Here's the Thing…

A Lighthearted and Occasionally Enlightening Blog about the Fantastic Four

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Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962)

8–11 minutes

I don’t need to tell you that this issue introduces one of the all-time greatest villains in comic book history, Doctor Doom. Although very little of Doom’s background is given here, we do see some of his well-known tropes and personality traits from the start, previewing many of the aspects of his complex character I discuss in the final chapter of my book. (We also see the first inks on Fantastic Four by Joe Sinnott, who would not only go on to be the best and longest-serving inker on the Lee-Kirby run, but would also provide inks for many future FF artists, providing a subtle but undeniable continuity to the art across many pencilers. For more, see here.)

This issue opens with an ominous image introducing the Fantastic Four’s newest foe alongside a blood-headed buzzard that is (thankfully) never seen again. (This page reminds me of the opening splash page to some of Kirby’s Golden Age comics, such as this one from Captain America Comics #1 in 1941.)

The panel above the the left is giving Quasimodo, but it’s also notable for Doom’s medieval-style tunic, which is gone by the next appearance, only to be brought back whenever writers and artists want to make clear they are showing Doom in his early years, such as in Marvel Universe #2. (Also, once again, the Fantastic Four must have earned quite a reputation already for Doom to claim he’s the only person who can beat them.)

Turning the page, we see a Marvelous bit of self-promotion, as Johnny is reading The Incredible Hulk #1, which had just been published the month before in our world (but who knows when in the 616). Naturally, Johnny can’t resist comparing the Hulk to Ben, who is careful to set his tiny coffee cup and saucer down on the table before they launch into one of their legendary “battles.”

Mom and Dad have to step in before they destroy the entire room…

…with Reed switching from reprimanding the two of them to wondering why all four of them can’t seem to get along. (Sue’s probably wondering who he’s talking about.)

Reed is forced to skip the lecture when the lights suddenly go out and a massive net falls over the Baxter Building. Peering through it, they see a man in a helicopter painted like a shark, ooh scary. (At least it didn’t say DOOM on the side.) Reed recognizes the voice…

…and thinks back to college, revealing Doom’s real name and the accident that changed him forever, but little else. Note that Reed does not yet acknowledge playing any role in the accident or having met Victor, much less knowing where he was from—this is all to come later. But we do learn that Victor had mastered both science and magic, and was injured while trying to contact someone among the dead (whom we later learn was his mother).

The first panel above is very strange. For one, the hands are switched: your thumbs point toward each other when your palms are facing out, not in. Also, assuming he’s standing in front of the flame, why is the shadow behind the flame—and is the shadow speaking? Maybe Doom is the figure in shadow (although clearly lit by the flame) and it’s another person in the foreground (facing forward)? (And why does the final panel still have the “flashback” border? A Marvel No-Prize for the first person to figure it out it!)

For the second issue in a row, the group’s foe demands Sue accompany him, although Doom does not share Namor’s amorous intent. This may help explain her early reputation as a professional hostage, but in nether case is she captured; instead, she goes willingly, either in the spirit of heroic sacrifice (as in the last issue) or strategic advantage (as below).

Admittedly, Sue does call herself a hostage below, while planning to do some espionage. (This talent, enabled by her powers, would be utilized many years later by S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Next, Doom tells the rest to join him on his “plane,” curiously demanding that they swear not to attack him. (You would think that’s why he took a hostage.)

For now, Reed is relying on Doom’s own self-interest to keep them alive; he changes his tune before long, though.

Doom reveals his vanity by sounding very satisfied with himself—just imagine if he could hear what Reed says about him.

Ben is intent of saving Sue, while Johnny seems determined to hold to the terms of a coerced promise; Doom, however, makes clear the true threat in the situation. (By the way, the tiger’s name is Gunther and he made his return appearance on the occasion of Doom’s wedding in 2021’s Fantastic Four, vol. 6, #33.)

This is where the story gets truly wild: Doom wants the fellas to go back in time and steal Blackbeard’s pirate treasure.

This time, Reed says he trusts Doom, telling the others that “Doom is not a liar,” and also takes his word that he’ll let Sue go if they don’t come back. Does this imply greater familiarity between the two than Reed revealed before? Had Lee or Kirby planned to expand more here on their college background (as they would later)? We must assume (before we are told) that Reed had the opportunity to form such a strong opinion of Vic’s character, for why else would Reed place so much trust in Doom when he has so much to lose? Regardless, it seems clear that Lee and Kirby wanted to establish Doom as having some sense of honor from the very beginning (in Reed’s mind, at least).

Below we see Doom’s time platform for the first time, although it is unclear that the platform moves vertically through its “passengers” (as is shown when the fellas return later in the issue).

Reed wisely sees that they need disguises, after which Johnny “remembers” Errol Flynn’s two pirate films, Captain Blood (1935) and The Sea Hawk (1940), both of which came out before he was born but were broadcast on TV starting in the mid-1950s. Ben needs a more elaborate disguise, of course, which will lead to some interesting confusion very soon.

At a nearby inn, two real pirates give them strong drink to knock them out and take them about their ship, and when they awaken they frighten the pirates with their powers and are made the leaders of the vessel. When they are attacked by another pirate ship, which they suspect is Blackbeard’s, Ben leads the crew in battle…

…and when they are victorious, the crew names Ben “Blackbeard,” creating one of them time-loops that science fiction writers are so fond of.

Ben and Johnny rejoice at the treasure which they claim ownership of, but Reed chooses to distribute holiday bonuses to the crew rather than deliver such a bounty to the hands of Doctor Doom.

Hmm… Doom mentioned both “treasure” and the chest itself, but none of the FF ever did. More to the point, once again, the agreement or promise was coerced, and therefore holds no obligation over them.

Not all of them want to return, though. Ben feels accepted and admired in this time, and he’s determined enough to tell his men exactly how to defeat Reed and Johnny’s powers. (I assume he’s been thinking about this for a while—maybe they shouldn’t have called him “Thing” so much!)

The storm destroys the ship and the fellas are washed ashore; no sign or mention of the crew. (Not cool.) Ben feels ashamed, but Reed declines to comment.

After Doom brings them back to 1963, Reed leans hard into the “chest” thing, and Doom reveals the truth behind the treasure it once contained. (Doom actually meets Merlin in Iron Man #250.)

Now that they’re back in the present, Johnny thinks of the danger of having left the Stones of Merlin in the wreckage of the ship—but at least he remembers, unlike the genius of the group.

This is only the first of many times “Doom” turns out to be a robot; his Doombots, as they are later known, will become a fascinating aspect of the FF lore in terms of personal identity (all believing they are Doom) and logic (sometimes becoming confused when in Doom’s presence or are confronted with Doom’s obvious errors), as well as a device for Doom to deny his many failures. (Also, in the panels above and below, we get a better look at Doom’s medieval tunic, particularly the black part around the shoulders, and the absence of his grand cape.)

As she often does in the FF’s early adventures, Sue saves the day, here taking advantage of Doom’s negligent underestimation of her to slip away and free the others.

Yes, Reed, it’s a good thing she’s unharmed, like she was the only one in danger.

Reed demonstrates the power behind his stretching ability—specifically, the ability to use the tension in his body to restore itself to normal size (length?), even if aided by the Thing. (We see this also when he wraps himself around Ben to restrain him, but it is more obvious here.) There’s something very Taoist about this: while the most apparent aspect of Reed’s ability is to stretch, the true power lies in his reversion to the normal. (See verse 11 of the Tao Te Ching about the useful part of a bowl being a empty space within it.)

(“Bub,” heh. Take that, Logan.)

Doom is more than happy to let this castle—later revealed to be in the Adironrack Mountains in upstate New York—go to waste, and escapes using a jetpack, promising to take over the Earth another day.

Johnny breaks his fall with no help from the others this time, and while Ben sings a little Sinatra, Reed swears they will find Namor and Doom soon enough…

…which will be the next issue, in which we have a Super-Villain Team-Up.

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