8:33 PM
Brad
Cover Date: August 1963
Plot Overview: The FF return from the events of last issue and almost immediately start up a search for the at large Dr. Doom. He is nowhere to be found so the FF head to an unnamed social event. They get mobbed by the crowd and a janitor helps them escape. The janitor reveals himself to be Dr. Doom after the fact and he placed a device on each member of the FF.
Doom unleashes what looks like inflatable balloons and they hone in on the devices. Each member of the FF get harassed by one of the balloons and head back to the Baxter Building. Reed discovers the devices planted on them and the balloons disappear as soon as he removes the devices. Doom has been watching the whole time and reveals that was just phase 1. Phase 2 sees him abduct Alicia Masters and uses her abduction to keep the FF at bay. Doom then demands a spot in the President's cabinet.
When that is denied, Doom unleashes havoc on the world. Reed reveals that he has a plan to battle Doom. He shows a scouting report of Doom's ship. Doom has disintegrator rays attuned to their atomic structure so Reed devises a formula to turn the Thing to Be Grimm.
Grimm flies up to Doom's ship and breaks in. The FF quickly join him and split up. They each face a deathtrap set up by Doom but each escape quickly. They confront Doom and reveal that what Doom was watching were doubles created by the Human Torch.
Doom flees to try and get to Alicia Masters but he finds that she's been replaced by Sue Storm. Sue gets the better of Doom in hand to hand combat until Doom pulls a gun. Just then the rest of the FF hit the scene and Doom jumps out of the plane and disappears into the clouds. The Thing is thrilled to see Alicia Masters and the Torch wishes he had jumped out of the ship due to all the mushy stuff too. We're promised a villain with the powers of every member of the Fantastic Four for the next issue.
The Ridiculous: Reed creates a radar device that has a specialized search for steel on flesh.
My Take: This issue was really clunky. A lot happened in 22 pages and it really felt like they were trying to do too much with the story. To me, a manhunt for Dr. Doom, followed by the deathtraps, followed by the showdown would've worked better than the couple of pages with the inflatable balloons. The panic that each member went through, minus Reed, kind of bothered me. 17 issues in and the FF seem to be fairly seasoned super heroes. I don't feel like each of them would've acted so irrationally when presented with an enemy they couldn't hurt. I really disliked this part of the story.
The rest of the story was okay though. I liked that this issue picked right up where issue 16 left off. I liked that they finally let Sue cut loose a little bit and get a little physical in a fight. I liked when they got to the deathtrap and showdown parts. I liked a lot of parts of this issue. That first part with the balloons really just took the book in a weird direction.
It really feels like they haven't figured out Dr. Doom yet. He seems kind of like a generic mad scientist type right now. And his tantrum about being ugly and not understanding people felt like a shallow attempt to try and develop him more. Doom without Latveria just doesn't work. He's interesting as a ruler that is evil but wants what's best for his people.
The art was good as always for this book. You can almost never complain about the job that Jack Kirby does on this book every month.
I'd give this *1/2 out of *****
Notes: This issue features a cameo appearance by then President John F. Kennedy. This issue marks the first of many appearances by U.S. Presidents in Marvel Comics.
Next Issue: Tales to Astonish #46
Posted in: Alicia Masters,Dr. Doom,Fantastic Four,Henry Pym,Human Torch,Reed Richards,Sue Richards,Thing
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