Featuring: Fantastic Four
Release: November 10, 1966
Cover: February 1967
12 cents
A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby modern day masterwork!
Delineation by: Joe Sinnott
Lettering by: Artie Simek
20 pages
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| Fantastic Four #58 | Reading order | Fantastic Four #60 |
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But now– with an entire planet looming before us– what do we do? Where do we go? Is the human race yet ready for us–??
The title of this comic is Doomsday. That’s also the name of an upcoming superhero movie.
Dr. Doom has the powers of the Silver Surfer and may be unbeatable. However, Ben disagrees, at least out loud.
Like ol’ Stretcho would say– as long as a guy still has a brain– and some backbone– he aint never beaten ‘less he wants’a be!
Mr. Fantastic coordinates with all nations on Earth, suggesting differences must be put aside against the threat of Doom.
The Soviet Union acts unilaterally against Doom, but to no effect.
Dr. Doom has declared himself the master of the world.
I must prepare a helpless humanity for the coming of– Doomsday!
Last issue, the Fantastic Four were decisively beaten by Dr. Doom. This issue is a chance for them to lick their wounds and prepare for round 2, which will come next issue.
As there’s a lot going on.
The Inhumans have been trapped beneath the Negative Zone for a while now. It is time for them to be free. Maximus had hinted last issue that they would be free when Black Bolt speaks.
We’d at first thought Black Bolt couldn’t speak, and then we heard him scream. We now learn the truth.
Black Bolt speaks.
And the Negative Zone barrier is destroyed along with every building in the Great Refuge of the Inhumans. The people had taken shelter beneath the city. Their home is destroyed but they are free.
What comes next? You’ve been freed.
The Inhumans we know (Black Bolt, Medusa, Crystal, Gorgon, Karnak, and Triton) are referred to as the Royal Family and Court. They will go forth into the world, while the rest stay behind to rebuild the city.
Medusa notes how mankind attacked them. I recalled it the other way around. I recall her joining the Frightful Four and being obsessed with killing the Fantastic Four for no discernable reason.
While I’m mainly here for Doom on a surfboard, I also think the moment of Black Bolt speaking is an excellent one. Between the two narratives, I think this is an excellent comic.
Fantastic Four Fan Page.
Rating: ★★★★½, 81/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
This makes its way onto our Best We’ve Read page, displacing a Daredevil/Spider-Man team-up which represents John Romita’s first work on Spider-Man, in Daredevil #17.
Characters:
- Invisible Girl
- Thing
- Mr. Fantastic
- Dr. Doom
- Silver Surfer
- Wyatt Wingfoot
- Human Torch
- Black Bolt
- Crystal
- Karnak
- Gorgon
- Medusa
- Maximus
- Triton
Minor characters:
- Gustave
Story notes:
- Mr. Fantastic broadcasts a warning to all mankind suggesting every nation put aside differences to work together againt Doom.
- After world-wide address, Mr. Fantastic consults with Allied Chiefs-of-Staff, warning Dr. Doom is the most dangerous man alive.
- SHIELD has offered any aid possible.
- Mr. Fantastic hopes the FF will handle this but suggests the military be on alert.
- Reed and Ben fight.
- Soviets send supersonic bombers to Latveria (Target L) after Reed’s warning, executing Plan B. Their planes enter corrosive clouds that surround Latveria and destroy metal.
- Doom has already declared himself master of the world.
- Doom gloats over the captive Silver Surfer.
- Reed has worked for hours without food or rest.
- Wyatt has called on portable communit-tel about Johnny.
- Human Torch training in woods, practicing control and speed, to get ready to take on Dr. Doom on his own.
- Johnny tests his training on a National Guard unit doing maneuvers. They mistake him for drone missile.
- Wingfoot hoped Doom had made Johnny forget about his problems with Crystal, but he has not.
- Wingfoot drives a Ferrari Dino V-6 Berlinetta Special.
- Inhumans summoned to Great Square to hear announcement of Black Bolt.
- Inhumans know how to read Black Bolt’s signals. Black Bolt sends the Inhumans to the shelters deep beneath the core of the city.
- Medusa says Black Bolt inteds to speak. Why has he remained silent so long?
- Maximus begs Black Bolt not to do it. Maximus had created the Negative Zone which imprisons them.
- Black Bolt uses gliding membrane to shield Maximus.
- Black Bolt speaks.
- His voice creates a sonic chain reaction which destroys entire city and Negative Zone barrier.
- Doom causes skies over European city to absorb all light and turn black. They will have total darkness for 24 hours.
- Over the Aegean Islands, Doom unleashes a bolt of power, turning tropical isle into frozen wasteland.
- In a jungle, Doom transforms a gorilla into a giant monster.
- Reed considers nuclear holocaust employing entire world’s atomic arsenal against Doom.
- Mr. Fantastic invents device that may weaken Doom and tests it on Ben.
- The Inhumans are happy to be free, even though their city has been destroyed.
- Crystal just excited to see Johnny again.
- Maximus still plots to be king.
- Council of Elders decides the Royal Family and Court will separate, while the rest remain to rebuild the city.
- Maximus tries to gain support for his bid for kingship but is ignored.
- Ben helps Reed with his designs, but Sue insists they break to eat.
- Doom is ready to conquer the Earth.
| Previous | #634 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Fantastic Four #58 | Reading order | Fantastic Four #60 |
| Fantastic Four #58 | Fantastic Four | Fantastic Four #60 |
