Fantastic Four #27: Flame On 65

Fantastic Four 27, page 14, panel 5

fantastic four #27: flame on 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

It's a rare off-panel ignition for Johnny, and one that doesn't quite add up. The 'Flame On' cry almost always accompanies Johnny's ignition, and it's just not clear how he gets himself in an elevated position to launch his fiery attack without having already ignited.

But let's face it, this is just nit-picking. More important are the artistic shortcomings of the panel. I don't like pointing out faults in Kirby's artwork, but the lack of backgrounds and the lack of detail on the Atlanteans gives the feeling that this panel has been somewhat rushed.

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

Listener Question: Your Listener Questions (We're Begging Now...)

Hey folks, This Tuesday, we'll be recording our 100th episode, and we really want your questions for us. As you're probably aware by now, we've switched our listener questions around, and instead of asking you one question, we'd like you to ask us questions.

They can be on anything - Fantastic Four, comics, geekery, us, or anything else. We'll veto anything too personal, but other than that, the floor is completely open.

Send your questions in to us to our e-mail address - fantastic4podcast@gmail.com - leave them in the comments below, or drop them to us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast.

Strange Tales #120: Flamin' Eck 43

Strange Tales #120, page 12, panel 7

strange tales #120: flamin' 'eck 43

Deftly Written by: Stan Lee

Dazzlingly Drawn by: Jack Kirby

Dramatically Inked by: Dick Ayers

Distinctively Lettered by: S. Rosen

I'd attempt to recap the plot of this issue, but it's one of the most tedious of the Human Torch solo strips, so I won't bother. Instead, things have progressed to the point where Johnny feels that the Barracuda and his men are such lame villains that he can break out the flaming lasso and attempt to restrain them this way. Rather surprisingly, this works, although the lasso doesn't tighten, instead forming a floating wing at waist-height that the several of the thugs feel restrained by.

If I'd have known just how many lassos there would be in these books when I started this blog two years ago, I'd have given them their own category...

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #120 on our twenty-eighth episode: Bailey's Iceman Podcast with special guest-host Michael Bailey

Strange Tales #120: Flamin' 'Eck 42

Strange Tales #120, page 9, panel 9

strange tales #120: flamin' 'eck 42

Deftly Written by: Stan Lee

Dazzlingly Drawn by: Jack Kirby

Dramatically Inked by: Dick Ayers

Distinctively Lettered by: S. Rosen

We're back to Strange Tales, as Jack Kirby draws his final Human Torch solo strip. It's not a great story, being notable for introducing the third-rate Sub-Mariner villain Barracuda, and teaming up the Human Torch with Iceman from the X-Men. If you've read the pre-Crisis story featuring the first meeting of Batman and Superman (the one on the cruise ship, brilliantly re-told in Superman/Batman Annual #1, with extra-added Deathstroke and Deadpool), then the basics of this issue will be very familiar.

Of course, neither Superman nor Batman attempted to defeat the villain by hurling fireballs seemingly at random towards the wooden deck they were standing on, being unable to generate fire from their bodies, and having a health respect for the flammability of wood. Even with Iceman on hand to extinguish any stray flames, it seems like an incredibly stupid thing for Johnny to do.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #120 on our twenty-eighth episode: Bailey's Iceman Podcast with special guest-host Michael Bailey

Fantastic Four #26: Hulk vs The Thing Round 5

Fantastic Four #26, page 19, panel 2

fantastic four #26: hulk vs the thing round 5

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

The final bout between the Hulk and the Thing begins here. Sure, there's five other Avengers, Rick Jones, and the rest of the Fantastic Four, but the issue is really about these two slugging it out. Unfortunately, the fight lasts for less than a page before the Avengers take over, and it ends with Ben covered in quick-setting cement and unable to continue the fight. Coupled with the fact that it's Rick Jones who forces the change back to Bruce (Robert) Banner, it would be very unfair to call this fight for anyone other than the Hulk.

The result: Another victory for Hulk, as he takes on Ben, the rest of the FF, and the Avengers and comes out on top. 4-1 to the Hulk.

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 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.

Listener Question: Your Listener Questions (Reminder)

Hey folks, it's a shameless re-post of last Sunday's post. We're recording our 100th episode on September 16th, and we'd love to have a big stack of questions to answer throughout the show. So please, get them in to the e-mail address below in the next nine days so you can be a part of our 100th episode celebrations! If you've caught up with our most recent episode, you'll have heard us run through your answers to our most recent Listener Question. If you haven't listened to the latest episode, why not? Go listen now!

Now that we're all on the same page, we've launched a new Listener Questions. Sort of...

Instead of posing a question to our listeners and asking for responses, we've decided to mix things up a bit for the next few weeks. We want you to send us your questions for us to answer.

The questions can be on anything. Fantastic Four-related, comics related, questions about ourselves (although we'll politely decline to answer any questions that get too personal). We'd like to have a few in the bag for our 100th episode, only a few short weeks away, and we'll and answer a couple every episode as well until we launch our next question.

Please send your questions to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com or leave them in the comments below.

Fantastic Four #26: Sue's Force Fields Of Awesome 11

Fantastic Four #26, page 13, panel 6

fantastic four #26: sue's force fields of awesome 11

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

More unintentional chaotic fighting as Sue accidentally traps Giant Man in her force field. For some reason, her field is being treated as a bubble, trapping the first thing it comes to. It's not been seen this way before and, whilst Sue will use it many times to restrain or contain foes in battle, it'll be a very rare thing that she will have so little control that she will accidentally trap the wrong person because they got in the way.

Bonus points, however, for Giant Man's confusion at being restrained by an invisible force field. The fields are still new, and there's no reason why this development in Sue's power should be public knowledge at this time.

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.

Listener Question: Your Listener Questions

If you've caught up with our most recent episode, you'll have heard us run through your answers to our most recent Listener Question. If you haven't listened to the latest episode, why not? Go listen now! Now that we're all on the same page, we've launched a new Listener Questions. Sort of...

Instead of posing a question to our listeners and asking for responses, we've decided to mix things up a bit for the next few weeks. We want you to send us your questions for us to answer.

The questions can be on anything. Fantastic Four-related, comics related, questions about ourselves (although we'll politely decline to answer any questions that get too personal). We'd like to have a few in the bag for our 100th episode, only a few short weeks away, and we'll and answer a couple every episode as well until we launch our next question.

Please send your questions to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com or leave them in the comments below.

Fantastic Four #26: It's... ASBESTOS!!! 24

Fantastic Four #26, page 4, panel 4

fantastic four #26: it's... asbestos!!! 24

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

The asbestos continues , as an injured Johnny races back into the action. He's in a rush, with no time to remove his asbestos bandages. I think we'll leave aside the incredible unlikelihood of a hospital having a stock of asbestos bandages just in case the Human Torch should happen to be admitted as a patient.

Instead, we'll as what would happen to Johnny's flight capabilities when his body is not fully flamed. When Johnny was shot by ZANTE during Strange Tales #106, his arm was unable to ignite. His flight was off-balance and he had to compensate for this, as well as flying slower. It's a little sad to see no acknowledgement of the struggles he would face with an arm not functioning properly, although an argument could be made that he has learned from his previous experience. As that would involve Johnny exhibiting signs of intelligence during the Strange Tales era, I would have to discount that argument.

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: Flame On 64

Fantastic Four #26, page 4, panel 2

FANTASTIC FOUR #26: FLAME ON 64

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

I don't have a huge amount to say about this panel. It's nice to see Johnny battered and bruised (I think of it as payback for all those weeks spent reading Strange Tales!), and his insistence on rejoining the fight even though he's not at his best is noble and heroic.

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: It's... ASBESTOS!!! 23

Fantastic Four #26, page 4, panel 3

FANTASTIC FOUR #26: IT'S... ASBESTOS!!! 23

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 is an exceedingly well-equipped hospital. As well as the asbestos screens, they also have a supply of asbestos pajamas, just in case they have a patient who can't stop being on fire.

Seriously, other than the possible risk of the Human Torch being admitted, why on earth would they be spending money on such a completely impractical and unnecessary piece of clothing?

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: It's... ASBESTOS!!! 22

Fantastic Four #26, page 3, panel 6

fantastic four #26: it's... asbestos!!! 22

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

Luck often plays a big role in Silver Age Marvel comics. It was luck (and, apparently, Tony Stark) then ensured that Bruce Banner turned into the Hulk and didn't die when the gamma bomb exploded. It was luck that the super soldier serum kept Captain America alive in the freezing waters for 60-odd years. And it was luck that allowed a young Stanley Lieber to find gainful employment at Martin Goodman's publishing company. Oh, wait, no - that was nepotism.

In this comic, it's pure luck that, out of all of the hospitals in New York, Johnny is brought to the same one that Reed is currently being treated in. And it's surely got to be luck that the very same hospital just so happened to have a couple of asbestos screens lying around, just in case someone with control issues and the ability to non-lethally self-combust should require treatment.

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