Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol. 1

Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four #1

by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Book by LEE, STAN AND JACK KIRBY

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Fiction, Science Fiction, Comic Book

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.

With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.

Reviews

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the format I would have preferred to have this collection of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s seminal first ten issues of Fantastic Four; I’d rather have it in as a Marvel Masterwork hardcover, with heavy stock archival paper and a larger page size. But these are essential reading for any fan of Marvel Comics, since these are the issue that begat their Silver Age.

These ten issues have a sort of manic energy that one can rarely see in comics nowadays. They seemed unfocused as Lee squeezed as much science fiction concepts as he can in twenty pages. These first ten issues had Lee and Kirby making it up as they a long, so they were trying everything and throwing it to the wall and see what stuck. But Lee already had his Marvel superhero formula by issue one. He conceptualized a team that was most unlike an alliance of super powered titans. Instead he had a family, who constantly bickered with each other. He made a cast of characters more interesting and real than a man of steel or caped crusader. They had feet of clay and they stumbled individually, but picked themselves up together as a family.

By the tenth issue, Lee and Kirby would have already reused several concepts and villains because the fans loved it. They know because they solicited fan mail and received it by the truckload.
I really liked how old comics used to have a lot of story in one issue and each page had action packed panels. Comics today favor a more decompressed storytelling, of five to six issues to be collected in a trade. I feel a lot more satisfied reading a single issue of this Fantastic Four and still be hungry for the next month’s comics.

I guess having this trade paperback is not a bad idea because it would be easier to reread and this is something that should be read more than once.

[Argent Talonn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Marvel Masterworks #2: The Fantastic Four Vol. 1
Author: Stan Lee
Genre: Superheroes
Publishing Year: 1987 (reprinting material from 1961)

Review: The second volume of the Marvel Masterworks series, collects the Fantastic Four issues #1 through 10. Called Marvel's First Family: Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Girl), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (the Ever-Loving, Blue-Eyed Thing) were a family from the very first issue, and like every family, they had issues. In fact, they feuded so much that in almost every one of these first ten issues, there was one member of the team who walked out on the team. That is, everyone except for Reed Richards, who was always the wisest of them all.

Sue Storm infuriates me in the sixth issue, and begins this confuzzled, and ridiculous on-again, off-again relationship with Namor the Sub-Mariner that has lasted to this day. I'm still (60 years later) salty about it. Namor, along with Mole Man, the Skrulls, Puppet Master, and the king of the baddies himself Dr. Doom. are introduced as villains and would become exclusive (mostly) FF antagonists.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby initiated an incredible run on "The World's Greatest Comic." BTW, Jack Kirby's artwork and panel design are still considered the standard by which all artists for comic books are measured.

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four, Volume 1 is actually the second book in the Masterworks series. It is written by Stan Lee, drawn by Jack Kirby, and lettered by Art Simek. The book features Marvel's First Family: Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Sue Storm (Invisible Girl), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (Ever-Loving Blue-Eyed Thing). This bombastic group infuriates me for various reasons, not the least of which is the fact that they are constantly at each other's throats, whining like a bunch of babies while Papa Richards has to play the referee/only adult in the room. All three of the other members not named Fantastic, walked out after tantrums over the course of the first ten issues. Sue Storm pisses me off in issue #6. I will leave it for you to figure out. I don't do spoilers and let's be honest, the Fantastic Four have existed for 60 years so check it out for yourself. I'm still feeling salty about it. On the positive side, the origins of new original, iconic villains such as: Mole Man, the Skrulls, Puppet Master, the Sub-Mariner, and my personal favorite Dr. Doom are brought to bear and Stan Lee's hyperbolic "the World's Greatest Comic!!!" was pretty ballsy when trying to distinguish the comic book from others in the marketplace. Stan Lee was also pretty wordy here, but Jack Kirby's art, and panel design are without peer. Good start to a long run of the Fantastic Four, but not without its stumbles.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good: Old-school comics are almost always fun, and these are no exception. Despite their age, these superhero narratives stand the test of time, and are much more fun than any of the Fantastic Four films. You'll see the origin story, and be introduced to both the Sub-Mariner and Dr. Doom. The last issue is the best, with a rather convoluted plot.

The Bad: Nothing, really; I just reserve my five-star ratings for absolutely outstanding works of literature.

Conclusion: The Fantastic Four and I have an interesting history. I liked the first film to a degree; I couldn't finish the second; and, I refused to watch the third. However, I had a blast with the 1990s television series, which I watched on DVD a few years ago. This was on par with that. I hope I can find more old-school Marvel compilations...because they're really fun!

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first ten issues of what would be christened The World’s Greatest Comics Magazine after only 3 issues are collected in this volume. Printed on high-quality, archival-grade paper, this volume is a treasured keepsake. The enormous talent of The King, aka Jack Kirby, and The Man, aka Stan Lee, are on full display as they unwittingly ushered in the dawn of the Marvel Age of Comics with The Fantastic Four. In these action-packed 10 issues you will meet the members of Marvel’s first family: the Human Torch, the Invisible Girl, Mister Fantastic, and the ever-loving, blue-eyed, idol of millions, the Thing. But you’ll also get to witness the return of the legendary Namor, the Sub-Mariner. And there is a whole hoard of newly minted villains to menace our intrepid foursome: the Mole Man and his subterranean monsters, shape-changing alien invaders, the Skrulls, the Miracle Man, the Puppet Master and even the all but forgotten Kurrgo, the Master of Planet X. This truly is a masterwork. ‘Nuff Said.

[Drew Canole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first 10 issues of Fantastic Four apparently changed the comics landscape. It ushered in the Silver Age and placed Marvel at the top of the comics universe. In a lot of ways it's kept them there. DC was there before with Batman/Superman, but they were pacing behind and needed to adapt to Marvel's Silver Age.

Each of these stories introduces a new bad guy and each 30 page comic is a full story. It's pretty crazy to see how much comics have changed. Now it's standard to use 6-issues or 120+ pages to tell a story arc. Honestly I do prefer to modern age way of telling a story, I like my pages and panels to have some breathing space.

These issues introduce Mole Man, the Skrulls, Puppet Master, the Sub-Mariner, and of course Dr. Doom.

The recoloring is a bit garish. I'd really like to see each of these issues get the Chip Kidd treatment where he photographs the original comics like he did for BatManga.

[Benji's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impressive introduction to the Fantastic Four, with some surprisingly real interactions between Marvel's first family. While reading the Amazing Spider-Man Marvel Masterworks Volume 1, in one of the chapters, Stan Lee wrote along the lines of, "your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is back, with all his real-world problems that you guys can't get enough of" or something like that, making me feel as if he was forcing problems into Peter Parker's (not Palmer's) life only because the fans demanded it.

Here, the problems come naturally and the way they handle things seem genuine. There are also some funny moments between the Thing and Human Torch, as the Thing has a really bad temper problem. The things within these first 10 issues just work really well...except for the random forced inclusion of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The audacity to insert yourself, the writer, into the story always gets on my nerves.

On a good note, we also get to see Doctor Doom, the return of Namor and everyone's absolute favorite---MOLE MAN.

All in all, this is a wonderful collection that I'd highly recommend to those wanting to know more about the Fantastic Four. Not only is the writing fairly good, but Jack Kirby's art is always wonderful. He really understands how to draw "monsters".

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can one say about these seminal comics that hasn't already been said? Not much. Collected here are the first 10 issues of one of the cornerstone titles of Marvel Comics and the Marvel Universe. Thoroughly Silver Age, you won't find deep, wrenching works of modern comics storytelling, suffused with overwrought angst (well, maybe a little) and barely contained violence and sadism - but what you will find are imaginative, fun superheroics perfect for any child in your life. I was given ORIGIN OF MARVEL COMICS (which reprinted FF#1 among others) as a birthday present by my late sister when I was about 9 years old and it set me on the superhero path for many, many years - and I still chuckled at the same panel here from FF#1 (The Thing calls fleeing onlookers "lily-livered cowards!") as I did when I was a child.

Here you'll find Stan Lee and Jack Kirby operating at full-tilt: spinning action-packed yarns that can go almost anywhere. The heights of cosmic-era FF, where Kirby really shines, are yet to come but you can see the seeds being planted here. Lee takes his love of classic pulp and puts a superheroic spin on the concept of Doc Savage's crew - giving us scientific adventurers similar to DC's CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN (from 5 years earlier), but with their own superpowers and (as a Lee trademark) personal problems. While there's an issue here where "crime fighting" is mentioned in passing, the truth is that the FF were never out there in the streets beating criminals and bank robbers like Spider-Man and Daredevil - instead, they traveled the world, into outer space, underground and other dimensions to meet their menaces. Their dysfunctional (but loving) family unit was - in these early books - often threatening to come apart at the seams (The Human Torch and The Thing quit a few times) and Lee's "modern" approach means we get stories set in New York City, heroes with anger management issues, heroes unsure if they are heroic enough, heroes who invest their money badly (and go bankrupt!), a population that doubts their existence & then treats them like movie stars, noble villains, inconsistent and unreliable powers and on and on (much of which had never, or rarely, been seen before). One has to give Lee credit for being hyper-self-aware of his own writing: The Thing complains about being a monster and yet is referred to constantly by the rest of his team (his friends!) as "Thing"... and he calls them on it within a couple of issues!

Not every story is a winner (I still feel the ending of issue #3 and the threat of "The Miracle Man", was as lame as my 9 year old self also felt, back in the day) and there are all kinds of markers of the time (note Invisible "Girl," not "Woman", yet) - and Lee's breathless plotting rush (such a contrast to modern comics' overly earnest, "decompressed" storylines) often leaves huge holes (if the Army knew they were going to trap the FF, and built cells for their special powers, why post guards to watch over an "Invisible Girl" who they suddenly wonder "hey, she's gone!?" and open the door to her cell? And one hoped for a little more ingenuity from Reed Richards when he realizes Dr. Doom has switched bodies with him!) but all that matters very little - getting the young comic book reader to turn the next page, and boggling their minds with fun, action, humor and visionary wonder is the name of the game and Lee/Kirby succeed mightily here!

Aliens, robots, creatures - what more could a kid ask for? How about foes like the Mole Man (who lives underground with monsters at his command!), The Puppet Master (creepily designed by Kirby to look like a human puppet, while his blind daughter Alicia falls for Ben Grimm's gentle soul inside the monstrous appearance) and the shape-shifting Skrulls (classic 50's bug-eyed aliens)? And how about two of the most impressive villains ever created in the early Marvel canon: Doctor Doom and The Sub-Mariner?

A word about these two singular, fallible characters. Stan Lee may be creditable with the creation of the (previously unrepresented) "noble villain". Granted, Doc Doom doesn't really display that quality yet (his origin backstory involving his desire to rescue his mother's spirit from Hell, and his despotic, but nobly aesthetic, rule over Latveria came later) but, as I said, the seeds are sown in Lee's conception. What's most striking about Doom is that he is both an equal to, and yet removed conceptually from, Reed Richards, his primary adversary. While both great minds, Von Doom is specifically "Old World" in his conception: European, armored, Monarchical, his "mad science" and sorcery set against Reed's clean, 50's American Atomic Age/Space Age know-how. Also, one gets the feeling that Doom is an equal "match" for Reed (who is enabled by his "family", which Doom lacks), and his inevitable failures seen here (cast away on a meteor, endlessly shrunk into the subatomic microverse) leave one not expecting he is "doomed" but that he will always return like a bad penny (he is, presumably, just as ingenious as Reed)! And Lee/Kirby's decision to return the Golden Age figure of the Sub-Mariner to modern times is equally as compelling. Discovered among hobos, and visually interesting (with his Spock-like, hyper-aestheticized, triangular face), Prince Namor is a fascinating rescue from obscurity by Lee - he is a truly alien figure, presiding over a now-destroyed and abandoned kingdom, a ruler over no one, yet still arrogant and filled with rage (while also sexually attractive to Sue Storm), Namor is a classic anti-hero and, in all honesty, he has the two greatest moments in this collection (his "Go! Go! GO!" leap through space to Doom's spaceship, and his slugfest with The Thing in the surf!). Prince Namor is one of those characters who I never really liked, but who, in my maturity, I can totally respect as an exemplar of the classic Marvel anti-hero.

There's just so much here that it's not worth commenting on. See for yourself (with the right eyes), the true glory of the wondrous FANTASTIC FOUR: THE WORLD'S GREATEST COMIC MAGAZINE!!!! (multiple exclamation points trademarked by Stan Lee!!)

This volume was part of Marvel's earliest attempts to reprint their classic stories in hardcover and in color (seemingly, they later re-approached this idea with larger books), on white paper. The production itself is quite nice - a solid hardcover well-bound, colors seem adjusted for the brighter paper, and covers are included (there is a minor printing error here - pages 3-5 of issue #5 - the first appearance of Dr. Doom, no less! - are printed out of order) - but all in all, a fine book.

[Raghav Bhatia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Birth of the Fantastic Four. A vintage comic from back when the world wasn't saturated with superheroes.

I expected this old thing to hold an innocent charm to it, which it does, but it also employs what I call really cool storytelling trickaroos. Especially in that 10th issue -- great stuff.

I liked that Stan Lee was kind of wordy and I liked that Jack Kirby's art was line-laden. I liked that you could predict what would happen and I really liked that you still looked forward to it.

Buuuuuuut this Marvel Masterwork is still rather stupid and gimmicky. And the lead characters did annoy me with their constant childish bickering. And if I weren't in the mood for it I might've dropped this halfway in.

[Giacomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primo volume dei Fantastici Quattro, dove si narrano le loro origini e le prime avventure. Storie scritte da Stan Lee belle e divertenti da leggere.

Brillante il lavoro di Jack Kirby ai disegni (considerando che sono storie dei primi anni 60).
Ben presto con il suo stile innovativo, e il suo approccio grafico, Kirby sarebbe diventato un punto di riferimento per tutti i futuri autori.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book for ages, a collection reprinting the first ten issues of Fantastic Four from 1961 and 1962, but I don't think I've ever read it all before. That's a mystery, as this was from the first printing of these reprints ran $50, and sells for a pretty penny nowadays. It's interesting to try to read these first ten issues from the perspective of creative minds not realizing they were building something iconic, but just having fun with a looser way of mixing and matching familiar tropes. The first issue has a wonderful introduction in which we meet these characters for the first time - Kirby's pacing here is terrific. The early plots are filled with the same sort of monsters and aliens scattered throughout Strange Tales, Journey Into Mystery, Tales of Suspense, and Tales to Astonish of that time. But there is a freshness here, in the stretching out to make room for characterization (very basic in the beginning, but characterization nonetheless), in the beginnings of building a universe, albeit one where Stan and Jack are real, while their other stories are still comic books. Five of the first ten issues featured Sub-Mariner and/or Doctor Doom, with very little similarity to what either would become, but which obviously struck a chord. Kirby's artwork and storytelling are efficient, thrilling, fun, and only hinting at the wonders ahead. Stan's dialogue slowly loosened up to achieve the great style he would handle for the next few years. Comic book history was being made, but the men responsible were just figuring it out by the seats of their pants.

Update:It had been a lot of years since I read these foundation stories of the Marvel Comics universe. Right away, after the brisk introduction of the four superheroes in the first issue, it was obvious what a breath of fresh air these comics had to be in 1961 and 1962. The pages are less cluttered, with fewer captions and smaller word balloons, with pacing that left room for characterization and incidental occurrences, with humor mixed in with sometimes absurd and yet somehow deadly plots. In the first issue, the FF lived in a fictional Central City - they were in New York by the third. They had no costumes until number 3, and those costumes were streamlined over the run of this book, with collars and belts becoming thinner. The Thing began as a lumpish clay-like monster and slowly took shape over that first year, moving towards but not yet achieving the collection of rocks he would become. The Human Torch has a scarier, more uncontrollable flame image at the beginning, but he quickly morphed into the more familiar human shape with heat lines.
The characters read comic books - scaring Skrulls with pictures taken from the Marvel monster mags, discovering an old Sub-Mariner comic before discovering the old Sub-Mariner, reading of the brand new character the Hulk, and even speaking directly to Lee and Kirby to discuss plots and to be led into danger from Dr. Doom. These books have the sense of discovery and free-wheeling imagination in a time before continuity was even imagined by comics fans, and when the goal was to fill 23-25 pages with a wild new story in every issue.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of the first ten issues of The Fantastic Four from 1961, Marvel's first entry in the Silver Age of comics. Once upon a time, scientist Reed Richards piloted a rocket ship through cosmic rays, granting himself, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm powers mirroring the four classical elements. These issues marked the earliest appearances of the Mole Man (#1), the alien Skrulls (#2), Doctor Doom (#5), and the first appearance of the Sub-Mariner in several years (#4). The Four also came into conflict with (deservedly) lesser known enemies such as Miracle Man (#3), Kurrgo from Planet X (#7), and Puppet-Master (#8).

Like a lot of Silver Age collections, this was clearly written for kids and as such doesn't have a lot of subtlety, but it's still good light reading and an interesting cultural time capsule item. Lots of colorful action, silly dialogue, and made-up science abound here as much as in any of Marvel's other heroic debuts around this time. The stories strike a serious (though still mostly absurd) tone more than I'd expected, especially with Ben Grimm's constant coping with taking on the frightening form of the Thing. (How insulting and demeaning is that superhero name? Have some self-respect, Ben. Don't let your own family call you that.) Judging by some of these first appearances, it's tough to understand why some of these ideas lasted at all beyond the issue they were introduced in; the Skrulls and Doctor Doom are staples of Marvel's complex villains today, but they're both pretty standard melodramatic science fiction villains as presented here. As with most of these early creations, I assume that they were given new life and fleshed out by later writers who remembered them nostalgically. Some weird plots here, such as the Miracle Man's use of mass hypnotism and Namor buying a movie studio in a ridiculously complicated plot to trap and destroy the FF. Strangest of all is in issue #10, where Stan Lee and Jack Kirby insert themselves as characters into the plot of the FF versus Doctor Doom, apparently acting as the FF's comic book chroniclers.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Marvel Masterworks volumes are fantastic reprints of the early years of Marvel comics. A fantastic resource to allow these hard to find issues to be read by everyone. This first volume of the Fantastic Four introduces some of the great villains and heroes of the Marvel universe. Very recommended to everyone and Highly recommended to any comic fan.

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only have one thing to say:
The movies did them so dirty.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheesy! Over-the-top! Dawn of the Marvel Age perfection.

Excelsior for everything, Stan!

[Himanshu Karmacharya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced the world to arguably the first ever family superhero team, the Fantastic Four. Composed of four members who gained superpowers after being accidentally exposed to Cosmic rays, they join forces to use their powers for the greater good, while at the same time trying their best to make their lives normal.

The character designs are amazing for the time but the art is very 60's. However, it has certainly inspired a number of future artists and paved the way for endless possibilities.

The characterization has been done fantastically well (no pun intended). Reed Richards is the leader of the group, a brilliant scientist but always feeling guilty about being the cause of the accident.
Johnny Storm is the youngest member of the group, a teen and is psyched about getting superpowers more than any other members.
Ben Grimm, the hot head of the team, is the one who has the most traumatic experience of all, being disfigured and transformed by the cosmic rays into a rock-like creature.
Susan Storm, the love interest of Reed Richards and the elder sister of Johnny Storm, is the heart of the group. She is the one who looks after each and every member and keeps the group from falling apart and acts more on the emotional level than any other members of the team. However, I felt that it was her character that was not fleshed out the most. In most of the stories, her role is limited to a damsel-in-distress. And there are number of sexist remarks.
We are also introduced to classic FF characters, arch villain Doctor Doom and inconsistent villain/ally Sub Mariner. Though their characters are still in primordial stage.

The stories so collected in this volume, are by now, all classics. But not all of them are written very well. There are tons of ridiculous plot points and garbage dialogues. Over-saturation of expositions also take away the fun of reading sometimes.
The best story in this volume so far has to be the one involving the Puppet Master. Though not perfect in any way, it certainly delivers more sense of adventure and thrill than any other stories in this collection.

[Aditya Mallya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first volume of the Fantastic Four Masterworks series collects the comic's first ten issues - ever. The very first issue (Nov 1961) belongs in a museum, signalling as it does Marvel's entry into superhero stories and the subsequent revolution in the genre. The tenth issue (Jan 1963) is surprisingly sophisticated meta story, featuring writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby as characters who interact with the Fantastic Four. In between these two issues, we meet for the first time villains like the Skrulls and Doctor Doom, who would go on to be Hall of Fame members of the Marvel rogues' gallery. Namor the Sub-Mariner, one of the earliest known antiheros, also receives an introduction. All in all, that's a pretty iconic set of comic books. The stories themselves are quite old-fashioned in their style, content and dialogue, but the writing and art has a fun vitality that prevents it from seeming dated. I'll never tire of The Thing's grumpiness!

[Mr. Stick · Rating 4 out of 5]

"THE FANTASTIC FOUR!! HAH! LITTLE DO THEY DREAM THEY ARE NAUGHT BUT PAWNS IN THE HANDS OF DOCTOR DOOM!"
- Dr. Doom (first panel, fantastic four #5)

Well, I just read the first "Mighty" volume of Spider-Man a week prior. In my extremely biased opinion, Spider-man is better is every respect, but Fantastic Four was never bad. Just a little janky out the gate.
Some older comics can be a challenge for me to relate because the world we live in now is so different. The early 60's was a very different world with some antiquated concepts of gender, race, parenting, law, cultural tolerance, domesticity, politics, etc. (It's a lot). Our heroes demonstrate many of these:
- Female characters were either maternal and/or solely existed to fall in love with heroes.
- Teenagers interacted, in person (non-electronically), at parks and soda fountains and were trusted to do things on their own with little-or-no supervision.
- Invisible Girl, despite the versatility of her power (no force fields yet), uses her invisibility casually (to have a drink at a soda fountain), causing panic. They portrayed Sue as being so weak and dependent on Reed and Ben.
- Mr. Fantastic's elastic arms snatched a guy from a moving motorcycle just to ask a question. So many, levels of, "NO!"
- Human Torch, while fixing a car, uses his flame to fly through the roof of said car, melting it like that overpriced, smelly candle my wife was so in love with.
- And Thing, well... he's just a dick. He gets flack from a cabbie, so he impales the guy's taxi on a light pole. Is it weird that the character I find most relatable is the asshole?

That first issue (or four), I know Stan and Jack were still figuring it out, is clunky. The stereotype of 10-cent comic books. I'll bet the guys at DC comics laughed until they peed when they finally read Fantastic Four #1. Probably made them feel less ridiculous for not killing off Hawkman in the 50's.
While issue two (the skrulls) wasn't bad, things get interesting with issue five, the introduction of Doctor Doom.
This was a bit of a slog, but the importance of these stories from a sci-fi/adventure viewpoint is still relevant today.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

First published between November 1961 and January 1963, the first ten issues of the Fantastic Four can be laughably quaint. Atomic power and asbestos are categorical boons for society. The Human Torch sprays his bedroom every night with an unnamed chemical to keep it from going up in flames. The Invisible Girl is less likely to be a co-combatant and more likely to be a hostage, bait, or a spy.

(Also the writing can be frankly bad, though that it possible in any generation, and perhaps more possible in ours. I once counted thirty-three exclamation points over a two-page spread. Maybe Stan Lee got paid by the exclamation point.)

In other ways, the Fantastic Four was ahead of its time. The series changed comics by devoting precious space to characterization and back story.The Fantastic Four experience waves of doubt, jealousy, and sometimes outright rivalries. In one issue, the Fantastic Four faces eviction because superheroing doesn't pay the bills and Mr. Fantastic lost the gang's nest egg in the stock market. The brutish Thing is the most complex character of the bunch.

I plan to continue reading the series. It will interesting to see how the tone of the comics change as the 1960s become increasingly complex and tumultuous. I wonder, for example, how the series will deal - directly or indirectly - with the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, and the Summer of Love. I wonder also when I will see a non-white person, and in what context.

Should be fun.

[Zack! Empire · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are really silly and corny, but still great fun. If you were reading these with a critical or bitter eye, you wouldn't enjoy them, but if you can look back into your childhood and remember how magic and miracles were once real to you, these stories will be a hell of a good time.

[Jeffrey Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much Marvel history in this one! If you're looking for a intense story this isn't for you. It's just a bunch of fun Fantastic Four stories and I loved it but I can't say it's for modern readers.

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was a neat read. Don’t know if I could say it was all fun, but yeah, it was neat.

This volume brought the FF to the world’s attention, setting up (although briefly) their origin and some of who would be their lifelong foes. Dr. Doom is introduced here, but no major origin or mention of Latveria. Here’s merely a smart dude that went to school with Reed and messed around with the dark arts a bit, resulting in an accident.

My biggest takeaway from this was that I was stunned that the FF managed to survive as a team, much less a marketable product for as long as it has. The stories are ok and play it rather safe. Poor Sue is merely Invisible Girl here and those darn, female emotions of hers get in the way a fair bit (ugh…the 60s). Also, most surprising is that for a collection of small issues, there had to be 3-4 times where (at minimum) one member would exclaim something along the lines of “You stink! I’m outta the Fantastic Four”. Seriously, they BARELY hold it together throughout.

Maybe that was some gimmick to instill suspense, and maybe it’s early-issue jitters, but I didn’t find this collection as captivating as one I read set only about 10 issues later.

One last jab. Call it creative, or call it lazy (I’m going with lazy) but the las tissue in this REALLY makes you suspend your disbelief. So, the last we saw Dr. Doom, he was hurtling through space to who knows where. The issue cuts to “real life” with Stan and Jack talking to each other lamenting the loss of the greatest foe ever. SUDDENLY Dr. Doom appears and sort of glosses over how he got back in the most tenuous of explanations. Ok, cool…probably worked for kids back then. Anyways, the issue ends with him shrinking into nothingness…and so begins a long, storied history of not really getting rid of characters.

TL;DR? This is more enjoyable as an historical document than it is fun. Think of it as the first few episodes of a modern TV show. Still finding its footing here.

[Hamster · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is most definitely a product of another era. But that doesn't mean I can excuse its flaws.

The role of the Invisible Woman (Invisible Girl as she's called in these issues) is seriously problematic. She contributes very little to the team. She hardly ever helps fight the bad guy, and even when she does she usually fails instantly. She's more likely to be taken prisoner by the villain and become more of the damsel in distress than a hero in her own right, which is problematic since in fact she is supposed to be a hero.

Added onto that is the fact that she and Mr. Fantastic are supposed to be engaged, but they never act like it. The Thing acts more in love with her than Mr. Fantastic, and she acts more in love with Namor than with Mr. Fantastic. These details would be fine if they were actually addressed, but other than one brief comment at the end, Mr. Fantastic never seems too interested in Invisible Woman's other love interests. Their engagement feels unreal in-universe and unnecessary narratively. Not to mention this all makes Invisible Woman seem like she's there just to be the object of male desire. The comic does critique that a bit, treating admiring fans like creeps, but when it treats her not much better than the creeps I think that's a bad sign.

That said, there is certainly a charm to these stories. The Thing is definitely the standout character. The inclusion of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby themselves in the final story is epic and hilarious. These stories are cheesy in an endearing way. I had to space out reading this, and I don't think I'll ever reread it, but it was fairly enjoyable this once. If Stan Lee's introduction is to be believed, this did revolutionize superhero comics, and for that I am grateful.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I begin a foray into the First Family to celebrate their 60th anniversary this upcoming year, I celebrate the new language born in the offices of Madison Ave of 1961.

It would be hard to understate the importance of these comics. One could argue that Fantastic Four #1 is the most important super hero comic after Action Comics #1. I would be pretty satisfied with that ranking myself. Why? Because everything you know as Marvel Comics came from Fantastic Four #1. Yes, they had created Captain America in 1941. But you would have no clue who Captain America was if it wasn’t for Marvel’s First Family.

I wish I could instill the joy that this is to new readers... but sadly, I realize I have to steer people to more recent roads. This however was one of the first super hero comics I read, checked out from my local library. Read many times since, I appreciate more and more the new and fertile land they trod.

This collection contains Fantastic Four (1961) #1-10: The first appearances of the eponymous foursome, the Mole Man, the Skrulls, the MIracle Man, the reappearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner (a golden age Marvel (Timely) staple), Doctor Doom (of course), Kurrgo, the Puppet Master, and Alicia Masters. Of those, only two are forgettable; the rest are ongoing staples of the Marvel Universe which is forming before your eyes on every page.

Should you read it? I want to say yes, I really do. But I am learning that what I love, not all love. I have come to terms with the fact that most do not love beginnings and experiencing narrative development as much as I do. I now tend to point new readers who want a taste of the Lee/Kirby greatness to issues #40-60, the pinnacle of their time on FF. (They are possibly greater in Thor, but that is a discussion for another day)

As I conclude, I wonder if I need to reconsider my star ratings for super hero comics. I have made 5 stars essentially unattainable, but perhaps I am not relating it to its own medium but against great literature... but if I change this to 5 stars, the retroactive madness that would ensue...

[Bryan Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

My granny called, she said, "Travvy, you work too hard
I'm worried you forget about me"
I'm falling in and out of clouds, don't worry, I'ma get it, Granny, uh
What happened? Now my daddy happy
Mama called me up, that money coming and she love me
I done made it now, I done found life's meaning now
All them days her heart'd break, her heart not in pieces now
Friends turning into fraud, fraud
Practicing half the passion, you - packaged different
All you -, you - want the swag, you can't have it
I'ma sell it, your - salary, we 'bout to cap, bitch
Youngest - out of Houston at the Grammys
Smiling at 'em laughing at me
I passed the rock to Ye, he pump faked, then passed it back
All of this off of rapping, should've wrote this in Latin, yeah, yeah
Hm, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
Cuzzo said we in the store, yeah, we 'bout to drop a four
He passed the cigarette, I choke, whoo
Told my auntie, "Put them 'Ports down, them 'Ports down"
Now you know you love your own now
Hit the stage, they got their hands up, don't put your nose down
I ain't knockin', -, I knocked the door down, for sure now
Whole crew, I swear they counting on me
Gold chains, gold rings, I got an island on me
Houses on me, he got them ounces on him
Holy Father, come save these -, I'm styling on 'em
Good Lord, I see my good fortune in all these horses
I'm driving too fast to stop, so all these signs, I ignore them
Just this guy from north of the border, my chips is in order
My mom's biggest supporter, so now a - support a -

[Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before watching “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” I pulled out my Marvel Masterworks collection of the first ten issues of the Fantastic Four comics from 1961. The Fantastic Four was Stan Lee’s first real success, and it marked the coming of Marvel’s dominance in the comic book industry after DC’s golden era of Superman and Batman. And these stories, intentionally, added a new realism to superhero comics. The plots focused on the heroes as regular people struggling with their unique powers (you can see that in the “First Steps” movie, too). Having read the first two volumes of X-Men comics already, I am definitely starting to pick up on what makes a Stan Lee comic. FF is not, perhaps, as different from X-Men as I hoped. But these stories were written for children and teens, after all, and the fact that grown men can find some fun in these tales was never the intention…just a happy accident. With that in mind, I can’t find any real faults in such a harmless diversion from the depressing world readers might be trying to escape for a little while.

6/10

[Mr. Derek Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of foundational texts. It's not surprising to see why this run kicked off a new era of comic books. Calibrating expectations to the time-period and the context surrounding the release of these works, I found the characters surprisingly complex. It's impossible to avoid the misogyny of the time. Surely essays can and have been written about "The Invisible Girl" as she's portrayed in this era. But this is good homework for anyone who wants to trace a genre back to its earlier days - a time when the scientific understanding wasn't quite where we are today, and no matter how far-fetched the narrative was, it always wrapped up by the final page. I'm excited to read more of this early run as the characters and plotting just got stronger and stronger with each issue.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

From capsule reviews I published in a now-defunct Facebook account that were pasted in a February 1, 2010 e-mail to a friend. My assessment of Namor in the Golden Age was based solely on Golden Age All-Winners vol. 1.

Fantastic Four vol. 1 #1
It really does seem a bit clunky these days, and Reed really comes off as a bigot toward the Mole Man. Ben is really a jerk--he got soften quite a bit, probably as his appearance became more pleasant with the bricklike texture and the big brow. Lee's original synopsis stated that Ben really isn't a good guy, and though he certainly became one later on--he's definitely in this only for Sue.
I've read that before this series took off, Marvel was one of a number of independent publishers distributed by National Periodical Publications (DC). While Stan Lee's introduction sets the series in New York, as it would later be, "Central City" is the name given several times in this issue. If this had been successful enough to continue but not the incredible success that it was, would the FF have met the Flash?

Something about the Mole Man reminded me of a caricature of a Slavic Jew. The art and writing made me hear Shagal from _The Fearless Vampire Killers_ (which I watched on New Year's Eve) in my head saying his lines, though I never really thought of him as an "ethnic" before.

Fantastic Four vol. 1 #2
Holy intertextuality! Reed Richard defeats the Skrulls with "photographs" from _Strange Tales_ and _Journey Into Mystery_. This is he first appearance of the Skrulls--and of the Daily Bugle (albeit in only one panel)--I have seen some of the panels before, but never the entire issue. While most superheroes don't kill their foes, the Skrulls are an early precedent--transformed into beef cattle. Reed sticking his head through a rivet is a funny image in an issue that is quite comical. I understand this innocuous little issue led to massive amounts of carnage in 2008's Secret Invasion crossover, just as Ben predicts in the last panel.
This one has more racial stereotyping with Irish cops...

Fantastic Four vol. 1 #3
It's been noted by others that the first two issues of the series had covers that were designed to appeal to fans of the science fiction/monster comics that Marvel had been successfully publishing. It's easy to understand why the wider availability of these stories in reprint form has led to the recent reuse of so many of them. This one doesn't show a giant monster on the cover, but it features one. Miracle Man is a dashing figure whose powers of hypnosis are implausibly extraordinary, which is probably why he has been used so few times. This is the first appearance of the helmet the Thing wore for some time in the 1990s when his face got injured. While he explained why he didn't like wearing the shirt, I can't imagine why the Thing would want to go around in nothing but underwear after Sue made him a costume in his size. He's starting to seem more like a good guy than he did in the first two issues, though.

Fantastic Four vol. 1 #4
I thought this issue was trying to cram too much story into a single issue for it to work very effectively. The best moment is the famous one in which Johnny burns off Namor's beard to reveal his identity (and after seeing an old Sub-Mariner comic on the premises). It was simple enough to turn Namor into a villain (in the Everett stories, he wanted to join the U.S. Army, but wasn't allowed, as a noncitizen). This has yet another giant monster in it, a whale that walks, which the Thing kills with a nuclear warhead. It's hilarious when Reed stretches up to a helicopter and asks if the occupants have seen "a flaming teenager." Honestly, I don't get why the girls think Johnny Storm is so handsome. As Kirby draws him, he has the physiognomics of the bully-type in quite a few panels.

Fantasitc Four vol. 1 #5
Doctor Doom has a lot of control in this issue, though not a lot of panel-time. Having the three already standing on his time machine is a clever device (though longtime younger Marvel readers will see it as a bit obvious). This also has the paradoxical conceit that Blackbeard the Pirate is indeed Ben Grimm, which is rather clever. The book is starting to get into its own, and for some reason, The Thing gave up shoes for reasons not even explained, unlike with the helmet and the shirt. It might have made sense if he lost the shoes when he became Blackbeard, but the fact that he got big enough clothes from a random bundle that included big enough boots (which it did) is a definite credibility stretcher. Sue would later discount her important contribution to this adventure, given the sexist treatment she received.

Fantastic Four vol. 1 #6
"Central City" became New York a couple of issues ago, and this issue finally identifies the Baxter Building via the artwork--the name appears at the front entrance. The series is gradually getting better, but there are really lost opportunities for suspense, such as when Johnny jumps out the window into space and has his flame burn out, and it takes all of one panel for Reed to catch him. Sub-Mariner is both villain of new and hero of old in this issue. Again, this issue makes some credibility stretches. How does Reed know that the Thing's body can handle a space walk? He's never done it before. I can see how a character who has been around as long as Namor would know that he needs only a helmet in space, but not someone who gained powers as recently as Ben Grimm. Doctor Doom is again a figure of power who stays off-panel much of the time.

[Joe Tobin · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an historical document, it was interesting to read these first issues, but even by Marvel 60s standards this is some hokey stuff here. Why do these four even hang out? All they ever do is argue. And there's probably something to be said about how the superpower assigned to the woman is erasure. Bunch of dudes like, what's the most powerful thing a woman can do? How about, we don't have to look at her?

I'm glad I read it but the magic was lost on me.

[Phillip Cash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Next to The Amazing Spider-Man, the best series published by Marvel in the 1960s was Fantastic Four. Unlike Spider-Man, which was immediately great, it took the FF a bit to reach the same heights.

The Fantastic Four! (originally published November 1961 in Fantastic Four #1)

What a bizarre cover. It doesn't represent the story very well at all (yes, I know, that's comic books for you), but it's nonetheless iconic.

Issue #1 shows what is kinda like a rough draft of the FF. Sort of an amalgamation of the Justice League, Challengers of the Unknown, and the Human Torch of the Golden Age crossed with a proto-Spider-Man (what with Johnny Storm being a teenager and all). They don't seem to have a Baxter Building yet, and assemble with a flare signal (which would kinda-sorta stick around, for a little bit). In this story, they're clearly not the celebrities they'd later be portrayed as, and the Thing is drawn much more monstrous, only being barely humanoid.

The most interesting thing about this story is probably that the narrative is nonlinear. Not something you see every day in the Silver Age. The story itself is decent, but nothing special. Reed is hilariously dismissive of the Mole Man being trapped underground after their brief encounter with him. He's never been accused of being nice, though: after all, he transforms his best friend into a rock monster and then names himself "Mr. Fantastic" immediately afterward.

A number of things in the story make little sense, but to search for logic is to miss the point. I think my biggest problem is just the lack of an even remotely realistic reaction from Ben at what he becomes after the exposure to cosmic rays, and that the group's immediate resolution to use their powers to benefit humanity just happens with no real development or reason. I prefer origins like Spider-Man's, where he initially uses his powers to help himself, before being taught a lesson. 3/5

The Fantastic Four Meet the Skrulls from Outer Space! (originally published January 1962 in Fantastic Four #2)

The first appearance of the Skrulls! They're super cool. Ben's early characterization begins to take hold, as he established as an absolute danger to himself and others, chucking a bear head out of a window, etc. It's very, very odd to me that Reed, Sue, and Johnny all call him "Thing" in these early issues instead of his name. That's pretty mean. I'd be angry too. The family dynamic is definitely not fully established yet.

This issue is consistently entertaining, but the ending is pants-on-head absurd. Reed hoodwinks a race of advanced aliens capable of interstellar travel by using clippings from comic books in what is nothing more than a shameless plug for other series published by Marvel at the time, and in a deus ex machina of the highest order, reveals in the final panels that he used hypnotism (something not mentioned as a skill of his at any point prior to or following this one word balloon) to trick the Skrulls into living out the rest of their lives as cows.

The weird early trope of the Thing periodically reverting to his human form begins in earnest here. It would go on to happen probably every other issue (although briefly) in this first year or so. 2/5

The Menace of the Miracle Man (originally published March 1962 in Fantastic Four #3)

Debut of the FF's superhero costumes and Fantasticar! They also start to call each other by their actual names a little bit here, but code names are still the dominant form of addressing one another. Miracle Man, the villain of the month, is pretty goofy, and nonetheless hyped infinitely because Silver Age.

The "dysfunctional family" dynamic is getting worked out here... Johnny and Ben tangle for the first of many times. Ben has the hots for Sue at this time, for no real reason that it's a Stan Lee story, and that means that every male character who isn't a blood relative of the one female character must be attracted to them. The highlight of the issue for me is Reed Richards having the absolute stones to tell Benjamin Grimm to his face that "fate has been good to us." 2/5

The Coming of... The Sub-Mariner! (originally published May 1962 in Fantastic Four #4)

Despite the previous issues each being important for the milestones I've mentioned and more, this is the first one that truly feels like a big one, since it brings back a Golden Age Marvel character, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and it would be his first of many appearances in the pages of FF. In those appearances, he's given a genuine arc, and is without a doubt one of my favorite Marvel characters of the Silver Age.

There are some things in the story that make no sense (as usual), and the one that irritates me is that Reed, Sue, and Ben all agree to split up to find Johnny even when Ben, who is a true loose cannon at this point, makes his violent intentions extremely clear. When he is the one to find Johnny, his brief transformation back to human form is used as a cheap way to end the fight quickly.

Jack Kirby has a couple of opportunities to flex his prowess in this issue with some really good panels, but the early Silver Age trope of plain backgrounds was still in full swing here, so most of the art is still mediocre.

Ads for the upcoming first issue of The Incredible Hulk are placed in the margins periodically, with lines like "who is the Hulk?" and "the Hulk is coming" sprinkled throughout. 3/5

Prisoners of Doctor Doom! (originally published July 1962 in Fantastic Four #5)

The mid-story twist in this one is very silly, Ben is heinously unlikable throughout, the asbestos trope which should have caused Johnny Storm to die of cancer is introduced in earnest here, and Sue is used as bait and does not get to participate in the adventure (although she does have a good heroic moment at the end).

BUT, the really important thing is that DOOM is introduced here! Hilariously seen with a book titled "Science and Sorcery." He's not as awesome as he'd become, but still, he elevates the issues. 3/5

Captives of the Deadly Duo! (originally published September 1962 in Fantastic Four #6)

Jack and Stan must have known they had a couple of a winners on their hands with Subby and Doom, since they were brought back ultra quick, and placed in the same story.

The art here is a real mixed bag. Kirby draws large scale panels with lots of skyscrapers and/or machinery as great as you'd think based on his later (better) work, but other things just look weird. Subby's face is like a tribal mask of some kind in this one, and the Thing has a domed head reminiscent of Juggernaut. 3/5

Prisoners of Kurrgo, Master of Planet X (originally published October 1962 in Fantastic Four #7)

Oh boy, the "Planet X" cliche. Once again, there are a handful of stellar Kirby panels that stand out, but story-wise, it just feels like filler, because it is. The ironic twist at the end is pretty comical, though! 2/5

Prisoners of the Puppet Master! (originally published November 1962 in Fantastic Four #8)

Puppet Master is introduced, and he'll become a recurring C-list villain for the foreseeable future. More importantly, Alicia is introduced, and she'll become a key supporting character, and a catalyst to change Ben's personality into what most of us recognize as Ben, instead of the loose cannon, almost villainous version from previous issues. I like his line about how they only call him "Ben" instead of "Thing" when they want something. Once again, he's right to be pissed. In addition to his character development, this is the point when Kirby starts to draw him in a way that's more in line with what his established look would become, rather than the more monstrous version in the very early issues. A big part of the issue's plot involves the search for a cure to his condition... it's easy to forget how much they toyed with this early on.

Kirby's the GOAT comic artist, but it's undeniable that he had "sameface" tendencies, especially with female characters. That makes the Sue/Alicia swap plotline that much funnier. A wig is literally enough to make Johnny Storm unable to recognize his own sister. Kirby excels at drawing action scenes in this one, making super creative representations of Reed's powers. Overall, a solid issue. 3/5

The End of the Fantastic Four! (originally published December 1962 in Fantastic Four #9)

The FF are still not the fully-fledged celebrities they'd typically be portrayed as, as they're seen having severe money problems at the beginning of this issue (which of course is fully resolved by the end, restoring the previous status quo and rendering the story pointless). Sub-Mariner is back yet again, and somehow manages to trick the FF with a really dumb plan. The only positive things I can say about it are that Alicia has chilled out Ben significantly, and he feels more like the Ben we all know, and the family dynamics are becoming more established. They're still dysfunctional, but not at each other's throats with the same level of aggression as before. 2/5

The Return of Doctor Doom! (originally published January 1963 in Fantastic Four #10)

The return of Doom! And the introduction of Stan and Jack as characters within the story. Really creative idea! There's also a fun body-swap angle, and the story also makes good use of continuity, although I'd have preferred they use the Planet X species from #7, instead of a random alien species to explain Doom's reappearance, which would have been an even better use of continuity. Bizarre story, but arguably the best one so far. 3/5