What do you think?
Rate this book
Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four #16
Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four, Vol. 16
The Crusader! The Thing cured! Luke Cage joins the FF! Hulk vs. the Thing and both of them vs. the FF! Galactus vs. the High Evolutionary! Time traveling adventures with the Invaders! And the impossible return of an improbable guest-star! Writer Roy Thomas teams with breakout art talent George Pérez, master storyteller John Buscema and Bullpen stalwarts Sal Buscema and Rich Buckler to bring you some of the greatest FF tales of the 1970s! Trust us, True Believer, you'll know why they call it "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" by the ti me you're done with this jam-packed Marvel Masterworks collection! COLLECTING: FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) 164-175, ANNUAL 11; MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE 20, ANNUAL 1; MARVEL TREASURY EDITION 11
- GenresComicsMarvelComic Book
311 pages, Hardcover
First published September 23, 2014
10 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Roy Thomas
4,511 books275 followersRoy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 26, 2021
This is an interesting volume in the history of the FF. Shortly after returning the team to their original status quo (see volume 15 for that story) Roy Thomas proceeds to make his own changes to the status quo by robbing the Thing of his powers and filling his spot on the team with Luke Cage.
It's a change that doesn't last long and doesn't work particularly well. We know Luke's not going to be on the team long because he doesn't even get an FF uniform! He also only manages to be part of the team for one issue before doing a heel-turn thanks to being mind-controlled by the Puppet Master, so it's fair to say Luke's brief stay as a member of the FF doesn't exactly leave much of a mark on the book.
It's not long before Reed reveals his solution to Ben's power-loss: a Thing exo-skeleton! Yes, this is the first appearance of the Thing-Armour that was recently (it seems recent to me anyway, but I'm old and anything since 1995 feels recent to me) brought out of mothballs so Johnny's girlfriend (who definitely wasn't supposed to be Katy Perry) could join the team for a while as 'She-Thing'. It's one of the FF's zanier moments and, predictably, doesn't last long as Ben's powers are eventually restored by Galactus of all people!
So, overall, a bizarre chapter in the life of the FF but, if you're not afraid of some temporary wackiness, it's a lot of fun. There's some cool artwork from George Perez and John Buscema, too, which is nice.
My next book: Black Widow vol. 1: The Ties That Bind
It's a change that doesn't last long and doesn't work particularly well. We know Luke's not going to be on the team long because he doesn't even get an FF uniform! He also only manages to be part of the team for one issue before doing a heel-turn thanks to being mind-controlled by the Puppet Master, so it's fair to say Luke's brief stay as a member of the FF doesn't exactly leave much of a mark on the book.
It's not long before Reed reveals his solution to Ben's power-loss: a Thing exo-skeleton! Yes, this is the first appearance of the Thing-Armour that was recently (it seems recent to me anyway, but I'm old and anything since 1995 feels recent to me) brought out of mothballs so Johnny's girlfriend (who definitely wasn't supposed to be Katy Perry) could join the team for a while as 'She-Thing'. It's one of the FF's zanier moments and, predictably, doesn't last long as Ben's powers are eventually restored by Galactus of all people!
So, overall, a bizarre chapter in the life of the FF but, if you're not afraid of some temporary wackiness, it's a lot of fun. There's some cool artwork from George Perez and John Buscema, too, which is nice.
My next book: Black Widow vol. 1: The Ties That Bind
November 7, 2018
The FF was always doing odd things for a superhero team it seems. This volume collects some of the different plots and stories that I enjoyed as the FF changed it's lineup. Good art and story. Recommended
November 9, 2025
Good but a little excessive...
Honestly it gets a bit too verbal diarrhea-y and long winded, but there's some cool developments for Sue and Ben. Starts off pretty fun then later issues dwindle.
Honestly it gets a bit too verbal diarrhea-y and long winded, but there's some cool developments for Sue and Ben. Starts off pretty fun then later issues dwindle.
September 10, 2023
Seguimos en nuestro camino acompañando a los 4F, de momento hasta su número 200, que está cada vez más cerca, y de momentos, seguimos con Roy Thomas a los guiones, aunque en este tomo la verdad es que se luce un poco más, y se me ha hecho mucho menos pesado que el anterior. Quizá sea la aparición de personajes como Cruzado (la recuperación del Marvel Boy y origen de las bandas cuánticas que llevará el futuro Quasar), el Alto Evolucionador o la historia de Galactus atacando la Contratierra, o un viaje de los 4F al pasado para enfrentarse a los nazis haciendo equipo con los Invasores, pues la verdad es que ha tenido su gracia. En estos números, además, vemos la curación de Ben Grimm y la incorporación temporal a los 4F de un sustituto de renombre, el mismísimo Luke Cage, aunque solo fuera durante dos números, porque al final, como decía Stan Lee, "hay que dar al lector la ilusión del cambio, pero sin el cambio", y si ya hemos vivido la vuelta de la Mujer Invisible (aquí aún seguía llamándose "La Chica Invisible"), evidentemente Ben Grimm no iba a estar mucho tiempo alejado del equipo del que ha sido fundador.
Una nota destacable de estos cómics es la incorporación de George Pérez al elenco de dibujantes, pero la verdad es que debajo de las tintas de Joe Sinnot, me da la impresión de que da igual quien esté debajo, todos los dibujantes terminan pareciendo el mismo.
Una nota destacable de estos cómics es la incorporación de George Pérez al elenco de dibujantes, pero la verdad es que debajo de las tintas de Joe Sinnot, me da la impresión de que da igual quien esté debajo, todos los dibujantes terminan pareciendo el mismo.
March 17, 2019
Roy Thomas is our author in these issues, and I have less patience for his work as I get older. Besides filling his books with so many words that they're close to prose than comics (let the art do some of the work), he trods the same ideas over and over again in his work. And of course there would be an issue where the FF go back to WWII, as I think it was a contractual requirement for him in everything he wrote.
September 3, 2021
The Thing is way way too angry
June 12, 2022
Average but fun. The Galactus story was pretty good. The end of that story is probably not for everyone. Me? I liked it.
October 19, 2023
You could title this one Double (and Triple) Dips Are Fun or I Hate My Money. Issues 164-175 were all recently collected in the Crusaders And Titans trade paperback. I bought and dumped that one on eBay when this book was announced. Issues 164-167 and 170 were all collected in Fantastic Four Visionaries: George Perez Vol. 1, which I had and dumped years ago with the announcement of the Crusaders And Titans trade. Then we have Fantastic Four Annual #11, Marvel Two-In-One #20, and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1, which were all collected in The Thing: Liberty Legion hardcover a few years ago. So this entire book was a reread and a double dip, albeit now in “high def”.
Since I have already reviewed these issues in those books, I will allow you to refer to the links in the paragraph above. They held up well on the reread, although some of Roy Thomas' dialogue is dated, which is forgivable when dealing with comics nearly 40 years old. I could have kept the other books which collected these issues but the notion of getting them with superior restoration and keeping my Fantastic Four Masterworks library intact proved to be too great of a lure. A pox upon you, completist OCD!
Marvel Masterworks are my poison of choice. For Masterworks of this book's vintage, rest assured that this is the definitive Blu-Ray edition of this material. No line bleed or off register printing. No mouldering pulp paper. The art and the colors look like the artists intended and are not hampered by primitive four color printing processes.
Since I have already reviewed these issues in those books, I will allow you to refer to the links in the paragraph above. They held up well on the reread, although some of Roy Thomas' dialogue is dated, which is forgivable when dealing with comics nearly 40 years old. I could have kept the other books which collected these issues but the notion of getting them with superior restoration and keeping my Fantastic Four Masterworks library intact proved to be too great of a lure. A pox upon you, completist OCD!
Marvel Masterworks are my poison of choice. For Masterworks of this book's vintage, rest assured that this is the definitive Blu-Ray edition of this material. No line bleed or off register printing. No mouldering pulp paper. The art and the colors look like the artists intended and are not hampered by primitive four color printing processes.
August 1, 2016
Volume 16 of the Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four series continues the upward trend in quality that started when Roy Thomas took over the book. The peaks here are the best the series has been since the Lee/Kirby era; and the worst issues here are at least readable, which is more than you can say for the nadir of the Gerry Conway era. George Pérez also draws around half of the book and his style is much more interesting than Rich Buckler. Buckler, John Buscema and Sal Buscema draw the rest of this volume and it's all pretty good.
164 & 164 introduce the Crusader, a re-badged version of the 1950s Marvel Boy. The story doesn't entirely make sense, but it's fun none-the-less. Pérez's art really makes it seem fresh; his faces in particular are just wonderful. One panel of the Thing wearing pink contact lenses (long story) is genuinely menacing.
166 & 167 are a somewhat confused Thing/Hulk story where the Thing turns on everyone and teams up with the Hulk. His motivations are muddled, but it's still fun as hell. Issue 166, in particular, is one of the best issues of the series to-date.
168 through 170 focus on the newly de-Thinged Ben Grimm. This is well-trod territory for the series but Thomas writes Ben Grimm so well that it is still fresh (and very funny). Power Man shows up as a temporary replacement for Grimm until Reed can introduce the new Thing-suit that Ben Grimm uses for the rest of the volume. There's also a returning Puppet Master that is written in a very sad and effective manner. Buckler is back for the art here and does a bang-up job.
Next, this volume takes a mediocre detour to WWII in Fantastic Four Annual 11, Marvel Two-In-One Annual 1 and Marvel Two-in-One 20, with art by John & Sal Buscema. I'm a sucker for Invaders WWII stories and the FF Annual 11 is pretty fun. It also has great art by John Buscema. The other two are much less interesting, especially the Two-in-One Annual. Sal Buscema's art just isn't as good and the story spends more time on the not-very-interesting Liberty Legion than it does on the Thing. Issue 20 is a touch better because it has a giant spinning swastika that slices up buildings.
Issues 171 through 175 is a long story involving a gorilla, a planet of robots, Counter Earth and Galactus. Despite having a gorilla, 171 is mostly boring set up with some blah art by a mix of Buckler and Pérez. 172 is where the story really picks up (perhaps due to scripting by Bill Mantlo?). There's also some great art by Pérez; there's a double page splash in particular that I just loved. 173- 175 have John Busema on art. It's all fun stuff with Torgo returning, some silly dragon stuff and Galactus battling the High Evolutionary. Unfortunately, the last issue both looks and reads rushed. And it ends with the return of one of my least favorite characters: The Impossible Man.
164 & 164 introduce the Crusader, a re-badged version of the 1950s Marvel Boy. The story doesn't entirely make sense, but it's fun none-the-less. Pérez's art really makes it seem fresh; his faces in particular are just wonderful. One panel of the Thing wearing pink contact lenses (long story) is genuinely menacing.
166 & 167 are a somewhat confused Thing/Hulk story where the Thing turns on everyone and teams up with the Hulk. His motivations are muddled, but it's still fun as hell. Issue 166, in particular, is one of the best issues of the series to-date.
168 through 170 focus on the newly de-Thinged Ben Grimm. This is well-trod territory for the series but Thomas writes Ben Grimm so well that it is still fresh (and very funny). Power Man shows up as a temporary replacement for Grimm until Reed can introduce the new Thing-suit that Ben Grimm uses for the rest of the volume. There's also a returning Puppet Master that is written in a very sad and effective manner. Buckler is back for the art here and does a bang-up job.
Next, this volume takes a mediocre detour to WWII in Fantastic Four Annual 11, Marvel Two-In-One Annual 1 and Marvel Two-in-One 20, with art by John & Sal Buscema. I'm a sucker for Invaders WWII stories and the FF Annual 11 is pretty fun. It also has great art by John Buscema. The other two are much less interesting, especially the Two-in-One Annual. Sal Buscema's art just isn't as good and the story spends more time on the not-very-interesting Liberty Legion than it does on the Thing. Issue 20 is a touch better because it has a giant spinning swastika that slices up buildings.
Issues 171 through 175 is a long story involving a gorilla, a planet of robots, Counter Earth and Galactus. Despite having a gorilla, 171 is mostly boring set up with some blah art by a mix of Buckler and Pérez. 172 is where the story really picks up (perhaps due to scripting by Bill Mantlo?). There's also some great art by Pérez; there's a double page splash in particular that I just loved. 173- 175 have John Busema on art. It's all fun stuff with Torgo returning, some silly dragon stuff and Galactus battling the High Evolutionary. Unfortunately, the last issue both looks and reads rushed. And it ends with the return of one of my least favorite characters: The Impossible Man.
January 28, 2015
Classic, critical FF. Must have for all FF fans. Material here's been collected before in smaller collections. Nice to have a bigger chunk collected in top of the line format.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews