Essential Fantastic Four, Vol. 4 by Stan Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This volume collects Issues 64-83, and Annuals #5 and #6 of Marvel's first family. The book has some good issues, some odd ones, but overall comes out ahead.

Issues 64 and 65 classically introduce to the Kree Empire, first through a Sentry robot and then through Ronan the Accuser, a key moment in Marvel history.

Issue 66 and 67 are a somewhat so-so story about under earth people kidnapping Alicia for nefarious purposes. Not a great story.

Fantastic Four Annual #5 is a great annual. It's a 30 page story with the FF, the Inhumans, and Black Panther teaming up to find Pyschoman and some other villains plus a special announcement that Sue and Reed are expecting. It also includes a 12-page solo story for the Silver Surfer as he matches up with the vilainous Quasimodo.

Issues 68-71 are classic. While there have been other "Ben Grimm" turns evil stories, this was perhaps the most epic with a lot of twists and emotional tension.

After Issue 71, Reed and Sue decide to cut out on the FF but that's cut short when the Watcher has to summon them as the Silver Surfer has decided to start blowing things up to start world peace and the FF has stop in Issue 72.

Issue 73 is fun but somewhat gratuitous. Doctor has tricked the FF into fighting Daredevil and Spidey comes in along with Thor to even the odds. So it's a nice exhibition that's actually pretty pointless.

Issues 74-77 has Galactus returning to Earth to get the Silver to help him find a planet to eat and if he can't be found, Galactus will break his word and eat Earth. This forces the FF to go into a microscopic world to find the Surfer. It's a fun plot though to long-term Marveldom, it remains pretty inconsequential at the end.

Issues 78 and 79 are probably the definitive Grimm becomes human again stories. Ben regains his human form but has to make a tough decision when lives are on the line in Issue 79.

Issue 80 is a somewhat blah issue with the return of Wyatt Wingfoot as the FF deal with criminal trying to take advantage of Native American superstition. Haven't seen THAT story a thousand times.

This leads into the absolutely phenomenal Fantastic Four Annual #6 in which Reed levels with Ben and Johnny. Both Sue and the Baby are in danger because of the cosmic rays and the only to be found is in the negative zone and a battle with Annihlus. The nearly fifty page story is really an epic with emotion, awesome action, some fantastic splash pages, and one of Lee's greatest stories as we truly expand the Richards family.

To round out the book, Issue 81 has Crystal proving her worth to be on the FF and then heading back to her family to get them to sign off, only to find out Maximums has taken over the Inhumans. My big complaint with this one is that the FF had little to do with the efforts to remove Maximus as they were imprisoned for most of Issue 83.

Overall though this collection is just as good as the first three. It had fewer of the epic stories like Doctor Doom taking over the Silver Surfer's power and there were a few stories that were lame.

However, the story of the pregnancy of Sue Richards really trumps that. The "family" part of Marvel's First Family really stands out. Reed who, after getting married, seemed like a jerk to sue is much better as a father-to-be, dedicated to the survival and safety of wife and son.

And there's this great sense of love and loyalty as Reed and Johnny go into the breach, risking their lives in the Negative Zone. And Ben's decision to remain the thing is moving.

Speaking of moving, Jack Kirby has some great art here. The full spread picture of Sue and Reed is perhaps the most emotional, but some of them are also beautiful action spots like Reed, Johnny, and Ben travelling through the Negative Zone and several thrilling battle shots.

The collection isn't without its flaws. In addition to the weak issues I've already mentioned, I still don't have a sense of Crystal as a character and her powers are used so infrequently, it's hard to even remember what exactly they are.

Still, for its portrayal of the original FF and their strong family ties, this book is a must read.




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