The Fantastic Four Appreciation 2021

[Thundershot]

If Sue always spies on Johnny's girls, she should've known he was boning a Skrull.

I just reread the DeFalco FF era the past couple weeks, and the reason she wouldn’t have caught on is that Lyja never changed into her natural form while impersonating Alicia. She even had contacts that made her blind. I also forgot this scene that was never followed up on...



Also... Fantastic Force went to the Onslaught battle with the FF and Doom, but were never there in the actual issue.

Edit: reply to post while I was posting.

Lyja rarely shifted back though, this was explained by her first appearance and sort of gave that exact reason.

Attachment 105947

What comic is that from? I literally just read the DeFalco run and that’s not Paul Ryan’s art (he did all but the last two). I didn’t read the unlimiteds or unplugged, however.

[danielsan52]

What comic is that from? I literally just read the DeFalco run and that’s not Paul Ryan’s art (he did all but the last two). I didn’t read the unlimiteds or unplugged, however.

I was wrong about that being her first appearance, It is from Fantastic Four: Unplugged #4

[Triniking1234]

Yeah, surely Lyja would've shifted back to her own form when in private, rather than staying as Alicia 24/7. Can Skrulls maintain a shifted form when asleep or do they revert to default?

I think from the cow thing Skrulls can stay morphed indefinitely. She should've at least caught her snitching to Paibok.

[danielsan52]

I would like to see Lyja end up with Z'Reg, The Crusader.

[Oberon]

I think from the cow thing Skrulls can stay morphed indefinitely. She should've at least caught her snitching to Paibok.

They were hypnotised cows, but still I wonder.

[Digifiend]

I take it we've seen the last of Latveria in FF for a while. Al Ewing snatched up Doom for GOTG.

[Bruce Wayne]

Given that they co-wrote Empyre, I think it might be part of a larger connected plan they have for the various books they are writing.

[Thundershot]

I take it we've seen the last of Latveria in FF for a while. Al Ewing snatched up Doom for GOTG.

Holy crap! I just saw that! That’s awesome! I need to pick up GOTG again...

[CitizenXXX]

This latest issue was weird. Sue did not feel like sue at all to me. She felt green and mean for no reason. Also those bands on Johnny and sky seem like prison bands to me rather than soulmate bands. and the relationship between johnny and sky just does not ring true for me. I also don't get why Sue is acting like johnny is some 19 year old.

Sue is acting like she's 19 year old

[Digifiend]

Well, when Sue was that age, wasn't she effectively acting as a surrogate mother to Johnny, because their parents were dead? When FF started, Johnny was 15 and Sue was in her early 20s. She's not actually acting like a jealous sibling, she's acting like an overprotective mother.

[CaptCleghorn]

Well, when Sue was that age, wasn't she effectively acting as a surrogate mother to Johnny, because their parents were dead? When FF started, Johnny was 15 and Sue was in her early 20s. She's not actually acting like a jealous sibling, she's acting like an overprotective mother.

This is a good description of the Sue/Johnny dynamic.

[Chris0013]

Not going to say Sue is wrong for how she feels...but how she is expressing it is wrong. Yes...Johnny has a habit of rushing in with women...and add in the 'soul mate arm band' and maybe it is making him feel like it is real this time...but I do think Johnny and Sky need to slow their roll and actually get to know each other.

[shooshoomanjoe]

What ever happened with Lyja's pregnancy, did she give birth.

[CaptCleghorn]

Not going to say Sue is wrong for how she feels...but how she is expressing it is wrong. Yes...Johnny has a habit of rushing in with women...and add in the 'soul mate arm band' and maybe it is making him feel like it is real this time...but I do think Johnny and Sky need to slow their roll and actually get to know each other.

True. The actions themselves were wrong, but we do get they why, even if Sue's overstepped here.

[Reviresco]

Fantastic Four 674 comes out tomorrow (or later today if you’re reading this later). Generally, a new issue of FF isn’t worth a post like this, but this month’s issue is special for me. 50 years ago this month I got a copy of FF 110 (I do NOT own the error, although I have seen one in person).



From that issue on, I’ve been buying every issue. It’s been fifty years of collecting Fantastic Four for me and tomorrow’s issue is kind of special in that regards. My first issue was 85.



The issue appealed to me because I like the cartoon on TV. I did wonder why Sue had orange hair and why the others were calling her Crys. But I quickly realized what was going on. It’s why I’m not too worried about media difference from the comics confusing people. I was eight and I got it just fine.

But back to issue 110 and the journey. So being a fanboy, I naturally wanted a complete set. I looked, made contacts, traded, wheeled and dealed, hit flea markets, and finally was down to five issues I needed. One of them was issue 108. It irked me that if I started at a certain point, the issue a mere two months before that SHOULD have been considerably easier to acquire. Marvel was kind enough to put this in a special edition, Fantastic Four:The Lost Adventure #1, to remind me of my struggles and to celebrate my perseverance. Or they just wanted to rub it in.

Anyway, as of this issue #674, I mark 50 years of being a Fan 4 fan. May God have mercy on my soul.

Congrats!

Thank you for sharing your story. I love hearing how fans started with comics and their favorites and why.

As much as I enjoy the ease of getting my comics these days, I have to say, part of the fun back then was tracking down missed comics and trading with other fans, like you mentioned.

An anniversary was mentioned, but not to brag, I have my own.

I think I have this memory of reading a Strange Tales while I was in the hospital at 8, early '64. I was quarantined for 2 weeks because of an infectious disease. I ended up being a kind of indoors, sickly, reading child. But

The Strange Tales had Johnny facing off against the Wizard and I was struck by the art depiction which I can only describe as being very moody and surreal to my childhood sensibilities. Btw, as the Tarot Reader of Note on some threads, this experience of being alone was where some of my intuitive abilities and general witchiness began to develop.

The Torch was fighting the Wizard and had Sue do things invisbibly which shocked the Wizard into conceding who was more powerful. Wizard went on to greater mischief as we all know.
Years later as an 11 or 12 year old in 1967, I read the FF # 64, Sentry Sinister and it was my click moment. I probably have read nearly every issue after that, and ended up collecting many of the previous ones (not # 1, but there is another story).

Congrats to you too, Tarot Reader of Note.

That's a great insight into your abilities and your isolated childhood -- with the added benefit of fantastical inspiration from comics. When I re-read comics I read as a child, I am amazed to realize where some of my traits may have originated from.

So, do you have a soft spot for the Wizard?

I often forget about the Strange Tales stories, but they definitely are part of the FF mythos.