#( cosmic rayed family || fantastic four )

[hcmantorch]

@cosmicrayed @arxchnoverture

[stonecrusherdrawsthearts]

World of Heroes R - The Fantastic Four

Bombarded by cosmic rays during a stellar travel experiment, the four astronauts assigned to the Jupiter IV mission aboard the Marvel-1 have become something more than human, each changed in fantastic ways. Once they were colleagues in search of discovery. Now they're America's First Hero Family!

MEMBERS

Reed "Fantastic" Richards - Once the science officer of the mission, now gifted with changed physiology that makes him move faster, reach further, and bounce back from any situation!

Susan "Invisible" Storm - Former stellar navigation, now granted the powers of telekinesis, forcefield generation, and the ability to blend into any situation so seamlessly that she might as well be invisible!

Johnny "Torch" Storm - The mechanic assigned to the Marvel-1, the hotheaded Johnny has walked away from that fateful flight granted the amazing awesome power of Pyrokinesis!

Ben "Thing" Grimm - Pilot of the Marvel-1, Ben has had the most drastic change, evolving from a man of flesh and bone to a man of rock-hard determination!

[doomrichards]

Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic in Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game: Core Rulebook (2023)

DOCTOR DOOM Art by Gabriele Dell'Otto

Rank: 5 / Karma: -- / Health: 90 / Damage Reduction: -2 / Focus: 120 / Damage Reduction: -2 / Speed: Run: 5 Climb: 3 Swim: 3 Jump: 3 / Initiative Modifier: +4 Abilities Ability Score Melee: 2 / Agility: 3 / Resilience: 3 / Vigilance: 4 / Ego: 7 / Logic: 6 Defense Score 12 / 13 / 13 / 14 / 17 / 16 Non-Combat Checks +3 / +3 / +3 / +4 / +9 / +7 Damage Melee Marvel x 6 Multiplier + 2 Ability Agility Marvel x 5 Multiplier + 3 Ability Ego Marvel x 7 Multiplier + 7 Ability Logic Marvel x 6 Multiplier + 6 Ability

BIOGRAPHY Real Name: Victor Von Doom Height: 6' 2" Weight: 225 Ibs. Gender: Male Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Size: Average Distinguishing Features: Heavily scarred face, suit of armor Occupation: Leader Origin: Magic: Sorcery Teams: Intergalactic Council, Savage Avengers, Terrible Trio Base: Latveria HISTORY Born to a poor Romani family in the far-flung country of Latveria, Victor Von Doom first encountered Reed Richards while in college on scholarship. The two were instantly bonded as intellectual rivals and compatriots. However, Doom quickly grew tired of Richards upstaging him, purposefully ignoring a mistake in his experimental calculations just because Richards pointed it out. Doom's experiment blew up in his face, permanently scarring him. Bent on revenge, Victor quit college and obtained a powerful suit of Tibetan armor, becoming the dreaded Doctor Doom. He conquered his homeland of Latveria, declaring himself king. Ever since, he's been a monstrous threat to Reed Richards, the Fantastic Four and the world at large. PERSONALITY Doom's defining feature is his ego. Be it science or sorcery, he wishes to believe that he is the best at everything he does, and he is deeply angered by any evidence which would point to the contrary.

TRAITS & TAGS TRAITS • Combat Expert • Font of Information • Inventor • Iron Will • Piloting • Presence • Tech Reliance TAGS • Authority • Extreme Appearance • Lab Access • Linguist: English, German, Hungarian, Latverian, Romani • Powerful • Public Identity • Sorcerous • Supernatural • Villainous POWERS BASIC • Brilliance 1 • Discipline 2 • Flight 1 • Mighty 1 • Sturdy 2 • Uncanny 2 ELEMENTAL CONTROL (ENERGY) • Elemental Barrier • Elemental Blast • Elemental Burst MAGIC (SORCERY SET) • Astral Form • Crimson Bands of Cyttorak • Dispel Spell • Flames of the Faltine • Summon Portal MARTIAL ARTS • Attack Stance • Defense Stance TELEPATHY • Machine Telepathy • Telepathic Link

MISTER FANTASTIC Art by Chris Samnee

Rank: 4 / Karma: -4 / Health: 120 / Damage Reduction: -2 / Focus: 60 / Damage Reduction: -- / Speed: Run: 10 Climb: 6 Swim: 5 Glide: 20 / Initiative Modifier: +2 Abilities Ability Score Melee: 2 / Agility: 4 / Resilience: 4 / Vigilance: 2 / Ego: 2 / Logic: 7 Defense Score 12 / 14 / 14 / 12 / 12 / 17 Non-Combat Checks +2 / +4 / +4 / +2 / +2 / +11 Damage Melee Marvel x 4 Multiplier + 2 Ability Agility Marvel x 4 Multiplier + 4 Ability Ego Marvel x 4 Multiplier + 2 Ability Logic Marvel x 8 Multiplier + 7 Ability

BIOGRAPHY Real Name: Reed Richards Height: 6'1" Weight: 180 Ibs. Gender: Male Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown, gray Size: Average Distinguishing Features: None Occupation: Scientist Origin: Weird Science Teams: Fantastic Four. Future Foundation Base: New York City

HISTORY Brilliant young physicist Reed Richards gambled his family's considerable fortune on an experimental space mission, during which he and his crew were bombarded by cosmic rays, giving them super-powers. Back on Earth, with Richards as their leader, the crew formed the Fantastic Four.

Richards' intellect is just as critical a component of his heroism as his powers. With eighteen separate doctorates, he is arguably the most brilliant scientist on the planet. Richards later married one of the crew--Susan Storm (Invisible Woman)-- with whom he has two kids, and nothing is more important to him than his family and friends. PERSONALITY Richards' intense and calculating nature occasionally puts him at odds with his more outwardly emotional teammates, but at heart, he is a humanitarian. He believes that science has the potential to solve all of humanity's problems, and nothing frustrates him more than an unsolvable problem. TRAITS & TAGS TRAITS • Combat Reflexes • Famous • Font of Information • Gearhead • Inventor • Scientific Expertise • Weird TAGS • Enemy: Doctor Doom • Headquarters: 4 Yancy Street • Heroic • Lab Access • Public Identity POWERS BASIC • Brilliance 4 • Combat Trickery PLASTICITY • Body Sheet • Body Sphere • Bounce Back • Coiling Crush • Extended Reach 2 • Flexible Bones 2 • Flexible Fingers • Reverse Punch • Rubberneck • Slip Free • Stilt Steps

[classicmarvelera]

John Byrne and Walt Simonson: The Unmatched Legacy in Fantastic Four and Thor

When it comes to the world of comic books, there are certain iconic names that instantly come to mind. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the creative geniuses behind characters like the Fantastic Four and Thor, are undoubtedly among the most revered figures in the industry. Their groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the Marvel Universe and set a high standard for storytelling. However, it's essential to recognize that the legacy of these characters didn't stop with Lee and Kirby. Two other legendary creators, John Byrne and Walt Simonson, took the reins and left an indelible mark on the Fantastic Four and Thor, ensuring that their contributions would remain unmatched for generations to come.

John Byrne's Fantastic Four (1981-1986): Redefining Marvel's First Family

In 1981, John Byrne had a mission: to redefine the Fantastic Four. Byrne's run on the series is often regarded as one of the most significant in the history of the team. He brought a fresh perspective to the characters and their dynamics, breathing new life into Marvel's First Family.

Byrne's artistic talents were on full display as he not only wrote but also illustrated the series. His attention to detail and ability to convey emotions through his artwork added depth to the characters. Byrne's run gave us memorable storylines such as "The Trial of Reed Richards" and the return of the iconic villain, Galactus. He also introduced new characters like She-Hulk, who would become a fan-favorite in her own right.

What made Byrne's run truly exceptional was his ability to balance character development with epic storytelling. The Fantastic Four faced personal challenges while also tackling cosmic threats, creating a perfect blend of drama and action. Byrne's work on the series is a testament to his storytelling prowess and his dedication to preserving the essence of these beloved characters.

One of the key aspects of Byrne's run was his exploration of the dynamics within the Fantastic Four. He delved deep into the relationships between Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing). The interpersonal conflicts and growth of these characters made the series not just about super-heroics but also about family, a theme that resonated with readers and set the stage for future interpretations of the team.

Walt Simonson's Thor (1983-1987): The God of Thunder's Epic Journey

Simultaneously, over in the realm of Asgard, Walt Simonson took up the mantle of Thor in 1983. Much like Byrne, Simonson's run on Thor is celebrated as a defining era for the character and the series. He brought a mythic grandeur and a sense of epic adventure that elevated Thor's stories to new heights.

Simonson's Thor was a masterclass in world-building. He introduced iconic elements like Beta Ray Bill and the mystical weapon, Stormbreaker. Simonson's writing delved into the rich tapestry of Norse mythology, creating a sense of wonder and authenticity in Asgard's portrayal. His artistic style and intricate panel layouts added to the epic feel of the series, making every issue a visual masterpiece.

One of the most memorable arcs of Simonson's run was "The Surtur Saga," a sprawling epic that saw Thor facing off against the fire demon Surtur. The impact of this storyline resonates even today, and it remains a benchmark for epic storytelling in comic books.

Simonson's take on Thor was not just about battles and grand spectacles; it also delved into the character's humanity. He explored the burdens of godhood and the responsibility that came with wielding the power of Mjolnir. Thor's inner struggles and his unwavering sense of duty added depth to the character, making him relatable on a personal level.

In Conclusion, the creative endeavors of John Byrne on the Fantastic Four and Walt Simonson on Thor are nothing short of legendary. While Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's contributions are undeniably classic and groundbreaking, Byrne and Simonson's work brought these characters to new heights. Their storytelling prowess, artistic talents, and deep appreciation for the source material ensured that their runs on these series would remain unmatched for generations to come. The legacy of these four creators, Lee, Kirby, Byrne, and Simonson, continues to shape the Marvel Universe and inspire fans and creators alike, proving that the world of comic books is a rich tapestry woven by many hands.

In the end, what sets Byrne and Simonson apart is their ability to not only build upon the foundations laid by Lee and Kirby but also to leave an indelible mark that would define these characters for years to come. Their contributions to the Fantastic Four and Thor are a testament to the enduring power of storytelling in the comic book medium, and they shall continue to captivate readers and creators alike for generations to come.

Get John Byrne's Classic Marvel Collection here

Get Walt Simonson's Classic Marvel Collection here

[co-mixed]

Fantastic Origin (Reed Sucks)

Let’s do it, let’s kick off the Fantastic Four review journey. 

The first ever run of Marvel’s first family aka the team I had been actively avoiding until recently. 

Most of Lee/Kirby books are extremely different from what we see in the comics today. You could easily attribute that to the days of yore or just the fact that these books have served as stepping stones towards bigger and more complex stories. Or you could take them for what they are.

Right away I will have to get misogyny out of the way. It’s there and it’s ugly. These books are filled with ridiculous stereotypes and absolutely unacceptable degrading behavior towards women. It’s all the more upsetting when you get to read fan letters from women, they hint at that constantly. 

I gotta say, it worked too because when Crystal became a part of the team, she was relatively badass and was treated with more respect than Sue. But dammit, poor Sue. You can try and convince me that Reed is a good husband but that won’t help a bit. In a world where literal supervillains exist, he is definitely not the worst human being but since he’s being portrayed as a hero, I’m gonna accept the fact that he’s trash. 

Of course, I see what the creators were going for: Reed was supposed to be a hyper-focused, single-minded, science-obsessed team leader with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was supposed to be flawed but sympathetic. 

Especially compared to his beloved Sue who was supposed to be a loving and caring homemaker with her invisibility power being a reflection of her relationship with Reed. As in he only sees her when she’s in danger. 

The way it looks now, 60 years after the cosmic rays incident, is very different.

Sue is a young woman, seemingly younger than Reed, who somehow stumbled into a relationship with a man who treats her as a status symbol. She’s a tag-along, something pretty to walk with, have at home, and look at when it pleases him. Because she’s younger (bear with me, I’m only assuming this based on the Lee/Kirby age), she is very susceptible to his influence and opinions, there’s a power misbalance and she doesn’t really know that things could or should be better. Which is kind of easy to assume, considering her mother was dead and her father was in jail. She also had a brother in high school to take care of and Reed was successful and rich. 

Then after she got powers, she kind of got permanently stuck with him, and that trauma bond became even more dysfunctional. She did assume the role she probably saw in the media at the time, overly caring about everyone but herself, and she accepts material substitutes for actual comfort, such as shopping, because that’s what’s been said and taught to her. 

Her relationship with Reed is passionless too, hence when Namor shows up, she entertains the idea of him. Although, let’s not forget that he keeps kidnapping her and trying to convince her to become his queen of the seas or whatever. Maybe if he was less straightforward and didn’t try to kill her brother in the process… who knows?

But he does, meanwhile, Reed is putting that good-for-nothing brother of hers through school, so she chooses Reed. She even marries him, entrapping herself in a loveless marriage. And after two years of horrible home life with barely any time to get to know whatever she’s been wed to, she gets pregnant. All in all, at this point, at that time, it’s over for her. And as a reader you know she doesn’t escape that. It’s pretty tragic. 

Reed is a scumbag. Yelling at Susan is just part of it, he also acts like he’s the boss of everyone (which I do get when it comes to Johnny and Ben, who are let’s just say irresponsible.) 

He constantly sticks his nose into things like the negative zone, causing meanies like Annihilus to show up. He keeps using Ben or The Thing when he needs and then swears he’ll turn him back. It gets repetitive and no one can really trust him. He pretends to act like a hero after causing a problem and keeps trying to sacrifice himself forgetting his wife and eventually son. Bro, you got responsibilities over there!

I believe that’s the intention but Reed is not that different from Doom, except Doom actually has a sob story to explain his obsession with science and the occult. Reed… at this point in the run we don’t know if he does or where his assholery comes from. All we do know is he’s an equally terrible leader, husband, and friend. Bet he’s not much of a father either. 

But hey, at least he’s putting that good-for-nothing Johnny through school. 

Ben is irritating. We’ve discussed it at length with several people, how so many people can relate to him and consider him their favorite character. But Ben Grimm is awful. You know what? I think the unstable version of him that was around for a brief moment when he could switch into The Thing and back, that version is the real Ben Grimm. If anything, his insecurity is holding him back in that anger. When he gets both strength and his human appearance, that’s when you gotta run for the hills and summon the Hulk to put him down. 

Ben went from petty, insecure, and angry to overcompensating and calling himself pretty and lovable. All the while his paranoia regarding Alicia and her love for him is growing more and more bizarre. He really doesn’t trust her when she says that she likes him as The Thing, he claims he wants to be Ben for her but hey, she’s pretty uncomfortable with Ben so there’s that. 

He did act better than Reed would’ve when he thought Alicia had chosen Silver Surfer but then he ghosted her and threw a tantrum every time Surfer popped up. Have some self-respect, Ben. 

What pissed me off the most is the way he treated Franklin seconds before he found out his middle name was Benjamin. Like, seriously? You’re taking it out on a baby? Besides, neither Sue nor Reed owes you anything. Well, maybe Reed does. But it doesn’t help that Ben keeps getting into fights with that good-for-nothing Johnny.

Johnny is good for nothing. He’s an ok kid I suppose but he doesn’t attend school and somehow ends up in a university (which even managed to piss off one fan! Seriously, don’t ignore the fan mail if it’s there!) Then he spends exactly one semester, meets a friend who participates in his whacky adventures for like a week, and forgets this friend exists. He also forgets the school exists. 

Johnny is either acting out at home, fixing his car, or chasing after girls. Until he meets Crystal and immediately becomes obsessed with her, which no one really cares about. Then Crystal gets stuck under a dome with her merry Inhuman family, and he broods and throws tantrums. They are torn apart and brought back together, and then are torn apart and then brought together, it’s a whole X-men level soap. I actually liked that.

And out of all the villains I’m only gonna focus on Doom. Don’t get me wrong, Galactus is forever the star, but let’s talk Doom. 

He’s an interesting fellow but I don’t get the massive fan base. Dude’s a literal dictator of the worst kind. He experienced dictatorship on his own skin since childhood and he grew up and enslaved his whole country. I would understand if he brought prosperity and happiness to them but that? I was actually pretty impressed by the Latverian arc, in which the FF went to Latveria and were depowered and treated like Doom’s dear guests. It was a creative way to draw a little image of what this kinda system is and how it functions from within. Doom rules by fear and they experienced that fear, they even almost lost hope. I would’ve done this arc a little differently but hey, I’m here 60 years later. 

But at least Doom hadn’t killed that good-for-nothing Johnny.

The Stories

That’s what we’re really here for –  the silly early villains and the bizarre tactics that save the day. We obviously have some baddies that stood the test of time and a few that didn’t. But Reed’s approach throughout everything is pretty much “let’s throw them into space and hope they don’t come back.” They do, Doom’s been to space twice and even made a trip to the microverse. He’s well-traveled now.

In the beginning, it’s a very repetitive scheme: one issue = one arc, Ben argues with that good-for-nothing Johnny, Sue is there, Reed saves the day. But the arcs stretch to two and more issues and the stories become more and more entertaining. At some point, even Sue gets to save a few hours. Not the day though. 

Crystal gets her shining moments, and like I said before, she does very well and almost without Reed’s misogynistic crap. 

There are a few stories I liked, Galactus, of course (behold!), the would-be gamer The Thinker, Latveria visit, and the arc in which whatshisface scientist turned himself into The Thing. That’s pretty much the first time in this run when a one-issue baddie realized the error of his ways and made the ultimate sacrifice. Before that, the antihero role was pretty much Namor’s. Speaking of Namor, how’s his “movie” career? That arc was truly wild and smelled a lot like Golden Age comics.

Now if you’re thinking you’d like to read this run, do. But if you just want to know the origins and main encounters, just watch the 90’s show. Not only it covers most of the pivotal stories, but season one has a fantastic! intro song. You’re gonna love it and if you don’t, it’s gonna haunt you till you do.

I’m positive the stories are gonna get better. I was promised they’re gonna get better but I have a hell of a road ahead of me, 300 issues before I get to more modern days, and even more after that. I’m all in.

[poppetsisters]

Question: Do you prefer the FF stealing the rocket or do you prefer it being an authorized mission? I don't think I've seen an instance where the former was adapted that I'm aware of so it got me thinking.

I think it has to be an unauthorized mission because the message it sends about these guys is way more interesting. if it's an authorized mission, then these guys are no different than the actual crew of Apollo 11 (one of my very minor complains about the test footage for MCU Fantastic Four is precisely this point). But if the rocket is stolen, then suddenly these guys are ambitious, daring, and fearless. Thick as thieves and always looking forward! Even without superpowers, these guys were always gonna get up to hijinx together.

A weird found family doing crimes against their government? What is this, a queer polycule?

But the real power of the moment is what comes after, because it was an incredibly stupid decision to steal that rocket, driven by a need to upstage the soviets in a stupid war. Their need to compete against a foreign power, to indulge in the American spirit of being a winner and ignore safety concerns directly led to their powers, and therefore their curse. Of course they don't see them as curses anymore, but Reed still feels like he needs to make up for his shortsightedness. Everything he does is a plea for forgiveness for what he did to his friends, even if they feel he doesn't need to apologize anymore.

If the trip becomes an authorized mission, then all that thematic underpinning goes out the airlock. Now the cosmic rays are just an unrelated accident instead of direct consequences. There's potential for obfuscation of blame which weakens the guilt Reed is supposed to feel over the incident.

Now credit where its due, Fant4stic (2015) DID include the plot beat of them stealing the rocket (or in this case the teleporter) but I think it ruins what could've been a great moment by making it a decision made while drunk. Sure, it's still an action driven by short-sightedness and pettiness, but now there's this excuse that they're intoxicated, which I think is a pussy move. It's another issue of obfuscation of blame muddying the themes its going for. The fact that Sue Storm wasn't even included in this drunken plot is an especially egregious snub. Sue was completely on-board with the heist in the original story, and it was Ben Grimm who was the hesitant one. She called him a coward and that's what broke his balk.

Anyway be gay and do crimes. If you're lucky, you'll get superpowers.

[ariel-seagull-wings]

@thealmightyemprex @professorlehnsherr-almashy

So, I can make sense of the Avengers having members with anti-mutant prejudice, since a lot lot of them are of the category of hero who actively pursue superpowers and went to work for the government, but I kinda find weird how the Fantastic Four ocasionally show anti-mutant bias, asking if the daughter of Quicksilver and Crystal is "normal" and celebrating her not being born a mutant, and Reed Richards and Sue refusing to accept their son Franklin being a mutant, going so far in making experiments to repress his X-Gene, because: wasn't the main arc of the Fantastic Four learning to accept that since the Cosmic Rays hit them in Space, they can never be whatever "normal" means?

Specially in the case of Ben Grimm, who struggled with discrimination for his rocky appearance but learned to accept himself thanks to the love of Alicia?

And Sue's brother Johnny Storm always embracing his powers and encouraging his family to do the same?

So why do they fail on this lesson about acceptance when it comes to mutants?

[dazzasarchives]

So I have recently decided to go about and read Marvel Comics in some form of chronological order. ( I'll leave a link to the website I'm using to undertake this task at the bottom.) I will also give my thoughts as an amateur comic enthusiast, on the comics that I have here as well as hopefully some helpful information. Speaking of helpful information before I continue I'll also state that the Marvel Universe timeline is on a sliding timescale, so some historical mentions and references should be viewed differently such as the name of the President of the United States and so on. Also the timeline is roughly that every ten ish years of comic publication could be deemed as a year within the Marvel Universe. Of course there's exceptions, there's always exceptions. Anyway I've decided to start with the Silver Age, which for a long time has been the birthplace of the main Marvel 616 Universe. With starting with the Silver Age then that Means that we start with the very first Fantastic Four Comic.

The comic stars the "First Family" of Marvel comics, The Fantastic Four. Which act as the first team and first four heroes introduced to us the readers. Despite that canonically there are other heroes within this world from ages past. The Fantastic Four consists of Four members, Mister Fantastic ( Reed Richards), Invisible Girl ( Susan "Sue" Storm ), The Human Torch ( Jonathan "Johnny" Storm ), and The Thing ( Benjamin "Ben" Grimm ). It is written by Stan Lee ,and penciled by Jack Kirby.

The comic starts off showing us our heroes using their newly acquired powers before showing us their origins. Which we find out was caused by them going into space and then being blasted by cosmic rays. Though this does have some slight changes later on due to the sliding timescale. Their spacecraft ends up crashing and the Four members land safely although they do have a freak out over their new abilities. I mean hey so would I if I caught on fire and could fly or turn invisible. Anyway the group is then forever changed, they also give themselves their superhero names, which reminds me of when I was in college and had everyone call me Smurf because my hair was blue and I didn't want to be called Sonic and have to run around everywhere. Right sorry back to the story, after this the Fantastic Four is born.

Anyway later on the Fantastic Four hear of these massive sinkholes that have been dragging items underground. There's also these massive creatures that come from the massive sinkholes and terrorize the surface world. Well we come to find out that all of this, is the devious plan of the Mole Man ( Harvey Elder ). I also have the names of his monsters, I love that Marvel Fandom wiki included these guys. We have Giganto, Tricephalous, and Rock Monster Guardian ( Ugu ). We also get a brief backstory of the Mole Man. Essentially he got made fun of a lot and then went cave exploring before being trapped in the caves, just goes to show don't make fun of people. Anywho, The way the Mole Man is defeated is very anticlimactic Reed and the Mole Man face of in a stick fight, but then Reed just picks him up and carries him away.

But then even after Reed grabs onto him as the tunnels begin collapsing around them, Reed let's go of the Mole Man, so he still got away in the end. That's really it for the first issue.

Alright let's talk about the characters of this story, sorry Ugu that doesn't mean you, first let's start with our main man himself Reed Richards.

I don't mind him all that much in this comic, I know personally I have never been the biggest fan of the Mister Fantastic or the Fantastic Four in general but in this issue he's ok, I don't mind him, but I definitely do not believe that he is the smartest man in the world.

Anyway on to our second hero, the Invisible Girl.

What can I say about Sue Storm. She turns invisible I guess. I'm so glad I have future comic knowledge of her otherwise I'd ask what the point of her character is, granted I am aware this comic came out in 1961, so they weren't really sitting at a table discussing to themselves, how can we make the Invisible Girl cool? As of right now she's not my favorite character,but I can't wait for that to change because I know it will.

Now for the hothead himself, the Human Torch.

When I was younger I loved the Human Torch, which yeah that's his role he's basically the younger groups character, the one they can associate with. I'm older now and honestly I can't really stand Johnny. Again like his sister I know this will change in the future, I just get annoyed with him, though on a good note I think he's at least the second strongest member as of right now.

Now for the strongest member of the Fantastic Four, The Thing.

Honestly I love the Thing, he's big, he's sassy, and I can't help but feel bad for him. He's essentially the joke of the group but he's super strong, I just feel bad because everyone sees him as a monster but not me no siree, I like my big pile of orange rocks. So far he's my favorite member he has the most use, and is definitely without a doubt the strongest member.

Now for our Antagonist the Mole Man.

What can I say about the Mole Man. Honestly a weak first villain. He doesn't do much, gets beaten in a stick fight and then just slips away. I'm amazed that he's become a mainstay in comics and is still a villain in recent issues.

Anyway that's me talking about the Fantastic Four Series 1 Issue 1. It was an ok start to the Marvel Universe I can't wait to see where it goes from here, until next time. Excelsior!

The site I've been using to read Marvel comics chronologically:

Also the art depicted on this post is not mine and does belong to Marvel Comics. I'm not that good of an artist to turn an arm into a lasso

Also if you would like to continue the story in Chronological Order follow this link:

[invisiblesusanstorm]

DOSSIER; SUSAN STORM

« susan storm, 36, she/her, comic » ∙∙ loading case file for susan storm. known aliases, if any: invisible woman. current location: new york, new york.  current occupation: lead shield scientist. she is known to be motherly and ferocious, so proceed with caution. their current alliance: shield.

CHARACTER BASICS

CHARACTER’S FULL NAME: Dr. Susan Storm

NICKNAMES: Sue, Stormy.

MEANING OF NAME: Lily Flower

BIRTH DATE: 18th January 1986

AGE: 36

ZODIAC: Aquarius

SUPERPOWER: invisibility, psionic force fields.

ALIAS: Invisible Woman

NATIONALITY / SPECIES: American / human mutate

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Mandarin, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Latin.

ORIENTATION: heterosexual

PRONOUNS: she/her

PERSONALITY

GOOD PERSONALITY TRAITS:  motherly, compassionate, protective, level-headed.

BAD PERSONALITY TRAITS:  ferocious, overprotective, serious, overachiever.

PERSONALITY TYPE: ENFJ

ARCHETYPE: The Protagonist

GOALS/DESIRES: to find answers for her families powers, to protect her family, to establish a successful career.

FEARS: not being seen or heard, something harming her family.

WHAT WOULD MOST THROW THIS CHARACTER’S LIFE INTO COMPLETE TURMOIL: losing her brother.

CHARACTER’S SOFT SPOT:  johnny storm, anything related to biochemistry.

HABITS: Will often turn invisible briefly when startled or project a force field around herself, will often listen to music when working through her earphones, has a compulsion to clean.

PAST

HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, USA

CHILDHOOD: Sue didn’t exactly have a regular childhood. Her father perished in a card accident and her mother’s mental health slowly declined which ended in her taking her own life. Due to such things, Sue and her brother, Johnny, moved to New York to live with her aunt, Margaret. With their traumatic past, Sue became highly protective of Johnny, watching out for him whenever she could.

DREAM JOB: scientist.

EDUCATION: Possesses four doctorates in biochemical science, astronaut training, ex member of the Fantastic Four.

FAMILY

PARTNER: n/a

CHILDREN: n/a

MOTHER: Mary Storm

RELATIONSHIP: Sue was relatively close with her mother and struggled when her mental health began to decline. Having learned from her, Sue did her best to hold the family unit together, looking after her mother in her final days. Her compulsion for cleanliness came from finding her mother and cleaning the scene up in response to the trauma. 

FATHER: Franklin Storm

RELATIONSHIP: Sue and Franklin were very close as Sue showed to be gifted with great intelligence and a scientific mind. The two would often do experiments together and Franklin always encouraged Sue’s scientific curiosity. When he passed away, Sue took it upon herself to try and hold the family unit together while her mother declined in her stability.

BROTHER: Johnny Storm

RELATIONSHIP: Sue had a typical relationship that was expected from an older sister and a younger brother, with light bickering but truly caring for one another. After the loss of both their father and their mother slowly slipping into a darker place mentally, Sue took it upon herself to take care of Johnny the way her mother would. She cares deeply for him and is very protective of him, if not a little too overprotective.

SHORT BIO

Susan Storm was a prodigious child with a brilliant mind, skipping several grades and being an overachiever when it came to her accolades. By the time she was eighteen, Sue had already earned her doctorates and seemed to simply taking further education as a hobby. Sue was recruited onto a ship to analyse cosmic rays with her brother joining the crew. Their ship was bombarded with cosmic rays and they crashed back down to Earth, Sue’s genetic make-up had changed, being able to bend wavelengths of light around her to become invisible and project psionic force fields. Sue joined shield as a lead scientist to continue her career as well as learn more about her and her brother’s powers.

HEADCANONS

INSPO: This version Sue pulls from several different sources including Earth-616 and Ultimate Universe as well as the World’s Greatest Heroes animated series.

Comically, when she first discovered her powers, if not wearing her uniform, Sue would have to remove her civilian clothing when turning invisible. At the time, due to the lack of control, Sue would sometimes reappear at the most embarrassing of times. Luckily, her powers have grown so she can effortlessly turn her clothes invisible.

She was once referred in the media as the “Invisible Girl” which angered her.

Sue was considered a prodigious child, with an IQ of 170.

She has received four doctorates in biochemical sciences, including biotechnology and biophysics.

Sue has heterochromia; her left eye is blue and her right eye is green.

[pageandpanel]

(originally posted @ Page and Panel on wordpress)

For my first post on my new attempt to ~have a blog~ I am reposting an old entry into my failed wordpress blog. My attempt to read Marvel Comics start to finish is something I am hoping to get back to in the near future. I have edited this and reformatted it for tumblr so hopefully it's not too much of a nightmare to look at but it is WAY too long.

Why in the world would anyone attempt to read more than half a century of comics? I’m fascinated by the concept of an ongoing continuity and how different writers and artists interpret characters. And the fact that so many hands have touched this project with so many different interests and priorities and yet it continues on as a cohesive (a term we’ll use loosely) and linear story is actually really cool. 

There’s a lot of interesting stuff going on here so I’m going to try to write about it at regular intervals that are sometimes strategic and sometimes completely arbitrary. The first chapter of Page Main Lines Sixty Years of Marvel Comics (more clever name tbd, probably) covers the first three years of the Marvel Comics Universe designated 616. This is the main universe that has been ongoing from 1961 to every Wednesday until the world ends, probably.

Just to establish some parameters for what this project is, I’m reading Marvel Comics chronologically starting with the Silver Age, launched by Fantastic Four #1 in 1961 written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby. There are some ongoing anthology titles carrying over from the pre-616 era that I’ll be picking up here as well because they introduce key players in the Marvel Universe (specifically Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and Thor). The Golden Age doesn’t really interest me all that much beyond its history and the characters that get carried over to the new continuity (Captain America and Namor the Submariner, most famously). And while I’m trying to read everything, I did make a decision early on to skip out on Strange Tales because I don’t really care about Johnny Storm’s solo adventures. 

The format of these posts, like everything else I throw up on this blog is subject to change forever and ever. But for now, I think book by book and then covering some broad themes/connections at the end is the easiest way to tackle this.

We begin, like most stories begin, with a family of four on a trip to outer space...

Fantastic Four

Written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby, as all Marvel Books were at the time, Fantastic Four #1 starts off in media res and we are introduced to our heroes as they drop whatever mundane activities they are doing as civilians and respond to the impending thread of Mole Man.

As each member makes their way to the scene, Stan Lee takes a step back to give us a classic origin story that is BEYOND bonkers: Reed Richards is the most brilliant scientist in the world and he absolutely must break into a government facility to fly a rocket into space. He is accompanied by his college roommate, Ben Grimm, his childhood sweetheart, Sue Storm, and her little brother, Johnny Storm. Ben, like anyone hearing this plan obviously thinks it’s stupid and crazy. But Sue Storm is quick to remind him that they, four regular civilians with no real training, absolutely have to do this because if they don’t then the Commies will win the Space Race. Because it truly wouldn’t the 60’s without some good, good anti-communist propaganda. So much more on that to come later.

They make it, miraculously. But cosmic space rays have given each of them incredible powers. Reed is stretchy, Sue is invisible (oh the metaphor), Johnny is on fire, and Ben…

Thanks for that little nugget of a plot line. Ben actually resents Reed because he has a thing for Sue. That will go in a lot of different directions and definitely has more teeth than the time that Professor X had a thought bubble about being in love with Jean Grey, his student, that never gets mentioned again (until it does, unfortunately). But let’s put a pin in that and red string it later.

With the flashback over, our heroes arrive on Monster Isle to find Mole Man who is responsible for several cave-ins across the world. His plan is to unleash his monsters on the world to get revenge on women who weren’t interested in him. Mole Man: confirmed Incel. The Fantastic Four easily defeat Mole Man by sealing him inside a mountain and straight up killing him. I guess. Reed eulogizes their first on page enemy by saying “It’s best that way! There was no place for him in our world…” right in front of his rock monster best friend. Tough look Reed…

Fantastic Four #2 introduces a foe that made their on screen debut in the Captain Marvel movie: The Skrulls! I love Skrulls and truly didn’t realize that they showed up this early in continuity. In part 1, our heroes are engaging in some distinctly unheroic behavior. The Thing attacks an oil rig, Invisible Girl does a jewel heist, Mister Fantastic messes up an energy plant, and The Human Torch melts a statue made of marble. And I know I’m expecting too much from a comic in which four people take a family trip to space and come back with super powers, but it’s important to me that everyone knows that marble is heat resistant and doesn’t melt. The world, who apparently all know that the Fantastic Four exist and are totally cool with them, freak out. Are New York’s favorite heroes breaking bad!? Nah. It’s just shapeshifting aliens attempting to ruin the reputation of the only people on Earth who can stop their invasion.

The US Army, ignorant to a large scale alien invasion, is called in to deal with the threat the Fantastic Four pose. Our heroes hide out in an isolated cabin to regroup and figure out what to do. But the military surrounds them and takes them in.

Each member is put in a cell specifically designed to withstand their powers. Which seems silly because if you put an invisible woman in a regular cell, she’s still there even if she’s invisible. But whatever. This also the first appearance of Asbestos in the Marvel Universe. And if you think that’s a dumb thing to notice, you clearly didn’t grow up in the 90s, seeing commercials for Asbestos lawsuits on every single tv show. I know this stuff was in regular use in the 60s but I seriously hope Johnny was able to get in on some of those pay outs because it’s really his biggest foe in the early FF comics.

Once they break out, the team regroup to plot against the unknown foes turning the world against them. They send Johnny to sabotage a rocket launch in order to draw them out. When Skrulls disguised as Sue and Reed pick up the real Johnny instead of a Skrull, the jig is up. The Fantastic Four take the Skrulls prisoner and Reed, expert level spaceship driver, steals their rocket to travel up into space where the invading Skrull army is waiting. Reed, pretending to be a Skrull, passes off images from Marvel Comics horror/monster books Strange Tales and Journey into Mystery as real photos from Earth. He convinces the Skrull leader that Earth is simply too dangerous to invade and volunteers to stay behind.

As the rocket re-enters earths Atmosphere, they pass through more cosmic waves. This turns The Thing back into regular old Ben Grimm. But, because Ben will never catch a W, he’s a rock monster again before the spaceship lands. It’s not easy being Grimm.

Back on earth, the question remains as to what to do with the remaining three Skrulls that Reed has taken prisoner. In another “though look my guy, Reed” moment, he decides that the only option they have to deal with aliens who can literally turn into anyone or anything is to force them to turn themselves into cows. Reed then hypnotizes the Skrull Cows into thinking they are real cows. Which is pretty fucked up and Reed should probably be considered a war criminal at this point, literally two comics in. But don’t worry. I’m sure there will absolutely never be any consequences for his actions. (Just kidding, this will be one of the catalysts for Secret Invasion in 2005. One of these Skrulls is the Emperor Skrull’s son.)

While FF #2 gave us one of Marvel’s most prominent Alien Invaders, Fantastic Four #3 is a much slower issue that doesn’t bring in much of anything. We open with our team taking in a stage show. They’re here to see the Miracle Man who promptly recognizes them and begins heckling them from stage. At this point, the Fantastic Four are basically celebrities. Though, we’re going to back track on that in a few issues, I think. He challenges The Thing to a test of their strength, which the Thing promptly loses. On their way home from the show, Reed talks about how lucky they are that Miracle Man is not a super villain. Which… you know…

Really, there isn’t a lot that happens in the A-Plot of this issue. Miracle Man brings the monster to life, they rob a jewelry store, and then the team defeats him and everything is fine. What is way more interesting happens between the Miracle Man problem. The B-Plot of this issue is rife with conflict between the members of the Fantastic Four.

This issue isn’t the first time we see the role Sue gets shunted into as the caretaker of the boys on the team. But it is the first time she names it herself. While later interpretations of Sue will have her displaying a lot more power, right now she’s written as the mom of the team. She is the one who sews the team’s infamous costumes that, even today, have barely changed. Though, given that she made them with a material that Reed has coined “unstable molecules,” it seems she’s a perfectly capable scientist as well. Though, we’ll rarely see this aspect of her. There’s only room enough on the team for one Smartest Man in the World.

We also see tensions rise between Ben Grimm and the rest of the team. He has been a volatile figure since day one, prone to outbursts of anger and violence. It’s still unclear as to whether or not this is his pre-rock monster personality. It may also be a side effect of his powers or, justifiably, anger at being the only member of the team to get turned into a rock monster.

But anyway, Fantastic Four #4 is a much more interesting issue with one major and very precious addition to continuity:

Kidding. But this is a bit that I find absolutely hilarious. Actually, the issue opens with Johnny quitting the team after an argument. The three remaining members split up to search for him. Ben is the one who finds him working on hot rods with his friends at a garage. And, because Ben doesn’t have a gentle touch when it comes to Johnny, property damage ensues.

Thankfully before he can actually hurt Johnny, Ben suddenly changes back to his human form. It only lasts like two seconds because Stan Lee loves to torture Ben apparently.

So he’s back to his rocky self in no time. It’s actually pretty in the tragedy of getting to see him constantly being given these moments of hope, only to have them snatched away seconds later. No wonder he’s so angry all the time. But this does give Johnny a chance to escape.

Because he can’t go home, he seeks a bed for the night at what looks like a halfway house or a youth hostel in the Bowrey. Once he has secured a bed for the night, he settles in to read an old comic about the iconic 1940’s Timely Comics hero, The Sub-Mariner. When another patron notices what he’s reading, he points to a disheveled man who claims to be as strong as The Sub-Mariner. And this enters one of the absolute greatest characters in all of Marvel Canon. Just as soon as Johnny gives him a haircut with fire.

The King of Abs-Lantis has arrived and I already love him. But also, the burnt hair smell in that hostel right now… 🤢 Even though Johnny recognizes him, The Sub-Mariner himself does not seem to remember who he is. So, Johnny takes him to the ocean and basically tosses him in. Once in the water, the Sub-Mariner remembers who he is and returns to his home of Atlantis only to find it in ruins. It has been destroyed by atomic weapons testing.

When The Sub-Mariner returns to land, he informs Johnny that he will avenge his home by destroying the human race. Now, Johnny is smart enough to know that this is obviously a problem worthy of getting the team back together. He sends up a flare for the others to find him and while they’re en route, The Mariner summons the “largest living creature in the world” using the Horn of Proteus. Oh, and the monster’s name is Giganto, which is objectively hilarious.

While New York is evacuated and the army attempts to take down the monster, Ben comes up with a fool proof and probably technically impossible plan. With a nuclear bomb strapped to his back, he launches himself into the mouth of the beast. Never mind that nuclear weapons are what got us into this mess in the first place, but okay.

Ben does, miraculously, manage to escape very certain death. With his monster defeated, The Mariner threatens to summon more creatures with the Horn of Proteus, but an invisible Sue Storm sneaks up behind him and steals it. The Mariner tackles her and tells her if she will become his bride he won’t destroy humanity. Sue agrees, reluctantly-ish. But Johnny saves the day with a fire tornado that plunges the Mariner back to the bottom of the ocean. Leaving everyone who is in love with Sue a little confused about where they stand with her, and Sue a little Hot of Mariner. Understandable, Sue. I get it. The Mariner vows to return and he definitely will.

Tales to Astonish

Tales to Astonish #27 is the first appearance and origin story of Henry Pym AKA Ant-Man. The issue opens with Henry making an incredible discovery. He shrinks a chair with a miniaturizing serum and grows it back to normal size with an enlarging serum. Unfortunately, the rest of the scientific community is less impressed with Henry’s experiments.

Fueled by his need to stick it to his haters, Henry tests his serum on himself. Thankfully, it works instead of eating through his skin like acid or something and Henry shrinks himself down to the size of a… you guessed it! An ant! What he doesn’t plan for is leaving the enlarging serum out of reach. The rest of the issue becomes a quest to turn himself back into normal size. As he tries to get to the serum, he is chased by ants into an ant hill where he gets stuck in honey. Which… makes sense. Sure.

He is fortunate enough to befriend one ant willing to help him. Henry is surprised when it works to pull him free from the honey and let him go. But he also torches the ant hill so I guess fuck that ant.

When Henry finally manages to get to his enlarging serum he is so shaken by the experience that he decides that his creation is too dangerous for man kind. He then pours it down the drain. Just because it’s too dangerous for man kind doesn’t mean it’s too dangerous to dispose of properly. And now the Marvel universe is overrun by enlarged bacteria from Henry’s kitchen sink. But as long as he lives, he will never forget the ant who saved his life. Even though he totally burned down that ant’s house. Which especially sucks because I doubt ants have homeowners insurance or anything to cover fire damage.

The Incredible Hulk

And the last issue I want to hit in this first installment is Incredible Hulk #1 because I think it establishes an interesting pattern with our first three protagonists of early marvel comics.

This had been advertised in the previous FF book with “Who is the Hulk?” Printed in the margins of the story, which I think is a pretty cool way to drum up interest for the book. The first run of The Incredible Hulk only lasts 6 issues. But it’s some of Jack Kirby’s best work.

This one, like Tales to Astonish, is a straight up origin story for Bruce Banner and the Hulk. If you’re familiar with Hulk through the movies, this is going to be a story that is familiar in all but one key difference.

On a military base, Bruce Banner is getting ready to test his invention, the Gamma bomb. Bruce fits in along side Reed Richards and Henry Pym in the Smartest Man In The World category. He is also kind of an asshole with little regard to what others in his community have to say about his work. In fact, he has refused to share his work with his colleagues and doesn’t want them to check his work. Seems like a dick move to me.

There’s actually a lot going on here in terms of toxic masculinity. We also have Thunderbolt Ross who doesn’t understand science or anyone who isn’t punching things 24/7 and all he really ever does is yell and tell his daughter to stay out of “man talk!”

Once everyone is done yelling, it’s time to test the bomb. Bruce takes one last look at it just in time to see a wayward teen, Rick Jones, driving through the test field. Bruce chases after him, because it’s perfectly reasonable to assume that he will not only catch a Jeep on foot, but he’ll also be able to do so before the bomb detonates. At least the last part wouldn’t have been a problem if he hadn’t pissed Igor off. Before running after the boy, Bruce tells him to shut down the countdown and Igor casually decides not to. And while Bruce does manage to save the kid, he gets caught in the Gamma explosion.

Hours later, Bruce wakes up at the base where he stays, being monitored for any symptoms caused by the explosion. That night, while Rick watches Bruce, he transforms into a giant Grey monster and breaks out of the base. This is where the origin deviates from what is mostly considered canon at this point. The Hulk isn’t triggered by rage or heightened emotion. Instead, he just comes out at night. Essentially, Bruce Banner is a nuclear powered werewolf.

The monster sneaks (which seems unlikely since he’s a big monster, but who knows) through the base, followed by Rick Jones. He makes his way to Bruce Banner’s cabin, where they find Igor rummaging through Bruce’s stuff. Igor shoots at The Hulk with no effect except to piss him off even more. Finally, Bruce picks up Igor and slams him down into the table where all of his research is scattered. The absolute best part of this is we learn where Bruce hides all of his research and proprietary secrets. Pages labeled “Top Secret Report on Gamma Ray Bomb” are tapped to the bottom of a beaker. Come on my guy. Buy a safe.

When the Hulk finds a picture of Bruce in the cabin, he is appalled to see such a weak creature until Rick reminds him that he is that weak creature. I don’t think triggering an existential crisis is the best way to defeat a radioactive werewolf, but I’ve also never had to calm one down after a rampage, so who am I to judge?

Eventually, the sun comes up and The Hulk is returned his normal Bruce Banner shape just in time for soldiers to storm his cabin, demand to know where the Hulk is and take Igor and the Top Secret Gamma report away. Betty hangs back to apologize, once again, on behalf of her father and suggest that he see a doctor. To which Bruce replies, “Baby, I am a doctor.” Okay, no he doesn’t. But we do get a fun snide commentary from Rick who has no time for Betty’s crush. Bruce tells Betty he’ll call her but also tells Rick that he’s afraid that the will never escape becoming The Hulk.

Meanwhile, Igor has been taken into custody. In his cell, he uses a transmitter embedded in his fingernail to contact the Soviet scientist known as The Gargoyle. Not a great look for the Soviets to have given him that name based on his facial deformities, but what do we really expect? The Gargoyle makes his way to the states via submarine.

Back over in the A-Plot, Bruce and Rick are experimenting with ways to manage the Hulk for the time being. They drive the Jeep out into the desert before nightfall to get him away from the base before he changes again. After a run in with Betty that causes her to faint, the Gargoyle shows up. He shoots The Hulk and Ross with bullets filled with drugs that basically allow The Gargoyle to control their actions. They follow him onto a sub and head back to the USSR but on the rip, sun comes up and Hulk turns back into Bruce Banner.

When The Gargoyle finds him, he begins to sob, saying he wants to be a man and not a monster too. Bruce treats him with radiation which makes him look normal but also takes away his super intelligence. I guess that’s a trade off. Once he’s “cured” Gargoyle reveals that he has hella daddy issues and with the new realization that he has been used by the USSR, he basically renounces the Soviet efforts. Finally, he puts Bruce and Rick on a rocket headed for the US and blows his base up in a final act of defiance.

There's a lot to unpack here...

It’s actually kind of impressive to revisit comics I read as a teenager and thought very little of at the time and come away from them with a lot to chew on. There are a lot of interesting themes here with regard to how the comics interact with real world ideas and politics.

Communism, The Cold War, The Atomic Age, Vietnam

So, these comics are coming out in 61 and 62. The Cold War is in full swing, America is a few years out from entering Vietnam, and a few months prior to the release of Fantastic Four #1, the first man went to space. So much of what what we see happening on the page are consequences of that political climate just as so much of what our characters go through relate back to that central unease. Science was advancing at a more rapid pace than ever before and citizens were being warned of the constant threat that communism posed on their way of life.

There is also A LOT of anti-communist propaganda in the first decade of Marvel comics. Here, we’ve only seen it so far with the Fantastic Four needing to go to space to beat the “commies” and the Igor’s attempts to be the worlds worst double agent. We’ll see a lot more of that once we get to Journey into Mystery, because somehow the book about Norse Gods got turned into the most deliberate and most obvious anti-commie book for a while.

Science and Intelligence as it relates to Toxic Ego and Fragile Masculinity

It’s not a mistake that our three “main characters” so far are Reed Richards, Henry Pym, and Bruce Banner. All brilliant men of science who are exploring new technology in their own ways. The contrast between how Reed is treated, versus Henry and Bruce is fascinating. Reed and his contributions to science, as well as his powers have made him a celebrity. He is celebrated by his fans and his family and is all around viewed as a good guy (despite the fact that he turned three autonomous beings into cows). On the other hand, Pym and Banner are belittled. Pym is belittled by his colleagues who think his theories and his studies are outlandish and impossible. Banner is surrounded by military men who value brute strength over science. Thunderbolt Ross will constantly diminish Bruce as less of a man because he’s smart rather than strong.

The most fascinating part of this, to me, is knowing what becomes of Hank Pym in the future. Jumping ahead a little bit, his reputation in the universe and among fans will be forever tarnished by how he treats his future wife, Janet Van Dyne. In a sequence of events in a 1980s issue of the Avengers, Hank appears to strike Janet across the face. This has been, rightfully, called out as an act of domestic abuse by fans and has utterly ruined Hank’s reputation as a character. At the time, and in future incidents, the creators of that moment have discussed how they had never intended it to be viewed that way. But, even now in his first appearance, you can see the groundwork of a volatile man with a fragile ego and it’s not that much of a leap to see this man committing domestic assault.

Women as Caretakers and House Mothers

Right now, the only woman we see with any regularity is Susan storm. And we see her slotted into that mother role with the rest of the team. She is their caretaker, their costume maker, and the object of two members’ affection. This does not really improve until much later. For now, we have a woman doing woman’s work and not much else.

The only other woman we have to compare her to is Betty Ross. For the first six issues of Hulk, she is less a character and more of a background object. A full table lamp of a person, much like the earliest version of Jane Foster, who we’ll soon meet in Journey into Mystery.

‘Nuff Said!

And that wraps up the first six issues of Marvel continuity. It literally took me two months to write this post so who knows when I’ll cover the next few issues? But if you’re interested in something I update more frequently check out this twitter account I made to clean all the screencapped panels out of my camera roll: @616caps.

I’ll leave you with this incredible cutaway of the Fantastic Four’s HQ because who doesn’t love a cutaway!

[elvain]

For the writing prompts, survivor + memory for Johnny Storm?

johnny thinks about what the cosmic rays did to him and his family often. he doesn't remember the rays themselves - just hot, bright light and a distant scream. blood roaring in his ears. the rush of fear, icy and slick.

he had looked into what cosmic rays really were after the accident. the more he had read about it, the more horrified he had become. there was no reason he and the others should have survived. by all rights, they should have died the moment they made contact with the rays. survival had never been a choice.

but they had made it. johnny watches his baby nephew grow up, watches his sister and brother-in-law discover the epic highs and lows of parenthood. he watches ben fall deeper and deeper in love with alicia, despite everything.

they had survived. the rays were nothing but a memory now. all they had left behind was the fantastic four.

the fantastic four. johnny's forever family.

im emotional <3

[hcmantorch]

[lit-works]

One Thing after another

Pt.2

I've often wondered what became of the Red Ghost–Ivan Kragoff, the Russian scientist who willingly subjected himself to the same kind of cosmic rays that turned me and my friends into the Fantastic Four. The rays affected him and several experimental apes in a variety of ways–he was able to make his body completely untouchable. The Red Ghost has always given me trouble–my strength isn't much good against him–but he's been out of sight and laying low a long time.

As these thoughts pass through my mind, I notice something strange about the Red Ghost–he seems to be glowing. But, I'll have to solve that mystery later. Right now, I've got my family to save 

"Okay, Ivan, Whattaya want? An' make it fast, I don't usually palaver with arch-villains, especially after they beat up my buddies, know what I mean?"

"I appreciate your position, monster. I hope you can appreciate mine. A crack team of Russian researchers and scientists has bio-engineered a disease aimed exclusively at those whose blood and tissue has been charged or mutated with cosmic rays. They hope to eliminate you and the rest of the Fantastic Four. My beloved apes were their first guinea pigs. My testing followed shortly after. The apes are finished…in a coma. I escaped the motherland and came to you seeking aid. Perhaps Reed Richards can effect a cure. I cannot."

Sheesh, next thing I know, Doc Doom'll be comin' around wantin' Reed to remove his bunions.

The moment is charged with tension. The Red Ghost stands rigid and stolid, waiting to see what I'm gonna do. I stand equally motionless, trying to decide what to do. In the end, there isn't any choice: The arch-villains stands, glowing evilly, surrounded by my unconscious friends.

Glowing? The Ghost musta picked up a new trick while he was outta sight. But I'll deal with that later. Right now, I've got some friends to save.

My mind is made up, I reach down and grab a handy medicine ball–a handy thousand-pound, Thing styled medicine ball–and hurl it at the Red Ghost, hoping to catch him unawares, and before he can make himself untouchable. It's a nice try, but not good enough. He shimmers and fades, and the ball passes right through him, destroying the wall behind him.

"I'd hoped to not have to do this, Thing. Intangibility is the one thing I can't afford right now, but you leave me no choice…"

What's he talkin' bout? Intangibility was always his first, best, line of defense.

The Red Ghost drifts towards me, looking for all the world like the apparitions from which he derives his name. I try desperately to think of something I can do, some way I can use my strength against an untouchable foe. I come up with nothing, but it doesn't matter–to my astonishment, the Red Ghost stops just before he reaches me. His eyes wide in pain and amazement, a scream leaves his lips, and he begins to glow even brighter, bathing my body in a cold, yellow light.

Then he's gone.

I stand in 4 Freedoms Plaza, alone, wracking my brain, trying to figure out what just happened. I rush over to my fallen comrades. They're out cold, and they don't look good. Could The Red Ghost've been telling the truth about some cosmic disease? He didn't seem to be much in control of his own power…and his exit didn't look planned.

I pick my friends up off the ground and carry them tenderly to their quarters. Then I return to my own quarters and spend the rest of the night trying to think of a way to fight a killer disease. I come up with nothing.

Early the next morning, I awaken to find Sue and Johnny still in bed where I left them. They're alive, but they won't be going anywhere for a while. Reed, bless his brain, is in his lab. Though weak almost beyond imagination, he insists on running tests to determine just what the Red Ghost did to the Fantastic Four.

I seem to be nearly unaffected by the Ghost's attack, so I act as Reed's guinea pig. Finally, Reed completed his tests, and then staggers to a chair. He looks haggard, and, as he speaks, each words seems to take it's toll: "Ben, The Red Ghost has transmitted a disease along to us…affects only cosmically-charged blood. The disease is fast-acting. We're all infected. It mutates red blood cells…have to find a way to reverse mutative effect…" before he can get out the next word, he falls unconscious.

What did Reed mean by "reverse mutative effect"? Again, I fall deep into thought. Finally, a possibility springs to mind: If the disease mutates cells the way Reed says it does, reversing the mutation would cure me and my friends. Reed once said something about our old foe Annihilus, the ruler of the negative zone…something about his cosmic control rod having the power to change the atomic structure of matter. Maybe it would work on living matter and change my mutating blood cells, effecting a cure.

I call Alicia Masters and ask her to watch over the fallen members of the Fantastic Four while I'm gone. She's still out of town for an art gallery opening, but when she hears the news, she agrees to return at once. She arrives not long after.

Me…I head to the negative zone to talk to Annihilus.

[doomrichards]

Marvel Contest of Champions | Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic

Leaving his tribe in Latveria, Victor Von Doom moved to the United States to study at the Empire State University where he combined sorcery and technology to create fantastic inventions. Disregarding the warnings of fellow classmate Reed Richards, one of his inventions malfunctioned resulting in an explosion that severely damaged his face. Expelled after the incident, Victor began traveling the world eventually collapsing exhausted, on a Tibetan mountainside where he was rescued by a clan of monks. Mastering their discipline and forging himself a suit of armor, Victor took on the mantle Doctor Doom, his mission to serve revenge on those he holds responsible for his accident. Reed Richards is a brilliant scientist, who spearheaded an experimental voyage into space accompanied by his friends and family. An accident occurred during the trip, and the ship was flooded with cosmic rays. After crashing back to Earth, Reed found that he could stretch and elongate his body in impossible ways. He became the leader of the Fantastic Four, and uses both his powers of elasticity and his genius intellect to deftly handle all threats, galactic to microscopic.

[mcmusing]

I've been meaning to talk about how the cosmic rays generated the Four's powers as physical manifestations of their different personalities. But I also want to go over what the team members get from this. We know what the world gains from the Fantastic Four and what each brings to the table. I want to explain what positives the Four get out of this life individually.

Funny enough, Victor is the one who actually describes Reed best. That he's always "stretching, trying to reach the stars with the weight of the world on his shoulders". Yes, exactly. Reed stretches himself too thin due to his own extreme intelligence and deep desire to save the world. Therefore, Mr. Fantastic becomes elastic.

From the moment we meet Reed, it's clear that despite his genius, his self-esteem is practically non-existent. He wants to help people, but believes he can only do so from his lab. He believed the cosmic storm to be his greatest failure, but it ends up putting his life on track. Reed is right behind Johnny in terms of enjoying his powers and uses them constantly. He's desperate for a cure, but for Ben's sake. As Mr. Fantastic, Reed goes from meek and uncertain to a strong and capable leader who is assertive when necessary. This growth repairs his relationships with the Storm siblings and enables him to finally save the world in the most fantastic ways.

Comic book Sue was more of a shrinking violet than movie Sue, so at first her gaining invisibility is a bit puzzling. But upon rewatch, while she is beautiful and more confident than her comic self, Sue had so much uncertainty towards her powers and struggled to control them. She didn't want to live in the spotlight, be Victor's trophy wife, or put her brother in harm's way. By the sequel, her powers have grown immensely, indicating her increased confidence. Her force fields might have originally symbolized her wanting to distance herself from Reed and her feelings for him. Now, they come off as extensions of her role as Team Heart. They're barriers for safeguarding those she cares for in a fiercely maternal sense.

What Sue gets from the new life is the support system she needed for too long. She had to grow up so fast because of her parents and continues to look out for Johnny. With Ben and Reed back in her life, she doesn't have to be a one-woman army anymore.

There's no question how Johnny received his powers. The kid has always had an energetic fire in his belly. The flashy firepower also really fuels his craving for attention as he develops a horde of dazzled fans.

Johnny soon learns that the shallow spectacle alone is not ultimately fulfilling. He is not only the one who wanted the Fantastic Four most, he also needed it most. Between his mother dying, his father's arrest, Reed and Ben leaving after the former broke up with Sue, Johnny was long overdue for a solid family unit. He seemed to only care about his sister and hedonistic pursuits. When the Four are securely established, he gains stability and shows gradual signs of mature growth.

Ben's stone body came from a combination of his athleticism, emotional strength, masculinity, and rock solid reliability. Though when he first transformed, it seemed like more of a curse than anything.

After his dream of going into space ended with him drastically changed, it appeared as if Ben lost everything. As part of the Four, he's discovered who his real and most loyal loved ones actually are. The space mission was no last harrah for him. He gains belonging as well as a new purpose that allows him to better exercise his protective nature.

This has been an excerpt from Fantastic Four Feels 💞

Any idea what powers the cosmic rays would give you?

[invisibls]

(  deborah  ann  woll. thirty-two. she/her. cis  woman. )  are  you  a  HERO ?  something  tells  me  that  fresh  cut  flowers  in  every  room  that  always  seem  to  replace  themselves,  a  secret  whisper  of  encouragement,  sympathy  for  atlas  make  you  who  you  are,  SUSAN STORM. with  the  powers  of  invisibility &  psionic  force  field  generation,  you’re  sure  to  have  a  warm,  stubborn  personality  —  and  you  definitely  belong  to  sword. were  you  listening  to  cosmic  love  by  florence  +  the  machine  on  your  way  to  the  subway ?  it  suits  you. we  can’t  wait  to  see  what  you  do  next !

𝘽𝘼𝙎𝙄𝘾𝙎

character  name :  susan  “sue”  storm    age :  thirty  -  two  ( would  be  thirty  seven,  if  not  for  the  big  purple )  faceclaim :  deborah  ann  woll  voiceclaim :  deborah  ann  woll  skill  set  ( superhuman ) :  invisibility,  psionic  force  field  &  shock  wave  generation,  ability  to  see/detect  cosmic  rays  skill  set  ( human ) :  proficient  martial  artist,  geneticist,  trained  in  espionage  ( but  she’s  a  bit  rusty  with  that  last  one )  affiliations :  the  fantastic  four,  sword  family :  johnny  storm  ( brother ),  reed  richards  ( husband ),  franklin  storm-richards  ( son ),  ben  grimm  ( found  family,  thinks  of  him  as  a  brother )  zodiac :  cancer  wiki  link :  here 

𝙌𝙐𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙉𝘼𝙄𝙍𝙀

I .  was  your  character  “blipped”  out?  if  so,  what  did  they  return  to  and  how  is  it  affecting  them?  if  not,  who  important  to  them  was  blipped  out,  and  what  has  it  felt  like  after  those  five  years  have  passed? 

sue  was  blipped.  because  miss  storm - richards  is  forever  being  wronged  on  screen  and  still  hasn’t  made  an  appearance  in  the  mcu,  i’m  gonna  do  the  work  myself  and  say  that  she  was  a  part  of  the  battle  against  thanos,  and  came  back  just  in  time  to  watch  him  go  down.  when  she  returned,  not  only  had  the  world  moved  on  for  five  years  without  her,  but  she  missed  five  years  of  the  lives  of  the  people  she  cared  about. her  brother  went  from  being  in  his  early  twenties,  still  a  kid  in  her  eyes,  to  a  grown  man. her  son,  who  was  ten  months  old  when  she  disappeared,  was  now  in  kindergarten. she  missed  his  first  steps,  his  first  words,  his  first  day  at  school. she  plays  catch  up  as  much  as  she  can,  but  it’s  hard.

II .  where  are  they  living?  are  they  living  with  anyone? 

sue  was  lucky  enough  not  to  lose  her  home  in  the  blip,  and  was  able  to  come  back  to  the  same  not  -  so  -  humble  home  and  lab. she  lives  there  with  her  son,  franklin,  and  husband,  reed. (  though  that  last  bit  could  potentially change  after  plotting  if  someone  brings  reed ;  don’t  want  to  step  on  any  toes  re :  godmodding  obv !  ) 

III .  why  is  your  character  affiliated  with  who  they’re  affiliated  with? 

sue  spent  some  time  as  a  shield  agent  early  in  her  hero  days  while  still  a  part  of  the  fantastic  four. given  the  current  state  of  affairs  and  the  rift  in  new  york  birthing  new  villains  into  their  world,  a  united  front  only  makes  sense. so  she  picked  up  the  old  mantel,  only  now  she  fits  in  much  more  with  the  newly  founded  sword. 

IV .  who  are  their  major  friends,  allies,  and  foes? 

honestly,  other  than  the  fantastic  four  and  a  few  old  acquaintances  she  doesn’t  have  a  ton  of  friends  (  there  was  never  much  room  for  girls’  nights  in  her  schedule  ),  pls  be  her  friend  she  needs  friends  ;-;  allies  are  the  obvious  sword  and  shield;  she’ll  hear  out  or  help  just  about  anybody  who  needs  it  assuming  she  supports  their  values. foes?  feel  like  i  gotta  say  dr.doom  but  she’ll  throw  down  with  any  big  bad. she  doesn’t  like  bullies!! 

V .  whose  hands  do  they  believe  the  country  should  be  in? 

her  diplomatic  answer  is  whatever  healthy  balance  can  be  struck  with  heroes  and  unpowered  people  to  make  sure  that  everyone’s  interests  are  served  and  needs  met. and  for  the  most  part,  she  believes  that. heroes  do  what  they  do  to  protect  unpowered  people,  not  to  find  station  above  them  --  or  at  least  that’s  what  she  thinks. absolute  power  corrupts  absolutely  and  all  that  jazz? 

VI .  what’s  their  current  mental  state  at?  their  physical  state? 

 physical  state?  peachy  keen,  jellybean. mental  state?  phew. mostly  overwhelmed!  she  had  a  lot  on  her  plate  back  before  half  of  the  population  (  including  herself  )  was  erased  and  then  returned,  and  people  from  other  universes  started  falling  from  the  sky. now  she  has  that  same  full  plate,  all  while  trying  to  play  catch  up  with  the  rest  of  the  world. 

𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔  &  𝙃𝙀𝘼𝘿𝘾𝘼𝙉𝙊𝙉𝙎

*  sue  is  a  lot  of  things;  the  first  that  a  lot  of  people  notice  is  a  caretaker.  need  a  shoulder  to  cry  on?  a  snack?  a  mediator  for  ur  dumb  argument?  pep  talk?  she’s  ur  lady.  this  leads  a  lot  of  folks  to  think  she  might  be  a  pushover,  but  she’ll  be  quick  to  shut  that  down.  she’s  v  vocal  about  calling  people  on  their  shit,  and  is  just  as  good  at  tough  love  as  she  is  at  doting.  could  be  in  a  wise,  ‘ trying  to  instill  wisdom ’  or  whatever  kind  of  way.  or  she  could  just  tell  u  to  shut  up. 

*  we  will  be  rockin  w  retcon  girlboss  geneticist  sue  thank  u  very  much  <3  she  was  a  phd  candidate  when  the  ff  had  their  cute  lil  rocket  joyride  that  gained  them  their  powers

*  loves  house  plants.  tried  so  hard  to  keep  houseplants.  killed  all  of  her  houseplants  by  overwatering  them.  now  sticks  to  store  bought  bouquets  in  clear  glass  vases.

*  very  overly  analytical  born  from  a  need to  be  prepared  for  any  possible  situation.  this  is  bad for  her  cortisol  levels  and  for  her  relationships  with  others

*  something  something  eldest  sisters  inheriting  the  pain  of  their  mothers  and  the  anger  of  their  fathers  something  something  feeling  like  a  ghost  in  your  skin  something  something  a  study  in  danger  hidden  beneath  softness  something  something  the  feminine  urge  to  run  away  just  to  find  out  who  would  look  for  you.

*  milf

( @reshieldedintro​ )​