Classic Review: Marvel Masterworks- Fantastic Four Vol. 12

Quick Summary

Pros: The majority of the volume is highly entertaining and tells stories with a great message to them, specifically in the return of Galactus. Most of the Fantastic Four members are written well and have great opportunities to show off their strengths. The artwork looks good throughout.

Cons: Sue is written poorly in most places. Two of the stories are pretty mediocre.

Overall: This is a mostly positive collection of stories that begins to elevate the Fantastic Four series to the quality level it once had. The stories here have interesting premises, exciting action, some unique themes, and great characters pushing it all forward. There are a few stories that don’t stand out as well and the Invisible Woman is written poorly but most aspects of the collection are positive. Readers looking for the start of good post-Kirby Fantastic Four might want to check out this volume.

Story

The most recent volume of the Fantastic Four (Review) saw a steep decline in quality, most likely due to the departure of Jack Kirby. Without Kirby, who had been with the title since it began, it seemed unclear if the Fantastic Four would be worth reading as it extended into the future.

Luckily, the stories told in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 12 manage to bring the quality of the series back up once more. The majority of the book details exciting adventures that allow the members of the Fantastic Four to show off what makes this team so fun. These stories are enjoyable to read and even have some interesting moral themes to them. The only exceptions to this quality occur in a few mostly isolated chapters and in the unfortunately poor writing that seems to constantly surround Sue Richards. Overall though, this is a solid collection with a lot to offer.

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The vast majority of the stories in Fantastic Four Vol. 12 are very entertaining and stand out as memorable adventures. One story has the team travel to Africa in a journey condemning racism and apartheid specifically. Another has the team help a misunderstood alien, whom the world mistook as a monster. The final story has the Four defeat the Mole Man, even if the entire team was weaker than usual. Each of these encounters is able to blend entertaining storytelling with solid themes.

Chief among the volume’s successful arcs is the return of Galactus. This arc opens with the Fantastic Four valiantly facing off against what appears to be an insurmountable threat. Then, it proceeds to have the Four defeat Galactus and save the Silver Surfer due to their combined abilities and intelligence.

Each of these adventures also allows for each member of the team to show off what makes them great. Johnny’s control over his flames is creative and goes beyond mere fireballs. The Thing’s strength is obvious but his humor comes through better than before. Finally, Reed’s intellect shines and his approach to situations allows for problems to be solved in unorthodox ways.

The only character in Fantastic Four Vol. 12 who isn’t written that well is Sue. In most stories she either contributes next to nothing or is completely absent from the conflict. This is especially troubling considering how well every other character is written. Her role starts to recover toward the end of the collection, where she actively voices her displeasure at being sidelined, but it doesn’t make up for the volume’s earlier problems.

There are also a few stories here that don’t shine quite as brightly as the others. The Fantastic Four’s battle against Diablo is exciting but ends up feeling a bit mediocre. In addition, Fantastic Four #126 is mostly just a second look at the events of Fantastic Four #1, which is sure to be old news for most fans of this series.

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Art

Like the story, the artwork in Fantastic Four Vol. 12 is positive throughout. John Buscema is able to present a style that feels similar to what Kirby did before but still feels distinct in its own way. The individual members of the Fantastic Four look nice, the action plays out well, and the pages are structured in a way that makes sense. Buscema also drums up a few new characters in this collection, all of whom have a level of creativity to them that suits the standard that has been present since this series began. Overall, the artwork in this collection is positive and makes for a better reading experience.

Continuity

Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 12 continues the story from Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 11 (Review).

The story here continues in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 13 (Review).

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

• On his way to the Great Refuge, the Human Torch participated in the events of Sub-Mariner #44, collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner Vol. 6. 
• Diablo last fought Doctor Doom in Marvel Super-Heroes #20.
• The Fantastic Four last fought Diablo in Fantastic Four #35, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 4 (Review).
• Diablo used a form of mind-control on the Thing back in Fantastic Four #30, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 3 (Review).  
• Klaw mutated to his current form in Fantastic Four #56, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 6 (Review). 
• The Fantastic Four originally fought Galactus back in Fantastic Four #48-50, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 5 (Review). This story arc also explains the Silver Surfer’s exile on Earth. 
• The Fantastic Four fought the Monster from the Lost Lagoon back in Fantastic Four #97, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 10 (Review).
• Fantastic Four #126 mostly rehashes an altered version of the events of Fantastic Four #1, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 1 (Review).
• Reed’s Thought-Projector Helmet first appeared back in Fantastic Four #27, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 3 (Review).
• The Fantastic Four’s potential headquarters in Upstate New York and their last encounter with the Mole-Man is explained across Fantastic Four #88-90, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 9 (Review).
• Kala’s encounter with Iron Man took place in Tales of Suspense #43, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Iron Man Vol. 1.