Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: July 8, 1965
Cover: October 1965
12 cents
Daringly written by Stan lee
Dazzlingly drawn by Jack Kirby
Dramatically inked by Vince Colletta
Docily lettered by Artie Simek
20 pages
| Previous | #374 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Fantastic Four #42 | Reading order | Daredevil #9 |
| Fantastic Four #42 | Fantastic Four | Fantastic Four #44 |
You thought you were the equal of the Fantastic Four– and nobody is!
Another great cover, and showing off Kirby’s versatility. Last issue had a cover beautiful in its simplicity, focused on two men locked in combat. Now we see a lot of complexity, that intricate machinery Kirby is so famous for drawing, but where the complexity frames the emotion of a defeated Fantastic Four.
When we left off, the Frightful Four had brainwashed Ben and Johnny into joining them. Now it’s up to Reed and Sue to fight off 6 enemies and restore their teammates’ minds. The startling conclusion of a 3-part battle.
But then we learn the truth. Sue had disabled the machine, so Johnny is only faking being under Wizard’s control. The odds are changing.
We get an aside which demonstrates how much all these stories flow together. We check in with Dr. Doom, still recovering from Thing’s assault on him three issues earlier (likely yesterday in their time), and plotting his revenge, which will come to play in the Fantastic Four Annual out this month. Just three panels to tie into the last arc and the next one, creating the feel of one large saga.
Seems Johnny didn’t want to tackle Medusa because he found her attractive.
In terms of sheer length, this was the most epic Fantastic Four battle ever. Notable for having to fight Thing, but also because they had not defeated the Frightful Four in the two prior encounters, so it’s an important victory for the team.
We are now solidly into the golden era of Fantastic Four. Only one element is missing, which we will see in issue 44. Before we get to that, there is a Fantastic Four Annual which went on sale one week earlier than this issue, but must take place after. And because this is a 3-part story, we jumped a little ahead in our reading to get it all in at once. We need to check in with Daredevil, Spider-Man, Thor, Nick Fury, Hulk, and…. one other character getting his own title. And then we’ll meet up again with all those characters and more in that Fantastic Four Annual.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 59/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Fantastic Four Omnibus vol. 1
Characters:
- Mr. Fantastic
- Invisible Girl
- Thing
- Human Torch
- Wizard
- Madam Medusa
- Sandman
- Trapster
- Dr. Doom
Minor characters:
- Sgt. Donnegan of the 31st Precinct
Story notes:
- Thing restored to normal self; Medusa escapes; rest of Frightful Four captured.
- Dr. Doom plans to use emotion manipulator machine.
| Previous | #374 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Fantastic Four #42 | Reading order | Daredevil #9 |
| Fantastic Four #42 | Fantastic Four | Fantastic Four #44 |
What a relief it was to see this genuine ending to a genuine nail-biter, from the issue in which we learn that Sue is the most powerful FF member (Her force field contained a nuclear explosion!) to an actually unexpected climax. At the time, we had been consistently surprised by FF & Spider-Man, who lost as often as he won. It seemed very possible that Ben would actually kill Reed or that Ben would die from constantly being experimented on.
I honestly cheered when I read the panel where Ben crushes the Wizard.
This series was when the Fantastic Four changed into something much more weighty and dramatic. Even as I ten-year old I could feel it. Peak FF that only begins to recede after the Black Panther saga (although I though Klaw was a letdown after Galactus. What wouldn’t be?