Marvel Masterworks Vol. 13: The Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four (1961) #21-30, Annual #1

by Stan Lee

Celebrate Marvel's 70th anniversary by experiencing the tales of the world's most-famous super heroes from the very beginning! The Marvel Masterworks have brought readers deluxe hardcover collections of Marvel's classics from the Golden Age, Atlas Era, and the mighty Marvel Age, and now you can join in the Masterworks excitement with Marvel's new, monthly Marvel Masterworks trade paperbacks. While testing an experimental spacecraft Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, and Sue and Johnny Storm were exposed to a bombardment of mysterious cosmic rays. Upon their return to Earth, they found that they had gained wondrous abilities, the likes of which had never been seen before. That voyage was the first of many extraordinary adventures for these friends, who became known to the world as: Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, The Human Torch, and The Invisible Girl - The Fantastic Four! Collects Fantastic Four #21-30 and Annual #1.

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1991

About the author

Stan 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.

Reviews

[Michael P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby indulge their worst storytelling traits here: heroes never meet without fighting, heroes and villains endlessly boast about kicking one another's butts, there are occasional plot holes and actions that make no sense. Ugh! Add the sin that plagues the FF of banter. It can be delightful when these characters, especially the Thing and the Torch, tease one another but it gets tedious when they became so angry that these supposed friends really try to hurt each other or when it occurs in the middle of a pitched battle with that month's bad guys and lives are on the line. What is good, inventive, and fun about the FF is certainly in this volume, but these are overwhelmed by the Stan and Jack crap. I wish it were otherwise.