Classic Review: Marvel Masterworks- Fantastic Four Vol. 10

Quick Summary

Pros: Most of the stories here are fun and interesting. A few moments from the stories feel really noteworthy and some help develop elements for the future of the series. The artwork looks as beautiful as ever.

Cons: Some actions from the heroes take away from their appeal. Sue’s character continues to be underutilized.

Overall: This collection of stories is alright but is not quite as memorable as previous collections. Within this book, the Fantastic Four continue their adventures with the same gusto as before, leading to a number of exciting encounters. However, a few unfortunate moments distract from the volume’s positives and slightly lower the overall appeal. Fans of the Fantastic Four’s previous adventures will likely continue to enjoy their adventures here but newer readers may want to pick a different book to start their Silver Age journey.

Story

The stories collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 10, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, are still entertaining but end up feeling more mediocre than they did in previous volumes. Most of the stories here contain the same fun action that has been present throughout this series. Some stories even manage to create some creative characters and environments, like those introduced in the horror-centric chapters. However, other stories drag down the collection’s overall quality. Specifically, some actions from the Human Torch and the Thing take away from their appeal and Sue’s character continues to fall victim to antiquated ideas about women. All of this together creates a collection that has its positives but doesn’t stand out as well as some previous books.

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The stories in Fantastic Four Vol. 10 are pretty average for the most part. Their adventures here all feel entertaining on an individual basis but don’t quite reach the same levels of imagination and wonder that were reached in the previous collection (Review).

Luckily, there are still a few standouts. The two “horror” focused issues, #94 and #97, build a good deal of intrigue and excitement as they progress, especially when it relates to a frightening mystery. I also really enjoyed the atmosphere brought on by Agatha Harkness’s character and am looking forward to seeing more from her in the future. Meanwhile, the Namor arc is quite captivating all the way through, especially since Namor has been mostly absent from the Fantastic Four’s adventures for a while now.

Unfortunately, for as many standout moments there are in this volume, there are an equal number of disappointing moments. Johnny’s actions regarding Crystal and the Inhumans, in issue #99, and the Thing’s actions regarding Namor, in issue #102, are both black marks on the records of these heroes, which take away from the appeal of these stories. In addition, Sue’s portrayal continues to disappoint, as she spends most of this volume either as a captive or simply not doing anything. These negatives balance out the book’s positives and maintain the book’s status as something that just ends up being average.

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Art

Fantastic Four Vol. 10 is the final collection of Fantastic Four stories to feature artwork from Jack “King” Kirby. Though saying goodbye to this comic legend is hard, the gorgeous artwork in these final few chapters helps smooth the farewell process. The Fantastic Four’s adventures here look just as good as before, detailing their heroic exploits in a way that generates great levels of action. In this particular volume, Kirby really excels at depicting the Fantastic Four as regular people outside of their crimefighting adventures. Seeing the FF in casual clothes at the beach or in comfy clothes around the Baxter Building makes them appear more grounded and relatable. This is critical in a book designed to showcase the “First Family” of Marvel Comics and is a nice touch by Kirby.

With Kirby’s departure, the final few chapters in this collection are drawn by John Romita. Romita starts his work on the Fantastic Four by providing a visual style that appears very similar to Kirby’s. Characters, landscapes, and even the complex machinery of the Baxter Building seem almost the same as they have for the past 100 comic issues. This helps smooth the transition even further and continues to take the sting away from Kirby’s departure.

Continuity

Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 10 continues the story from Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 9 (Review).

The story here continues in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 11 (Review).

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

• Magneto’s current predicament is explained by the events of X-Men #63, collected in Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men Vol. 6.
• Kang, The Conqueror’s status as a foe of the Fantastic Four is explained in Avengers #8, collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1 (Review). He last faced off against the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #19, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 2 (Review).