Fantastic Four #1

Fantastic Four #1
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Dick Ayers (unconfirmed)
Letterer: Unknown
Colorist: Unknown
Editor: Unknown
Cover Art: Jack Kirby
Earth: 616
Super Villain: The Mole Man

Synopsis:
Dr Reed Richards fires a flare into the sky, which forms the words “The Fantastic Four!”. For the first time ever, the Four are summoned. Sue Storm is called away from tea with a society friend, Johnny Storm (Sue’s brother) while fixing a car, Ben Grimm while shopping for clothes.

Sue turns invisible, and makes her way to the meeting point.

On his way to the meeting point, Ben is shot at by the police, escapes through the sewers, and erupts into the street again, smashin a car along the way.

Johnny is attacked by National Guard fighter jets, and is almost hit by a missle when Reed grabs it from the sky, and plunges it into the sea. Reed then catches a falling Johnny Storm.

Upon gathering at the meeting place, we learn the amazing story of the Fantastic Four.

Reed Richards spent years constructing a space ship, which he now wants to launch into space immediately. In an argument with Ben Grimm over his refusal to pilot the ship, we learn that the purpose for this hurried space flight is to beat “the commies”. Upon being called a coward by Sue, Ben decides to pilot the ship despite his concerns over their readiness to fly into space.

Citing “no time for offficial clearance”, the four sneak onto the ship and blast into space. Sue accompanies Reed due to her engagement to the Doctor, and Johhny because he goes where his sister goes.

As Ben predicted, the four are bombarded by cosmis rays. The ship’s autopilot gets them back to Earth. As the four emerge from the ship, their powers emerge, completing the flashback.

Reed explains why he’s summoned the four, showing them pictures of giant holes in the ground where Atomic Plants used to be in Russia, Australia, and South America. The scene shifts to France, where we see firsthand, a giant monster pulling their Atomic Plant underground, and destroying their artillary before being summoned back underground by a mysterious figure.

Reed pinpoints the spot directly between all of the Atomic Plants, and reveals it to be the legendary “Monster Isle”. The Four rocket to the isle and are promptly attacked by a “three-headed nightmare”, which Reed quickly disposes of by fashioning a lasso out of his arm and plunging the monster into the ocean.

A sudden cave-in sends Reed and Johnny falling into the darkness below. Reed turns himselfr into a parachute and they float safely to the bottom. They are blinded into unconciousness, and awake wearing “strange, adhesive-type suits” to protect them from being blinded again by the “Valley of Diamonds!!” They then meet their host, the Mole Man.

Back on the surface, the Thing saves Sue from an attacking monster.

Reed and Johnny hear the Mole Man’s tragic tale. After having been rejected by society due to his ugliness, the man who would become the Mole Man sets of in search of the legendary land at the center of the earth” where he could rule as king.
He eventually finds the place, and becomes mostly blind in the process. Yet, he gains mole-like senses in the dark and masters the monsters living below the earth.

The Mole Man reveals his plans to destroy the surface world, when Ben and Sue arrive. Mole Man summons the largest and deadliest of all his creatures. The Fantastic Four escape the island by plane, in time to watch the Mole Man destroy the entire island.

Recorder Comments:

Reed Richards:
1) Grabs a missle, and drops it in the ocean while standing on top of a building.
2) Lassos a flying 3-headed monster and throws it into the ocean.
3) Turns into a parachute.

Sue Storm:
1) Turns invisible

Johnny Storm:
1) Melts the car he was working on when summoned to duty.
2) Flies a lot.

Ben Grimm:
1) Picks up a monster and throws him in the ocean.
2) says “Bah” 4 times.