Script: Stan Lee
Art: Jack Kirby
Inking: Dick Ayers
Lettering: Art Simek
With all the credits in bold, we hit the age of proper credits in Marvel Comics. Well, unless you were a colourer. Join me after the break to take a look at why Ben has created this intricate taxi-on-lamppost sculpture.
We open Fantastic Four #9 with a plot that has rather a lot of relevance today: Financial worries. Reed has mismanaged the finances of the group, losing pretty much all their money. He's selling off parts of the empire - including the Pogo Plane - to keep the team together. Because there are hardly any heroes in the world at this point - and, let's face it, one of the most popular papers in New York is edited by J. Jonah Jameson - their financial troubles are front page news.
Thus, when Ben tries to get a taxi to go and call on Alicia, the driver refuses to take his business. Which is why Ben whirls the cab over his head and plants it atop the street light. As opposed to, say, just hailing another one.
Ben then follows this up with one of our favourite moments from the early issues: Firing the Fantastic 4 flare (used to gather the team with the utmost urgency to respond to a threat) to summon Johnny to give him a lift in the Fantasticar.
Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #9 on our seventh episode: S(&)M Studios
[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_7.mp3]