Classic Review: Marvel Masterworks- Fantastic Four Vol. 4

Quick Summary

Pros: The narrative is still well-written and full of excitement. Character development allows personal stories to become more interesting than before. Larger story arcs allow for more significant adventures to be told. The artwork here looks better than ever.

Cons: Some minor plot points and references to gender roles feel dated.

Overall: The fourth volume of the original Fantastic Four adventures continues to improve on everything that came before it. This book has more character driven narratives, larger story arcs, and a general increase in the visual quality of the artwork. There are still a few problems here and there but the overall appeal of the book is higher than ever before. Anyone who enjoys this era of comics or who is looking for some classic Fantastic Four adventures should consider this book.

Story

Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 4 seems to confirm that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s abilities as storytellers increase with the release of each issue of the Fantastic Four. This book contains the same captivating narrative quality that was seen in previous volumes but also makes some improvements. Character development occurs in ways that enhance interest levels and the story arcs are larger and more significant than before. There are still moments where minor elements of story arcs and references to gender roles seem dated but these moments are relatively infrequent. Overall, this is a great read and another testament to the comic book Silver Age.

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Right from the start, Fantastic Four Vol. 4 makes it apparent that this volume will be no slouch when it comes to storytelling. The first issue instantly demands attention by detailing the fascinating story of Doctor Doom’s past. Then, the rest of the collection goes on to tell stories that involve great moments from Namor and the introduction of new and interesting villains.

In addition, this volume continues to cultivate the charm seen in previous collections. The Thing’s friendly animosity with the Human Torch remains as fun as ever and the Yancy Street Gang’s pranks on the Fantastic Four are even better than before. Meanwhile, the official emergence of a romantic relationship between Reed and Sue allows both of these characters to become more interesting and helps establish a more satisfying group dynamic in general.

The best part about this volume is the improved sense of continuity between issues. Previous collections were mostly self-contained when it came to storytelling; character development carried over slightly but almost every issue stood on its own as an individual story. However, this volume changes that and sees more significant story elements, like Reed and Sue’s relationship or the history of Sue and Johnny’s father, carry over into future issues. The final three issues in this collection even end up forming a three-part story arc where the conclusion to each issue leads into the start of the next. All of this helps allow for more elaborate narratives and a general increase in the quality of the Fantastic Four’s adventures.

Unfortunately, there are sill quite a few moments where the stories in Fantastic Four Vol. 4 begin to feel dated. Despite Sue’s increasingly satisfying character development, her treatment, in some places, still feels ridiculous from a modern perspective. This volume, in particular, makes a number of references to Sue being foolish because she is “merely a female” and characterizes her with a variety of other dated gender stereotypes. There are also storytelling tactics, like Reed’s sudden ability to reclaim the Fantastic Four’s powers in the final chapter, that may seem a bit ridiculous to a modern reader. The overall appeal of this book is still high, readers simply need to recognize that, despite its relative quality, it is still a product of its time.

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Art

The Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four series continues to demonstrate Jack Kirby’s increasingly impressive artistic abilities. Vol. 4 has some of Kirby’s best and most creative work yet, showcasing subtle but noticeable improvements over previous collections. Characters are more detailed and better defined than they were before, which is particularly noticeable in the case of Sue. Plus, the increased use of comic collages allows the wonders of space or the depths of the ocean to look more majestic than ever.

In addition, this volume contains some fantastic full page spreads packed with great levels of detail. However, this detail never feels superfluous; it always enhances the scene in some way and gives the reader a better picture of what is happening. For example, the lavish depictions of a millionaire’s office establish his character as someone with a taste for the extravagant, while wild and elaborate machinery located in Reed’s lab or in outer space establish other characters as intelligent scientists. Each of these full page spreads is a treat and helps make this a more visually impressive collection.

Continuity

Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 4 continues the story from Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 3 (Review).

The story here continues in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 5 (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Spider-Man and the Human Torch’s meeting from Amazing Spider-Man #21 is referenced here. This comic is collected in Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3.
• The Wizard’s role in Strange Tales #118 is mentioned here. This comic is collected in Marvel Masterworks: Human Torch Vol. 2.
• The Fantastic Four met Daredevil back in Daredevil #2, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol. 1.