Four & Thor 4

Alright!  More Four & Thor!  Oh, and I went back and checked, a couple of things I missed.  The Human Torch first started saying "Flame On!" in Issue 2.  Also, the Torch could only burn for a limited time.  This little limitation would crop up a lot.  Ah, the Old Marvel Achilles Heel.  Let's get to it.

Fantastic Four #7
by Jack Kirby, with eh Inks by Dick Ayers, and Stan Lee doing Word Balloons.

The Story:  Kurrgo, the Master of Planet X is desperate to save his planet from an approaching asteroid.  Because they've only got two rockets on Planet X (really?  Wow, these guys are stupid), Kurrgo sends his Robot (why not?) to Earth to capture the Fantastic Four so they can solve his problem for him.  The Robot uses a machine to make everyone Hate the FF, forcing them to go with the Robot to Planet X.  After getting a run down on the situation, Reed makes a Shrinking Gas, shrinks everyone, and stuffs them into one of the two rockets.  Reed claims that once they've safely escaped, they can use a canister of Growing Gas to grow back.  Unfortunately, Kurrgo decides to hog the Grow Gas canister, and accidentally gets left behind.  The rest of the Planet Xers escape, as do the FF, using the Other Ship.  While in the safety of outer space, Reed reveals that there was no Growing Gas after all.  Turns out, Reed is a bit of a dick.

Notes:  There's a couple of things floating around here.  First off, we get an instance of the Thing pranking Johny, which is a nice change of pace.  Also, we get Johny attempting to use his Nova Flame for the first time.  Also, Reed is a bit of a dick.

The Art:  Through Dick Ayers blorpy inks, we're starting to get some real Kirby art starting to show up.  Sure, the residents of Planet X look kinda dumb (they've got big heads, and they're kinda furry), but the architecture of the Planet is starting to look less like something out of the 50s, and more like something Kirby-esque.  Also:  Reed goes 2-D to fit through a grate or something, which is cool. 

Whatta I Think:  On the one hand, this is kind of a goofy story.  On the other hand, we're starting to see Kirby come into his own.  So, a so-so issue in the end.

Fantastic Four #8
by Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers (inks), and Stan Lee (thbpt!)

Story:  Reed's up to something, and Ben's being kept out of the loop.  Ben and Johny get into a fight (of course), and Ben storms out.  Meanwhile, the Puppet Master decides to destroy the FF, and makes a doll of the Thing out of his special radioactive clay.  The Thing gets hypnotized by the Puppet Master.  Sue follows Ben into the Puppet Master's house, but he knocks her out with a fog of ether (because everyone has ether vents in their house).  The Puppet Master dresses up his blind Stepdaughter, Alicia Masters, as Susan Storm (not the smartest plan, but whatever), and sends her and the hypnotized Thing back to FF HQ.  Ben tries to beat up the others, but he accidentally gets the chemicals Reed was working on on him, reverting him to normal, and freeing him from hypnotic control.  Meanwhile, the Puppet Master engineers a Jailbreak.  Our heroes confront the Puppet Master, who not only has a Puppet Robot, but also a Puppet Winged Horse (why not?).  Unable to capture the Puppet Master, the FF turn their attention to the Jailbreak, and whoop up on the prisoners without breaking a sweat.  Meanwhile, the Puppet Master prepares to take over the world with his Puppet Master As A King Puppet (really?), but Alicia tries to stop him.  In the end, the Puppet Master accidentally trips and falls out a window, seemingly to his doom.  Whoops.

Notes:  Obviously, this is the first appearance of Alicia Masters, one of the most important and enduring Fantastic Four supporting characters in the comic's history.  Also, she's got the hots for Ben right off the bat.  Nice.  Also, this is the first appearance of the Puppet Master, one of the more prolific D-List FF villains.  Oh, and this is the first of many of Reed's failed attempts at curing Ben.

The Art:  Again, Kirby's 60s style is really starting to evolve here.  The Thing is looking rockier all the time, and we get some beautiful destruction during the jailbreak.  The shots of Ben wrecking...well, everything are just amazing.  Also, Reed uses his body to rebound bullets.  Very cool.  Lastly, the Puppet Master is one bizarre, creepy looking character.  Seriously, what is with that guy?

Whatta I Think:  This story is goofy.  I don't mean that in a bad way.  I mean it in a wild, goofy, beautiful way.  Everything about this story is crazy.  Radioactive clay.  Bizarre puppet robots.  And the Puppet Master trying to conquer the world with a Doll of himself dressed like a King.  Yeah.  Maybe not a classic, but pretty damn awesome nonetheless.

Journey Into Mystery featuring Thor #89
by Jack Kirby with Dick Ayers on Inks, Larry Lieber and Stan Lee farting along for the ride.

The Story:  After a couple of pages of Thor sneaking into his office, and a retelling of Thor's origin, we get down to business.  A Mob Boss breaks out of jail, but is injured.  His thugs take Dr. Blake hostage and force him to patch up the Boss.  Even though Blake does the job, the Boss orders his boys to execute the good doctor.  Blake calls out to Odin (wha?), who causes a distraction that allows Dr. D to grab his can and become Thor.  Thor stomps the bad guys.  The Boss escapes and holds Jane Foster hostage (geez, she's always being held hostage.  Stupid dame.).  Thor uses ventriloquism (WHAT????) to distract the Boss and free Jane.  Thor eventually catches the Mob Boss.  The End.

Notes:  Eh.

The Art:  Well, much like the issues of FF above, we're starting to see Kirby's art style evolve into its 60s look.  Other than that, not much to report.

Whatta I Think:  I think Kirby wasn't really sure what to do with Thor at this point.  After beating Loki, Commies, and Alien Armies, Mobsters don't really seem that big of a deal.  Also, the first 6 to 8 pages are pure filler.  Also, there's some weird crap in here, like Thor doing ventriloquism or Dr. Blake calling out to Odin for help.  I think there's a reason why Kirby would take a break after this issue.

JIM feat Thor #90
Okay, here's the deal:  Jack Kirby stepped away from Thor for a few issues because he was drawing a TON of comics at the time.  So, let's take a look at this issue, which has no Kirby at all in it.  Anyway, the Art is by Al Hartley (who?) with Larry Lieber and Stan Lee trying to salvage this crap.

Story:  On the Planet Xarta, Ugarth the Warlord and his son Zano get ready to invade Earth.  Meanwhile, on Earth, Dr Don Blake and Thor notice that everyone's acting like Jerks, and people are doing weird crap, like painting polkadots on the highways.  Thor investigates, and discovers a spaceship, with a magnetic hull.  Reverting to Dr. Blake, Don finds out the aliens are replacing humans.  Yep, the Xartans are shapeshifters.  Dr. Blake outmaneuvers the aliens, gets his hammer back, becomes Thor, and challenges Zano to a fight.  Zano turns into an ice monster, and when that doesn't work, Zano becomes a Gladiator.  Thor whoops Zano.  Ugarth steps in, using Invisibility to outmaneuver Thor.  Thor summons rain to see Ugarth, then wraps him in a net and throws him into outerspace.  The remaining Xarthans are held hostage, and Thor forces them to turn into trees forever and ever.

Notes:  Absolutely nothing important happens in this issue.  Nothing new at all.

The Art:  Garbage.  Absolute Garbage.  There's a reason no one called Al Hartley the King.

Whatta I Think:  Does the story sound familiar?  It should.  It's the Plot of Fantastic Four #2.  Almost to the letter.  Shapeshifting aliens show up, cause trouble by replacing people, get beaten, and are forced to turn into something harmless.  Just replace the world Skrulls with Xarthans, and the Fantastic Four with Thor.  Same story.  Worse Art.  Utter Garbage, and nothing new is added to Thor's mythos.  And I've got a few more of these to go.  Oy vey.

Well, the Fantastic Four is slowly coming together as a book, while Thor is treading water.  Oh well, we haven't even made it out of the first year yet, and we've got ten more to go.