8:10 PM
Brad
Cover Date: January 1962
Plot Overview: Each member of the Fantastic Four commits a very public crime. The FF gather together and reveal themselves to be Skrulls. Skrulls are a shape shifting race of aliens that want to conquer the world. Their plot is to turn the public against the FF and once they've been slain the Skrull Invasion can begin.
The scene shifts to the real FF as they're hanging around an isolated cabin. The Thing throws a tantrum and the other FF members speculate on how long they can keep him under control. The military arrives in short order and arrests the FF. The military locks them up in special designed cells but the FF easily escape.
The Human Torch decides that he's going to attack a rocket launch to try and draw out the impersonators. He takes flight and succeeds in drawing out the Skrulls. The Skrulls figure out it's the real Human Torch and he manages to signal the other members of the FF. The Human Torch holds them off for quite awhile but his flames are taken out by the Skrull Human Torch.
The other members of the FF arrive and make short work of the Skrulls. They reveal their plans and the fact that there is an invasion fleet above earth. The FF decide to impersonate their impersonates and use the secret Skrull ship to go into space. They talk to the Skrull commander and convince him that earth is beyond their abilities to conquer. They offer to stay behind to erase evidence of the Skrull presence. They are given medals for bravery and sent back to earth.
As they head back towards earth they hit cosmic rays and the Thing becomes Ben Grimm once again. When they land police threaten to arrest them as Ben becomes the Thing again. Reed convinces the police to come with them. They arrive where the Skrulls are being held and prevent the Skrulls from escaping. Reed convinces the police to let the FF handle the Skrulls. Reed hypnotizes the Skrulls and has them turn into cows to end the issue.
My Take: I'm not a huge fan of the impersonators turning the public against the heroes storylines. I especially don't like it for the second issue of a new series. It wasn't a bad issue though. It's interesting to see the Thing as an angry out of control monster instead of a wise cracker. The characters are starting to develop. Ben is having problems coping with his appearance and Reed is blaming himself for the fate of his friends.
I didn't like this issue as much as the first one. It felt less crammed with story and I didn't like the origin getting retold in issue two. It's interesting to see that they still don't have costumes. I couldn't imagine another series at the time going two issues without their hero in costume.
I'd give this issue **1/2 out of *****
Notes: This is the first appearance of the Skrulls. As I mentioned earlier, the Thing is more of an angry out of control monster. I'm interested to see when he changes into the more loveable wise cracking Thing. Reed Richards is wearing a flannel shirt when he first appears in this issue. I can't recall a time seeing him in flannel. I could be wrong though.
Next Issue: Tales to Astonish #27
Posted in: Fantastic Four,Human Torch,Reed Richards,Skrulls,Sue Richards,Thing
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