thundra. As he battles the FF (minus the Invisible Girl), Thundra explains to Medusa that Mahkizmo comes from a male-dominated planet parallel to her’s.

What’s going on here

Frequent readers of this blog know I regard this era of the Fantastic Four as a fairly uninspired one. While there are a few high points, mostly it’s a pretty dreary stretch between the end of Lee / Kirby and the beginning of the Byrne run. If anything , the period is notable for its silly plots and goofy villains, and while we’ve yet to get to the goofiest (Gaard, anyone?) I was bracing myself for this issue and the absurdly named Mahkizmo. Surely if any character embodied the lazy crutch of seizing on the news of the day and making it a comic story, it would be Mahkizmo, who—in his inevitable clash with the Femizon, Thundra—would caricature the mid 1970s, anti-ERA strain of American politics.

And yet, the issue wasn’t all that bad. There’s some fun characterizations, the plot is more nuanced than I expected and, despite the awful name and weird character design, Mahkizmo is a servicable villain. So much for judging a comic book by its cover.

What I liked

What redeems Mahkizmo is his absolutely savagery. As written by Gerry Conway, he just pummels the male members of the FF. There’s been other brutal characters, of course, but it’s hard to recall one that so completely overwhelms the FF.

His costume is a bit odd, and with all its straps, seems to foreshadow the 1990s look. Also, he appears to have taken off his shoes and is fighting in his socks in the double-page spread above.

Mahkizmo is really good at insults that reflect his contempt for his sissy-like enemies. My favorite is “male-ling.”

I liked the multi-verse explanation of Thundra and Mahkizmo’s origins, with their parallel universes being drawn together, which seem obviously inspired by the Fourth World stories Kirby was cranking out at DC. Some Kirby-esque character designs, too (no surprise there).

This is as cogent and concise and explanation for the multi-verse concept as I have seen (and this imagery will become familiar in about a decade):

And lastly, I liked the small bits of character development, from Ben and Johnny bonding over clothes shopping to Reed’s happiness at being reunited with his son and daughter.

What I didn’t like

Speaking of Sue and Franklin, where are they? You might think the issue after Sue is reunited with her husband and Franklin is returned to health might merit an appearance, but you clearly don’t think like Conway. Despite all th events of last issue, they are, shockingly, absent.

And despite my prediction that Medusa would at last be shuffled out of the team, she’s back, although she again serves no real purpose but to be a confidante to Thundra.

Anything else?

If you think the phrase “the Nuclear Man” is familar, you’re not wrong. Conway repurposed it for Firestorm, a hero he invented for DC a year years later.

Richard Pini, who later became half of the team of creators behind the legendary indie comic ElfQuest, has a letter to the editor (he’s not too happy with the book’s current direction):

And lastly, I really hate when I buy a back issue only to find this inside (stupid coupons):

Overall

Much better than I had any right to expect

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 150

27 Sunday Oct 2024

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1974, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 150, Gerry Conway, Inhumans, Rich Buckler

Fantastic Four 150
“Ultron 7: He’ll Rule the World!” and “The Wedding of Crystal and Quicksilver!”
Published June 1974
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Rich Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Linda Lessman
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia

Editors note: Apologies for skipping a week. This post was delayed, ironically, because I spent a few days at New York Comic Con. We should be back on track going forward.

Synopsis

Ultron 7, whose head is attached to the gigantic form of Omega, unleashes a mental blast that stirs the powers in comatose Franklin, and the resulting feedback shuts down Ultron while awakening Franklin, to the delight of his parents. In an epilogue / second story, Crystal weds Quicksilver while the gathered heroes consider their own love lives.

What’s going on here

After the jumble of Avengers 127, things finally cohere in FF 150 into an intelligible plot. The confrontation with Ultron is thankfully brief; mostly the robot rants and raves, explains how Maximus launched it upon the Inhumans, and then is disrupted by Franklin’s psychic energy. Ending the threat of Ultron while wakening Franklin was a neat plot twist I didn’t see coming, and combined with Sue’s rapprochement with Reed last issue, serves to end a two-year period of disharmony between Reed and Sue. My guess is that this will also end Medusa’s tenure as a member of the FF, but we will see.

The wedding of Crystal and Quicksilver still doesn’t make a ton of sense, but they stuck it out for almost two decades in real time and had a daughter, Luna, before Pietro went nuts and the marriage fell apart. While it lasted, it was a fun inter-Marvel relationship, connecting the Inhumans, the FF, the Avengers and the X-Men.

Gil Kane again did the cover. Not his strongest work, but Johnny looks cool.

What I liked

I’m a sucker for quiet moments comics—where heroes aren’t in the middle of epic battles and can reflect on their lives—and this issue’s second story provided a lot of that. There was a nice moment between Reed and Sue, and an odd sequence where Thor and Iron man discuss their romantic troubles. (Not sure what “Scenario” means here but whatever).

We finally get some angst from Jonny about his ex getting married:

And there are some big, Kirby-esque splash pages from Rich Buckler:

What I didn’t like

For a robot, Ultron talks sooo much. Here is but a sample of its blather:

Anything else?

There is a curious panel that identifies the Golden-Age hero the Whizzer as the father of Pietro and Wanda. This was an idea introduced briefly in Giant-Sized Avengers 1, but was eventually swept aside when it was revealed their father was actually Magneto (and eventually this too would be retconned away).

This ad seems to have a bit of everything: Kung Fu and SportsAction!

Overall

A surprisingly successful issue.

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Avengers No. 127

12 Saturday Oct 2024

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1974, Avengers 127, Fantastic Four, Inhumans, Marvel comics, Ultron

Avengers 127
“Bride and Doom!”
Published June 1974
Writer: Steve Englehart
Pencils: Sal Buscema
Inks: Joe Staton
Letters: Tom Orzechowski
Colors: Englehart
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Gil Kane and Mike Esposito

Editors note: Yes, I know this isn’t an issue of the Fantastic Four. But Avengers 127 is the immediate precursor to FF 150 and the FF play a major role in it, so I felt it made sense to give it the full, TWGCM treatment. We will resume our march through the FF next week.

Synopsis

Gorgon and Lockjaw, the Inhumans, summon the Avengers to the wedding of Quicksilver and Crystal, although there is friction between Quicksilver and his sister, the Scarlet Witch. The Avengers and the Fantastic Four arrive in the Great Refuge (not yet called Attilan) for the festivities, but soon fall victim to mind control attacks, seemingly at the hands of the Maximus and Alpha Primatives, who are later revealed to be pawns of the evil robot Ultron.

What’s going on here

This issue is a bit of a jumble, with a lot of moving parts that don’t really cohere. The wedding of Crystal and Quicksilver, announced by Gorgon in the splash page, takes the Avengers by surprise, and presumably readers were equally taken aback. There was no hint that Crystal and Quicksilver’s relationship had advanced to the wedding stage in recent issues of the Fantastic Four, nor, as far as I can tell, in the Avengers. My guess is that editor Roy Thomas, wanting a big event for FF 150, thought up the wedding, and the writers made it work as best they could. The Alpha Primatives/Maximus/Omega/Ultron plot is particularly janky.

I’m not really familiar with this era of the Avengers, so it’s interesting to see Joe Staton inking Sal Buscema. I have never been a Steve Englehart fan, and I consider his run on the FF in the late 80s once of the worst ever, but I was surprised to see him get a coloring credit. The Gil Kane cover is amazing.

What I liked

I’ve mentioned before that the FF at times seems cut off from the rest of the Marvel Universe, and true cross-over events in this period are pretty rare. I believe the last was FF 73, but I may be missing something. So it’s fun to see the FF as part of a greater whole, even if I don’t love how they are handled here (more on that in a bit). Of course, cross-over events went from fun to a painful obligation for comic collectors pretty quickly, but as a young reader I loved them.

One small highlight from this period of comics is Iron Man’s nose. It always makes me smile.

What I didn’t like

I was disappointed with how the FF was dropped into the story, almost as an afterthought and without a scene of Johnny reacting to the news of Crystal’s engagement. Surely that would have merited a few panels in the FF’s own issue. Here is there first appearance:

When Johnny finally speaks to Crystal, it feels perfunctory and rushed:

It’s slotted into a sequence of exchanges between various characters — Johnny and Crystal, Crystal and Quicksilver, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, Mantis and the Swordsman — that has a distinctly soap opera-ish quality. All of it is very melodramatic, and written in anguished tones. (Plus, is Crystal really a “maiden?”)

Speaking of Englehart’s purple prose, this is as cringey a bit of writing I’ve yet encountered:

And Sue is suddenly back on the team, as if nothing over the last 20 issues in the FF ever happened:

I also thought this panel was odd. The Avengers and FF are performing tricks for the crowd at a wedding banquet? With Black Bolt elevated on a throne? There’s a weirdly medieval vibe to how Buscema envisioned Attilan.

Lastly, this panel was almost laughably weird. The giant Omega pulls off a mask to reveal he’s Ultron, like in the last scene of a Scoobey-Doo episode. Does Ultron really need to wear a disguise when he’s a 50-foot monster?

Anything else?

As mentioned, the Kane cover is incredible. It also is an echo of his cover for FF 146, and both foreshadow his cover of Giant-Size X-Men 1, and all of which seemed to inspire Mike Zeck’s Secret Wars 1, which in itself is much homaged. (Hat tip to sharp-eyed reader Jay Weintraub for pointing out the similarities between the covers of FF 146 and GS X-Men 1).

Overall

An Englehart / Thomas mess.

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 149

05 Saturday Oct 2024

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1974, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 149, Gerry Conway, Inhumans, Marvel comics, Namor, Rich Buckler

Fantastic Four 149
“To Love, Honor, and Destroy!”
Published May 1974
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Rick Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Petra Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Buckler and Sinnott

Synopsis

The Sub-Mariner, with the Invisible Woman at his side, attacks Manhattan, ostensibly to avenge Mr. Fantastic’s treatment of Sue and their child, Franklin. After a long battle, the Thing convinces Sue to forgive Reed, and Namor’s attack is revealed to be a plot cooked by him and the Inhumans Medusa and Triton to bring Reed and Sue back together.

What’s going on here?

This is a really frustrating issue with a flimsy story doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny. It has the feel of a Julie Schwartz-era Silver Age comic, where a silly situation involving Lois Lane is revealed to be a scheme by Superman. Here, Namor’s invasion of the surface world was never a very convincing threat, because it was never fully explained, nor were Sue’s motivations for joining him. But it’s also not convincing that Namor would agree to take part in a elaborate plot to reunite Reed and Sue either. And Sue’s decision to forgive Reed doesn’t work, either (more on that later).

The comic is also padded with a long flashback of the FF’s first battle with the Sub-Mariner, and double-page spread that serves no real purpose other to take up space. The reconciliation of Reed and Sue deserved a better story than this gimmicky, ill-conceived nonsense.

What I liked

Suddenly, Thundra seems to be part of the team, or is at least tagging along until she can defeat Ben in combat. It’s not really clear what’s she doing here, but she’s a fun addition.

We haven’t seen much of Sue lately, so it was good to see her in action, and particularly using her powers to new and devastating effect.

What I didn’t like

As noted above, the whole issue is a failure. But the biggest flaw is Sue’s decision to reunite with Reed, without Reed ever offering her an explanation or apology. Here,. Ben says Reed admitted his mistake, but did he? If so, it’s not in this issue and I don’t recall him ever telling that to Sue in the preceding issues.

And despite that lack of admission of fault, Sue accepts Reed back by saying he knows how to say he’s sorry – which he never does!

Further, throughout all of this, there is no discussion of Franklin, whether he is still in a coma or vegetative state, or what Sue intended to do with him if she ran off with Namor. Was he going to grow up underwater? Go to Atlantean childcare? It all feels slapdash and rushed, as if Roy and Gerry needed to get Sue and Reed back together before the big 150th issue.

And the reveal at the end, with Triton pulling off his mask, had a goofy Scooby-Doo feel to it.

Overall

One to forget

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 148

29 Sunday Sep 2024

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1974, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 148, Frightful Four, Gerry Conway, Marvel comics, Namor, Rich Buckler

Fantastic Four 148
“War on the Thirty-Sixth Floor!”
Published April 1974
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Rich Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Colors: Linda Lessmann
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Bucker and Sinnott

Synopsis

The Fantastic Four return from last issue’s battle with the Sub-Mariner to the Baxter Building, where they are attacked by the Wizard, Sandman and Trapster. The battle is turned when Thundra shows up to aid the FF. The issue ends with Namor seemingly invading New York, accompanied by the Invisible Woman.

What’s going on here?

There’s a tension in comic books between the silly and the realistic. A lot of fans love the nutty stories from the Silver Age, where science and logic is abandoned for goofy fun. Other fans prefer stories grounded in reality, where real-world consequences of comic stories are borne out in often grim or disturbing ways. Readers of this blog probably recognize I’m somewhere in the middle; I love the fun energy of comics that are unconcerned with practical concerns, but I like at least some pretense of explanation and structure. When plots are too unhinged, I get annoyed and lose interest.

Fantastic Four 148 is squarely on the goofy side of the ledger. There’s not a lot in this comic that makes a lot of sense, from the random attack of the Frightful Four (Frightful Three?) to Thundra’s unexplained appearance to the out-of-nowhere double-page splash attack by Namor. But despite all that, the story is a lot of fun. It’s pretty much just a series of battles between FF members and the Wizard, Sandman and Trapster, in which they pair-off in various combinations and fight. There’s not a ton of plot involved, and the bad guys’ motivation is simply revenge, but it’s never boring and Buckler brings his high-energy style to it all.

What I liked

Along with the aforementioned fightin’, there were a few smaller moments I enjoyed, such as this sequence with the sandman running his mouth about Reed’s lack of street smarts, while Reed is out-smarting Sandy by sneaking his arm behind him.

I also thought this was a cute panel:

What I didn’t like

I’ve grumbled before about how Conway almost reflexively reaches into the Stan and Jack bag of tricks when he needs a plot device, and the Namor-invades-the-surface-world plot is a textbook example. We’ll see how this plays out (I’m guessing he doesn’t succeed) and how and when Sue’s estrangement from Reed is resolved, but so far it seems pretty uninspired as a storyline.

It’s also worth remembering Conway was very young when he wrote these comics, and while it’s not always evident, occasionally there’s an odd turn of phrase or idea that an older writer might have avoided, like this stray thought from Johnny about how having a sister is like having a wife:

(also, he’s crazy muscular in that left image)

When I started this blog, I had a recurring item I called “Reed Richards is a Jerk” (a play on my favorite line from Kitty Pryde), in which I showed panels of Reed being, well, a jerk. This would have been a very good example:

And while I’ve mentioned this many times, but once again, Medusa has almost no role in this comic, which seems a real waste of potential.

Anything else?

Lots of new names in this Bullpen Bulletins team who would go on to have a huge impact on Marvel and comics in general, among them Larry Hama, Paul Gulacy, Dave Cockrum, Al Milgrom and Klaus Janson.

This ad is another example of what seems to be an ongoing confusion in the ad sales department about who was reading comic books. Were there a lot of car owners and aspiring mechanics reading these things?

Overall

A hoot!

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 147

22 Sunday Sep 2024

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1974, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 147, Gerry Conway, Marvel comics, Namor, Rich Buckler

Fantastic Four 147
“The Sub-Mariner Strikes!”
Published March 1974
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Rick Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Colors: Linda Lessmann
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Buckler and Sinnott

Synopsis

After their adventures in the Himalayas, the Thing, Human Torch and Medusa return to find a distraught Mr. Fantastic with divorce papers filed by the Invisible Girl. When Ben and Johnny fly to Pennsylvania to confront Sue, they are attacked by the Sub-Mariner, who they later learn has abducted Sue and Franklin. The team then mounts an attack on Namor’s underwater citadel, only to learn Sue joined him of her own volition.

What’s going on here?

This issue marks the return of artist Rick Buckler, which is a good thing, mostly (more on this later). It’s also the first issue colored by Linda Lessmann, a new Marvel colorist.

The story fits neatly in the established narrative of Reed and Sue’s unraveling marriage, which really began in FF 130, when Sue left Reed with Franklin, but accelerated in FF 141, when Reed zapped Franklin into a vegetable-like state to prevent his powers from destroying the world. To Gerry Conway’s credit, he has kept the sub-plot bubbling in the background, so readers were well prepared for the bombshell revelation of Sue filing for divorce. Unfortunately, the story deteriorates from there.

What I liked

Buckler has a bold style and likes big panels and splash pages. Here, he gives us two, including a very Kirby-esque design of Namor’s underwater lair.

We also get a a lot of cool, sci-fi type stuff that has made the FF just a fun read over the years. Mento-scan device, anyone?

And Reed’s lengthy explanation of how they are going to fight underwater makes sense, I guess?

I also liked Ben correcting Johnny’s grammar.

What I didn’t like

The introduction of the Sub-Mariner into the plot feels like lazy writing and a deliberate attempt to reclaim some of the old Lee / Kirby magic. Since Sue and her background is so thinly developed, writers like Conway seemingly have no choice but to resort to Namor whenever Sue is questioning her marriage. There’s an implied sexism here, that Sue couldn’t have any reason to want to leave Reed except for another man. Sue is basically invisible in this issue, which is ostensibly about her, and features a bunch of men fighting over her (Medusa, too, is basically ignored). The first time Sue speaks is in the final panels:

The fight between Ben, Johnny and Namor feels pro forma, and geographically implausible, since Pennsylvania does not have an abundance of large lakes. Maybe they fought over Lake Wallenpaupack?

We’ll see how the story resolves but this Reed-Sue Namor love triangle feels contrived and overly familiar.

Also, there’s an unevenness to Buckler’s art in this issue, particularly in this sequence:

Anything else?

Star Wars fans might recognize this exchange, since a version of it appears 31 years later in the Revenge of the Sith (minus the “unthinking buffoon” line, which would have been fun):

Whose idea was it to recruit comic book readers to sell gardening seeds? Do kids know anything about how to grow petunias and pansies?

Overall

Pretty forgettable

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 146

14 Saturday Sep 2024

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1974, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 146, Gerry Conway, Marvel comics, Ross Andru

Fantastic Four 146
“Doomsday: 200 Below!”
Published: February 1974
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Ros Andru
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: George Roussos
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott

Synopsis

After escaping the clutches of Ternak, leader of the creatures that capured them, the Human Torch and Medusa are joined by the Thing in defeathing the climate cannon and restoring the Yeti-like Chosen to human form.

What’s going on here?

After the lackluster previous issue, this was an improvement. It’s not a great issue, but the story has some fun twists and turns and there’s some nice character moments that make up for what is basically a nonsensical plot.

Ross Andru is back for the penciling duties, with inks by Joe Sinnott. The art is serviceable, but rarely exciting. Even a big double page splash (see above) feels a bit tepid. The cover is another by Gil Kane (inks by Sinnott) and another I suspect only the most dedicated Kane fan (Kanatic?) would recognize as by him.

What I liked

A big theme of the last few issues was Johnny’s anger at Reed for zapping Franklin into a coma to shut down his powers and save the world. Here, he talks through his issues with Medusa, who again gets a bigger role in this comic. It’s a nuanced and surprisingly mature conversation.

I don’t love all of Andru’s art, especially his rendition of the Thing, but I do like these long shots of the ice caves:

What I didn’t like

Ben’s appearance in the comic is teased in a way that’s both silly and unsuccessful. He first shows up as a silhouette, yet sounds and acts just like the Thing. But even if a reader was puzzled about who this mysterious figure might be, he’s on the frickin’ cover! Maybe no one thought to tell Kane not to give it away.

The conclusion also felt off, where the solution to ending the Yeti’s aggression is turning them into humans. Forcing a unique culture to give up what makes them special because they were led astray by their leader seems wrong. You can insert the historic analogy of your choosing.

Anything else?

Roy gives a rundown of Marvel’s editorial staff. About half these guys got a chance to be editor-in-chief at one point or another. (Note the adjective for the one woman mentioned is “cute.”)

Does anyone out there have one of these medallions? It’s interesting who Marvel considered its Big Three in 1974.

Overall

This still feels like a low ebb for the Fantastic Four

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 145

07 Saturday Sep 2024

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1974, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 145, Gerry Conway, Marvel, Marvel comics, Ross Andru

Fantastic Four 145
“Nightmare in the Snow!”
Published Jan. 1974
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Ross Andru
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Linda Lessmann
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia

Synopsis

Responding to a summons from Black Bolt to return to Attilan, the Human Torch and Medusa are shot down in the Himalayas and attacked by a yeti-like tribe led by the evil Ternak. Ternak captures them, then reveals his plan to lower the world’s temperatures with his “climate cannon.”

What’s going on here

When I started this project several years I was eager to do a complete read-through of the Lee / Kirby issues, and I was looking forward to re-reading the John Byrne run. I was less certain of what I would find in between. The best case scenario would be some bronze-age gems I never would have encountered. The worst case was hokey stories with forgettable villains and inane plots. Reader, this comic represents everything I feared I might find between issues 103 and 232.

It isn’t terrible, per se, but it is deeply silly, and very forgettable. The story seems stolen from a pulp novel, and while you may believe a race of enlightened snowmen can build a machine capable of lowering the earth’s temperature, I am skeptical (today, of course, they would be celebrated as heroes). The issue’s structure is also odd, starting with the crashed pogo plane in the Himalayas, then the attacking yetis, before finally revealing via flashback how Johnny and Medusa wound up there. I had to check I was reading the right issue to make sure I hadn’t skipped one accidentally.

More compelling than the story is the appearance of some interesting names in the credits. This is Linda Lessmann’s first credited issue of the FF as colorist. She would go one to have a long career, mostly at Marvel but also at First Comics. It also marks the return of Ross Andru, who is filling in here for Rich Buckler. As usual, Sinnott’s inks give the FF a generally uniform appearance, but Andru brings his own energy to the comic and his Human Torch looks unlike anyone else’s.

Lastly, Gil Kane is back for the cover, where he is inked by Frank Giacoia. This effort is more successful than his cover two issues ago, although I don’t know that it screams “Kane.”

What I liked

Medusa finally gets a starring role, about a dozen issues into her stint as a team member. It’s still not clear that Conway knows what to do with her, and her personality seems completely generic, but at least she gets more than two speaking panels. Plus, we now know she can feel through her hair (which seems weird?)

I also liked Andru’s handing of the backstory of the yeti-people, aka The Chosen (not to be confused with the Frozen Chosen). It’s very evocative, and reminded me of Hergé’s Tintin in Tibet.

What I didn’t like

Aside from the above-mentioned critiques, the very lengthy flashback included yet another pointless fight between Ben and Johnny, one that serves no real purpose except to remind us how tedious their squabbles have become. Maybe Roy Thomas insisted Conway deploy these Lee / Kirby gimmicks, but Conway should have known better than to go back to this particular well so many times.

Anything else?

Marvel explains its value stamps (the reason this comics and the one before it have holes cut out of them) and it mostly sounds like a scam.

Overall

A thoroughly mediocre comic book

“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” Fantastic Four No. 144

31 Saturday Aug 2024

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1973, Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 144, Gerry Conway, Marvel comics, Rich Buckler

Fantastic Four 144
“Attack!”
Published: Dec. 1973
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Rich Buckler
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: Artie Simek
Colors: George Roussos
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Bucker and Sinnott

Synopsis

Aided by Darkoth, Mr. Fantastic, the Thing and Medusa escape Dr. Doom’s subterranean New York lair, only to be attacked by the android Seeker. Reed reprograms the Seeker to free the Human Torch, and while Doom flees into space, he is attacked and apparently destroyed by Darkoth.

What’s going on here?

This is a fun, if not entirely coherent, issue. Bucker’s art is big and bold, as we will see, and Conway has crafted a rollicking story that hits a lot of the notes of later Lee / Kirby issues, but probably tries to stuff too much into the comic. This issue feels like the clearest example of how Conway and Bucker’s Fantastic Four differs from the Roy Thomas / John Buscema era. It’s less wordy, less concerned with intricacies of plot, while more exuberant and grandiose.

The issue wraps up a three-part arc that featured the return of Doom and introduced Darkoth. Both appear to die in the final pages, which feels like a classic way to wrap up a big story, but I assume most comic fans knew better than to think it was conclusive.

What I liked

As mentioned, Bucker’s art is dynamic and the double-page spread above is a great example. I’m not sure the FF have had a double-page spread since the Kirby era (and they were pretty rare then) so this was a an exciting surprise when I found this across pages 2 and 3. The panel is big enough to serve up recaps from the last few issues, give a great visual image of the FF’s plight (who knew the New York sewers had stalactites?) and even include an apology about Medusa’s outfit.

Here’s another great Buckler image:

I love the way the Torch pops off the page. It’s like a 3-D comic.

This issue also had a lot of by-play between Reed and Ben, who is distraught and irritable about Alicia being held prisoner by Doom. Reed is at his best as a leader and friend here.

And a bit later:

Conway strikes the right balance here with Reed, who can be a pushy and domineering jerk, but also knows how to motivate his team to get the job done.

The comic had a bittersweet ending, with Ben once again reminded of his monstrosity.

And I liked how Doom refers to his prisoner as “Coach Thorne.” Just like me, he has trouble referring to old teachers by their first names.

What I didn’t like

Overall, the story felt thin and not full developed. Darkoth’s backstory is confusing — is he a demon? is he a cyborg? — and it’s not clear how or where Doom found him. Doom’s plot for world domination, utilizing the mass-hypnotizing vibro-bomb, never feels like more than a McGuffin, while the Seeker shows up out of nowhere and makes little sense. It’s easily defeated, and serves as Doom’s undoing. I’ve written before about how the villain’s androids in the Fantastic Four rarely seem like androids, and have oddly human characteristics for machines. This is another example. Why does an android have muscles? Why does it need to talk? (And what are “nuclear-discharger rods,” anyway?)

Once again, Medusa is barely in the story — I think she only speaks in two panels — and Sue and Franklin are not only not seen, but never referenced. In all, there’s a “let’s throw it against the wall and see what sticks” quality to the story that leaves it unsatisfying.

There’s also this weird interlude, which feels like Conway getting back at the jocks in his high school.

Anything else?

Lots of interesting advertising in this issue. I love these ads for record clubs. It’s reminder of what we think of music from the 1970s wasn’t all that people listened to. Englebert Humperdink, anyone?