Today in Comics History, February 2, 2022: Gift of a check suddenly tremendously ages Aunt Petunia Grimm since Fantastic Four #238

from Clobberin' Time #3 (Marvel, July 2023), story and art by Steve Skroce, colors by Bryan Calenza, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, July 12, 1947: Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin', into the future

from Fantastic Four (2023 series) #1/694 (Marvel, January 2023), script by Ryan North, pencils and inks by Iban Coello, colors by Jesus Aburtov, letters by Joe Caramagna
Why is it so weird? Why, that's the day that Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters (Married Couple™) came to town. And discovered it was 1947! Which is weird, right? That's weird.



The entire town seems to be repeating July 12 again and again. They're stuck in a rut


stuck in a rut


stuck in a rut


Oh dear, my commentary is record-skipping again, too. Will the Thing and the Sculptress ever escape the perpetual July 12? Tune in tomorrow to find out!


to find out


find out

Today in Comics History, December 26, 2018: Happy anniversary, Ben and Alicia!

And many more!


next issue page from Fantastic Four (2018 series) #4/649 (January 2019)

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 9: Nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk!

Panels from Fantastic Four Roast one-shot (May 1982), script by Fred Hembeck, plot assist by Jim Shooter, pencils and inks by Michael Golden, colors by Glynis Wein and Andy Yanchus, letters by Joe Rosen

365 Days of KirbyTech, Day 55: Reed Richards' Portable Energy-Detector

Tonight at 13th Dimension you can find a guide, with specially-written mini-biographies, of each of the contributors to 13D: The 13thD Super Team: Who We Are and How We Came to Be! I would like to point out that it include my person pal John DiBello. Aside from that claim that "he writes most of the stuff" here at Comics Oughta Be Fun! (heresy!) it's a pretty accurate depiction. He does want to shake Ben Grimm's hand and thank him for the events of Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7, one of the greatest superhero comic books of all time. How great is it? So great that the Thing is acclaimed as the ultimate fighter in the universe, the warrior who will not give up.

Also, because of Reed Richards' Thing-Finderer...I mean, his Portable Energy-Detector.


Panels from Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 (1982); script by Tom DeFalco; pencils by Ron Wilson; inks by Bob Camp, Mike Esposito, Frank Giacoia, Dan Green, Armando Gil, and Chic Stone; colors by George Roussos; letters by Jim Novak
Clearly an evolutionary and technological advance on Reed's Heat-Image Tracer, it picks up and analyzes not heat, but alien residue. So, like, stray hairs that fell off the Watcher's head (wait, perhaps a bad example), fabric shreds where Dominus stepped accidentally on his really dramatic albeit waaaaay-too-long cape, or the Silver Surfer's belly-button lint. Instantly Reed discovers that the alien being who kidnapped Ben Grimm has cosmic energy and power greater than Galactus and stranger than anything our puny Earth minds can conceive. So, Cosmic Paris Hilton, then.

Later, of course, Sue pointed out that they could just click on Ben's laptop to "Show My StarkPhone," which zeroed directly in on the Thing, allowing the Fantastic Four to rush directly to his side at the bar of the Yancy Street Grill. It was Monday night: 25¢ buffalo wings and buck-a-drafts, and Mavericks vs. Knicks on the big screen. Sometimes Ben just can't escape his "pals," not even for just one ferschluggin' night. Whatta revoltin' development.

365 Days of KirbyTech, Day 13: The Enclave's Transfer-Grid

Previously on 365 Days of KirbyTech... Reed Richards has used a Micro-Tool Assembly Unit in order to assemble a copy of The Enclave's Electronic Bracelet, which, as the FF saw on Reed's Heat-Image Tracer, was used by rogue scientist Dr. Jerome Hamilton, the kidnapper of Alicia Masters, to transport her from her apartment to the Enclave's HQ, the Beehive!

But is there some sort of giant receiving unit which brings Hamilton, his crimson helmet, and his snazzy white slacks, along with Alicia to the Beehive? Why, yes. You bet your sweet Kirby there is.


Panels from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #66 (September 1967), co-plot and script by Stan Lee, co-plot and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Artie Simek

365 Days of KirbyTech, Day 11: The Enclave's Electronic Bracelet

Previously on 365 Days of KirbyTech...


Splash from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #66 (September 1967), co-plot and script by Stan Lee, co-plot and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Artie Simek

365 Days of KirbyTech, Day 10: Reed Richards's Heat-Image Tracer

One of the greatest things about examining and cataloguing pieces of KirbyTech is that frequently one leads you right to the next. A story in which one piece of KirbyTech is used suddenly needs another piece, and another, and then...well, it's kind of like eating potato chips. It's almost like the guy couldn't stop inventing fantastic mechanical items that defy the laws of physics!

For example: today let's spy through the giant alien peepers of Uatu straight into the Baxter Building, where Johnny Storm kicks off the conversation and Sue Richards ably passes the ball to Reed for the exposition on his one, the only, patented...Heat-Image Tracer!


Panel from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #66 (September 1967), co-plot and script by Stan Lee, co-plot and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Artie Simek

Crazy little Thing called love

Panel from Marvel Two-in-One #92 (October 1982), script by Tom DeFalco, pencils by Ron Wilson, colors by Don Warfield, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, February 14: Johnny finally predicted the future correctly

from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #160 (Marvel, July 1975), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Chic Stone, colors by Janice Cohen, letters by Ray Holloway

365 Days with Ben Grimm, Day 364

Panels from Fantastic Four: The End #2 (January 2007), written and penciled by Alan Davis, inked by Mark Farmer, colored by John Kalisz, letters by David Lanphear
(Click picture to happy ending-size)

365 Days with Ben Grimm, Day 361

Panel from Fantastic Four #236 (November 1981), script, pencils, and inks by John Byrne, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Jim Novak

Happy Birthday, Randi!

To the Queen of my Heart, the Alicia to my Ben.

Panel from Fantastic Four v.3 #45 (September 2001), plot by Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Marin, script by Jeph Loeb, pencils by Jeff Johnson, inks by Joe Weems, colors by Liquid! Graphics, letters by Richard Starkings and Saida Temofonte

365 Days with Ben Grimm, Day 287

Alicia Masters gets a job in a bakery, in panels from Strange Tales #2 (December 2009), by Jacob Chabot

365 Days with Ben Grimm, Day 238: Jack Kirby Week, Day 4

Panel from Fantastic Four #50 (May 1966), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Sam Rosen

365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 205

Panel from The Thing #10 (April 1984), script by John Byrne, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Hilary Barta, colors by Julianna Ferriter, letters by Jim Novak

No, Johnny, No!: The Inappropriate Loves of Jonathan Spencer Storm

Okay, so here's the first thing you have to know about Alicia Masters, even more than the fact that she's blind:



She looks just like Sue Storm.

And that's Stan-level canon, folks. In fact, she looks so much like Sue that a blonde wig can fool her own brother who's known her for 16 years:


And it takes even Reed quite a few minutes (admittedly, some very busy minutes where the Thing is busting names and taking heads) to realize that ain't Sue:


This and previous panels are from Fantastic Four #8 (November 1962), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers
So. Keep that never-again-mentioned fact in your head: Alicia Masters looks pretty much like Susan Storm.

Flash forward many-Marvel years, during which loverboy The Thing has been dating and romancing Alicia, but has now been left behind on a distant planet in another galaxy (whatta revoltin' development!). And guess who's makin' time with Mister Grimm's girl?


Panel from Fantastic Four #270 (September 1984), script, pencils, and inks by John Byrne, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Michael Higgins
Smooth move, flamebrain! Not merely moving in on your best pal's girl...but being attracted to a girl who, give or take a blonde wig, looks...as we've mentioned...just like your own sister. Johnny, no!


Panel from Fantastic Four #276 (March 1985), script and pencils by John Byrne, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by John Workman
That ain't creepy at all, is it? Well, at least it's just a little huggin' and kissin'...with a girl that looks just like your own sister, Johnny. It's not like it's going any further, is it?




Panels from Fantastic Four #277 (April 1985), script, and pencils by John Byrne, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by John Workman
Oh, those boys...they just love the roughhousing! Well, after all the rubble settles and Johnny gets out of traction, that's pretty much it, isn't it? I mean, it's not like it's anything more than just a little fling with a girl that looks just like your own sister, Johnny, right?


Panel from Fantastic Four #300 (March 1987), script by Roger Stern, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Glynis Oliver, letters by John Workman
D'oh! Johnny, no!

Well, it all works out in the end, when Alicia turns out to be a Skrull. Well, that'll happen. Mind you...a Skrull that can look just like your own sister, Johnny.


Panel from Fantastic Four #357 (October 1991), script by Tom DeFalco, pencils by Paul Ryan, inks by Danny Bulanadi, colors by Christie Scheele, letters by Bill Oakley
Thankfully, that's all in the past and is pretty innocent—it's no worse than Professor X being in love with his teenage student in X-Men #3, is it? (Don't answer that.) But that's the only family member Johnny ever felt romantic towards, right?


Panel from Strange Tales #103 (December 1962), plot by Stan Lee, script by Larry Lieber, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Art Simek
Geez, Johnny, no!