GIANT SIZE FANTASTIC FOUR 3 ORIGINAL ART TRIAL
This story takes place after the trial of the Watcher from over in Captain Marvel, so Uatu is prohibited from actively helping or even speaking to the FF. The team is able to view images from 1946 - images of Cleveland, New York, London, and Moscow - all under the Nazi flag! These soldiers have come from a timeline where the Axis won WWII! Reed heads to another lab and rigs up a viewer set to the time on the time travel platform. I cannot imagine what it must have been like in the "real" four-color world to encounter this big dude! The Watcher says nothing, but his mere presence clues the FF in pretty quickly that they're onto something big. However, puzzling right from the get-go is the year: 1946! And as that weirdness sets in, the King of Weirdness arrives - the Watcher! Seriously, that guy gives me the creeps.
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It felt like a real science fiction story, what with time travel and alternate realities.ĭoug: As Reed investigates further, he does find some information on a modification he'd made to Doom's original machine - a time stamp of his own, but which will require further study. Karen: This is a very talky book, even by Roy Thomas standards! But I loved it, then and now. But what's even more worrisome is that the vibranium must have materialized in Nazi hands. Speculating that in the melee with Luke Cage just days earlier (or in reality, in the events chronicled in FF #'s 169-170 ), the cylinder may have been dislodged and fallen onto the platform, thus activating it. Suddenly, Reed's also aware that a cylinder of Wakandan vibranium is missing from a table beside the time platform. Trouble is, he doesn't have that time stamp. Johnny wonders why there's such a hurry to return them and Reed explains how delicate the time stream is, and that the men must be returned to exactly the precise instant they left. Reed begins to speculate how they came forward through the time stream. Doug: On the way to the chamber where the time machine is stored, Ben and the others are shocked to find Nazi troops in the room! Of course a brouhaha breaks out and the overmatched soldiers are quickly subdued.
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A nice little action sequence right up front to draw you in, with plenty of dialogue that really fleshes out each character. I was just really struck by how accessible the first several pages of this story are. A new reader would feel very comfortable with this magazine in hand, as Thomas links this story to recent and "ancient" FF history, as well as describing each team member's powers and showing us his/her personality. I'd comment that Roy Thomas, through all of his footnotes, has really woven a true jumping-on story.
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Ben's response is to get on Doc Doom's time machine and seek wealth in the past, just before the California Gold Rush of 1849! Ben likens that mission to their first time travel expedition when they nearly had Blackbeard's pirate treasure. Once the dust settles, both Sue and Reed chastise Ben for his outburst, and harp on the financial situation of the team. Reed tries to get him to stop, as the drill has only 26 seconds remaining, but Ben's having none of it. A page-turn later we understand why - they are being put through their paces by technology provided by Professor Charles Xavier in effect, the FF has opened up their own Danger Room! After much duress, Bashful Benjy's had enough - his cries to Reed that's it enough already aren't met with the answer he'd like, so in a tantrum befitting his size and strength, the Thing pounds his way to freedom through the floor. Karen: I'm going to say right up front: I really enjoyed this story! Nine super-heroes, Nazis, time travel - what's not to like?ĭoug: We open in the Baxter Building with our heroes under attack. This is a long but never drawn-out story - a real gem from my 10th summer! Capitalizing on the success of The Invaders, scribe Roy Thomas brought together his two favorite Marvel teams and weaved a tale befitting the Annual format. Doug: It seems only fitting that on the day the United States celebrates her independence we'd bring you a review of a story not only from our nation's bicentennial, but rife with American patriotism during the Second World War.