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Fantastic Four (1961)
Fantastic Four (1961-1998) #10
Dr. Doom kidnaps Reed and uses special technology to switches bodies with him. When the rest of the FF suspects nothing, Doom begins his plan to destroy the Fantastic Four from within! Written by Stan Lee with art by Jack Kirby!
- GenresComicsMarvelComic Book
25 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 1963
1 person is currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,579 books2,359 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 1, 2020
Okay..so I think I'm pretty much a sucker for Dr. Doom. I knew that he was eventually going to make his way back to the Fantastic Four, but I wasn't sure how it was going to happen. I think if he was truly given a fair playing field then he would have a great opportunity to kick their asses. I just really enjoy him as a villain. This wouldn't be the classic Kirby and Lee Fantastic Four without them breaking the fourth wall and finding unique and funny ways to insert themselves into the stories. I think that it's easy to get lost in the repetitive nature of some of these early issues of these comics, but there really are some hidden gems. Clearly Dr. Doom isn't going anywhere; however, I'll truly be interested in seeing how they bring him back again. Also, the mention of Submariner made me happy. Hoping to see him in the following issues.
July 10, 2023
Dr. Doom kidnaps Reed in order to bring down the FF.
July 7, 2022
Marvelous Year 2: 1963 pt 1
The ultimate marvel meta tale. Dr Doom visits Stan Lee & Jack Kirby, demanding that they call Reed to their office. Essential reading for marvel historians, Lee/Kirby fans, and FF geeks.
The ultimate marvel meta tale. Dr Doom visits Stan Lee & Jack Kirby, demanding that they call Reed to their office. Essential reading for marvel historians, Lee/Kirby fans, and FF geeks.
December 20, 2025
Finally, Doctor Doom returns, a sensational villain who in every appearance manages to leave a mark and genuinely put the Fantastic Four under extreme pressure.
I really appreciated that what happened to him in his previous appearance was not ignored or explained superficially. On the contrary, it becomes the very reason and foundation for this story. At the core of the plot is the fact that Doom, after encountering an alien species far more technologically advanced, manages to steal some of their secrets and put them into practice in his plan against the FF. The most important new ability is undoubtedly the power to switch bodies, which he uses on Mr. Fantastic, trapping Reed in his own body and successfully deceiving the rest of the team.
Honestly, this is probably one of the most dangerous threats the Fantastic Four have faced so far, because Doctor Doom is able to infiltrate the group and seriously undermine the trust between its members. His plan even includes Kirby and Lee themselves, who make a brief appearance that helps set the villain’s scheme in motion. I really enjoyed this near-breaking of the fourth wall, as it adds something fresh to Marvel series up to this point and helps build a sense of continuity between the creators and the characters.
That said, the story starts to crack when it comes to how the situation is resolved and brought to a conclusion. I cannot understand how Human Torch is suddenly able to create a perfect illusion of dynamite just because “there was a construction site nearby.” I have no idea what kind of power this is supposed to be, and it is clearly a forced extension of his abilities, just like the idea of flames that do not burn. And then, simply because of fear, the two characters return to their original bodies. How is that even possible? Wasn’t this a power that Doctor Doom had to activate voluntarily? And why couldn’t he just use it again?
I strongly suspect this new ability will be quickly forgotten, because it is simply too powerful and I doubt they can manage it narratively. I just hope they find an original and rational way to either remove it or limit it. Much like the teleportation device shown at the beginning of the issue, which seems to be conveniently forgotten by the time we reach the ending.
I really appreciated that what happened to him in his previous appearance was not ignored or explained superficially. On the contrary, it becomes the very reason and foundation for this story. At the core of the plot is the fact that Doom, after encountering an alien species far more technologically advanced, manages to steal some of their secrets and put them into practice in his plan against the FF. The most important new ability is undoubtedly the power to switch bodies, which he uses on Mr. Fantastic, trapping Reed in his own body and successfully deceiving the rest of the team.
Honestly, this is probably one of the most dangerous threats the Fantastic Four have faced so far, because Doctor Doom is able to infiltrate the group and seriously undermine the trust between its members. His plan even includes Kirby and Lee themselves, who make a brief appearance that helps set the villain’s scheme in motion. I really enjoyed this near-breaking of the fourth wall, as it adds something fresh to Marvel series up to this point and helps build a sense of continuity between the creators and the characters.
That said, the story starts to crack when it comes to how the situation is resolved and brought to a conclusion. I cannot understand how Human Torch is suddenly able to create a perfect illusion of dynamite just because “there was a construction site nearby.” I have no idea what kind of power this is supposed to be, and it is clearly a forced extension of his abilities, just like the idea of flames that do not burn. And then, simply because of fear, the two characters return to their original bodies. How is that even possible? Wasn’t this a power that Doctor Doom had to activate voluntarily? And why couldn’t he just use it again?
I strongly suspect this new ability will be quickly forgotten, because it is simply too powerful and I doubt they can manage it narratively. I just hope they find an original and rational way to either remove it or limit it. Much like the teleportation device shown at the beginning of the issue, which seems to be conveniently forgotten by the time we reach the ending.
June 21, 2020
Doctor Doom has returned from space with new skills and abilities. He swaps bodies with Reed Richards with the intention of destroying the Fantastic Four!
Early in the issue, I thought Stan Lee was going to just ignore explaining how Doom survived his outer space exile, but he did finally reveal that Doom was rescued by advanced aliens from whom he learned some new things. Among those is the skill to swap bodies. Exactly how Doom is able to accomplish this without the mental abilities of the aliens remains to be seen at this point, as are the other secrets he’s learned from them. It’s an interesting idea that makes a fun story. As usual, there’s some questionable things that bring about the resolution to the story, but after all, this IS a comic book! Doom also ends up in another “inescapable” position at the end of the story, so we’ll have to see how he survived this one when he appears next!
One of the fun aspects of the issue is Doctor Doom showing up in the studios of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in an attempt to lure Reed into his trap. Lee and Kirby put themselves firmly in Marvel continuity here as the chroniclers of the FF’s adventures. For some reason, their faces are hidden in every panel, though. Not certain why they chose to do this, but this is still early days at Marvel and these guys aren’t household names yet. Cool concept that they inserted themselves into continuity. We also see drawings of the Hulk, Thor, and Ant-Man around the studio, so this was definitely an early example of Product Placement!
Kirby really impresses the most in this issue with the sinister look of Reed Richards while his body is inhabited by Doom. This is evident from the cover and all the way through the issue. He really does a great job making the reader see that Reed is different than normal.
A fun issue that really starts some interesting trends for Marvel comics.
Early in the issue, I thought Stan Lee was going to just ignore explaining how Doom survived his outer space exile, but he did finally reveal that Doom was rescued by advanced aliens from whom he learned some new things. Among those is the skill to swap bodies. Exactly how Doom is able to accomplish this without the mental abilities of the aliens remains to be seen at this point, as are the other secrets he’s learned from them. It’s an interesting idea that makes a fun story. As usual, there’s some questionable things that bring about the resolution to the story, but after all, this IS a comic book! Doom also ends up in another “inescapable” position at the end of the story, so we’ll have to see how he survived this one when he appears next!
One of the fun aspects of the issue is Doctor Doom showing up in the studios of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in an attempt to lure Reed into his trap. Lee and Kirby put themselves firmly in Marvel continuity here as the chroniclers of the FF’s adventures. For some reason, their faces are hidden in every panel, though. Not certain why they chose to do this, but this is still early days at Marvel and these guys aren’t household names yet. Cool concept that they inserted themselves into continuity. We also see drawings of the Hulk, Thor, and Ant-Man around the studio, so this was definitely an early example of Product Placement!
Kirby really impresses the most in this issue with the sinister look of Reed Richards while his body is inhabited by Doom. This is evident from the cover and all the way through the issue. He really does a great job making the reader see that Reed is different than normal.
A fun issue that really starts some interesting trends for Marvel comics.
June 14, 2024
The fourth wall is broken in Fantastic Four #10
Doctor Doom returns, of course. But..
..Why indeed?
Doctor Doom returns, of course. But..
..Why indeed?
April 18, 2023
Bizzarro. I Fantastici Quattro sono MAGICI.
C'è molta sperimentazione che crea molta incredulità e wow, meraviglioso.
In questo volume Reed e Destino si scambiano di corpo e il povero Mister Fanstastic viene maltrattato dai suoi ignari colleghi. Per fortuna si conclude tutto per il meglio e si assiste alla "morte" del Dr Destino, che sparisce rimpiciolendosi.
C'è molta sperimentazione che crea molta incredulità e wow, meraviglioso.
In questo volume Reed e Destino si scambiano di corpo e il povero Mister Fanstastic viene maltrattato dai suoi ignari colleghi. Per fortuna si conclude tutto per il meglio e si assiste alla "morte" del Dr Destino, che sparisce rimpiciolendosi.
March 30, 2020
I’m reading specific vintage comic selections and Fantastic Four is on the list. I don’t know why I dislike these characters but the only reason I gave it 2 stars instead one is because Kirby and Lee started in it.
January 7, 2022
The cameo part of the comic was so dumbbbb, the rest of the story was good- kept me in the edge of my seat. But I hated the way the cameos were put in there that it ruined the comic for me. They could have made the cameo where it made sense and it would have been better.
February 9, 2019
Dr Doom holds Stan Lee and Jack Kirby hostage on order to capture Reed Richards and switch bodies with him. Hilarious and really good.
February 8, 2022
So, the FF's aren't favs of mine. But what can I say, I just gotta thing for Dr. Doom.
August 9, 2024
I'm unsure how I feel about the meta narrative of this comic. I feel like it wasn't very well done nor all that interesting. I kind of liked the Freaky Friday theme though. Also, the fact that doom learned body switching from literally egg-people is hilarious
August 17, 2024
dr doom is the greatest villain
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2019
FANTASTIC FOUR #1-10 (The Fantastic Four’s First Arc)
It is a very clever misnomer that Stan Lee, in his breakthrough creation, decided to name this the Fantastic Four. After all, the defining thematic arc of this story is that like any family these four are dysfunctional to the point there is a constant possibility of collapse. It works as a metaphor for the fact that, despite this group having incredible flaws and imperfections, they are still fantastic all the same. The story is an effectively symbolic condemnation of the mythic suburban family dynamic of the 1950s, introducing a more realistic definition of a familial unit. It is not a flawless uniform system, but an incredibly nuanced set of intricate relationships hanging by a thread. It is quite a radical notion in its time of intense conservatism.
It is fascinating to consider this story works as one of the early examples of non-linear storytelling, arguably an innovator in that style. It certainly works as an effective way of guiding the story's structural arc, as it first thrusts us into a situation that effectively establishes the tone, then jumps back in time to introduce the characters and their motivations. It's very mysterious; by refusing to immediately tell us who these people are, it effectively stimulates interest in their motivations and defining attributes.
Here is where Stan Lee really gets to shine as a writer of dialogue. Each line of dialogue is tailor made to the individual who says it. You can tell from behavior in the speech and annunciation if the highly articulate Reed Richards is speaking or the disgruntled huffing Ben Grimm. It makes the story and its characters that much more immersive and real.
The only real flaw with this aspect is just that the fight scenes have more talking than they should. I don’t know many people who go on a 5 sentence monologues every individual time they punch somebody in the face, but it certainly happens here. But ignoring the fight scenes being overly talky, the pure dialogue scenes among the family unit are truly something to marvel and almost null the affects of this.
It is noteworthy that he introduced a process that fundamentally redefined the genre of comic books, by having the artist draw the illustrations first and drawing the dialogue after. It allowed for better visual storytelling and dialogue made to naturally fit that, and it informed the pacing of the dialogue to better fit with the pacing of the images.
It is a very clever misnomer that Stan Lee, in his breakthrough creation, decided to name this the Fantastic Four. After all, the defining thematic arc of this story is that like any family these four are dysfunctional to the point there is a constant possibility of collapse. It works as a metaphor for the fact that, despite this group having incredible flaws and imperfections, they are still fantastic all the same. The story is an effectively symbolic condemnation of the mythic suburban family dynamic of the 1950s, introducing a more realistic definition of a familial unit. It is not a flawless uniform system, but an incredibly nuanced set of intricate relationships hanging by a thread. It is quite a radical notion in its time of intense conservatism.
It is fascinating to consider this story works as one of the early examples of non-linear storytelling, arguably an innovator in that style. It certainly works as an effective way of guiding the story's structural arc, as it first thrusts us into a situation that effectively establishes the tone, then jumps back in time to introduce the characters and their motivations. It's very mysterious; by refusing to immediately tell us who these people are, it effectively stimulates interest in their motivations and defining attributes.
Here is where Stan Lee really gets to shine as a writer of dialogue. Each line of dialogue is tailor made to the individual who says it. You can tell from behavior in the speech and annunciation if the highly articulate Reed Richards is speaking or the disgruntled huffing Ben Grimm. It makes the story and its characters that much more immersive and real.
The only real flaw with this aspect is just that the fight scenes have more talking than they should. I don’t know many people who go on a 5 sentence monologues every individual time they punch somebody in the face, but it certainly happens here. But ignoring the fight scenes being overly talky, the pure dialogue scenes among the family unit are truly something to marvel and almost null the affects of this.
It is noteworthy that he introduced a process that fundamentally redefined the genre of comic books, by having the artist draw the illustrations first and drawing the dialogue after. It allowed for better visual storytelling and dialogue made to naturally fit that, and it informed the pacing of the dialogue to better fit with the pacing of the images.
January 10, 2024
A diferencia de Namor, a Doom sí es interesante verlo salir a menudo en Fantastic Four. Siempre tiene buenos planes. Esta idea de cambiar de cuerpo con Reed estuvo muy bien elaborada. Lo bueno es que el equipo siempre sale triunfante.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews