Review of
Fantastic Four (1961) #1
Published:
November 1961
Reviewer Rating:
Avg User Rating:
(3.67)
So, let's do this!
The Marvel Universe as we know it begins here. That makes this an interesting comic to review. One, you can't understate it's importance as it launched the Marvel Universe as we know it. Two, you have to read it with your Silver Age glasses firmly in place.
The tropes we read now weren't really too much of a trope at the time. The monsters, the very liberal use of nuclear solutions, speaking out loud everything you are doing. It's hilarious that the Fantastic Four would just use their powers to get to a meeting, The Thing causing tons of collateral damage to a storefront, road, and car. Invisible Girl (almost literally) ghosting a friend and freaking out a cab driver when she could have just stayed visible and gave directions. Human Torch melting a car (that probably wasn't his), several planes, and causing the National Guard to launch a nuclear warhead equipped missile over a heavily populated California city.
There are early threads here, the idea that these people aren't perfect and have real human emotions, not just blank slate superhero do-gooders. The fact that their interactions aren't always agreeable and team focused.
And man, remember when you could tell both an Origin Story and a complete mystery and villain showdown in just one issue? Yes, everything is rushed compared to how comics have room to "breathe" today, but it's nice to sit down with an issue and just get the whole story in one go.
Finally, we all talk about the Fantastic Four as the first modern Marvel superheroes, but what about props to Mole Man for being the first modern Marvel supervillain! Sure, he's doesn't get the page time as Dr. Doom does, but he was first. He and his merry menagerie of misfit monsters also launched the Marvel Universe.
Yes, the story is fast and goofy, but that's the Silver Age. Yes, there will be better Silver Age stories later, but I can't fully remove the importance of this issue in terms of being the first and I feel that has to factor into my rating.
Five Stars out of Five!
The Marvel Universe as we know it begins here. That makes this an interesting comic to review. One, you can't understate it's importance as it launched the Marvel Universe as we know it. Two, you have to read it with your Silver Age glasses firmly in place.
The tropes we read now weren't really too much of a trope at the time. The monsters, the very liberal use of nuclear solutions, speaking out loud everything you are doing. It's hilarious that the Fantastic Four would just use their powers to get to a meeting, The Thing causing tons of collateral damage to a storefront, road, and car. Invisible Girl (almost literally) ghosting a friend and freaking out a cab driver when she could have just stayed visible and gave directions. Human Torch melting a car (that probably wasn't his), several planes, and causing the National Guard to launch a nuclear warhead equipped missile over a heavily populated California city.
There are early threads here, the idea that these people aren't perfect and have real human emotions, not just blank slate superhero do-gooders. The fact that their interactions aren't always agreeable and team focused.
And man, remember when you could tell both an Origin Story and a complete mystery and villain showdown in just one issue? Yes, everything is rushed compared to how comics have room to "breathe" today, but it's nice to sit down with an issue and just get the whole story in one go.
Finally, we all talk about the Fantastic Four as the first modern Marvel superheroes, but what about props to Mole Man for being the first modern Marvel supervillain! Sure, he's doesn't get the page time as Dr. Doom does, but he was first. He and his merry menagerie of misfit monsters also launched the Marvel Universe.
Yes, the story is fast and goofy, but that's the Silver Age. Yes, there will be better Silver Age stories later, but I can't fully remove the importance of this issue in terms of being the first and I feel that has to factor into my rating.
Five Stars out of Five!
