Review of
Fantastic Four (1961) #1
Published:
November 1961
Reviewer Rating:
Avg User Rating:
(3.67)
I've heard it a ton of times, but not really read it until now. First, I have to get over the reality disconnect. Of course, a book that details the theft and flight of a rocket into space can't be all good. Getting over my perspective disconnect is tough. It's hard to look at the book from the eyes of some rabid kid. I keep finding myself exploring it as a man, and not seeing a ton of redeeming qualities in it. Until I got to the Mole Man. Sad, pathetic little Mole Man. Who looks almost exactly the same fifty years later. Holy smokes. I keep needing to remember that Stan and Kirby were creating the entirety of this right then. Right there. Characters that have lasted this time. And - oh, yeah. Four other sets of characters, too. THAT needs to be complimented and admired. Fondly. Unfortunately, this story just doesn't hold up. Of course, I'm spoiled now by the re-imagining and re-interpretations through the years. The dialogue is fine - but the story... kinda weak.
The characters, though, need kudos. For that, I bow to it. I just wish more of this surrounded the origins of the character - we tend to brush right by it. Steal a space ship, go into space, cosmic rays, crash land. I've seen interviews with Stan, who years later described his involvement, and brushed by it. This guy HAD to know what he was doing. Even the creation of characters has changed little since then.
Science? Sketchy, at best. But come on, now. It's a comic book, right? If we wanted science, we'd read a science book, for crying out loud. We want fun, fantasy, and an interesting story. It delivers. Big time.
Remember now, kids. I'm doing my best to read this as a kid - not some smarmy adult. For that? Incredible. Little actual character change throughout the years - Reed even has those crazed grey sideburns back then. Thing goes through drastic changes, but goes back again, right? Even Johnny bears reminiscence to the "Original" Human Torch, but this re-write literally turned comics on their ears. Wow.
The characters, though, need kudos. For that, I bow to it. I just wish more of this surrounded the origins of the character - we tend to brush right by it. Steal a space ship, go into space, cosmic rays, crash land. I've seen interviews with Stan, who years later described his involvement, and brushed by it. This guy HAD to know what he was doing. Even the creation of characters has changed little since then.
Science? Sketchy, at best. But come on, now. It's a comic book, right? If we wanted science, we'd read a science book, for crying out loud. We want fun, fantasy, and an interesting story. It delivers. Big time.
Remember now, kids. I'm doing my best to read this as a kid - not some smarmy adult. For that? Incredible. Little actual character change throughout the years - Reed even has those crazed grey sideburns back then. Thing goes through drastic changes, but goes back again, right? Even Johnny bears reminiscence to the "Original" Human Torch, but this re-write literally turned comics on their ears. Wow.
