“The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine” Fantastic Four No. 38

Tags

1965, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 38, Frightful Four, jack Kirby, Stan Lee

Fantastic Four 38
“Defeated by the Frightful Four”
Published Feb. 1965
Story: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Script: Lee
Pencils: Kirby
Inks: Chic Stone
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Kirby and Stone

Synopsis

Fantastic Four 38 opens, as most issues do, with horseplay among the FF in the Baxter Building. We then cut to the Wizard, who is plotting the downfall of the FF with the rest of the Frightful Four. We return to Sue Storm, who is visiting a clothing boutique in advance of her wedding with Reed when she is taken hostage (yes, again) by Medusa and the rest of the Frightful Four.

As the Frightful Four abducts her to a remote atoll, the Wizard reveals his plan to use her as bait for the rest of the team, who he will then kill with a “Q-Bomb.” A distraught Reed tracks the Wizard’s aircraft, and when it appears, the Human Torch pursues it before he is captured by the Trapster (formerly Paste Pot-Pete). Ben and Reed follow in the Pogo Plane to the atoll, where their plane is destroyed by the Trapster. The two teams battle, and while Sue frees herself and, with Johnny, is eventually rescued, the Frightful Four escape, detonating the bomb. In the last panel, the team appears to have survived thanks to the Invisible Girl’s force field, but the team is unconscious and Ben is returning to his human form.

What’s going on here?

Another slam-bang issue. There’s some fun hijinks in the beginning, but for the most part, this is an action-packed issue, leading to just the second cliff-hanger in the Fantastic Four to date (the last was in issue 25, when they battled the Hulk). It’s also the second appearance of the Frightful Four, who quickly become first-tier FF villains.

The comics is now at a sustained level of excellence. Even when the stories are silly, like last issue, the interplay between the characters and Kirby’s amazing art makes up for it. Stan and Jack are really hitting on all cylinders now, as we approach the mid-way point of their run and the legendary issues from about 44 to 60.

The sexist sixties

Sue is once again taken hostage or prisoner. By my count, that’s the 10th time in the first 38 issues (and two annuals) of the FF, so about once every four issues.

To her credit (I guess) she escapes on her own, but is so groggy she still needs rescuing.

Fun and games

This is a fun sequence, and is a great capsule introduction to the team, their powers, and their relationships with each other.

The Mighty Marvel Marching Society

For the second issue in a row, the Marvel fan club gets a shout-out on the cover.

That’s Mr. Trapster to you

It finally dawns on him that Paste-Pot Pete is a ridiculous name.

It’s Clobberin’ Time

Just the fifth time Ben says it, but the second time in two issues. It’s becoming his signature. Also, it’s too bad that spring trick with Reed didn’t become a recurring feature like the X-Men’s Fastball Special.

Weird Science

The Wizard has a Q-Bomb. What is a Q-Bomb? I have no idea, but apparently it’s an atomic bomb powered by quarks (maybe?)

(And yes, the Frightful Four are all dressed in purple)