1973: Act 4: divorce? (the oil crisis; Nixon resigns)

Summary
This was the darkest time for America's self image.

• Aug 1974: Nixon resigns.
• Oct 1973-March 1974: an oil embargo causes an energy crisis.

• Reed seems to have hit rock bottom, but he does not learn to treat others as equals, so the suffering continues
• Reed feels compelled to shoot his own child. This is the last straw. The others walk out.
• Sue issue divorce papers. It seems like the end.

A sophisticated structure

1. Three stories of decline.
   This ends with FF135: Sue appearing and deciding, no, she cannot yet come back.
2. Three stories of being weak.
   This ends with FF141: Sue comes back again, and Reed does the unthinkable: he shoots his own son.
3. Three stories of being lost.
   This ends with FF149, where Sue comes back.
   
4. Three stories of recovery.
   This ends in two stages:
   
   • In FF159 Sue establishes a new status quo as the unofficial leader of the team. The team then goes on to its greatest triumph
   • In FF163 we see Johnny's tragedy: the one of the four with the most potential, the one who on the surface is most free, but because of his junior position he is the most trapped.

1. Johnny loses Crystal
2. Ben loses to Thundra. Until now he at least had his strength, but from here to act 5 he will believe himself to be only a second tier powerhouse. See "how strong is the Thing?"
   
3. Gideon, the man without his own power, is now dying: draining the power of the FF and neglecting his son. Reed spends most of this story asleep.

1. The Shaper of Worlds is looking for noble dreams and cannot find them
2. The Miracle Man seems to change the world but it's all illusion
3. Franklin really can change the world, but he is ignored until it is too late.

• 133: All the men are sad, and defeated by women.
• 134: Reed, too self absorbed, misses his opportunity to fix things. (Sue's house disappears, but Reed does not stay to look for clues)
• 135: Reed sleeps through the danger to his wife and son.
• 136: Reed dreams of his wife, yet did not save her when awake.
• 137: the Shaper of Worlds could have given Reed his dream...
• 138: ...and Reed stays home to think (good! this is progress!)...
• 139: ... but he does not go to Sue. Instead he wastes his last chance, before...
• 140: Annihilus returns! Reed had three years to learn of Franklin's power, to be prepared for this, but he blew it.
  
• 141: It's too late. Now the only way to save Franklin is to shut down his brain
• 142: disgusted, the rest of the team leave.

Franklin of course symbolizes the whole 28 year story: the need to put his family first. Then what could be more dramatic than the events of FF141?

FF142-150: three stories of being lost
We now see how the team is emotionally lost, and this is reflected in those around them:

1. Doom is at his lowest point, weak and foolish.
2. Johnny and Medusa are lost, and in the great tradition of epic literature, the environment reflects the coldness inside.
3. The family is turned upside down: Sue, who rejected the Sub-mariner in act 1, now plans to marry him; the Sub-mariner, long an ally, declares war on the human race. To emphasize the confusion, this story is itself in three parts with a central section (against t Frightful Four) that appears unrelated at first. But it simply reflects the Fantastic Four: without their strong female member they cannot function.

We then have a triumphant story representing the reuniting of man and wife: a grand wedding at which Franklin recovers, and for the first time openly demonstrates his power to save his family.

1. Mahkizmo from the male-female future dimensions
   1a. An interlude for the Doom story, the half way point of the 28 year epic. This symbolizes the story as a whole: a major dimensional rift is not noticed and not fixed, because Sue and Franklin are not there. Only Franklin, the embodiment of the family, can both disturb and defeat Mephisto, the embodiment of all evil. (See FF277)
   
2. Xemu from the fifth dimension
3. The fifth dimension combines with the other alternate reality, with versions of the team working together to solve "all the world wars at once".
   

133

Issue 133: A landmark issue in many ways. And Ben is the last to fall.

This is a landmark comic for many reasons, including the first female FF creator, the first Gerry Conway issue, and the first "Marvel Comic"!

Now it's Ben's turn:

• Reed and Sue have separated.
• Johnny has lost his soul mate to another man.
• Ben has long term depression, but at least he still has his strength. That is about to take a major kicking, as Ben is being beaten by a woman in front of thousands of people. From now on, people will assume that Ben has nowhere near Hulk class strength.
  
• As for his relationship, that is a source of his own pain. He can never move forward due to his inner fears.

Ben's head injury
Thundra's win was not due to superior strength. Before the battle Ben was suffering from a head injury. Thundra did not know this. But she specializes in taking down super-powered males by an attack to the neck. Click for details.

The moral message: Ben is beautiful
In this issue Ben falls, but in dramatic contrast we see that he is beautiful. This is a great moral message: nobody is ever ugly, we just need to see ourselves in a different way. Here the greatest alpha female of them all, the most beautiful and most powerful, both physically and politically. She could have any man she wants, and she recognized Ben's true beauty.

Thundra and Ben's inner life
The appearance of Thundra highlights Ben's relationship with Alicia: Thundra is a woman who acts to get what she wants, and she wants Ben (over the next few issues it becomes clear that she admires him). Whereas Alicia is passive, Thundra takes what she wants, and she wants Ben. Here then, is all the proof Ben needs that he is not ugly: two women want him, besides his legions of more distant fans. Yet he cannot commit to either of them. He can't move forward because he believes he is ugly.

Ben's rocky exterior is a symbol of his emotional state: He is a brick wall. He does not move, because of his depression, and he does not let others (such as Alicia's gentle love or Thundra's more active approach) move him. Eventually, in three more years (their time), Alicia will have to take matters into her own hands and make the drastic choice that will finally kick him out of his stupor. Ultimately Ben is not defeated by Thundra, he will be beaten by blind Alicia. As a fighter he will take the beating, reassess, get back up, come back and win. The final reconciliation of the Ben - Alicia- Sharon situation is not recorded due to the series abruptly ending after FF321, but it's implied by what we know of what happens next.

"The zeitgeist:The Battle of the Century - Any Century!"
One of the great things about the FF is the hyperbole: because it usually turns out to be true! Take this issue for example. Two issues of the FF are called "The Battle of the Century": FF26, and this one.

1. FF26 is the battle of "the" century.
   Many fans consider the Thing Versus Hulk fight to be the battle of the century: and if we accept the thesis that the Fantastic Four is the Great American Novel then it's hard to argue that other battles beat it. (1976s Superman versus Spider-Man one-shot probably comes close, due to its historical significance, but it falls short for several reasons. The story had no impact on continuity, no character development, is short contrived, one sided and lacks any tension or significance other than as a gimmick.)
2. FF133 us the battle of "any" century.
   This symbolizes the battle of the sexes, which has historical significance far beyond almost any other trend in the twentieth century. For all human history and probably for long before, in almost all cultures, women were treated as inferior to men. Yet suddenly in culture after culture, throughout the world in the twentieth century, women began to be treated more equally. There is still a long way to go, but the change is dramatic. Noah Harari, in his book ""Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" devotes chapter nine to the topic. He offers several possible explanations but finds none of them convincing: why were women always and everywhere treated as inferior, and why did it begin to change in the twentieth century?
   "At the beginning of the twentieth century the idea of giving voting rights to women was generally seen in the USA as outrageous; the prospect of a female cabinet secretary or Supreme Court justice was simply ridiculous; whereas homosexuality was such a taboo subject that it could not even be openly discussed. At the beginning of the twenty-first century women’s voting rights are taken for granted; female cabinet secretaries are hardly a cause for comment; and in 2013 five US Supreme Court justices, three of them women, decided in favor of legalizing same-sex marriages (overruling the objections of four male justices)." (Part of the conclusion to "Sapiens" chapter 9)
   

• The first Marvel Comic!
  This is the first issue officially published by Marvel Comics group, according to the indicia, the small print at the bottom of the splash page. Until then "marvel comics group" merely referred to how Martin Goodman grouped magazines for selling advertising space. The publishers did not call themselves Marvel until FF133.
  
  At first (until FF 81) the book was attributed to "Canam Publishers", a fake name to avoid creditors. Then briefly "Perfect Film and Chemical" (until FF 83): this was the new parent company after the 1968 buyout. Then we have "Magazine Management", the real magazine publishing company run by Martin Goodman, the real publisher. Thanks to Billy's "Comics Should be Fun" blog for pointing out the small print! Incidentally, I don't have a copy of the indicia to issue 1 - the official DVD replaced that page with the equivalent page from issue 8. I don't know why. But issues 2 to 81 say "Canam publishing" so I presume that issue 1 was the same.
  

Using the name "Marvel" across the board reflected a new confidence, after the uncertainty of the early 1970s. Sales had been falling since the decisions of 1968, and many in the industry thought superheroes wee a passing fad. But the distribution trick in issue 116 gave sales a boost, and now, two years later, the publishers had confidence that superheroes were here  to stay. (The trick was raising the cover price and page count, getting DC to copy, then dropping the page count and price again while DC remained expensive).

134

Issue 134: The love issue: and Reed quits something for the first time

The events of this issue symbolize the problem of the whole year: Sue's house disappears from under her, and Reed, unable to function alone, is too depressed to react.

The love issue
This issue shows the team's deep emotions by contrasting them with different kinds of love:

1. The tragic love of Reed and Sue: the last page to this arc (next issue) is so painful.
   
2. Conventional domestic bliss: Dorrie and her new man and her children
   
3. Boyfriend/girlfriend: Johnny's aching heart from losing his true love, and wanting to reunite with an old flame. Note that Johny first had a crush on Medusa (see FF 43) and now she is on the team.
   
4. Sue and Franklin: A mother will do anything to protect her child
5. Gideon: a father's belief that he does everything for his son, but he really just loves his work
6. Normal friendship (Carol, Sue's friend)
   
7. An animal's love: Dragon man is forced to obey Gideon, but really loves Sue
8. Love of power (Gideon)
   
9. Duty: Medusa's role in the team. They are friends and fellow heroes, so she abandons her home to be with them for as long as it takes.

1. Alicia's pure love for Ben
2. Common humanity: (in next issue's flashback) the ordinary fishermen who rescued Gideon
3. Love of celebrity: the team's faces sell magazines, they were once "people of the year" on Time
4. etc.

Love and autism
I have argued elsewhere that Reed must be autistic. This issue gives another sign: he hates giving up on anything (for an autistic mind, things have to be complete). So many of the signs. I know that I make Reed sound like a villain in this web site, but it's only because it's so obvious he is a hero in every sense: he has a desperate need for things to be right (a strong autistic trait). He has the purest heart and works tirelessly to only do what is right. That should never be in question. So that makes the other side of autism all the more poignant: while he finds academic subjects easy, he finds emotional matters very difficult. So in this, the climax to the building emotion of the past years, he finally cannot cope. He walks around stiffly, as if completely unconnected, he barely reacts, and for the first time in his life he gives up. At the end (thanks to Gideon) ends up flat on his back. Reed has finally faced the one thing he cannot defeat: emotion.

I am diagnosed autistic myself, and totally relate to Reed. (Reed is my avatar on the FF comic boards.) I can feel the unbearable stress he must be going through. Such a powerful issue.

"Reed never quit before: it ain't natural."
This issue is about Reed's depression. Time has moved on (as we see from Dorrie), and Reed's hopes and dreams lie in tatters. He has lost his golden touch, and lost the respect of those who matter most. This issue has been criticized because Reed does not react to the destruction of the house. But that is the whole point: he is so depressed that he can barely respond to the world around him. He is self absorbed, unable to react. He will have three opportunities to turn back from the brink, but will miss them all, resulting in catastrophe in FF241.

Reed's two stages of depression
Note that Reed has two "rock bottom" periods: this, and the very end of Act 4. But there is a progression.

1. Inability to act
   Here, Reed is simply depressed: unable to even react to events around him. Even the disappearance of the house containing his wife (as far as he knows) cannot evoke a response. This is perhaps the defining feature of depression - the depressed person can barely feel anything other than the darkness.
2. Self destruction
   By the end of Act 4, Reed has moved beyond this. His enormous intellect moved from inability to react, to a mechanical focus on self destruction. The final period is when Reed mechanically goes through the motions, where his words become cold, he loses all passion. While his face bends into whatever smile shape is needed, and he silently plans suicide (see the notes to Byrne's run from FF232, and FF 251 in particular).

On dragons
Note the symbolism of the dragon grabbing Sue and Franklin. In western mythology, dragons represent sin, and are killed by heroes to demonstrate the hero's power. Here Reed's errors have caused him to lose his power to act as a hero, so a dragon takes his family and there is nothing he can do about it. In eastern mythology dragons represent wisdom, and here Reed is no longer the wise one. Reed's weakness is his refusal to put Sue first. Dragon man loves Sue in a simple, childlike way, so he puts her first. The great irony is that the simple-minded dragon is wiser than the brilliant hero.

Years have passed
In the previous issue we saw time passing That theme is emphasized here.  This is also the first issue where we really see that serious time has passed:

• Dorrie Evans was Johnny's long time girlfriend at high school. She is now married with kids. Like Johnny she must be about 24 years old now. She met her man three months after she dumped Johnny: that is, in early 1966. She then got married in 1969 and had her first child around the same time. it is now 1973 real time, but will feel like 1971 due to time stretching.
• Franklin looks like a small child and no longer a baby.
• We see Sue as a mother, with a life beyond Reed.
  

• This issue is about how Gideon's life must put his son first, just as Reed must. It foreshadows the time when Reed will finally focus on his family.
• We see the kind of life that Sue enjoys, given the choice.
• Gideon's underground lab probably reflects Reed's new lab in the next generation: If Sue has her desired normal home she won't want a skyscraper attached. Reed will have to build downwards.

The 100 issue cycles
Throughout the FF we see 100 issue cycles. This is perhaps the most obvious example:

• Gideon from FF34 returns in FF134.
• The two issue arc includes 135, exactly 100 issues after Dragon Man appeared.
• In 234 we see other parallels to this issue: vast power goes unnoticed (Franklin and Skip), Skip's abilities wasted by depression (like Reed's, and by extension Franklin's), the destruction of buildings for unknown reasons (like the house in 134), the degenerative diseases from nuclear tests (like Gideon's disease), the unknown causes, the father misunderstanding the son (Skip versus his son), the monstrous egos of Gideon and Reed reflected in the doomed planet in 234, and so on.
• For another prominent example of the 100 issue cycle, see the commentary to 69-72, 169-172 and 269-72.

The suit and Reed

The 100 issue cycle is just part of the bigger structure. Here Gideon wears a life support suit that separates him from physical contact with loved ones, and Reed will do the same after his final negative zone experience.

In the final stages of Act 4, Reed will be faced with every symbol of the enemies who reflect his weakness. The final element to push Reed to self realization will reflect his greatest foe's greatest hubris: in the final issue of Act 4 Reed will see a city that exists to honor him, just as Latveria exists to honor Doom.

Criticisms

• Does Gideon's return undermine the original story?
  No, it reinforces it and adds depth. Gideon was always a mirror for Reed. Like Reed, he promised to put his family first:
• Gideon first appeared in FF34, and promised to put his family first, just as Reed promised to put Sue first in FF35. But the ego of both men proved too strong.
• Gideon's moral decline mirrors his recent illness, just as Reed's physical health has declined over the past 12 months (since FF122).
  
• Gideon wants to challenge the gods themselves (see the last panel) and is driven to crazed frustration by his inability to do everything. Compare Reed in FF122-3.
• His suit is a barrier to the outside world, made of high technology, just as Reed surrounds himself with technology rather than getting to know his family.
  

Other points to note:

• Reed and Agatha
  Agatha's house is completely wiped off the Earth. Yet when it returns Reed continues to send Franklin there, even though he plainly is not safe. Reed must have serious issues with not wanting the child.
• The art
  While undoubtedly an enormous talent, John Buscema isn't normal my favorite artist. But in this issue he hits it out of the park. Look at that Dragon Man cover and first appearance! The cutaway! Buscema is on record of not being a fan of superheores, and I think it shows, e.e. when he draws Gideon in his suit, but when he touchees n fantasy and soap opera images he is in his element.
  
• Franklin
  We get the biggest clue yet of Franklin's power. Before we saw that he was aware of the news even when in a different room. Now we see that ants obey his desire: if he wants them to move in a certain way then they do.

Does his control unconscious control only apply to insects? Remember the first appearance of Galactus: from a higher perspective we are all ants.

FF 135-142: three stories of mishandled power

135

Issue 135: the Nuclear arms race

This picture is Starfish Prime,  a high altitude nuclear weapons test in 1962. Here is it seen from Honolulu, over 1400 km away. The blast damaged equipment in Hawaii and New Zealand. As a result of tests like this, in 1963 all above ground weapons tests were banned. But nations still tried to find ways round the ban, such as by exploding bombs only just below the surface, and radiation would inevitably escape.

"The most noteworthy violation of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty took place at the Chagan nuclear test in the Soviet Union, carried out on January 15, 1965. The charge was powerful enough that some fallout rained upon Japan, and both Japan and the United States complained, but the complaints were eventually dropped, and the problem was ignored by the foreign governments." (Wikipedia)

In late 1964 Gregory Gideon had tried to defeat the Fantastic Four financially (FF 34). He changed his mind and vowed to focus on his son instead. So they went on holiday, but on the way back flew into the fallout from an unexpected bomb. This was most likely the January 1965 test, and Gideon was flying over Japan. 

Gideon's reference to "United Nations' auspices" is probably a bitter comment about how the UN was supposed to stop that kind of thing (How?) , and that charges were later dropped.

So Gideon's use of Dragon man can be seen as an unconscious nod to Godzilla, another innocent yet deadly monster, symbol of Japan's experience of atom bombs.

The good guy has to make a death machine
Gideon is an innocent victim here. but the only way he can see to survive is by doing something terrible that hurts others. This symbolizes the arms race: each side sees themselves as the good guys, but they have to make death machines in order to survive. The name "the eternity machine" reflects the awful finality of nuclear war.

The Zeitgeist
This issue was planned in late 1972, the start of SALT II (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks). As usual the Fantastic Four reflects the mood of the times.

Sue and Reed: symbolism

Here Reed, representing America, is asleep while the nuclear arms race continues. And Sue, representing those who just want peace, feels he cannot be trusted with the next generation (Franklin)

Sue does not blame Reed. She doesn't know what to think. This indicates that the problem is not as clear as the surface argument: that Reed does not care for her, e.g. wanting her to stay away, with Franklin (FF127). Certainly Reed does care for her, hence he goes to pieces when she's away. Then what is the real problem? That he can't show it? or something else? Sue has to get away. She can't handle this.

• Unconsciousness: symbolism
  Reed is comatose for the entire issue, symbolic of his mental helplessness. Last issue his depression made him barely able to react to events, and this issue he is physically unable, allowing us to focus on those around him instead.
  
• Superscience
  Note page 12: the ease of controlling Dragon Man, an unstable molecule based life form. Compare a similar control in FF35, exactly 100 issues earlier. For details see super technology.
• Their public reputation
  Time magazine showed the FF as "people of the year" and it was "eight months ago." If the magazine was recent it almost certainly refers to FF123, the only time in the previous couple of years wen the FF was popular. The "people of the year" article is typically published toward the end of the year, suggesting perhaps a six or seven month gap between FF133 (New Year) and FF134. However, FF140 indicates that Sue was only in Pennsylvania for "several weeks" so it must have just been an older magazine.

136

Issue 136: the foundations of marriage

The personal story: ignoring others
The success of marriage depends on the individuals. This issue is about seeing a person as an individual with their own value. Reed loves Sue, yet he cannot accept that she has her own choices. He says he expects her to be there in the morning, and he cannot believe she would have gone away if Dragon man was there. He still sees her as dependent on him. This will not change until Namor steps in, in FF247.

• The American Bicentennial is approaching,a nd this is one of a number of issues that explored American history:
• Giant Size FF 2 has the colonial period and 1920s
• FF annual 11 has World War II
• These issues have the 1950-s and 1960s
• And of course the contemporary issues themselves reflect the 1970s, which Ben sums up nest issue as "riots, pollution and women's lib"
  
• The themes are pretty obvious so don't really need discussing here, but some points may not be obvious to younger readers (he said, condescendingly): "This story may have been inspired by the 1950s nostalgia going around at the time, such as the "Grease" Broadway show and "American Graffiti". The title to #136 refers to the 1950s Bill Haley & The Comets song 'Rock Around The Clock'." (source)

• The shaper of worlds is a symbol that we shape our own world. he appears now at a critical time: whether Reed and Sue divorce or not will shape their future. He plays a similar role to the Watcher, except the Watcher appears at times that seem inevitable (such as the break up of the FF in 189). The Shaper is here because nothing is inevitable: the FF must decide what they want.
• As usual the 100 issue cycle has patterns and parallels.  FF136 is 100 issues before FF236, the triple sized celebration issue that again focuses on marriage and shaping a world. FF136 is half way to 272, which has the elements of marriage and shaping of worlds (Reed finally meets his father and his father's new wide on their own world). It is 101 issues after FF35 where Reed and Sue got engaged, and 100 issues after FF 36, where once again Reed is asleep, and once again Medusa featured, this time as an enemy.
• McCarthy is renamed McHammer: McCarthy is known for his witch hunts, and the most famous book on witches is the Malleus Mallefactorum, the "hammer of witches". Amusingly given the context of racial tension and music, by the 1980s black music was completely mainstream and one of the best known acts was called M C Hammer.
• Gideon's son tried to talk to Reed, but Reed brushes him off with "later, son" and promises to study his problem. But he never does: in every way this parallels Reed's relationship with Franklin.

137

Issue 137: the 1950s: the old white guys no longer have the answers

• The 1920s: FF91-92
• The 1930s: FF291-292
• The 1940s: FF annual 11
• The 1950s: FF 136-137
• The 1960s, 1970s, 1980s: (real time publishing)

• "Why is Slugger Johnson living as The Brain, an existence in a medieval setting when he it’s apparently the ’50s that he longs for so much? "
  As explained in the text, horror and monster movies were a big part of the 1950s. Slugger lacks creativity, and cannot face reality, so his ideas come either from his simplistic teenage years or from movies.
• "Why is it others who have their wishes of power fulfilled and he is a frail old man?"
  He is not frail: as explained in the text he becomes Einstein. This is his power fantasy: he wants the power that comes from being smart and having the world look up to you. When this fails he takes on the role of the warhead, smashing everything.
• Why is The Shaper apparently part robot?
  We are not told, but the giant motorized assistance appears to represent his limitations: he does not have the full range of human characteristics; he needs assistance.
• What is the point of having the FF storm a castle only for it to turn into a drive-in movie theater?
• As explained in the text, Slugger was not able to make use of his brain, so he chose a more violent alternative.
• Why do the guards turn into bikers who stop fighting against the Fantastic Four and instead aid them in defeating the plans of Slugger “The Brain” Johnson?
  Because Slugger ended up frustrated and decided to kill everyone: so he became the primary threat. This represents how the perceived Soviet threat united America.
• "Characters constantly reveal information that they were never told"
  I see no examples of this."
• "The brain conditioning that they underwent just wears off arbitrarily."
  No, this is implied in the text: this world reflects Slugger's desires. As Warhead he is stunned, so immediately his control weakens.
• "And again, the FF are apparently completely fine with a being with nearly godlike powers whisking off a frail young boy to live within his dreamworld."
  The being is saving his life: to prevent it would mean the boy dies. The being promised to bring the boy back, and he has shown he always does as he promises.
• "It shows a young man rousing an army of people with his own skin color, yet neither he nor any one of them is given an actual name by the writers. [...] It’s a very low bid for interracial sensitivity."
  The man was named Marty: see page 27. This is not intended as a blow for racial sensitivity, but as a symbol of what happened in the 1950. The whole point, stated both in this issue and the last, as that the black man was effectively invisible, yet he was the only one to speak sense.
• Is Reed's comment "were we shown this for a reason" stating the obvious?
  No: the obvious target was Slugger, not the FF. Reed can see there must be more to the story than the Shaper accidentally getting the wrong man. Who was the Shaper really looking for? What else was he showing? The shaper can only respond, not create new ideas, so they have to guess.
  

• Most of the historical references should be obvious, but I missed this one: 'The 'invisible man' description of the black guy is a nod to Ralph Ellison's novel 'Invisible Man'." (source)
• The opening castle image is beautiful. The penciler, John Buscema, makes no secret of the fact that he prefers sword and sorcery to superheroes. Meanwhile, the inker, Joe Sinnott, is famous for always doing a professional job even when he loses money on the work (because he could have finished two pages in the same time). The result is this mini-masterpiece:

• In the previous issue Thomas was like Franklin. Here the theme continues: his dreams will be allowed to shape worlds.
• The cover is another homage to FF issue 1: note the positions of the cast, the street scene and the rubble. Why 1958? The story is set in 1958, just three years before FF1 and the year when NASA was established and launched its first satellite, as a response to Russia's Sputnik of the year before.
• Slugger foreshadows Reed. Slugger zapped his own people because he was not able to use the brain he was given: later Reed resorts to zapping his own son because he did not use his own brain where it mattered, with his family.
  

138

Issue 138: philosophy 101

In these few issues our lonely Reed has been being forced to think about big topics, not just the physics he's comfortable with. This issue features another world shaper. This time it's not about history and politics but religion and philosophy

The message: we must admit we can be wrong

Building on previous stories
Two previous stories dealt with self delusion: FF3 (the Miracle Man: they believed they were weak and so they are), and FF80 (Tomazooma: they treated a robot as if it was a god). This issue combines
them: the Miracle Man in the role of Tomazooma, the god-like being. This drives home the message of humility: that people can be wrong.

Who has the stronger mind?
This story shows the weakness of Reed by contrasting him with Wyatt Wingfoot. The opening image shows Wyatt towering over the team.

The Miracle Man story is a test of the mind. At this point Reed's mind is weak. He even has trouble concentrating on experiments. The FF has super powers yet is weak. Wyatt has no super powers yet is strong.

• Johnny dropped out of school, Wyatt did not: he is humble.
• Wyatt is sensitive to his people's needs before he is told, Reed is not.
• Reed knows the family is in trouble, but expects his wife to go to him. However, Wyatt goes to his family.

The team is weak because the family is divided. Wyatt is strong because his family is strong.

"Pride goeth before a fall"
In this story the Miracle Man uses the same trick as before, a form of hypnotism, and the team think they are too clever to fall for it. Like Reed, their pride is their downfall. They literally fall at the end of the story, down a huge pit (or so they think). We have numerous clues that the new power is an illusion:

1. Occam's razor: why assume great new powers when the simple old ones explain it?
2. Something is clouding their minds, as witnessed by how they remember FF3 differently (this time they "remember" that the theater performance used monsters; they were not impressed by the feats; a monster is far from the city, Johnny used a "nova" flash, etc.)
3. The Miracle Man's story ranges from "too convenient" (he lost his fake power and gained a real one. Really?) to implausible (the silent ones knew nothing of the white man? These wise old men were easily fooled?)
4. Even Ben and Johnny say they doubt it is true, yet accept it anyway
5. When the next issue begins: they seem to fall forever, and can talk while falling. Rather like the start of Alice In Wonderland.
6. The ending (in FF139) is too convenient for the Miracle Man. When he sees he is defeated he is able to leave and save face. This is just what an illusionist would do: a final illusion to let him escape.
   

The logical fallacy: argumentum ad lapidem
Ben tests whether the monster is real by hitting it. This is a famous logical fallacy called "argumentum ad lapidem" or "argument from the stone." The idea is that you prove the world is real by kicking a stone: it feels sold therefore the world is real. But it is a logical fallacy, because you could be just imagining that it is real: it is only a proof against the weakest forms of illusion. In this story Ben and Johnny are like Reed: they think the real problem is outside of themselves. Reed thinks that Sue should make the first move: that she should come running to him. He does not realize that, as with the Miracle Man, the real issue lies inside. The inner belief must be addressed, and Reed and Ben and Johnny must all admit that they can be wrong. No matter how much they think they are right.

The power of the subconscious:
This time around the team think that the Miracle Man has real powers. Obviously they thought that the first time as well. Consciously disbelieving makes no difference: the Miracle man's power is over their subconscious minds, which is why they can be physically exhausted while fighting (and presumably even die if they lose). Their conscious minds say "this is not real" but their unconscious brain belies it is real, and their bodies react accordingly. Note the parallels with Reed's depression: consciously he tells himself he must carry on as normal, but unconsciously he cannot.  In FF170 (169?) we see a similar principle with Ben: consciously he tries desperately to change, but his unconscious will not allow it.

Shakespeare again
This conflict between beliefs/intentions and reality is the bedrock of all psychological fiction and is often seen in Shakespeare: things are not always as they seem, and characters like Hamlet and Macbeth wrestle with themselves.

"madness" in the title: a multi layered story
The Miracle man, like Reed, or like King Lear or Hamlet, must pass through madness before finding new strength, but in the end even that strength is an illusion: the one casting the illusion is himself deceived. In the next issue it is revealed that the Indian elders were always in charge, they just allowed the Miracle Man to believe he was deceived. Note the parallels with the Celestials, who allow themselves to appear defeated when it suit them (see FF annual 23, the backup story). Also note the parallel Reed and Sue: Reed appears to be in charge but it is really Sue who calls the shots.

Criticisms

• Motivation
  FF1by1.com claims that "he also lacks motivation", but the need to feel important is the biggest motivator of all. Just read "How to Win Friends and Influence People", a top selling book at the time.
• The Miracle Man's power
  Why didn't the Miracle Man regain his hypnotism after issue 3? Because he lost his confidence. Issue 3 was all about confidence.

• Real time
  Wyatt says he started college four years ago. He did: he started in FF50, published in 1966, and FF138, though published in 1973, is only four years later in marvel Time. Also in this issue, Ben refers to his time in WWII.
• Johnny and college
  This issue confirms that Johnny dropped out of college. This probably happened when he was chasing Crystal in 1967. Note the 1960s zeitgeist, to drop out and travel, now faces the 1970s zeitgeist: the carefree hopes didn't work out as planned.
• The black costume
  "No doubt he picked it himself because, balding and gawky, the black seems self-consciously chosen to minimize any detailing of his own awkward physique and his massive cape could have been chosen to help further mask the same. Miracle Man obviously lacks confidence." (FF1by1) . The blackness also represents the emptiness of his character: everything about him is an illusion, including his own success. Contrast this with the Indian gods, who are immaterial yet have more power than physical beings. They appear to be deceived yet really understand it all. The Miracle Man's madness is exemplified by is belief that he can defeat immaterial beings by crushing them with rocks!
  

139

Issue 139: Reed admits failures

• The ending is deus ex machina?
  No, the ending is realism. Obviously a far more wise and powerful group would not be so easily tricked. The whole point of wisdom is to anticipate possible outcomes. The point of the story is not that the Miracle Man could trick them, but that he could not: he merely thought he could, and they allowed him so that he could learn.

• Parallels with the molecule man: he can apparently do anything, but is taken away by a deus ex machina. He is a fake molecule man.
• Parallels with Maximus and the Inhumans' city, complete with alpha primitives. This is a reminder of the battle with Omega, where the real battle was in their own minds.
• This is the Great American novel: one page is a homage to Huckleberry Finn
• Authorial misdirection: we are encouraged to conclude that the Molecule Man is affecting radioactive materials globally, but that is never actually stated. The Molecule Man's power is an illusion. However, readers with long memories will recall FF annual 6, the birth of Franklin: Franklin's power came from a radioactive cylinder. At the end of this issue we see that great danger comes from the negative zone, and we will soon see that Franklin has the power to control everything. So the problem with radioactivity is caused by Franklin, or possibly by Annihilus' attempts to reach Franklin. The authorities' belief that this would cause disaster in a matter of minutes is merely speculation: they have no experience of this, so cannot really know.
• This issue foreshadows FF151-156, with its the layers of hypnotic illusion.
• Why is the Miracle Man harder to defeat this time? Because now he believes his own hype, so he cannot easily be distracted.

140

Issue 140: Sue's growing self awareness

It's easy to forget that Sue has always lived in Reed's shadow. She met him at the age of 12 (see FF291) and idolized him. He was 15 years older than her - more than twice here age! He was a millionaire, a genius and a really nice guy. When her father went to prison and she raised her younger brother she must have looked up to Reed as an example of stability, a goal to aspire to. She was only 20 when he took her in his rocket ship, and he was 35. No wonder she found it so hard to question him! Coming to realize that Reed has weaknesses must have been difficult.

Sue lived in Reed's shadow since age 12, was in his shadow in the FF since the age of 20, and was married to him at the age of 24. Now, at the age of 30, she is finally older than Reed was when they first met. This is the first time she's been both physically and emotionally away from him, the first time she could sit and think things through. She loves him, but what does that mean?

Reed makes progress too

In this issue Reed admits that his wife and son are the most important thing to him. This is a step forwards, but he still sees himself as more important than them, otherwise he'd go and beg their forgiveness and ask what he can do to make up, and then do it. Similarly, Sue does love Reed but hat does that mean?

• Agatha asks Sue to come with her "of her own free will" - the phrase used by Dracula when inviting people to enter his dark realm. This gives evil forces power over a person. Crystal detects a similar meaning in DeVere's invitation in FF313.
  
• Gerry Conway recalls that FF140 and 1341 were the only issues he scripted in advance: the rest were only plotted loosely, then dialog was added after seeing the artist's work.

141

Issue 141: Franklin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"This period of the FF’s history had a very strong effect on me. I was around nine years old when these issues came out and I recall being very disturbed by what seemed to be the disintegration of Marvel’s first family. Sue had already left Reed (back in issue #130) because she felt he was both neglecting his duties as a husband and father, AND treating her like an inferior. The team limped along without her, as Medusa came to fill-in for a time. It just felt really wrong. I had been reading the FF reprints in Marvel’s Greatest Comics at the same time and the contrast between the happy, stable family from the past and the fractured, miserable family here was shocking. As a child, it made me feel very insecure. So when Reed actually used his anti-matter gun to shut down Franklin’s mind, I remember being just stunned. This truly was one of those comics moments that had an impact on me. " ( - Karen in "Two Girls, A Guy, and Some Comics")

Was Sue a weak female before that? No, but she gave Reed his chance to do thing his way until even he could see that it wasn't working. For more about Sue as the strongest member even at the start, see her own page. Some have argued that Sue should be read as weak because Stan Lee wrote all his females as weak, see for example Jean Grey in the X-Men, who often had to be told what to do. However, Jean is a special case: when she died it was revealed that she was born in 1957, making her just seven years old when she joined the X-Men. Mutant powers usually exhibit in puberty, and her mind based powers apparently caused her puberty to kick in very early (it is possible to hit puberty that early, but extremely rare). So Jean Grey was a child and did need coaching. This also explains why Cyclops held back despite his obvious attraction to her.

Criticisms

• Why did Annihilus need the whole team when he already had Franklin?
  Annihilus explains at the end of F140 that they are the final pieces in the "dimension spanning puzzle" of how to get ultimate power: that power comes through Franklin, and apparently Reed and his parents are needed for that. In F140 He says they must be rested for the transfer of power, and we see that Sue has to be close by. It appears that Franklin's mind has unconscious barriers that are only lowered by the presence of his mother. Revenge also comes into this: just as with the Miracle Man, this pettiness causes Ben to lose any respect, allowing him to lower his own mental restraints and use all his power (see Ben's own page for how his fear of hurting others normally holds him back)
• Their powers appear to come and go?
  In the tower, why does Medusa have her power while the others do not? Annihilus' whole plan was to drain the power of the Fantastic Four: Medusa, not a member of the original team, was obviously not part of his plan.
• Why do their powers then return?
  Reed explains Annihilus has been losing power, and he is not "done with us". With his attention elsewhere, their powers return.
• How can Ben defeat Annihilus with one punch, when before Annihilus was so strong?
  As noted, before that Annihilus was draining their power. At full power, when unrestrained, Ben is immensely strong. Annihilus has just told them that his exoskeleton is the strongest material in all universes, and that he can explore the hearts of suns. This is Ben's assurance that he can hit without holding nothing back, Also, Annihilus was in the middle of absorbing Franklin's power: this is like absorbing nuclear bombs - a highly delicate process where one wrong move would put Annihilus out of action.
• Is Agatha Harkness inconsistent?
  Why does Agatha not try harder to defeat Annihilus? Agatha is not a hero. She meas well, but Reed's decision to entrust Franklin to her is one of his most serious mistakes. Reed has persuaded Sue to trust Agatha, but we see in this issue that Agatha is easily controlled by Annihilus (due to her affinity with links between dimensions, making it easier to contact our world through her).
• Why does Agatha appear powerless at one moment, yet is then able to transport seven people across dimensions?
  The Negative Zone is accessed via sub-space, the place that joins dimensions: for somebody versed in magic, transporting people from the Negative Zone back to their natural home would take less energy that it appears. Transporting them the other way, or to a non-native location (e.g. getting Annihilus out) would be much harder.
  

• The zeitgeist
  The origin of Annihilus origin owes something to the then-popular Planet of the Apes.

• Alicia's motivation
  Alicia thinks that getting her eyesight back will make Ben want to marry her. Presumably this is because it removes his fear that she only loves him because she can't see his ugliness.
  
• Stretching time
  The cosmic control rod no longer gave Annihilus eternal life after part was removed for Franklin. This was at Franklin;'s birth in 1968, where he began stretching time.
  
• Reed's great mistakes
  Agatha Harkness delivered Franklin to Annihilus. Giving Agatha access to their child is one of Reed's worst ever decisions. But he does manage to top it before act 4 is over.
  
• Agatha and Wanda
  A year after this story Agatha Harkness appeared in the Avengers, training Wanda in the use of her powers, which is odd as Wanda's powers are more usually seen as probabilistic rather than mystic. Why was Harkness involved in both women's lives? Both women who were used to being ordered around by men? There may be more to Harkness than meets the eye.
• An end to innocence:
  From  "Two Girls, A Guy, and Some Comics": Karen: "It also occurs to me that Gerry Conway was responsible for stripping away a lot of the innocence of comics; he split up Reed and Sue and he killed Gwen Stacy." Sharon: "And he introduced the Punisher! No surprise Conway went on to produce Law and Order: Criminal Intent. ;)"
• "The end of the FF"
  The team breaks up again in FF189 with a similarly portentous announcement. So in FF257 John Byrne has fun by having Ben dramatically declare "this is the end of the FF" again, only for Reed to disagree. Because the great separations (FF 141 and 189) were permanent: each time the team was never the same. From FF141, Reed's moral authority was lost, so he was leader in name only. From FF189 he no longer even saw the point in the team. Only Sue got him back each time.
  

Franklin controls everything: why didn't he stop this?

Franklin wants to be at the ranch
In FF134, Watch Franklin carefully. It is as if Franklin wants Dragon man to capture them, so they can be de-powered and be like the happy ranchers he saw where his mother was happy. Note that Dragon man is always the symbol of marital tension, and a messenger from higher powers: see the notes by FF35 and annual 16. In FF142, being zapped brings him back to the the ranch where he is happy.

Agatha is behind this
In FF143, Frank is asleep during Doom's great plan. This is the climax to all of Doom's plans, the one that would finally enslave the whole world. Yet Doom acts slightly insane, and makes poor decisions, e.g. laughing as he forces the spies to kill each other, provoking Darkoth, and not noticing the approach of the FF. This saves the world. Here is the evidence that Franklin affected his mind:

1. This is big
   This is not just another attempt to humiliate the FF, but Doom's most audacious plan since stealing the surfer's power (which happened before Franklin was born so he could not help).
2. Agatha Harkness would notice.
   The plan involves highly advanced technology: crystals for global mind control: Doom's standard operating procedure, and why he can do so much, is that when needed he combines magic and science. Crystals are the hallmark of technology that borders on the magical. So a sensitive magical being like Agatha would notice.
3. Agatha's greatest power is Franklin
   We have seen before that Agatha's power, while impressive, is limited. But the whole point of magic is to access unlimited power. Probably Agatha influenced Reed to gain access to Franklin for precisely this purpose.
4. Agatha is not innocent
   Agatha has persuaded Reed that she protects Franklin, but here and at other times we see that this is not true.
5. Nicholas Scratch
   Agatha comes from New Salem, a whole town full of witches. These are people who deal with the same forces that Dr Strange uses. On two occasions we see that the whole town desires to rule the world, under Agatha's son. Of course, when he fails the others claim they were merely victims, but is that really likely? When Scratch fails, Agatha sends him to the negative zone, from where he tries to control Franklin (see FF222). This is too much of a coincidence.

So Agatha is nurturing Franklin for her own purposes. Doom is the biggest threat to Agatha's plans, so must be stopped. Franklin is the obvious way to do that. This is part of the bigger story of how Agatha became Franklin's nanny, despite putting him in danger. Agatha needed Franklin for her battle against her son. Reed, the scientist, has no idea of complex magical politics and was easily led.

What was Agatha's plan?
While Franklin is asleep (FF141-150), every story is about mind control:

• Annihilus weakened the team's will, allowing him to gain Franklin's power (When the mind control was absent he was easily defeated by Ben). So is Annihilus really controlling Agatha, or is he her unwilling pawn?
• Doom planned to control all minds
• Maximus rescued Ultron in order to mind control everyone.

We do not know the details, so can only speculate. But this is a prime example of the magical battles that take place below the surface. Franklin is asleep, and there is is a battle to mind control the world.    

What is Agatha's ultimate goal with Franklin?
Franklin's power to end the universe sounds like the ultimate nullifier: was he to reset reality to an earlier time, perhaps before mankind gained superpowers? But in the Franklinverse, he actually created universes: was FF141 really Agatha's plan to create a universe? Or to rip through this universe to a higher one? After all, magic is about gaining power form higher beings. What more natural goal than to enter their realm as an equal?

Again we do not know the details, but the closer we look at superhero stories, the clearer it is that great battles are taking place between advanced beings, and those who envy their power. The power is so advanced that we call it magical or cosmic. These are the battles that we never see, and the superhero battles are only a side effect.

142

Issue 142: the family's first major test

Other points to note

• I love this issue
  Speaking personally I love this issue. Lovely art, interesting locations, and I love Darkoth. I had this issue on its own for years before seeing what came before and after: it made me want more!
• Rich Buckler's first issue
  Rich Buckler describes how he got the job as artist:
  "I got word from Shel Dorf (of San Diego Comic Con fame) that Jack Kirby was scouting for inkers on his new books he would be creating for D.C. Comics. Well, I never really wanted to be an inker, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try out for this. I inked some Jack Kirby photocopied pages that Shel supplied me, tracing them on a light board. I gave these pages to Shel, along with a half dozen sample pencil pages of mine, and he forwarded everything to Jack. I didn't think I had a prayer, but hey!--I could dream, couldn't I? I was still living in the suburbs in Detroit at that time (Jack Kirby had just moved to California). Imagine my reaction when weeks later my mom answered the phone and she said it was for me. 'Who is it?' I asked. 'I don't know. Somebody named Jack Kirby.' Well, you can probably picture me stammering and almost totally 'brain numb' as I nervously held the phone and spoke with my biggest idol (sounds like slobbering hopelessly obsessed fan-boy stuff on my part, right? Well it was!). What I remember from the conversation (and he was friendly, warm and effusive) was that, no, he didn't think my inking was quite up to what he was looking for. It didn't suck--it just wasn't up to professional standards. But he was impressed with my pencil samples. I could hardly believe what I was hearing when he said that if I were ever to visit New York, that I should look up Stan Lee--and that I should 'tell Stan that I said to give you a job!'" (source)
  Soon Buckler had a young assistant who would rise to even greater heights: his name was George Perez.
  
• Star Wars
  There's a scene in the Empire Strikes Back (which war released several years later) that is suspiciously like the end of this issue. The heroes come to get help in an exotic location. Then they open a door and shocked to see Doom/Vader at the head of the dinner table. (There's also a similar scene in FF87, but in that case they knew they were in Doom's castle: FF142 is closer.) Did George Lucas read the Fantastic Four? Given the similarities between Doom and Vader (costume, science and mysticism, storm troopers. number one bad guy, etc.) Lucas would never dare admit it. (The Fantastic Four phrase "not quite, sir, there is one other" is echoed by Yoda, also in the Empire Strikes Back. But that may be just a coincidence.) For this and more Star Wars parallels, see the page on Lee and Kirby, how Kirby was ahead of his time.
  

• Doom's character development
  For an overview of Doom's development in his twenty appearances see his own page.

  

143

Issue 143: slavery (and for the first time, Sue is alone)

Sue has never been alone before. She relied so much on Reed's moral strength when her father went to prison (see notes to FF140). What can she do?

Who can she trust? Compare FF261
This is one of two times when Sue's marriage became so bad that she ended up in the arms of the Sub-Mariner. This time is because Reed acted in passion The second time is because all passion died (see the start to FF 261, following on from an adventure with Namor). In FF250 Sue is determined to never leave Reed again (see her comment at the end of FF 289), but staying in a loveless marriage is arguably worse. Reed will not put Sue first until act 5, when the marriage is finally healthy at last. Sue and Reed's marriage is the barometer of the rise and fall of the FF in acts 3 and 4.

1. The 1950s story featured race relations.
2. Then the Miracle Man story featured native Americans, forced to live on small reservations.
3. Then the Annihilus story gave his background as an insect among animals. Animals are the last group to remain enslaved, and among animals, insects are considered the lowest form of life (despite being more successful than humans).
4. Here we see Doom's need to enslave the human race, the results of slavery in Eastern Europe, and his enslavement of the African American Desmond Pitt as "Darkoth". It is fitting then that the focus of this issue is Ben, the one enslaved by his skin, the Jewish street kid, the strong and intelligent adult treated like a child by Reed.

Why Darkoth?
(A short history of Doom and his robots)

Darkoth is part of the natural evolution of Doom's robots. Their gradual progress is a motif that runs through the 28 year story. Robots are part of the theme of control (Reed and Doom are obsessed with being in control, and they finally gain wisdom when they learn that cooperation is more effective than top down micromanagement). Doom's advances in robots are paralleled by Reed's advances in his home: Doom  shows the folly of wanting slaves, whereas Reed gets closer to the truth (the home is what matters) yet still fails to see the power of his family until act 5.

Darkoth and racism
It is significant that Darkoth is a black man (the clue is in the name), but his history is not revealed until his next and final appearance. An enslaved black man reminds us of America's past. To white racists, only white men are in the image of God, blackness represents evil, and that native African religion is demonic.

Eastern Europe and superstition
Doom relies on local superstitions to make people fear Darkoth. These superstitions of the Eastern European mountains remind us of the book Dracula. The existence of superstitions reflects a rational reliance on rumor. Superstitions grow whenever there is great danger and little information: it pays to assume that every rustle in the grass is a tiger and every shadow in the dark is a death demon. Slavs have a long history of not having information or freedom: they were effectively slaves, treated like dirt, for thousands of years. Indeed, the word "slave" comes from the word "Slav".

The Zeitgeist: James Bond
The Great American Novel reflects everything that is popular in American culture. Int he 1970s James Bond became popular, so naturally we have a story that pays homage to the famous tropes. As FF1by1 puts it, "generally accepted as the clichéd comic book/James Bond villain plot. Doctor Doom wants to rule the world, he has a weapon of a very scientifically dubious nature, and he has assembled and imprisoned his enemies (the good guys) in order to humiliate him."  But far from being a typical Dr Doom plot, this is the first and only time he has done something so silly, and it reflects his emotional state at the time.

Criticisms

• Why is Doom's plan so overly elaborate?
  As noted in the page on realism, when both sides have advanced weapons the purpose of battle is not simply kill the other side (as that would be suicide), but to demoralize them so they give up. The enemy strategy is always to humiliate. This is especially true of Doom with his huge ego: he has to prove he is superior. This is Doom's lowest point, so he makes the most effort to prove he is better, creating an elaborate and complex plan to remind Ben of his desperation (by hitting him through his weakness) and remind Reed of when he was at school with Reed. Part of the attraction of this plan is that Ben and Reed are given clues: both are summoned to the borders of Latveria. when they miss those clues it reassures Dom that he (Doom) is their smarter than them. But the very complexity is evidence of Doom's weakness at this point.
  

• Doom and Ben
  Although Reed is Doom's classic enemy, here Doom is more concerned with Ben: Ben humiliated him and FF40 and again when he had the surfer's power. Being beaten by someone he considers such an inferior is galling.
• Doom's lowest point
  At this time Doom is at his lowest point. He hasn't been paying much attention to his people, the source of his power. This "end of the world" scheme feeds his ego and his resentment, but he hasn't planned it well, and is defeated. See Doom's own page for where this fits into his character development. Deceiving Ben, rejoicing in the two spies killing each other, and needing the approval of the masses indicates just how far Doom has fallen.
• Doom mirrors Reed
  Doom's plans fail because Darkoth is horrified and leaves, just as Reed's plans failed when his friends were horrified and left.
• Technology
  Note the similar uniforms in FF67 and FF143:
  
  The costume similarity cements the link between "Him" and the cyborg Darkoth, and Doom's next step in robot development, his Doomsman a few months later. It looks like many of the Enclave scientists escaped and continued their "perfect research" work under Doom. Specialist scientists are hard to find. Thanks to "Shar" of Panelocity for spotting the link.
  

144

Issue 144: Doom's half way point

Still Reed cannot say sorry. Ben is hurting, and instead of facing what he has done, and treating Ben as an equal, Reed just condemns Ben. Ben's confidence, briefly raised when he left Reed, takes another pounding when he's back.

Reed says he hasn't felt safe in years. A minor clue, but this may be further evidence of autism. As Temple Grandin tells it (in the BBC Horizon program "the woman who thinks like a Cow") to be autistic is to be like a prey animal, always to feel surrounded by constant danger.

Note the snow at the end: a metaphor for the coldness in their hearts. Next issue the cold deepens.

Doom's turning point

• He blames others when he should have planned better
• He behaves like a child (see below)
• He laughs at making traitors kill each other. A more responsible Doom would see the weakness in such pettiness. A more aware Doom would recognize traitors as his own failing: why are the people so unhappy? Because he neglects them.

1. The first conflict with Ben, in the sewers, is because Ben has lost all respect for Reed, due to Reed's actions over the previous years. So Ben is quick to believe that Reed is lost when Darkoth suggests it. And how does Reed plan to solve that problem? By insulting Ben. He could say "I accept I have made mistakes, we will discuss this later" but instead he says, in effect, "you are stupid, it's all your fault." Now who is childish, Reed?
2. The second conflict is when Reed is dismantling the android: Ben is on edge because of Alicia, his distrust of Darkoth, and his lack of respect for Reed. The final straw is "all this waiting". Medusa agrees. This is poor leadership. Reed is acting like a one man team again. Is there really nothing the others can do? Fair enough, perhaps they had to stay in hiding, but he could have told the others to brainstorm: Darkoth's knowledge of Doom would surely spark some idea in Ben or Medusa. But Reed had not treated others like children for so many years that their mental abilities are wasted.

Rich Buckler, Kirby, and hidden depths

The Great American Novel says things with images as well as words. At this period Rich Bucker (the artist) was encouraged to draw like Kirby. So he used Kirby's images to reference earlier times. Each Buckler event is linked to a Kirby event. The pictures add depth to the story. Buckler used this method throughout his run. I shall just use FF144 as an example, but for other issues visit the "panelocity" blog at panelocityhomageswipes.blogspot.co.uk. Thanks to Sharon for putting in all the work.

Here's the first example: why is Ben so on edge in FF144? Why does he mistrust somebody who Reed trusts? Why so irritable? It's not just Reed's behavior from FF241. Look back at Ben's memories: he has good reason for his feel like he does:

• the tragedy of Reed and Doom being trapped by their own weakness
• the symbolism of blindness
• the prince in waiting (the only innocent member of the royal group is Johnny, but he does not yet have the wisdom to lead)
• we can see layers that others cannot see (how Doom will come to see that he needs others, even though he will deny it: see commentary on FF247 and annual 20)
• people in disguise (Reed as the nuclear robot; and all this time Ben does not recognize his best friend - see FF293)
• a location apart from civilization (the sewers; outer space)
• the weather reflects their moods (and foreshadows the next issue)
  
• etc.

Criticisms

• The second launch:
  Why does Doom need a second launch to be with the vibro-bomb? Why not go with it in a single journey, or control it from earth? The clue is in the name: it's a bomb. You do not want to be in the same rocket as a bomb that's in the process of detonation. But once it is safely working you want to be close enough to observe its results.
  

• Medusa's costume:
  In the footnote about Medusa's costume, the joke about it being "compressed in a secret ring compartment" refers to DC's Flash. (thanks to Mark Drummond for pointing this out on another site). This underlies how realism is more important in the FF than in the Flash. Why the Flash? "The Silver Age began with the publication of DC Comics' Showcase #4 (Oct. 1956), which introduced the modern version of the Flash." (Wikipedia) As for the realism of Medusa hiding her costume, she has advanced Inhuman technology, and in FF150 uses a device that changes costumes according to need, so the costume change is not really a problem.
• The mind control bomb:
  Applying Occam's razor, there is no need to assume multiple mind control devices when one will do. See the notes to FF8. The simplest explanation is that the robot in FF7 left many of these devices behind, the Puppet Master found one, and Doom found another. Possible Maximus's many mind control abilities are based on the same devices. Note that the hypnotism used in FF3 is something different: the Miracle Man had to be personally close to a person in order to plant an idea in their head (even if it was not triggered until later, such as when watching TV). The Miracle man was closer to being a regular hypnotist.
• The flying building:
  Again, applying Occam's razor, this would have used the same device used in FF5 and FF279.
• Literary quality:
  "There is also an interesting duality in the resolution of this story [...] Reed is able to gain an edge on Doom from a distance (he isn’t even present in the final assault) by wiping and re-imprinting the mind of one of Doom’s cyborg creations and sending it back at him. This is pretty near exactly what Doom aims to do to the rest of humanity. There is a very complex morality in Reed that causes him to allow one of Doom’s creatures to rebel while using the other one in exactly the same way that Doom does. Where is The Seeker’s rescue and rehabilitation? Why can he not be saved when Darkoth can? Or is Reed just as locked into the dance of fixation and destruction that Doom is?" (source)
  

145

Issue 145: Johnny can't see what he did wrong

• Literary quality:
  The Fantastic Four is a guide to all the most interesting ideas in the world. So we had to get around to yetis sooner or later. And next issue we have the meme of wise monks on mountains in the Himalayas. 
• Yeti technology
  Where did the monk (and through him the yetis) gain advanced technology? Almost certainly from the Inhumans. The monastery was there for centuries, very near to the Inhumans' highly advanced city. Note that the climax to this story (next issue) is the use of a mutating ray: mutation is the Inhumans' signature technology.  Recall that when Lockjaw appeared the locals knew of him as a legend, so peripheral outside contact was normal. Obviously at some point over the centuries the Inhumans would crash a vehicle or abandon an outpost, or perhaps even make deliberate contact. Any warlike yeti would make it his life's goal to obtain as much Inhuman technology as possible, as this was the quickest route to conquest. Alternatively, the Inhumans may have experimented on this group for their own curiosity: in this issue we learn of "project revival" (the secret reuniting of Reed and Sue), so the Inhumans do secretly get involved in the outside world when it sits them.
  

146

Issue 146: climate change

This is the Great American Novel, and climate change is a major global concern, so it features here. Of course, back in the early 1970s the big fear was of an ice age, not global warming. The ice can also be seen as a metaphor for the lack of warmth in the team.

Note that the monk sees interference in another nation's affairs as a cause for serious regret. The Founding Fathers felt the same way, and wanted isolationism. Medusa, one of the isolationist Inhumans, agrees. but Johnny represents the younger generation in America and sees nothing wrong with getting involved in other nations with the intention of making the world a better place. This is a big issue in climate change: it has to be a global effort, but can one nation tell another nation what to do?

The ice queen
Note the symbolism of this issue. Medusa is the queen of the Inhumans, and is known for her icy control. When Crystal wanted to leave, Medusa condemned her for showing emotion in public, yet Medusa can be a seductress when she wants to be (see her first time with the Frightful Four). Medusa speaks for Black Bolt, yet does not always reflect what he wants (compare FF306 where she says Crystal must leave, and annual 21 where Black Bolt wants her to stay). At this time she is secretly planning Project Revival. Medusa is icy cool on the exterior.

The hot head cools down
Note the symbolism of ice for Johnny's character development this issue: Johnny was critical of reed but is now, with a cooler head, seeing Reed's point of view

Criticisms (from ff1by1.com)

• "The idea of ape-like creatures wanting to take over the world definitely belongs to the ’50s"
  Humans are ape like, and all nations have shown an interest in taking over the world. This story is a powerful commentary on modern life. As humans we destroy the natural environment to make things more comfortable for ourselves (by concreting over ground, cutting down forests, etc.). Here we see what it would be like if another race destroyed our environment to make things more comfortable for themselves. We don't like it when people turn the tables and behave like us.
• "No explanation is given for how he [Ben] managed to get to the Himalayas."
  There is no need: the FF own an ICBM and have access to other transport, including Lockjaw (just a phone call away, e.g. in FF163).

147

Issue 147: divorce papers

Divorce papers. 'Nuff said.

For why Sue went with Namor, see the notes to FF 243.

• Why does Sue move so quickly? She needs someone to help her comatose son. She cannot afford to delay. Namor has access to advanced technology. Maybe his technology won't help, but she has to try: sitting in Pennsylvania won't save Franklin.
• This is one of many issues where Buckler uses poses from earlier Kirby issues. See the notes to FF144 for why.

148

Issue 148: the psychological depth of the Great American Novel

The Great American Novel
This is a powerful psychological issue. To see why, consider this criticism from a comic fan's point of view, on FF1by1.com:

"There is an awful flaw right at the center of this issue — an annoyance that builds to a frustration and then almost an insult as the story progresses. And that is that the moment after the cliff-hanger of the previous issue is never shown. The story picks up some hours after that instant and we are promised that more will be revealed of that event but all we are then shown is a one-page summary of the previous issue. Reed has been told that she loves Namor and not him — what was his reaction? Did he say anything to Sue? What was Ben and Johnny’s reaction?"

This is a classic example of why the Fantastic Four was The Great American Novel and not just a comic: when forced to choose between being a comic and a novel, the writers instinctively choose the novel. FF1by1 is correct in that, seen as a comic, obviously we should see a visible result to the cliff hanger: they should have fought, or shouted, or debated, or something! Any comic reader knows that! But this is not primarily a comic. Stand back and we see something far more powerful.  The drama, the bottled up passion, the tragic power, is in Reed's bottled-up non-reaction.

Reed's reaction in context
Ever since 1961 we have seen Reed's difficulty with connecting emotionally. Reed is the world's greatest hero,a  man of pure heart motivated by his concern for others, yet this very strength makes it difficult for him to relate to others. Issue 1 set the template: Reed turned his best friend into a  monster and didn't realize that was a bad thing. Throughout acts 1 and 2 he controlled and infantalized his friends, and didn't realize he was doing it. There was very little backlash at first, because Reed was so capable, and anybody near him looked like an amateur. Bat as the stakes grew higher and the dangers came faster and faster, he began to really need the others. And his inability to connect with them became a bigger and bigger weakness. This is the central theme of Reed's life: to learn that he cannot do it all alone: he is not Mister Impossible.

Act 4 has been about the pressure and his inability to cope. For the past several years we have seen him bottle up his problems. In FF142 for example, after the greatest shock of all, he just stood there and did not react for hours, and then turned his rage inward. So how does he react now to the most devastating news of his life? He doesn't! He can't! He turns it all on himself! All we see is the aftermath, where his inner tension is unbearable.

The power of the image
Look at Reed in that psychologically powerful splash page. Reed, once the most verbose and flexible man, is now silent and rigid! This is merely the most intense example of the problem he refuses to face until issue 189 when he resigns: his loss of stretching power is paralleled by him using fewer big words. He is no longer Mr Fantastic except in name, a mockery of the reality. He is going through mental hell, and it's all the more worse because emotion is the one thing he understands the least.

Reed's frozen reaction to losing Sue is powerful, and familiar to depressed, stressed and traumatised people everywhere. What can you say when you have no words? But of course you cannot have a non-reaction as a splash page, especially after using the same idea s the splash to FF142, and at least there we had the drama of the others leaving. Here the others, now with compassion for his suffering, don't know what to do either, other than try to steer the ship in the direction Reed was when he lost the power to act - another metaphor.

The contrast with Medusa
Note the dramatic contrast with Namor and especially Medusa. Reed does not understand his wife. He does not understand his emotions. But Namor, a man of passion, does. Medusa understands how to use passion to her full advantage (as when she first appeared) and when to turn it off (as when criticizing Crystal for being too open with her emotions). Medusa is the genius of using passion, the greatest of all politicians (as discussed elsewhere). So it is Medusa, with the aid of Namor, who masterminds "Project Revival".

The power of Medusa, with her infinitely flexible hair, contrasts with the powerlessness of Reed. Medusa is the de facto ruler of the Inhumans because she speaks for Black Bolt: male and female in perfect harmony, in contrast with Reed, ruler of the FF, who does not know how to speak to his wife. (Even here there are layers of meaning: Black Bolt cannot speak to Medusa either, so does she always say what he wants? FF304 and annual 21 suggest not.)

Medusa, Thundra, and "war on the 36th floor"
Medusa is here to protect Reed, Just as in this issue Thundra protects Ben. Both men are psychologically scared (Ben because he is not psychologically ready to lead); both need the women to take charge.

This issue is at first glance about a random battle with the Frightful Four, but look closer: the title is "war on the 36th floor". This issue makes clear that the floor in question is the first one occupied by the Fantastic Four. It is where the regular world ends and the home of the Fantastic Four begins. Like all the floors it contains some laboratories, but all diagrams since FF annual 1 have made clear that the first floor above the regular building is the FF's living quarters. So "war on the 36th floor". The battle with the Frightful Four is important because it symbolises the frightful battle inside the family home,

36th floor? I thought the Baxter building only had 35?
The Baxter Building is routinely referred to as having 35 floors. This is why you should never rely on the official handbook. The task of analyzing every issue takes years (as I know from experience!), so the publishers of the handbook take many short cuts. Often they simply make stuff up, such as the often quoted "fact" that Ben Grimm can lift 85 tons: a figure that was never strictly true. If somebody vaguely remembers an issue saying "35 floors" they just put it in the handbook. It is then quoted extensively and is assumed to be gospel. But look closer: there are 35 normal rented floors, plus a penthouse of 5 floors occupied by the Fantastic Four, making 40 floors total.

The height is confirmed in issue 168. Note that the Franklinverse building is very different.

The origin of the "35 stories total" myth

In FF 249, when Gladiator lifts the building, Reed looks out of the window and says that should not be possible. The caption says "thirty five stories down to the street... thirty five stories to the incredible!" This is a few pages after the diagram that showed five stories for the FF and refers to "the lower 30 stories". I think this is where people get the "35 stories" idea. If that was the only reference then I would agree that 35 stories total is the most likely conclusion. However, that contradicts previous issues, including the very first detailed description in FF 6. it also contradicts the comic itself: Reed is on the 4th floor and looking down, so if he looked down past 35 stories the building would have at least 37 stories: i.e. Reed was looking down past 35 stories, plus his own plus the one above.

So what does looking down past 35 stories mean? Let's look closer. The context is that Reed thinks the building should crumble under its own weight. I doubt that is true of the FF part of the building: it's so heavily reinforced that it could probably be tossed around like a ball and survive. The FF's section is detachable (see FF202), and sits on top of the regular building, so Reed probably thinks of it as a separate unit. So when Reed talks of the 35 stories below him, and how it should crumble, he probably means the 35 regular stories below the FF's headquarters.

Other points to note

• Psychosomatic illness
  Reed's mental state is affecting his body: that is, his pain is psychosomatic. In this issue he faints. Later he holds his right arm in pain: within ten issues it will be clear that he's losing his ability to stretch. Physically it began in FF140 when Annihilus zapped him, just as he would zap Franklin. But mentally the seeds of Reed's weakness were there from issue 1.
  
• Sexism
  This is not the first time that Reed has fainted due to stress. He fainted before in FF124, and faints again in FF 184. (This is in addition to any attacks of knock-out gas or when the whole team passes out for some reason.)
  Carol Strickland, in her letter published in FF216 (see Sue's page for details) accused of Sue of fainting, and demanded that she be removed from the team. The psychology of this is interesting: people are so conditioned to believe that somebody is weak that they will see things that are not there. It is even more interesting that it's a woman who demands the woman be removed. Strickland's demands, to make Sue more violent, were adopted by Byrne.
  Critics sometimes accuse Sue of fainting. Yet it is actually Reed who faints the most. Sexism is an important theme to discuss and here we see it first hand. It is interesting that a woman, Strickland, will believe that women are portrayed as fainters, and should be removed from the team.
• Peter's humiliation
  The saga of Petruski's decline continues. In his previous appearance he showed his tendency to panic and apologize. Here he fails the Wizard by leading the Torch to him, and the Trapster ends up suspended in a trap. He has lost all credibility. See his own page for more about the character.
  

149

Issue 149: Sue gives Reed a second chance

FF133-149 in hindsight

Next: the battle of the sexes