Here's the Thing…

A Lighthearted and Occasionally Enlightening Blog about the Fantastic Four

, , ,

Fantastic Four #6 (September 1962)

7–10 minutes

With this issue we see the first Supervillain Team-Up of the Marvel era, as the antagonists of the previous two issues join forces (to some extent) to face their “lifelong” enemies. Many other new elements of the Fantastic Four mythos are introduced here, including some that are quickly abandoned, and the attraction between Sue and Namor is reinforced. The world of the FF is quickly coming together…

The issue opens with some onlookers commenting on the youngest member of the team.

I hope the first fellow is actually thinking of Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch and the only one deserving of the appellation “living legend” at this point in time. The second guy introduces a healthy dose of skepticism, while the third confirms their empirical reality. (The red-headed woman seems either smitten or concerned—maybe she’s married to one of the workmen on the roof who are too close to Johnny’s trail!)

Below, the imitation Purple Man is the most doubtful of all, but Sue sure shows him…

…generating some fearful reactions, adding a new touch of realism to average New Yorkers’ reactions to the first super-powered folks they’ve seen (at least in this decade).

Three issues after the teams’ New York skyscraper was introduced, it gets its classic name, the Baxter Building…

…and a way to access their private elevator. (I do find it hard to believe the telegram boy didn’t realize who she was until she was gone—you would think the “4” would be a sure giveaway.)

While Sue bypasses the hoi polloi, we see an expanded version of the cutaway diagram seen in issue #3, now with an additional floor under the living quarters.

Compare the classic mission of the team from issue #1, to use their powers to help mankind, to the verbiage above, fighting a “war against the forces that would destroy man’s freedom,” which seems much more appropriate to a World War II super-soldier who is soon to be de-iced.

Sue checks in with Johnny on his progress searching for Doctor Doom after he fled his Adirondacks castle at the end of the last issue, and the World’s Greatest Detective credits their enemy with amazing powers of subterfuge to evade capture. (Ben is less sure.) For his part, Reed reads a letter from a sick young boy in a hospital across the state, and decides to stretch over for a surprise visit. (I get touched whenever heroes do this, including people in our world who dress up as superheroes to cheer up sick children, such as my friend in the super-soldier outfit here and his amazing friends.)

This gives Reed a chance to introduce one of his most prominent inventions, unstable molecules, which allow the group’s costumes to adapt to their powers (and allow them to withstand the brutal cold of space, as we shall see).

We also get the first mention of the Yancy Street Gang, who will torment Ben for decades to come (and of whom we will later learn he was a member and leader, along with his brother).

After Ben curls up a thick slab of titanium to return to his fans, he longs for a real challenge, like Namor or Doom, prompting Sue to shyly defend the former. (Doom is also rather hurt and bitter, but she doesn’t know this yet.)

For his part, Namor is galavanting with some dolphins when Doom buzzes him in his plane, after which they meet for the first time. Doom is not reserved about his plans or his ability to carry them out—although I do think he overestimates the extent of his renown. (How many “puny mortals” could have possibly heard of him already, outside Latveria, which has yet to mentioned?)

He even presumes his name strikes more fear than Namor’s, given the latter’s newfound peace.

Note the last two panels show Doom in a new outfit, nearly in its classic form, except for the single button joining his cape around his neck, which will soon be replaced by two buttons, one on each shoulder (and the much more detailed face plate).

“What’s this on your mantle—and where did you get it?” Has there been a magazine or newspaper profile yet we don’t know about? Are there fan magazines like there were for Hollywood stars in the 1940s? Or did he have a squid paint it from his description?

Doom riles Namor up about how his home and people were destroyed by the surface world, and urges not only revenge but “death to the Fantastic Four,” but the Sub-Mariner stays resolute that he will not hurt Sue.

Check out the “proud bearing” (as Sue later describes it) as Namor makes his way through gawkers to the Baxter Building.

His pointy ears would be burning if he knew what was going on there. And hey, it’s another glossy 8×10—there must be a photographer specializing in those (perhaps a kid named Parker). Sue is openly defensive and possessive of the photo, even as Reed enters the room.

Ben takes an opportunity to grouse about her focus on looks (which he presumably blames for her failure to return his affections, especially since the accident) while Reed simply wants to know why she clings to the photo. Her enumeration of his many virtues is interrupted by the man himself…

…leading to the next page, which is reminiscent of scenes in romance comics of the era, when a young woman would defend her rebellious lover, imploring her friends or family to stay back because “I love him!”

“Stand back, I’ll protect you from your brother” is a good line—very smooth, Namor.

This is the first mention of Johnny’s flame having a time limit, which will be dropped before long. (I’m guessing Stan and Jack thought it necessary to give Johnny a weakness, but later realized that the danger of constant flame was a more interesting element of his character, as discussed in chapter 4 of my book.)

Namor tries to convince Reed he’s there to mend fences, and even though Sue vouches for his sincerity, Reed and Johnny search the building for traps. Unfortunately, they do not find the “grabber” devices that Namor planted in the basement, which allow Doom to lift the entire Baxter Building into the air. (I’m imagining Ben Grimm as the guy in Up!)

As the Baxter Building continues its climb, Namor reveals Doom betrayed him and starts to strategize a response with Reed. (I assume Sue is beaming.)

Doom confirms to himself that he wanted Namor out of the way as well while patting himself on the back (showing the vanity and insecurity evident in the last issue and continuing on throughout his “career,” as discussed in the final chapter of my book).

As Reed either inadvertently or generously allows his romantic rival to place an oxygen helmet on Sue’s head after she apparently passed out, not yet aware of the force-field powers that could have trapped some air around her, Johnny displays his characteristic reckless heroism (also discussed in chapter 4 of my book).

With Ben’s help, Reed extends himself much further than he did to reach the sick kid earlier, but is somehow surprised to find the temperatures near absolute zero in space make it difficult for him to stretch or maintain his strength while doing so. (Science, it’s very hard.)

Even if Reed would have made it, Doom fires a rocket to repel him, and a newly conscious Sue diligently tends to not only his wounds but also his safety. Ben realizes it falls to him now to save the day, but decides it’s time to clobber Namor instead. (Recall that Ben’s heroic impulses have yet to fully emerge.)

While the boys tussle, Doom lets them know their final fate… and shows that he is not cut out for stand-up.

Ben simply gives up, leaving it to Namor to step up—or dive in.

After soaking up the sweet sweet H2O, Namor takes a courageous leap into space, dramatically illustrated by Kirby…

…and uses the meteors as stepping stones to get to Doom’s ship. Even though Doom tries to keep him out by “magnetically” binding him to the ship’s hull—just let it go—Namor gets inside and hits Doom with a blast of electricity.

What, you say? Like Johnny’s time limit, Namor’s ability to draw on the abilities of aquatic life will not last long, but they did prove useful here, as Doom is forced to flee, clinging to a passing meteor as it continue its long path through deep space. (How will he ever return from this?)

Namor guides the Baxter Building back to Earth, exactly where it stood before, which Sue is more than happy to point out while Reed sits in his baby jumper.

Go on, Sue, don’t hold back!

Once back on terra firma, the group finds Doom’s grabber that was planted by Namor, which leads Reed to express his admiration for Doom’s genius and his regret that he uses it for evil. (And sure, there’s the other guy too, whatever.)

Resources for this issue:

Leave a comment

Trending