Okay, I’m about to start Fantastic Four and true to my promise, I’m starting with Fantastic Four #1. Originally published in 1961 and reprinted in the pages of Fantastic Four Epic Collection Vol. 1 The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine, the quality of this book is like the other Epic Collection books I’ve purchased already. The paper quality is smooth and nice and the colors look beautiful. The cover looks like a mix of new and old with FF battling Doctor Doom and Namor the Submariner on a rooftop overlooking Central City.
Fantastic Four #1
Cover Art by Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers
Classic cover. For me, this probably ranks up there with the most iconic Fantastic Four covers. I remember as a kid, I wondered why that big monster would bother trying to tie Mr. Fantastic up with a rope, but whatever. 🙂
Story by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Artwork by Jack Kirby
Originally Published Nov 1961
The Fantastic Four
I’m about a third of the way through this issue and so far, the story reminds me of DC’s early Golden Age material. So far, the dialog is pretty corny and the story is cheesy. Some might say, “Well what do you expect, Chris? It’s 1961!” Well, the Flash came out nearly 6 years earlier and I actually find it far more readable than this first act. I read this once as a kid in one of those Marvel Age reprints and recall that I found it more enjoyable at that point than I do now.
Stan is probably just finding his groove with this issue and I’m optimistic that it’ll improve in future issues. The artwork, though, is pretty great, even if Reed Richards looks kind of funky here in some panels! One thing I noticed is that Ben Grimm doesn’t have his trademark personality that I remember affectionately from the Thing comics of the 80s. I look forward to seeing him evolve.
The first portion deals with Reed firing a message into the sky with a flare gun and the team answering the call to arms. The actual origin story portion only lasted about 5 pages and it’s already better than the first part. There’s a funny continuity error, though, with the FF members putting their hands together and making a pledge. In the pledge shot, their hands are gloved (except for Thing) but otherwise not gloved in the other panels.
The Fantastic Four Meet the Moleman
Also, unlike DC’s Flash comics which so far split the issue into two different stories, this one split the main story into acts. I actually like this idea, too. The Moleman makes his debut here commanding large monsters to dig tunnels in order to steal large nuclear power plants through a network of sinkholes. It’s actually getting pretty interesting now! Now the FF are making their way to a place called Monster Isle where Reed pinpointed to be in the center of all the sinkholes. They arrive and are ambushed by monsters. Reed and Johnny get kidnapped.
The Moleman’s Secret!
So Reed and Johnny wake up and find themselves in funny suits. The Moleman reveals his origin of how he was bullied and decided to find the fabled Monster Isle and fell down an underground cave. There, the became the master of these underground gargoyles. He starts beating the crap out of Reed or Johnny, I can’t tell by the drawing. Then Ben and Sue show up and Moleman summons a giant beast. The team make a run for it and try to take Moleman with them but he summons more monsters so they leave him. The tunnel caves-in and the FF go on their merry way. Story-wise, I warmed up to this issue by the second act. It reminds me of some of the old monster movie classics that I have a soft spot for. Looks like issue #2 introduces us to the Skrulls so I’m pretty pumped for that!
See you there and thanks for reading!