Fantastic Four Appreciation 2018

[Crimz]

By Alex Ross

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Fantastic Four #18 Sep 1963
Origin and first appearance of the Super-Skrull in "A Skrull Walks Among Us!"
After watching the news coverage of their battle against Doctor Doom,
Reed and Sue prepare to go on a test run to the Hawaiian islands in the new experimental passenger I.C.B.M. device.
While they are gone the Torch and the Thing go on separate dates.

Meanwhile, in the fifth quadrant of the Andromeda galaxy, the emperor of the Skrulls has finalized his plans to destroy the Fantastic Four
after his people's last failed attempt to invade the Earth. This time the Skrulls have created a new warrior called the Super-Skrull who can
mimic all of the abilities of the Fantastic Four but is far more powerful than his foes. After demonstrating his powers, the Super-Skrull is given orders to conquer the Earth.

A week later, the Fantastic Four are out shopping when they hear radio reports that an alien being has landed in Times Square.
They arrive just as the Super-Skrull declares the Earth as belonging to the Skrulls and planting the Skrull flag.
When a mob of people confronts the alien, the Super-Skrull easily bats them aside. When the group tries to battle the Super-Skrull,
they find that they are no match for his superior abilities, especially when he combines them and uses his naturally born Skrull shape-shifting powers.

When the Fantastic Four are forced to flee the scene, the Super-Skrull allows them to leave, planning on going after them later.
Back in his lab, Reed begins investigating the source of the Super-Skrull's power as they are not natural.
He soon deduces that the energies needed to power him are beamed from the Skrull homeworld.
With this knowledge, Reed constructs a device that will jam the Super-Skrull's powers.
The FF then goad the Skrull into meeting them on a deserted island for their final battle.
There, the Fantastic Four keep the Super-Skrull occupied while the Invisible Girl plants the jamming device on their foe.
The device works as planned, blocking the energies needed to power the Super-Skrull.

Without his powers, the Skrull is knocked into a crater on the island and is trapped below by the Torch who uses his powers to fuse sand over the opening.

Script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers

[Havok83]

Who would people consider Sue's best friend(s)? Reed's?

[GodThor]

Who would people consider Sue's best friend(s)? Reed's?

it think it was recently stated that Ben is Sue's and Reed's best friend.

[Johnrevenge]

Who would people consider Sue's best friend(s)? Reed's?

I would consider She-Hulk and Medusa as potential best friends of Sue and Wasp a close friend.

[Crimz]

Who would people consider Sue's best friend(s)? Reed's?

She hasn't really been stated to have one. She's good friends with many other Marvel female superheroes, but not any I'd consider a best friend.

Reed's best friends are Ben Grimm and T'Challa. Tony Stark is also a really close friend to Reed, but not as close as the other two.

I would consider She-Hulk and Medusa as potential best friends of Sue and Wasp a close friend.

I could see someone making that happen, especially with Medusa. After what she said in issue 1 of the latest run, I think they could make Medusa Sue's closest friend. You also have the element of them starting out as enemies then becoming friends, it could make a decent 1 issue story. A story of how they became best friends, Sue would finally have a best friend at the end of it.

[Triniking1234]

Well Medusa and Namor risked destroying New York to get Sue back with Reed. That's true friendship.

[Crimz]

Does Medusa have a best friend? If not then her and Sue are perfect.

[Johnrevenge]

Does Medusa have a best friend? If not then her and Sue are perfect.

I think that Sue would be the closest. I still remember in FF when Sue recruited Medusa to replace her while the Fantastic Four where away. That moment made me feel like they are best friends, or at least the closest thing.

[BAS]

Who would people consider Sue's best friend(s)? Reed's?

Sue’s best friend is Alicia. She’s been there since the beginning and is practically her sister. She’s been there for her marriage and is already an unofficial Aunt to her kids. After Alicia, you could list Jan, Medusa and Jen - but Alicia has to be #1.

[Mike]

maybe you can be offered an incentive to expand on your thoughts?

I'm not going to comment on the art. I'm not saying it's good or bad. It just doesn't appeal to me.

Story wise?

The first issue assumes that I have been reading the adventures of Ben and Johnny in Marvel Two-In-One. I haven't.
It also assumes I know why Reed, Sue and the kids aren't on Earth. I have no idea.
The last time I read anything about The FF they were in those awful white uniforms. Traveling in time. I think.
Other than the proposal, NOTHING happens.
What a boring first issue.

The preview of issue two spends way to much time on the kids.
I am not buying an issue of the Fantastic Four to read about the kids.
I am just not interested in them.
Franklin, as a toddler, is okay. Since Stan and Jack created him.
I have never liked Val.
Her creation undermines one of the most emotional comics I ever read.
The one where Sue miscarried.
Then to turn the kids into teens. Ugh! No thank you.

If this is all that Marvel can come up with after a prolonged absence of the FF I will be sticking to my back issues.

The reprint of issue #1 from 1961, with the original ads, was more entertaining than this 2018 issue #1.

[phantom1592]

The first issue assumes that I have been reading the adventures of Ben and Johnny in Marvel Two-In-One. I haven't.
It also assumes I know why Reed, Sue and the kids aren't on Earth. I have no idea.
The last time I read anything about The FF they were in those awful white uniforms. Traveling in time. I think.
Other than the proposal, NOTHING happens.
What a boring first issue.

Not FF specific... but this is a major pet peeve of mine with the entire Comic industry now days. Everybody talks about new runs, new volumes.. New #1s are a great place for new fans to jump on. It's a new starting place...


And they aren't.


Like... EVER.


The stories, plot, and changes are direct continuations of the previous volume and you're just assumed to have been following along. I don't remember the last time I saw a new #1 that would appeal to a brand new fan who knew nothing about the hero it was involved with.

It's just a marketing ploy to grab more money from people who don't know any better... It's never what's actually being advertised. A fresh start for people without the 70 year history.

[mrbrklyn]

It's $6 for twice the amount of pages of a $4 issue.

how many panels for story?

[mrbrklyn]

I'm not going to comment on the art. I'm not saying it's good or bad. It just doesn't appeal to me.

Story wise?

The first issue assumes that I have been reading the adventures of Ben and Johnny in Marvel Two-In-One. I haven't.
It also assumes I know why Reed, Sue and the kids aren't on Earth. I have no idea.

Yeah they completely failed to give backgrround and frankly, that is the new way they do books. They have no respect for a reader who happens to try to pick up a book. But in this case, you would think they would make some effort since it is a major launching point for the title.

The last time I read anything about The FF they were in those awful white uniforms. Traveling in time. I think.
Other than the proposal, NOTHING happens.
What a boring first issue.

No that is my real problem and it is worst in the second issue. These kids expect thin storylines today. Kirby could have combined both those books into 6 pages and given more background and story. But this book is purposely padded with fluff.

The preview of issue two spends way to much time on the kids.
I am not buying an issue of the Fantastic Four to read about the kids.
I am just not interested in them.
Franklin, as a toddler, is okay. Since Stan and Jack created him.
I have never liked Val.
Her creation undermines one of the most emotional comics I ever read.
The one where Sue miscarried.

Oh I so agree with that, and they did that to fix another mistaken storyline that implied that Susan and Doom would have mated and some point...

The Franklin story has been like whiplash. I have no problem with the kids, but not at the expense of the FF themselves.

Then to turn the kids into teens. Ugh! No thank you.

If this is all that Marvel can come up with after a prolonged absence of the FF I will be sticking to my back issues.
The reprint of issue #1 from 1961, with the original ads, was more entertaining than this 2018 issue #1.

I loved the Simeonson reprint. Walt is still around. They can consult with him. So is Steranko

They got all these guys to do covers, maybe they could have talked to some of them.

Talk to Warren Ellis.

[comicscollector]

This is looking to be a great story.
And have art by Aaron Kuder,Adam Hughes and Michael Allred !!!