“Yesterday’s” Comic> Fantastic Four #160

A battle so fierce my actual cover is damaged.

Fantastic Four #160

Marvel (July, 1975)

Alica catches the end of a fight between the Thing and some guy named Arkon, who rides a dragon and tosses thunderbolts. After Arkon defeats the Thing he uses his “d-bolt” to teleport them away. But when Alica reaches the Baxter Building Ben’s fine. Playing a hunch, Ben borrows Lockjaw to track a piece of shirt Alica had and eventually lands in a dimension he was in before where only he and Reed had gone up. Reed developed Ben’s rocky form and Ben had the stretching and “human torch” powers. Ben was “cured” and he and Sue married. Only now their Reed has gone missing and it appears he sold his company to another company whose logo and name is strikingly similar to the one Reed just sold Fantastic Four, Inc to, sending Jonny off in a huff.

What they got right: Nice cameo by the cabbie Sue rode with in the first issue. I’m not usually a Fantastic Four fan but the mystery set up here is intriguing and I want to see where it’s going.

What they got wrong: Why would Reed sell the business end of their operation without consulting the rest of the team first? I don’t care if he has controlling interest, these are his family and friends we’re talking about who also own stock in FF Inc. Shouldn’t they have a say in this before Reed makes his decision? And shouldn’t they be at least a bit curious when a doppelganger of one of them is attacked in the streets?

Recommendation: A good start to the story. This issue was a gift from my neighbor when I was a boy so I never got to see what happens next but it’s still a decent enough issue to check out. And I remind you I am one who usually bothers with the Fantastic Four.