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A review by inhonoredglory
Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four, Vol. 1 by Stan Lee
5.0
So here I am trying to get up to speed on the essential Marvel stories, beginning at well, nearly the beginning, with the first adventures of the first family of Marvel, the Fantastic Four. The FF revolutionized the industry in the 60s by the simple fact that they were humans first and heroes second, a concept that has defined Marvel ever since. In these issues, we see some favorite moments of mine: Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny facing bankruptcy (the superhero gig isn't without its bill); the re-introduction of Namor and the added sorrow of his people's plight; the debut of Doctor Doom (who I can't wait to see in the MCU!); Stan Lee and Jack Kirby breaking the fourth wall by putting themselves into the story! Even seeing the group mope about going to a state dinner in their honor was a blast to read, since Stan and Kirby turned it into yet another example of how the group can feel uncomfortable and isolated because of their powers.
Not having read a single FF story before, I appreciated getting to know who the team really was and some interesting details about them––Ben's bitterness and the tragic temporary turns at being human, Reed's curiosity and almost dangerous levels of scientific aloofness, Sue's torn feelings between Reed and Namor, Johnny's temper and love of cars. I appreciate the fact that by Issue #2, we're already facing a collapse of the team, which by Issue #9 might be imperative due to finances. But my favorite might be Issue #10, which sees Jack and Stan make involved cameos, while Doom switches out his body with Reed. A solid and entertaining read, which holds well over the years IMO.
Not having read a single FF story before, I appreciated getting to know who the team really was and some interesting details about them––Ben's bitterness and the tragic temporary turns at being human, Reed's curiosity and almost dangerous levels of scientific aloofness