Fantastic Four #30: Reed's Stretchy Body 79

Fantastic Four #30, page 1

Fantasticast Four #30: Reed's Stretchy Body 79

Written by: Stan Lee (A rather nice writer)

Illustrated by: Jack Kirby (A quite noteworthy artist)

Inked by: Chic Stone (A somewhat nifty inker)

Lettered by: Art Simek (An occasionally neat letterer)

I have no idea what's going on with Reed on this page. On first glance, it's pretty simple - he's using his stretching powers to get above the undergrowth to see ahead. But on closer look, things just don't seem right. Reed's belt line is depicted as being below Sue's crotch, when he's normally depicted as being taller than her. So, should I presume that in order to stretch his upper body, Reed had to shrink his lower?

Normally, Reed maintains the general proportions of his body whilst stretching. If using his body to bridge the gap between two skyscrapers, his belt line will remain at the middle of his body, and his limbs will maintain similar sizes. I'm really not sure why he's chosen to ignore those proportions here - just look at the difference in size between his two arms - but it's unsettling to see him break the 'rules' of his stretching.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #30 on our thirty-third episode: Bad Horse, Bad Horse, with special guest host David Walker

Fantastic Four #29: Reed's Stretchy Body 78

Fantastic Four #29, page 9, panels 1-2

Fantasticast Four #29: Reed's Stretchy Body 78

Written with a dash of greatness by: Stan Lee

Drawn with a hint of glory by: Jack Kirby

Inked with a touch of drama by: Chic Stone

Lettered with a bottle of india ink by: S. Rosen

It feels like ages since we last saw Reed stretch himself properly, and whilst this selection doesn't necessarily show his full capabilities, it is utterly insane. Reed is wrapped around a super-strong gorilla, ineffectively attempting to prevent him from doing anything with his arms. The gorilla then hooks Reed on to the back of a passing delivery truck, stretching him out like an elastic band, hoping that he'll snap back.

First of all, pity the poor driver, speeding through the streets of New York only to see a bunch of super-powered simians tussling with the greatest super-heroes in town. Secondly, did the truck driver drive right through the gorilla? It looks like he's standing right behind the truck, and he's hooking Reed onto the corner of the vehicle closest to the reader, rather than the one closest to him. Finally, I really hope that the next panel is just a giant 'TWANG' sound effect.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #29 on our thirty-second episode: Now With Genuine People Personalities

We are eligible for nomination in the first UK Podcasters Award, in the Games & Hobbies category. Across the month of July, you can visit http://ukpodcasters.com/directory/podcast/the-fantasticast/ and click the nominate button. You can nominate us once per day between now and the end of the month, and we would be very grateful if you would be able to do this.

Fantastic Four #28: Reed's Stretchy Body 77

Fantastic Four #28, page 14, panel 6

fantastic four #28: reed's stretchy body 77

Written by Stan Lee (The Leader!)

Drawn by Jack Kirby (The King!)

Inked by Chic Stone (The Master!)

Lettered by Art Simek (The Letterer!)

The Fantastic Four and the X-Men don't exactly have an illustrious history of team-ups. There's the Pat Lee Fantastic Four/X-Men miniseries from about a decade ago, which was terrible. There was the weird Ultimate X-Men/Ultimate Fantastic Four miniseries that came towards the end of both of those titles, which was about the same level of quality as the parent titles. There's the Claremont/Bogdanove miniseries, which is actually rather good. And then there's this issue, the first meeting of the teams, which is generic beyond belief.

Today's panel comes from the second major battle between the two teams, which takes place on a deserted mountaintop, and threatens to be a repeat of the first battle but without any pesky walls getting in the way. The Thinker and the Puppet Master have other plans, having booby-trapped the mountaintop with all sorts of devices that remove combatants from the team one-by-one.

We see here that Reed somehow gets caught up on a revolving reel that suddenly pops up from the ground. I guess it was lucky that Reed stepped on the exact spot between the two components of the reel, as it's hard to see just how this could have been effective if he'd been a foot to the right.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #28 on our thirty-first episode: Just Three Of The Guys, with special guest-host Shawn Engel.

Fantastic Four #28: Reed's Stretchy Body 76

Fantastic Four #28, page 9, panel 1

fantastic four #28: reed's stretchy body 76

Written by Stan Lee (The Leader!)

Drawn by Jack Kirby (The King!)

Inked by Chic Stone (The Master!)

Lettered by Art Simek (The Letterer!)

I love this panel a lot. I shouldn't enjoy it as much as I do. I should be irritated by Reed's body bending at right angles. I should be wondering just what muscles would allow someone to manipulate their body in such a way. I definitely shouldn't be overthinking this as much as I am.

But, as with a lot of Kirby's artwork, such anatomical concerns are completely invalidated by the sheer energy he imbues the image with. The Beast is moving at speed, and Reed's stomach-side-step is clearly an instinctive reaction. The speed lines, the way Reed's stomach seems to contract as if he were breathing in, the positioning of his arms, all of which make this image pop.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #28 on our thirty-first episode: Just Three Of The Guys, with special guest-host Shawn Engel.

Fantastic Four #28: Reed's Stretchy Body 75

Fantastic Four #28, page 8, panel 2

fantastic four #28: reed's stretchy body 75

Written by Stan Lee (The Leader!)

Drawn by Jack Kirby (The King!)

Inked by Chic Stone (The Master!)

Lettered by Art Simek (The Letterer!)

We've seen Reed turn himself into a ball before. It's a nifty defensive trick, one that apparently increases his dexterity, allowing him to avoid, for instance, a hail of bullets. This, however, is the first time he's used his ball-form in such a circus-like fashion.

He probably shouldn't have chosen the most agile of the mutants to try this trick on. The Beast is only momentarily thrown off-guard by the move, quickly using his oversized feet and gymnastic ability to take control. We'll see what that looks like for Mr Fantastic in the next post.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #28 on our thirty-first episode: Just Three Of The Guys, with special guest-host Shawn Engel.

Fantastic Four #28: Reed's Stretchy Body 74

Fantastic Four #28, page 7, panel 2

fantastic four #28: reed's stretchy body 74

Written by Stan Lee (The Leader!)

Drawn by Jack Kirby (The King!)

Inked by Chic Stone (The Master!)

Lettered by Art Simek (The Letterer!)

Well, I truly tempted fate by announcing a return to a regular posting schedule last week... The short version of what happened is that I developed intense lower leg pains, which were thought to be evidence of a blood clot for a bit. Thankfully, there was no clot, and with treatment of the muscles, I have made a full recovery. That's why we've missed a couple of postings here, and why there was no episode of the show this past weekend. But, with everything back to normal, we're back on schedule.

Today's masterful panel comes from the moment where the X-Men reveal their true colours. Well, their true colours when they blindly follow the orders of Professor X. Cyclops opens up with a series of optical blasts that Reed decides to stretch his way around. It's one of the best examples of Reed's powers seen to date in the book. Reed retains his mass, stretching without thinning, which might seem a bit unlikely given the circumstances, but it's a visual affectation that I really like.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #28 on our thirty-first episode: Just Three Of The Guys, with special guest-host Shawn Engel.

Fantastic Four #28: Reed's Stretchy Body 73

Fantastic Four #27, page 6, panel 3

fantastic four #28: reed's stretchy body 73

Written by Stan Lee (The Leader!)

Drawn by Jack Kirby (The King!)

Inked by Chic Stone (The Master!)

Lettered by Art Simek (The Letterer!)

Back to the Fantastic Four, and it's the issue that guest-starred the earliest X-Men, as drawn by Kirby. the basic plot is that the Thinker and the Puppet Master team up to take control of Professor X, who orders the X-Men to visit the Baxter Building and attack the Fantastic Four. The panel prior to this one reveals that the X-Men have access to a 'late model Jetcopter', and that the Baxter Building is home to a heliport. This is clearly before Reed installed numerous sliding panels in the roof to allow various Fantastic Four vessels to rise upwards.

And, apparently, this is before Reed installed security cameras on the roof. We saw, back in the Thinker's first appearance, that CCTV was in place inside the Baxter Building. But despite aerial attacks from the likes of Doctor Doom, Reed clearly feels that the best way to keep an eye on the roof is to literally keep an eye on the roof.

And just how can he see the jetcopter and the X-Men from that angle? Surely all he can see is the side of the building?

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #28 on our thirty-first episode: Just Three Of The Guys, with special guest-host Shawn Engel.

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 72

Fantastic Four #27, page 20, panel 5

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 72

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

The inventiveness continues. One of the joys of revisiting this issue panel-by-panel has been to see the sheer number of different ways in which Kirby manages to visually depict Reed's stretching powers. As we can see, Reed has made a bow from his body, and that visual is really strong.

So, let's thanks Stan's penchant for over-writing for working against the art here. We really don't need Namor and Reed narrating this panel - it's obvious that it's a bow, and that Namor is going to be the arrow. It's a shame - with two small dialogue balloons instead of three overwritten ones, this would be a really great panel.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 71

Fantastic Four #27, page 20, panel 2

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 71

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

It's been a couple of weeks since we last checked in with Fantastic Four #27. I hope you enjoyed the week of special content celebrating our 100th episode. It was great fun to put that all together, to get Andy onto the blog, and to share some behind-the-scenes secrets of the show with you all.

It should come as no surprise that Reed and Namor are still throwing down with each other. You don't make a move on Sue (by which I mean, kidnap her and imprison her in your underwater palace) without risking the wrath of Reed, and this wrath continues to manifest itself in inventive uses of his stretching powers. In 89 issues of the Fantastic Four read for the show, this still stands out as the only time Reed uses his legs not only as a trip wire but to flip an opponent upside down.

Great stuff!

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 70

Fantastic Four #27, page 19, panel 6

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 70

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

I rather like this panel. Reed rarely gets down and dirty with a villain, and his combat with Namor has lasted for the majority of this issue. There are times when it's been like proper wrestling (with a few extra-length limbs thrown into the mix). Here, though, Reed seems to be channelling a little bit of The Absorbing Man (and, co-incidentally, I'm watching the first episode of the second season of Agents of SHIELD, featuring said villain) with his fist. Note how his legs function as handcuffs, wrapping around Namor's wrists to continue the hold. It's a great piece of choreography, and the kind of move we need to see in the upcoming movie.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretch Body 69

Fantastic Four #27, page 15, panel 5

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 69

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

More stretching goodness. I don't think that any official (or unofficial) hold in any league of wrestling can compare to Reed using his entire body to pin Namor to the ground.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 68

Fantastic Four #72, page 12, panel 3

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 68

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

I've written before that one of the key elements of Reed's stretching powers that distinguishes him from Plastic Man is that he retains his human form. He can stretch and distort his body, but he can't produce an extra limb, or make a hole appear in his torso (obviously, I'm not counting Ultimate Reed Richards). This allows Reed to retain his humanity, and keep as a character that we can identify with.

I think Kirby ended up feeling this way, as the rareness of moments like this would show. I don't feel that I would like Reed as much if he responded to every threat by doing things like making sharp lances of his skin, and I'm fairly sure that this is the last time we would see Reed do something this drastic with his body under Kirby's pencil.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 67

Fantastic Four #27, page 12, panel 2

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 67

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

Reed's fight against Namor continues, his savage attacks beaten by the eternally-horny aquatic one.

What's rather nice here is the way that Namor is able to stretch, fold, and roll Reed into this rather tight little package. I've been watching a lot of Great British Bake-Off recently, and I know the importance of folding, crimping and rolling pastry to ensure that juices from the filling don't escape during the bake. I had no idea that the same principle applied to super-heroes...

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 66

Fantastic Four #27, page 11, panels 4-8

fantastic four #27: Reed's stretchy body 66

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

Today's panels are most of page 11 of this issue of the Fantastic Four. Reed has taken off after Namor in a fit of rage, launching a solo attack against the conveniently-deserted Atlantis to rescue Sue. He's very much an action hero here, his intelligence taking a back-seat to his tactical abilities. Oh, and his giant stretchy fist.

Note that he declares that he will turn his arm into 'living bolas'. As I'm sure everyone knows, bolas are a thrown weapon, comprising several weighted cords which are thrown around and animal's legs to entangle them and bring them to the ground. So, of course, what Reed actually does is snake his arm around Namor's torso. I said his intelligence took a back seat...

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 65

Fantastic Four #27, page 7, panel 1

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 65

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

I've chosen this panel for today for two reasons. The first is Reed's over-the-top reaction to the news that Sue has left with Namor, threatening to kill the Sub-Mariner. This reads awkwardly, as such a snap emotional reaction is not something we associate with Reed any more, despite being more in line with the very early characterisation in the series.

The second is the way that Jack portrays Reed's fury in his body. You could argue that there's a use of forced perspective in this panel, but I prefer to think of it as Reed's elasticity allowing his torso, arms and head to swell with the rage that he is feeling, distorting his figure much in the way that a male gorilla would puff up his chest as a show of force.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #27: Reed's Stretchy Body 64

Fantastic Four #27, page 2, panel 5

fantastic four #27: reed's stretchy body 64

Presented by the most talked-about team in comics: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, author and illustrator extraordinary

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: S. Rosen

Another week, another new comic. Fantastic Four #27 opens with Reed rather unwisely using a thought-projector in front of the team. Being that this issue is all about Reed's devotion/obsession with Sue, it's rather appropriate that the thought he accidentally projects is that of Sue, not wearing many clothes.

Ben gives it a go, and finds himself confronted by Doctor Doom, who hurls a grenade at him. Reacting, Ben stumbles backwards, leaving Reed to cushion his (not very deep) fall with his body. They look almost cute together...

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #27 on our thirtieth episode: Horny Namor

Fantastic Four #26: Reed's Stretchy Body 63

Fantastic Four #26, page 17, panels 1-4

fantastic four #26: reed's stretchy body 63

Unforgettably Written In The Grand Manner by: Stan Lee

Powerfully Drawn In The Heroic Manner by: Jack Kirby

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: Art Simek

This rather wonderful four-page sequence comes early on in the final fight between the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and the Hulk. Things are still shaky, thanks to the heroes of the early Marvel universe being miles away from the cohesive Avengers seen in the current comics. New to their powers, having yet to fight alongside other heroes, the Avengers are as much of a threat as the Hulk.

This daring rescue sequence comes when Iron Man accidentally blasts Johnny with his repulsers, extinguishing his flames. Whilst the team trip over each other, Reed and Ben show everyone what real team-work is, combining their unique powers to look after their own.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #26 on our twenty-seventh episode: Hulk Goes Home And Plays With His Trains with special guest-host Michael Bailey.

Fantastic Four #26: Reed's Stretchy Body 62

Fantastic Four #26, page 13, panel 4

fantastic four #26: reed's stretchy body 62

Unforgettably Written In The Grand Manner by: Stan Lee

Powerfully Drawn In The Heroic Manner by: Jack Kirby

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: Art Simek

And we're back.

Plenty has happened since we last checked in with Fantastic Four #26. The Hulk and The Thing briefly tussled, Reed miraculously recovered from his illness, and the Avengers entered the plot with fists raised and repulsers charged. Because this is a comic, the meeting of two groups of super-heroes couldn't pass without a fight.

Stan and Jack are clearly in the early days of working out how heroes can tussle without intentionally attacking each other, which is why we get the rather lame contrivance of Iron Man passing his arm into the path of Reed's stretching arm, and Reed being unable to react in any way to this.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #26 on our twenty-seventh episode: Hulk Goes Home And Plays With His Trains with special guest-host Michael Bailey.

Fantastic Four #26: Reed's Stretchy Body 61

Fantastic Four #26, page 3, panel 3

fantastic four #26: reed's stretchy body 61

Unforgettably Written In The Grand Manner by: Stan Lee

Powerfully Drawn In The Heroic Manner by: Jack Kirby

Inked by: George Roussos

Lettered by: Art Simek

One of the subplots throughout this issue and the last is Reed's mysterious illness, which comes pretty much out of nowhere and removes Mr Fantastic from the table for about an issue-and-a-half. This lends itself to some rather lovely melodramatic panels of Reed struggling to overcome his weakness and dizziness to aid the rest of his team. However, the illness suddenly comes on, and is suddenly cured when Reed needs to join with the rest of the heroes for the final fight.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #26 on our twenty-seventh episode: Hulk Goes Home And Plays With His Trains with special guest-host Michael Bailey

Fantastic Four #5: Reed's Stretchy Body 6

Fantastic Four #5, page 3, panel 2

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Uncredited Inks: Joe Sinnott

Uncredited Letters: Art Simek

Today's panel sees Reed restraining Ben by wrapping his versatile body around Ben's limbs, restraining him. This is a common action for Reed, but what I really like about this panel is the posing of his upper body and stoic, unflappable expression on his face. It lends a gentle humour to the image.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #4 in our third episode: Super Villain Cavalcade