Reed Richards: he's probably the smartest man in the world. (Well, on Earth-616, at least.) Reed himself has described Hercules-buddy Amadeus Cho as the seventh smartest person in the world, so who does that leave for numbers two through six? Hmmm, let's see...I'd put Doctor Doom at a perpetual number two, and then maybe Bruce Banner, Hank McCoy...then Hank Pym...and then probably Hank Williams. But there's no doubt in my mind that Reed's gumby-brain is top of the pops in his world, because what other man could create quantum portals, thought projectors, super-computers, human-rights-violating mega-prisons, a cure for acne, H.E.R.B.I.E., not to mention a giant robot that could knock Galactus's block off. He also invented the McDLT.
As we've seen in the past, however, some of Reed Richards's inventions are a little half-baked or possibly hastily rushed into production by drunken gnomes. Witness, for example, the phone without a 'zero' key. Well, Ben Grimm had himself a good long rocky bellylaugh about that one, but Reed didn't take it personally. He just went back to his lab and created a super high-tech visi-phone the likes of which was not seen on Earth until Reed leased the patent to Steve Jobs for the iPhone.
Panel from Fantastic Four #56 (November 1966), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Artie Simek
So what is the Space-Time Research Visi-Phone? Is it a quantum-powered communicator to other dimensions? Is it a futuristic recording device so Ben can watch and re-watch his favorite episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus? Does it allow Reed-616 to gossip with Reed-617? Actually, no. It's an electronic viewscreen to the Space Time Room, another one of Reed's labs in the Baxter Building. In other words, this impressive piece of KirbyTech is just for peering into the next room. Reed has invented...the window.
But it's not really the Space-Time Research Visi-Phone that's the impressive thing here...it's this:
Reed Richards has invented the pad of paper and pencil you keep by the telephone.
He's even invented the personalized note-pad.
But that's Reed Richards for you! Always inventing things that are almost, but not quite, entirely unlike useful things. You may scoff, go ahead! But why shouldn't he invent? After all, it's not exactly rocket science!
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5 comments:
If Tony Stark isn't on that top ten list, then he probably thinks that he should be.
My all time favorite Reed line comes after Terminus writes across the entire US in gigantic, hyperdestructive laser letters. Reed realizes it's a language, runs it through his handy universal translator, and gets the message: "I claim this world- Terminus."
Reed's priceless reaction: "As we suspected, this is in no way the precursor of a friendly visit."
My favorite Hank Pym line is "I'm the smartest person on the planet that isn't Reed Richards!" Well Pym, at least you're mildly humble.
I always thought Tony Stark was number two, Banner number three, and Pym number four. Dr. Doom's gimmick is he ISN'T as smart as he thinks he is, which is why he always loses the battle of the brains-but it's enough to put him at number 5.
Number 6, now? No idea.
According to the current writer(s)of "The Incredible Hulk" "Fred Van Lente" & "Greg Pak": Bruce is the 8ths smartest guy in the world (from "Incredible Hulk #601)
BTW: Cool Halloween Logo
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