Customer Reviews

Fantastic Four, Vol. 3 (Marvel Masterworks)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ironically enough, it was issue #4 when Stan Lee first emblazoned "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" across the front cover of "The Fantastic Four," and with the issues collected in "Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 3" we are getting closer to the time when the hyperbole rang true. Here are issues #21-30 of "The Fantastic Four," when Stan "the Man" Lee was the writer, Jack "King" Kirby was the penciler, George Roussos and Chic Stone were doing the inking, and Art Simek and Sam Rosen took turns doing as letterer. Here is what you get with these ten stories:

#21 "The Hate-Monger" has the F.F. fighting each other until Nick Fury shows up for the first time in the "modern" Marvel time line and helps save the day (and you will never guess who the Hate-Monger really is). #22 "The Return of the Mole Man" brings back the first foe the F.F. ever faced as a team. #23 "The Master Plan of Doctor Doom" reminds us that a year cannot go bye without a visit from the bad doctor. #24 "The Infant Terrible" is one of those encounters with an alien baby who wrecks havoc. #25 is the first battle of the century of "The Hulk vs. The Thing." The fight is so big it is continued in #26 "The Avengers Take Over," where more superheroes assemble to help bring the Hulk to bay. #27 "The Search for Sub-Mariner" brings back Namor and also has a visit by Dr. Strange. The crossovers continue with #28 "We have to Fight the X-Men," because the Mad Thinker has the Puppet Master making them fight. #29 "It Started on Yancy Street" has Ben Grimm and his friends returning to the old neighborhood where they find a trap by the Red Ghost and his super apes. #30 finds "The Dreaded Diablo" released from a centuries old captivity to cause trouble with his chemical pellets.

There is nothing here that is a classic on the level of the Fantastic Four's encounters with Galactus, the Silver Surfer, and the Inhumans, but you do have the Thing and the Hulk going toe-to-toe for the first time (it ends up a draw, but keep in mind it ends up being the Hulk versus the F.F. and Avengers put together). The Dr. Doom issue is okay, but the fight with the X-Men is the best of the bunch. Part of the problem with this particular set of ten issues not quite making it to the 5 star level is that this stories are so crossover happy. It is hard for the F.F. to be fighting with each other when other Marvel superheroes are showing up and getting in the way. The two comedy efforts, with the infant terrible and the visit to Yancy Street, also keep this one from earning a higher ranking. Unlike the "Essential Fantastic Four" volumes, where you get twice as many stories for half the price, these "Marvel Masterworks" volumes are reprinted in color (which they are getting a better handle on with each of these efforts). The next two "Marvel Masterworks" volumes are going to be the ones with the greatest F.F. stories that would justify the additional expenditure to have in color.

It's interesting to hear when people think the FF truly became the "World's Greatest Comic." That title will always be open to dispute; however, it's clear that Lee and Kirby start creatively hitting their stride in these issues. The Thing/Hulk fight that stretched over two issues is a classic, along with the "Yancy Street" visit soon after. In another year or two, Lee and Kirby will be creating the Frightful Four, the Inhumans, Galactus, and the Silver Surfer. Surely this period is one of the most creative for any comic book collaborators in the history of the medium.

When I read these mid-60's stories again I can't help but find myself relishing the simpler times. While I didn't start reading comics until around 1970, my older brothers both had good-sized comic collections that I would read all the time. Of course the thing that sets the's stories apart is the team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Their work is still dramatic and dynamic today over 40 years later.

This stretch of ten issues spanning #21 to # 30 features some of the FF's greatest villains including Doctor Doom, The Mole Man, The Mad Thinker, Puppet Master, and Diablo, but the most notable thing about this run is the guest stars. Issue #21 features SGt. Nick Fury in an out of time tale battle against the mysterious Hate Monger, #25 features the Hulk in yet another Thing Vs. Hulk slugfest, #26 features the Avengers as it concludes the story began in #25, #27 features the Sub-mariner and Dr. Strange, and #28 guest-stars the X-Men. Whew!!!

Also of note is that the Invisible Girl gets a power upgrade with her ability to now create force fields.

Lots of good stories in this volume and solid Kirby art. Some good covers too, especially the Hulk Vs. Thing Battle on #25. Great Stuff!

Excellent for any Titanic True Beleiver (T.T.B.)and former members of the

M.M.M.S. Re-live the wonderful Silver Age of Marvel comics. Though simple

maybe even primitive by more contemporary standards, these are the stories

and the artwork that made comics great. Soft bound format makes this a book

you can enjoy for it's price point. We can all be reminded in these stories

of a simpler time, both for ourselves and for society.

This masterworks collection contains Fantastic Four no. 21-30, and features battles between the FF and the likes of The Red Ghost, The Hate Monger, the Infant Terrible, the Sub-Mariner, Doctor Doom (obviously), the X-Men, The Mad Thinker, The Hulk (the knock-down-drag-out classic slugfest with The Thing is absolutely cool) and the sinister Diablo. Every issue is structured around a villain that needs to be taken down and the FF's internal squabbles (mostly between Johhny and Ben). That being said, I enjoyed these stories because of the problems the FF encounter and how they pull through as a family. Ben refuses to let Reed turn him back to human form as he is afraid Alicia Masters would stop loving him, because she only seems to relate to the Thing and not the human Ben Grimm. Prince Namor makes another try at winning Sue's love and the question of intolerance is dealt with in the issue featuring the Hate-Monger. Kirby's art improves a lot during these issues but Stan Lee's writing doesn't really change much. When the Galactus epic comes around in FF Masterworks volume 5 Stan will step up, but in volume 3 its all Kirby. Definitely worth picking up if your a Marvellite.

This volume reprints Fantastic Four #s 1 - 10 in a high quality, hardcover format. This provides an excellent opportunity to examine Jack Kirby's great artwork without worrying about damaging the rare comics this reproduces. Stan Lee's introduction boats nothing very insightful and is written in Lee's usually commercial format