THE FANTASTIC FOUR Year 57 part 3

Posted on by The Beard

FANTASTIC FOUR

YEAR 57

Part 3

And welcome back to our look at the long-awaited return of The Fantastic Four as the “World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.” The first time around we examined issues one, two and three. Last time we looked at issues four, five and six – including the wedding of Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters. This time we take a look at issues seven; eight and nine as our colorful quartet continue their battle with the malevolent Doctor Doom.

The issue begins with a brief recap of the origin of Doctor Doom.

Turns out that Doom lured Galactus to Earth to trap him using Victorious and her cosmic power as bait. Meanwhile back at the ranch, Wyatt Wingfoot and Alicia Grimm (that is so cool to say that) reprimand Franklyn and Valeria. Remember The Fantastic Four are a family so this kind of stuff goes on all the time.

Victorious fights Galactus. The Human Torch fights Galactus. The Thing fights Galactus. Everybody and their mother fight Galactus and he goes down and Doctor Doom declares himself the victor. Considering his name is Victor I guess that is redundant. It is at this point that Doom turns on The Fantastic Four. You sort of had to expect that. I have no idea why Reed Richards was surprised.

Thumbs Down

  • There is a lot of fighting for the sake of fighting. But then this is a super-hero action and adventure comic so why am I complaining?
  • This is chapter 2 of what turns out to be a five part story so there really isn’t much story here just the set up for Galactus’ capture.

Thumbs Up

  • The artwork continues to be first rate. Kudos to Aaron Kuder, John Lucas, Marte Garcia, and Rachelle Rosenberg.
  • It’s nice to have Doctor Doom back. He is a buttwipe but he is Marvel’s best buttwipe.

I wasn’t all that turned on by this issue. Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I’m expecting too much. I still recommend this comic and this is chapter 2 of a multipart saga so check it out anyway. I give this issue three Gray Geeks.

Doctor Doom – with the help of The Fantastic Four – has succeeded in capturing Galactus and imprisoning him within Mount Doom. The good doctor is now using Galactus as a power source making Latveria THE major power in the world.

We then get to see Doom as he shows off the various traps he has placed the FF within.

There is another interlude in the continuing drama of teenage angst called Franklyn and Valeria as Franklyn walks out on Alicia.

Doom interrupts world broadcasts to brag about capturing Galactus. He even beams his message into space to the various galactic powers.

Then we go back to the adventures of Ozzie and Harriet . . . errmm . . . the adventures of Franklyn and Valeria. Alicia, Wyatt, Uncle Jake, and Aunt Petunia go looking for Franklyn who is hanging out with a girl named Wendy who seems to be friends with demons.

Doctor Doom finally pushed the FF too far – especially Sue. While Doom continues his broadcast she uses her powers to make Doom’s armor invisible. Everyone knows Doctor Doom is scarred and disfigured but he has taken great pains to never let the world see him without his armor. He now stands naked and ugly before the world and the universe.

Thumbs Down

  • I am not too crazy about the jumping back and forth between Latveria and the FF and Arizona and the rest of the family. I realize they are setting things up for another story but the cutting back and forth isn’t as smooth as it should be.
  • I am beginning to dislike Franklyn and Valeria.
  • Come on! You’ve got to be kidding me! Traps? More traps? More Doctor Doom traps for The Fantastic Four? It don’t work. It hasn’t worked in 57 years and it never will. These particular traps aren’t even as well thought out as some others.

Thumbs Up

  • That ending makes all sins forgiven. When Doom was bragging to the FF after capturing them he made the mistake of bringing up her children to Sue. You can tell it was a mistake by the look on Sue’s face. Boy does she get even! There is going to be Hell to pay next issue.

As I said, the ending saved this comic. For reasons already stated I wasn’t too crazy about this issue but that ending saved the day. I’m giving this issue three and a half Gray Geeks.

Sue continues to torment Doctor Doom with her invisibility powers while explaining to him basically why he is dumb and how the FF can escape his traps.

Then we are back to Arizona and the search for Franklyn. They find him with Wendy and her little demon friends. Hoo boy!

The now escaped FF searches out transportation while Reed explains how Doom miscalculated and Galactus is going to blow up and take out the Earth. Ticking clock people.

An extremely upset Doctor Doom watches playbacks and everyone’s reactions to his exposure. He was not amused.

Ben and Sue take out Doom’s herald Victorious.

Doom arrives with robots just in time to see Reed free Galactus. But Galactus leaves without eating the Earth because of his oath.

Back in Arizona Franklyn is being a putz and Valeria is making a teleporter.

Back In Latveria, Doom is about to destroy the FF (yeah right) when little demons appear and the FF disappears. Valeria and her teleporter saved the day.

Thumbs Down

  • Why do I feel so let down? The FF are back. Ben and Alicia got married. Why did the FF facing Doctor Doom again leave me feeling dissatisfied? Maybe it’s because despite the fact that it is great to have Doctor Doom back he wasn’t very strong, he wasn’t very smart, he wasn’t very dangerous, he was just very ugly.
  • So Valeria Richards whipped up a teleporter in no time flat and rescued her parents. So is she going to do this every issue? Because if she does it is going to get boring real fast. And is she doesn’t, why not? Once you have shown her capable of doing this you can’t undo it.
  • I am really, REALLY beginning to dislike Franklyn.

Thumbs Up

  • Yay the FF is back! Yay Doctor Doom is back! Yay Ben married Alicia! Although none of that happened this issue.

Another disappointment for me. Some small gems but for the most part a lump of coal. I give this issue two and a half Gray Geeks.

That is it for this time gang. I feel as if I should apologize for the three issues covered in this part. I hope to see you next time when we will take a look at issues ten, eleven and twelve finishing off our examination of Fantastic Four year 57. I hope you had fun and I know I did. Remember mi gente it is still dangerous out there. Wear your mask, wear your gloves, be the super-hero you always knew you were. Hasta la vista!

One thought on “THE FANTASTIC FOUR Year 57 part 3”

  1. I remember taking my brother’s Fantastic Four comics. He guarded them with his life and he would be pissed because I left indentations on the pages. He wanted no creases or smudges.

    Like

    Reply

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Published by The Beard

I’m Eliseo Figueroa Jr. and you’re not. I was born in Saint Francis hospital across the street from Saint Mary’s Park in the Bronx. I was born there because that was where my mother was and I wanted to be near her. My parents came from Puerto Rico and moved to New York City when they were kids. My dad spoke fluent English – with an accent – but he’d had a stint in the army and had mastered the language. However, he needed a little work on reading and so everyday on the way to work he would buy a comic book and read it on the subway. In those days they were ten cents, a quick read, you could fold them and put them in your pocket, and when you finished you threw them away. Back home my mom would tell my dad to read me a story to put me to sleep. My dad had no desire whatsoever to read me any of my baby books so he read me one of his comic books instead. While other kids dreamed of Mother Goose, the Old Lady who lived in a shoe, or Little Red Riding Hood, I dreamt of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. And this went on for years. When I got older I asked him to give me the comic books. At that point he stopped throwing them out and I had a comic book collection even though I still didn’t know how to read. During the day I would make my mom read me my comics over and over again. I was dying to learn how to read and had been told that you learn to read in first grade. I remember being so excited the first day of school for the first grade. I couldn’t contain myself. I thought it was like magic – poof! – I was going to come back home and be able to read all of my comics. My mom had to sit me down and explain that it was a process. That over time I would learn how to read and by the time I finished the first grade I would be reading. I must say I was disappointed but more determined than ever to master this thing called reading. Over the years my comic collection grew (my dad had to keep building bigger and better shelves) and so did my interests. I mastered reading and went on to read books. I discovered the library where they actually let you borrow books – what a concept! And my interests in literary science fiction and fantasy expanded to include television and movies. Yes, I was and still am a full-blown geek! By the way, I’m the beard in our little duet. I have a goatee and no moustache. In all that time while growing up my dad never once complained. How could he? This was all his fault and he knew it. One time we were in a store where I was purchasing some comics and it all came to twenty bucks. As my dad was paying the man the owner commented on how much I was spending on comic books. My dad’s reply was, “Well, at least he’s not on drugs!” Science fiction, fantasy, horror, secret agents, giant monsters, and more are my drug of choice. Anyone who has ever sat in a darkened theater and has had their heart start racing in excitement as the music to STAR WARS begins to play knows exactly what I mean.