Essential Fantastic Four, Vol. 1 by Stan Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This volume of the Fantastic Four is a must-read not only for fans of classic superheroes but for fans of classic science fiction. There's so much to love about this book and these characters as created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This collection includes the first twenty monthly issues of Fantastic Four as well as Annual #1 and spans from November 1961 into 1963.

There's so much to love about this collection and these characters. Lets go ahead and break it down.

Concept: The Fantastic Four are often easily lumped in with Marvel's superheroes. This is somewhat apt because: a) they inhabit the same world and b).they've shared adventures with them. However, they're different.

The Fantastic Four are far more adventurers, explorers and guardians rather than crime fighters. They don't go out on patrol. If they stop a common bank robber, it's just because they're good guys and happen to be in the neighborhood, not because because that's their deal.

Their world is space travel, the microverse, alternate dimensions, and all that stuff that makes Sci Fi geeks giddy. You love Star Trek and Lost in Space, then the Fantastic Four are your people.

The Heroes: In a superhero world full of loners and alliances of conveniences, what Lee and Kirby managed to create in this pre-X-men, pre-Avengers world is a true family of heroes. Lee said that the Fantastic Four came out of a conversation with someone at DC on the golf course talking about the success of the Justice League. I've read a few early Justice League stories and (with all due respect), Lee and Kirby easily cleared that bar.

The characters are interesting as individuals. My favorite was Ben Grimm (the Thing.) While everyone else was quite happy with their new powers, he'd been left looking like a big brick monster even though he was the strongest person mortal in the Marvel Universe outside of the Hulk. He was understandably bitter and angry. At a couple points, he turned on his team mates. However, in a believable character arch, the Thing became more good natured and had a marked improvement with the introduction of girlfriend Alicia Masters in what remains one of the sweetest love stories in comics.

Mr. Fantastic is the responsible one and the one with the powers that allow the most creative uses and Jack Kirby's art work puts good use to that. Johnny Storm is the typical teenager and his clashes with the Thing (both light and serious) have been a hallmark of the series.

The one character that really did have some problems was Sue Storm. In early issues, she seemed to be in constant need of rescuing. In one issue with the Hulk, Reed Richards even suggested that her primary contribution was aesthetic.

This led to fan complaints and suggestions she wasn't contributing to the Fantastic Four and suggestion that she be thrown out. Lee and Kirby addressed this in typical fashion doing a letters column where the Fantastic Four responded to fan letters, including complaints about Sue in an actual comic book form. The criticism was portrayed as really hurting her feelings and her teammates stuck for her.

As much as superhero teammate support surely helped., Lee and Kirby worked to make the character tougher. In one issue, she delivers a key knockout blow to Dr. Doom where the others had failed. While other enhancements that would make it clear that Sue was an equal part of the team such as giving her a forecefield that could protect others in battle, Lee and Kriby actually made some nice moves.

There is some romantic tension in the story as well because while she was engaged to Reed prior to the accident, she is smitten by the Fantastic Four antagonist Sub-mariner and guest hero Ant Man. For those who grew up watching a married Sue and Reed, the marriage won't be until Fantastic Four Annual #3 which is in the third Essentials volume.

What's remarkable is that this group slowly gels and becomes a real family that works well together despite differences and cares about each other.

The Antagonists: The Antagonists were also fantastic. Lee and Kirby were smart. They knew when they found a good solid antagonist. Dr. Doom and Sub-mariner both worked and about half of the issues feature them. Two adventures each feature the Puppet Master and the Skrull race. The rest are classic sci-fi villains.

This book introduces Dr. Doom who is practically Marvel's universal super villain. While the Fantastic Four are his main rivals, he's also fought Spider-man, the X-men, and even the Hulk. He's the type of perfectly cast powerful and intelligent villain every hero needs.

The Sub-mariner works well here as a bit of an anti-hero. The undersea prince of the deep who first appeared in comics the month before Batman appeared in detective comics was re-introduced early on and makes war on the surface dwellers who he blames for the disappearance of his Atlantean kingdom. This makes the character compelling because he's not entirely evil. He has noble instincts, a code of honor, and even falls in love with Sue Storm and even makes a great sacrifice for her.

Artwork: Simply put, the artwork here was superb. I actually prefer these black and white additions, particularly when Kirby's doing the pencils. My favorite story in here is the Annual which includes an epic 40 page battle between the FF and Sub-mariner. It's simply wonderful and Kirby's artwork made it so.

Flaws: There are few flaws in the book other than the Sue problem. The epic annual included the first meeting between Spider-man and the Fantastic Four and Spidey acted poorly. Also in the same annual, Reed says the same line three times about Sub-mariner loving Sue as much as the Four do in his own way.

But that's a nitpicky point for a book that launched the Marvel Age of Comics reflects the best of early science fiction. This one is simply must-read.




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