Posted By Dan Greenfield on Jul 23, 2025 | 4 comments

FANTASTIC FOUR WEEK!

—

It’s FANTASTIC FOUR WEEK! Because there’s a big ol’ movie coming out! Click here for the COMPLETE INDEX of columns and features! Flame on! — Dan

—

By PETER BOSCH

When Dan asked his writers to come up with articles to tie into the opening of Fantastic Four: First Steps, I admit my mind went immediately to the time that the FF was new, when the stories were a lot simpler, when the characters themselves were still finding their way as a functioning team. There was a magic in those days with the team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby creating their first modern-age superhero team, one that would help establish the entire Marvel Age of Comics.

My mind also went to many of the great villains Lee and Kirby created in those early days. Issue after issue during the first two years saw some of the best the FF faced and almost every one of the bad guys was a reminder of the old saying, “A hero is only as good as his villain.”

Oh, sure, there was a much lower rung of so-called “super-villains” appearing at the time, but they got relegated to the issues of Strange Tales to fight the Human Torch on his own (though, sometimes, he was aided by the Thing). Those also-rans had monikers that showed just how little they brought to any possible schemes of world conquest: the Asbestos Man, the Plantman, the Eel, the Terrible Trio, the Rabble-Rouser, and Paste-Pot Pete, who later changed his name to “the Trapster,” which was just as bad.

Anyway, following are 12 of the very best characters from the early issues, every one of them created especially to battle the Fantastic Four! I emphasize that because though the Sub-Mariner was a major character introduced into the FF stories soon after the title started, he is not included here because he was neither a new character, nor was he really a bad guy. (And, OK, the Impossible Man was more of an annoyance than a bad guy, as were the Yancy Street Gang.)

In addition, there is a 13th image, featuring the cover of Fantastic Four Annual #3 — released 60 years ago this month in 1965 — with a plethora of these magnificent miscreants coming together to disrupt the wedding of Reed Richards and Sue Storm. This was a rogues gallery that could easily match that of the early days of the Silver Age Flash!

Enjoy!

(NOTE: The following pin-ups are from Fantastic Four Annual #1 (1963) and were written by Stan Lee. Though the Grand Comic Database credits Jack Kirby with pencils and inks for the drawings of the Mole Man, the Skrulls, Doctor Doom, the Impossible Man, and the Red Ghost, the 2019 Marvel Masterwork Pin-Ups book from IDW puts forth the possibility that those were inked by Sol Brodsky.)

—

Inks by Dick Ayers

The following drawings of the Super Skrull, Rama-Tut, the Molecule Man, and the Hate Monger are from Fantastic Four Annual #2 (1964) and were inked by Chic Stone.

Fantastic Four #34 (Jan. 1965). “Embarassin’” is right! The Yancy Street Gang were introduced way back in Fantastic Four #15 (June 1963) and it took almost two years for them to get their own pin-up?! Inked by Stone.

Fantastic Four Annual #3 (1965). Inks by Mike Esposito.

—

MORE

— The Complete FANTASTIC FOUR WEEK INDEX of Columns and Features. Click here.

— PAUL KUPPERBERG — IN THE BEGINNING: My 13 Favorite Things About the First Six Issues of FANTASTIC FOUR. Click here.

—

13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is out soon. (You can pre-order here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.