FANTASTIC FOUR 59 (1967)
by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Despite the cover warning us that “the Inhumans break free”, they are not the villains of the story.
As the title “Doomsday” kind of suggests.
We begin with Reed warning the Chiefs of Staff about Doom.
It’s very interesting to see Kirby drawing some realistic technology: you can definitely tell it’s Kirby, but you can also understand WHAT he’s drawing, unlike when he’s depicting some highly advanced tech. I like it: this makes his weirder creations stand out even more.
The general is quite naïve to dismiss Doom only because Latveria is a tiny country… even without his new cosmic powers, did he forget the time he almost caused WWIII ?
But he DOES have a point… what does Reed want them to do?
They agree to keep the American forces on high alert (actually the Allied forces, since we are still in the Cold War). But Reed is feeling uncharacteristically depressed.
It’s an understandable reaction. Though why he needs to extend his arms like that remains a mystery to me.
Meanwhile, some “super-sonic bombers” take off from a country that is not explicitly called the Soviet Union (but it’s totally the Soviet Union).
Is it just me or the way Kirby draws those bombers make them look like 21st century drones?
Their mission it so bomb Latveria. It goes exactly as you’d expect.
Doctor Doom reacts in a very cinematic panel.
I’m undecided if we’re seeing this in a Dutch angle or if Doom is casually walking down a hallway tilted at an angle because he wants to achieve this visual effect. With Doom it’s certainly possible.
Doom thinks that giving in to vengeance would be beneath is new cosmic status. So he does something more fitting for such an enlightened figure: kick someone who doesn’t even have the strength to stand up.
Then we get two of my favorite Kirby closeups of Doctor Doom.
This issue gives him green eyes, while they’re typically brown.
But enough about Doom, how’s Reed doing?
I’m sure he’s fine.
Meanwhile, the Human Torch is pushing himself to become even faster, hoping this will help him defeat Doom.
He does this by flying towards “a top-secret tryout of an amazing new Solar-Beam Gun”.
Flying headfirst towards someone shooting at you because you want test yourself… is one of the most Johnny Storm things that Johnny could do right now.
On second thought, rushing to beat Doctor Doom because he’s anxious to see his girlfriend is the most Johnny Storm thing that Johnny does this issue.
Note the caption informing us about the origin of Wyatt Wingfoot’s car.
Speaking of Johnny’s girlfriend Crystal, she’s still stuck with the rest of the Inhumans on the other side of an indestructible barrier. Johnny has been looking for her for the past 10 issues.
Explaining the Inhumans would take too much time. All you need to know is that they live in a city in the Himalayas and that their king, Black Bolt, can’t speak without unleashing untold destruction.
So, despite the fact that Black Bolt’s voice can literally destroy mountains, he’s functionally mute.
The Inhumans have at their disposal incredibly advanced technology, so the most efficient way for Black Bolt to speak to his people is… sign language.
How can EVERYONE see him so clearly? He seems to be pretty far away from everyone else.
Black Bolt’s signal to “go to the shelters” is… to point at their general directions.
What if there’s something else in that general direction!?
Also… I like Black Bolt. I really do. But the fact that he communicates ONLY with sign language is ridiculous!
Chris Giarrusso did it best in his Mini Marvels:
So yeah, Black Bolt can be pretty silly. But when he talks…
…I never have a hard time remembering why I like this guy.
Pretty badass, isn’t it?
With the city now free… the Royal Family of the Inhumans decides to leave their city and contact the humans. I could understand them sending a representative, but the entire royal family sounds like a very stupid decision.
But sure, let’s have the rulers of the city leave immediately after a major disaster, I’m sure it’s fine.
Black Bolt approves this decision with… wait a second, is that the same exact pose he did before!?
Compare:
One of these means “I approve your decision”, the other one means “we’re all gonna die”. What kind of ass-backwards sign language is that!?
I repeat:
Anyway, that is all about the Inhumans for this issue. You might expect them to help in the fight with Doom, perhaps with Black Bolt’s voice being the finishing blow… but no. That’s it.
What has been Doom doing in the meantime?
That’s a cool page, but… how is this going to help him rule the planet, exactly?
Or this?
Or THIS!?
Okay… I guess Doom’s off of his rocket. How’s Reed holding up?
Ah. Trying to become the new Batman, I see.
Actually, that’s his prototype for an anti-Doom weapon, which has the side effect of making you angry.
As opposed to any other bat-shaped projectile that explodes in your face and leaves you happy and smiling.
And we end with the Fantastic Four… or rather three of them… having dinner.
Possibly their last supper.
Way to bring down the mood, guys.
Doom significance: 6/10
The saga as a whole is naturally a 10/10, but you can skip this issue entirely and not miss anything significant about Doom himself.
Silver Age-ness: 3/10
Again, nothing particularly silly… but I just HAD to increase it by just 1 point above the previous story for the random superpowered gorilla!
Does it stand the test of time? 8/10
There’s still a sense of desperation and impending doom (pun intended), but each of the Fantastic Four is figuring out a way to turn this depressing situation into a motivation to improve.
Jokes about Black Bolt aside, his scenes still hold up pretty well.
It was a Doombot all along
One of the few instances where it’s 100% the real Doom.
Take over the world
Doom TALKS about this… but he spends the entire issue dicking around with his powers, so I’m not counting this as a world domination plot.
Destroy the FF!
The first time Doom appears in a Fantastic Four comic and utterly ignores them.
Crazy tech
Nothing from Doom, since we can imagine that he used his powers to destroy the Russian bombers. And Reed’s “not-legally-allowed-to-call-it-a-Batarang” is too generic to qualify.
The doomy land of Doom
It’s in the subtext, but we can easily figure out that Latveria isn’t aligned with either of the superpowers of the Cold War. Which today doesn’t mean anything, but in 1967 was quite significant.