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 Rereading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Generally speaking, fans divide the first 300 or so issues of FF into three eras, the Lee/Kirby years, the “middle years,” and the John Byrne years. Although Kirby is still with the book with this issue, #94, for me it always represented the beginning of the “middle years,” thanks to the introduction of one of the book’s weirdest, wackiest supporting characters.

The story begins with the FF at home, where Reed and Sue announce that they’ve chosen a name for the baby — Franklin, after Sue’s father. They further reveal that lil’ Franklin’s middle name is Benjamin, after the Thing. Ben gets all teary-eyed after learning this, the big softie.

 We then catch up with the Frightful Four, who are still a team, but still bickering with one another. The Wizard is secretly spying on the FF, saying he wants his revenge on our heroes, while Sandman hesitates about putting the baby in danger. Then Paste Pot Pete, um, I mean the Trapster shows up with Medusa, so the original Frightful Four is back together. (Wait, isn’t Medusa a good guy now?)

Reed announces that he’s found a “child-rearing specialist” to help take care of the baby while the FF are having adventures. They fly the Fantasticar to the Adirondacks, to a big gloomy mansion that Reed tells us is the home of Agatha Harkness. Harkness, Reed says, has a world-famous reputation as a child specialist. We meet Harkness, a creepy old lady with a black cat named Ebony. She says she’s coming out of retirement, because she couldn’t say no to the famous Fantastic Four.

Harkness’s mansion is of course a big scary house with creepy antiques and paintings all over the place. She does the horror movie “I’ll show you to your rooms” thing. While horsing around in his bedroom, Ben finds a hidden door leading to a secret passage, where he’s attacked by the Wizard. Ben is lifted off the ground from one of the Wizard’s anti-grav discs, and then knocked unconscious by an energy blast. The Wizard and Sandman attack Johnny next, dousing his flame with Sandman’s sand. The Trapster’s paste gun seals the only door to Reed and Sue’s room.

The Frightful Four reunite inside the house, and the Wizard announces that now that the FF is trapped, it’s time to dispose of them permanently. That’s when Medusa strikes, attacking the Wizard with her super-powered hair. Turns out she secretly only joined them to protect the FF, if needed. (Fooled you!) It’s a short fight, after the Trapster traps Medusa in the paste.

 It looks like the fighting is over, but Harkness appears at the top of the stairs. Ebony transforms from an ordinary cat into a giant panther. There’s a strange bit where Ebony chases the Wizard out of a window, and as the Wizard flies off into the sky, Ebony’s face fills the entre sky around him. (Magic, I guess?) Sandman tries to attack Harkness, but she transforms him into hard, solid rock. The Trapster runs for it, but a big demonic monster blocks the exit, and Trapster faints with fear.

We turn the page, and the “demonic monster” was really Ben, who didn’t even lay a hand on the Trapster. The sand, anti-grav disc, and paste have all disintegrated. Medusa is freed as well. They find Sandman and Wizard both paralyzed with fear. Reed and Sue are out of their room, and everyone rushes to Harkness’s room, where the baby is. They find everything is OK — the baby is sleeping and Harkness is sitting there, knitting. Ben sees a book in the room titled “Tales of Old Salem,” and he suspects that Harkness is a witch. She voices his suspicion before he can say it, suggesting that she read his mind, so Ben freaks out and runs out of the room, Scooby-Doo style.

Unstable molecule: It’s never mentioned how Reed learned about Harkness or why he decided she should be the baby’s nanny, but everyone goes along with it.

Fade out: Sue insists several times that the baby must be kept somewhere remote and distant, to keep him safe from the FF’s many enemies.

Clobberin’ time: Despite being a teammate to a genius, Ben is the only one who suspects there’s something supernaturally weird going on with Harkness.

Flame on: The villains’ plan is to take out Johnny fast, before he can summon up his flame. I wonder why more baddies don’t try this approach.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Although Crystal stays behind in New York in this issue, Medusa makes sure to ask how Crystal is doing, setting up the next issue.

Four and a half: The famously blonde Franklin has brown hair in this issue. A panel showing the exterior of the Baxter Building shows funky blue energy crackling all around it as the FF discuss Franklin’s future safety. Could this be foreshadowing Franklin’s powers?

Commercial break: Glo-Gloop?

 Trivia time: This is actually not the first time readers learned Franklin’s name. So many readers had written into the letter’s page suggesting the name that Stan Lee more or less unofficially spilled the beans in the letters months earlier. Also, Sandman previously appeared in Hulk #114, where he was turned to glass. A line of dialogue in this issue says the Wizard turned him back to normal.

 Fantastic or Frightful? As a comedic haunted house story, this is an amusing little romp, but the fact that so much stuff happens for no reason shows us that we’ve entered the directionless, meandering storylines of the “middle years.”

Next: They call him “One-eye.”

****

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Re-reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Here’s issue #93, which came out in December 1969. It’s the end of the 1960s, and it’s the unofficial end of Jack Kirby’s time on the FF. Sure, he’ll be around for a few more issues, but most experts agree that this arc was the last time he gave a damn. Anyway, to recap: Skrulls who live as old-timey gangsters kidnapped Ben and are forcing him to fight in gladiatorial games.

We begin in space, where the FF is flying along in their Skrull flying saucer which they happen to own, searching for a trail to lead to Ben. Johnny, it’s worth noting, is flying outside of the ship with his flame burning, with absolutely no mention of how he can do this in the vacuum of space. (Remember that way back in issue #6, Ben and Namor needed special helmets to breathe in space.) Our heroes find a radioactive trail which Reed deduces leads to Ben’s abductors.

On the Skrull planet, Ben and his opponent, the robotic Torgo (not the Manos Torgo, sadly) are finally put into the ring. They’re told they must fight to the death. Ben continues to try to convince Torgo to escape, but Torgo is resigned to his fate. He punches Ben real good. Ben’s strength, however, stands up to Torgo’s blows, and Torgo says Ben is the mightiest opponent he’s ever faced. The Skrulls insist that they keep fighting or else their homeworlds will be destroyed by sonic rays. Then there’s a bit of business where somebody throws a bomb into the ring, which knocks Ben back. Torgo is about to strike the final blow, but the Skrulls won’t have it, saying Ben was defeated by the bomb, not by Torgo.

While the aliens/gangsters argue about the rules, Ben finally fights back, punching Torgo. The computer, which I guess is keeping score somehow, determines that the fight’s outcome is voided. Now, they have to start the fight over. (How that’s different from just keeping on fighting, I don’t know.)

The FF arrives at the Skrull planet, and a Skrull ship flies out to intercept them. Johnny envelops the alien’s ship in a “sub-nova heat blanket.” This knocks out the Skrull. As the FF invade his ship, Reed says they’ll learn where Ben is once he comes to.

Torgo and Ben have been given some weird-looking alien weapons that kind of look like big bottle openers, and they continue to fight. Despite all that’s happened, Ben is still arguing that they should work together to escape, but Torgo still believes that they have no choice but to keep on fighting. Ben refuses to go the distance and kill Torgo. Torgo then reveals that the weapons are also gas guns (!) and he blasts Ben with knockout gas. This makes Ben vulnerable to Torgo’s final blow. In the stands, the Skrulls/gangsters once again argue whether these weapons are allowed in the rules (they really should have gone over these rules before the fight started).

Elsewhere, one of the gangsters’ henchmen is reported about the fight on the phone, when he’s approached by Reed, now in a full-on gangster outfit. He says he’s with “Reed Richards’ gang” and he demands to be taken to the fight. They hop in a car, where Johnny and Crystal are also in their best Untouchables-era finery. Lest we forget that this is an alien gangster planet, it’s a flying car.

At the arena, Ben’s message finally sinks in, and Torgo says he cannot kill one who has shown him mercy. The Skrulls prepare to fire up the sonic disrupter, but a blast of energy comes out of nowhere and destroys it. The blast came from Crystal, arriving in the nick of time with Reed and Johnny. Ben is so happy to see his friends that he does the old “I must have got something in my eye” gag.

No time for sentiment for Torgo, however, as he frees all the slaves, and they all bring the fight to their Skrull overlords. The FF escape in the commotion, and flee the planet. Ben wonders who Torgo was, and hopes his former cellmate will succeed in the fight for freedom.

Unstable molecule: Note that Reed’s gangster suit isn’t made of unstable molecules. When he stretches his arm, the suit doesn’t stretch with it. Nice detail, there.

Clobberin’ time: Although he’s the one so often quick to fight, Ben’s underlying humanity is the showcase in this issue, as the real fight isn’t in the gladiator ring — it’s the fight to become a better man.

Flame on: Still not sure how Johnny can fly around in space like that. Not even one line of dialogue explaining that he’s protected by a portable energy field or some crap?

Fantastic fifth wheel: Crystal is totally badass when she destroys the sonic world-killing machine.

Commercial break: If you know your comics history, you know about the controversies surrounding these light tables, yet here’s an ad for one — in a comic!

Trivia time: According to the Marvel Wiki, the Skrull gangsters Boss Barker and Lippy Louie were never seen again after this arc, and are presumed dead after the revolution in this issue. If anyone from Marvel is reading this, I dare you to bring these two back.

Fantastic or frightful? If all the rumors are true and this was Jack Kirby’s last genuine work on the FF, then it’s a good one for him to go out on. Many have speculated that the Thing’s personality was basically Kirby’s personality, and here we get to the heart of what Ben is all about. But it’s not over! Kirby is still with us for the next few issues, and there’ll be more to talk about.

 Next week: Season of the witch.

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.

Rereading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Let’s see, how to summarize this plot? The Thing is trapped on a planet of Skrulls who have taken the form of old-timey gangsters, who want him to fight in some gladiatorial games. Got it? Good. Here’s issue #92:

The “gangsters” collect Ben from his cell and say it’s time for him to train for the games. They take off his power-inhibiting collar, and he starts to wreck the place, but he can’t. Ben’s roommate/future opponent Torgo (no, not that Torgo) explains that they’re all under a “hypno-glow” that mentally prevents the prisoners from fighting back.

Ben’s first opponent is Magno-Man, and this is where we get this panel, which has become something of an internet meme over the last few years:

What you don’t see in this panel is that Magno-Man actually puts up a good fight, throwing Ben all over the gladiator arena. He nearly defeats Ben before Ben rips up the ground underneath him.

Back on Earth, Johnny and Crystal conclude that Ben is not in New York and that Reed was right about suspecting the Skrulls. Inside HQ, Reed is modifying the Skrull flying saucer, which the team took ownership of way back in issue #2. (!) Sue wants to join the team as they head into space, but Reed insists she stay behind to take care of the baby.

The Skrull gangsters continue to blast Ben with nerve rays so he doesn’t fight back, and they test his strength by putting him under a “Hydraulo-press,” which looks really painful. Later, word is spread throughout the planet that the great games are going to start. We’re reunited with Ben’s “owner,” Boss Barker, and his rival Lippy Louie. Louie is the one who has bet against Ben in favor of Torgo. There’s a weird bit where Louie sets off a bomb in Barker’s headquarters, which Barker takes to mean that Louie’s getting scared he’ll lost the bet. Barker travels to the games, where we get another mention of Machine Gun Martin, the Earth gangster who inadvertently inspired this alien society.

Inside Ben and Torgo’s cell, Torgo gets all robot-emo, saying he longs for freedom. Ben tries to convince him to fight against their captors, but Torgo won’t go for it. They start fighting, right there in the cell, before the gangsters break them up. They’re taken to the arena, along with a bunch of other kooky-looking aliens. Ben continues to argue for fighting back, but Torgo says that if any slave fights back, that slave’s home planet is destroyed. (Why is Ben just learning this now?)

The games begin, with the first fight between a “primitoid” and a “cat-man.” Ben watches, worried that there will be no escape. Elsewhere, Reed, Johnny and Crystal have taken off into space in the flying saucer, to the rescue.

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: Reed not only gets an alien spacecraft up and running, but uses the alien navigation system to find the planet Ben is on. Brains!

Fade out: Sue is sidelined again. And they still haven’t named the baby.

Clobberin’ time: Ben spends most of the issue in a weakened state, but he manages another killer put-down: “You got a real anti-social hang-up there, Melvin.”

Flame on: Johnny flies around not in his FF uniform, but in a sweater and jeans. We’re not told these clothes are made of unstable molecules, but we can assume that, right?

Fantastic fifth wheel: When speaking to Johnny, Crystal calls Reed by his full name, “Reed Richards.” Is this to remind us that she’s an Inhuman and still new to the outside world, or just clumsy exposition for new readers?

Commercial break: Man, I used to love these “new fall season” ads for the Saturday morning cartoons. Unfortunately, haven’t heard of most of these shows. Cattanooga Cats?!?

Trivia time: Torgo will show up a few more times in the Marvel Universe after this, getting his sci-fi back story fleshed out a little more. Basically, he’s from another galaxy, where sentient machines overthrew organic life. You know, the usual. The Marvel Wiki informs me that Torgo has “a bit of a sweet tooth.”

Fantastic or frightful? This issue is a tease, building up to the big games, and then cutting to the cliff hanger just as they start. So, it’s all set-up. The rumor is that although Jack Kirby was fed up with Marvel by this time, he loved drawing this gangster stuff. I can believe that, seeing a ton of Kirby’s trademark imaginativeness in the gangster/alien designs.

Next week: The brawl to end it all!

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.

Re-reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. The end of the last issue had the Thing being captured by a Skrull and carried off into space. So why are there 1930s-style gangsters on the cover to issue #91? Let’s see…

We begin with those same gangsters (and their sexy moll) looking at a picture of Ben and talking about how the slave ship is bringing him in. The narrative caption spills the beans a bit too early by stating, “It isn’t a scene from The Untouchables! You’re actually on another planet!” The head gangster, Boss Barker, plans to buy Ben from the slaver and have Ben box a fighter owned by rival gangster Lippy Louie. On cue, Louie shows up to make the bet. He wagers ten “power stones” that Ben can’t defeat his slave, Torgo. (Torgo???)

The Skrull Slaver, who has apparently changed his name to Slave-Master, has Ben trapped in a big stone harness, and he again uses his nerve ray to put Ben to sleep if he tries to escape. They arrive at Kral, a planet on the outer edge of the Skrull galaxy.

Back at FF headquarters, Reed says no one, including police, has seen or heard from Ben in days. The team insists it’s not like Ben to just wander off. Johnny takes off, flying over the city in some desperate attempt to find his pal.

On the Skrull planet, Ben arrives with the Slave-Master and a bunch of other alien slaves. Ben is surprised to learn the planet looks just like New York during the age of prohibition. A bunch of punk kids throw a brick at Ben, he makes the obligatory reference to the Yancy Street Gang, and tries to fight back. More nerve rays from the Skrulls shut him up pretty good. There’s a confusing bit of business where Boss Barker pays his ten power stones as a “down payment” for Ben, with arguing over whether it’s actually ten stones or not. Whatever. He leaves with Ben.

As the aliens/gangsters drive Ben through the streets, we get the backstory. On Earth in the 1930s, a crook named Machine Gun Martin escaped from jail. In his fleeing from cops, he came across a Skrull slave ship, who brought him to Kral. Through him, and then through old gangster movies, the Skrulls of Kral decided to base their entire society on old-timey Earth gangster culture. The exposition is interrupted by an attack from a biplane, equipped with alien superweapons, which tears up the road in front of the car. The Skrulls/gangsters flip a switch, allowing it to fly, and to fight back with its own superweapons.

Ben is brought to the gangsters’ HQ, an old brewery, where Ben is introduced to the Slave-Keeper, who (I guess?) is different from the Slave-Master. He says it’s time for Ben to start his training, with “training” being fighting a giant monster. Ben tries to fight the monster, Taxtor, but his harness is making him too weak. The gangsters/Skrulls toss Ben in a cell, where he discovers he has a roommate. It’s Torgo, who announces he will kill Ben in the upcoming fight. Sadly, this is not the beloved goat-kneed Torgo from Mystery Science Theater 3000, but a big robot-lookin’ guy.

We then cut back to FF headquarters, where Reed deduces that Ben is in space. Because Ben was last seen with an imposter of Reed, Reed goes ahead and assumes the Skrulls have abducted Ben. Reed says to Johnny, “Ben is out there, lad, the captive of a Skrull!”

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: Not sure how Reed jumps straight from learning someone was impersonating him immediately to Skrulls, but, hey, he’s right.

Fade out/Fantastic Fifth Wheel: Sue and Alicia are only seen on one page, and have no dialogue.

Clobberin’ time: In addition to being the center of attention in this issue, Ben makes a classic put-down: “Yer fadder wears space shoes!”

Flame on: I don’t know what Johnny thinks he’s going to accomplish by just flying around randomly looking for Ben, but this desperate act fits his “hot-head” character.

Commercial break: Wrist bands that give you super powers? Is this the first appearance of Quasar?

Trivia time: The Star Trek episode “A Piece of the Action” aired a year before this issue, and it must have been an influence. It’s set on a planet where imitative aliens have adopted a lifestyle based on old-timey gangster fiction.

Fantastic or frightful? Although he’ll stick with the book for a little while longer, this “Gangster movie” arc is often considered Jack Kirby’s last great work on Fantastic Four. It’s certainly imaginative, with the 1930s-era vehicles suddenly flying and blasting each other with futuristic weapons. Stan’s script is a hoot as well, with all kinds of anachronistic gangster-speak. This was Stan and Jack’s last big hurrah, and it’s far from over.

Next: The first rule of Space Fight Club is…

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.