I: Feature Story: "Defeated By the Frightful Four!"

Pages: 20

Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Chic Stone
Letters: Sam Rosen

Villains: The Frightful Four: Sandman, Wingless Wizard, Madam Medusa, Trapster

Innovations: Paste Pot Pete changes name to the Trapster

Gadgets & Technology: Paralysis Paste, Trans-Hemispheric Video Network, Q-Bomb, Remote-Controlled Asbestos Tape

Synopsis: Reed is studying (and standing on) giant photographs of Skrull technology he took on their last adventure (see FF #37). He’s interrupted by his invisible fiance, who is bent on mussing up his hair. This starts a game of super-powered tag, and afterthe team uses their super-powers to try and flush her out of hiding, she ends up wrapped literally in Reed’s arms.

The Torch takes off from all the mushiness, and on his way to his girlfriend Dorrie's place, he thinks he sees someone floating in the air. It is the Wingless Wizard, and as he realizes he's been spotted by the Torch, he races back to his log cabin hideout. The security there is a little too tight as Sandman indiscriminately sandblasts him before he gets in the door. Paste Pot Pete has decided tochange his name to the Trapster, thinking his old name was too much like a comic book character. He shows off his new costume and demonstrates his new traps. He launches a nifty little sonic blast trap that sticksto the Wingless Wizard's helmet and knocks him to the ground. As the team bickers about perhaps electinga new leader, the Wingless Wizard makes the discussion moot by floating everybody in the air at hismercy.

The Invisible Girl is lured into an east side fashion house by Madam Medusa, where she is captured, her hands bound by the evil villain's tresses, and then glued shut by the Trapster's paste gun. The Wingless Wizard floats them all away to his globular ship. Thing finds out about the kidnapping in the late afternoon extra paper and rushes to the Baxter Building where Reed is hysterical. Reed is using his Trans-Hemispheric Video Network but despitehis high-powered equipment, he can’t find any trace of Sue.

The Frightful Four takes Sue to a Pacific atoll once used for underground tests. They place her underground next to a giant Q-Bomb and prepare for the oncoming Fantastic Four. The Wingless Wizard’s anti-grav ship buzzes the Baxter Building in a bid to lure the FF to the atoll trap. When Reed spots it on his radar screen, he stretches out instinctively to go after the Frightful Four's craft. The ship shakes off Reed and Ben but the Torch slices through it with his flame. Sandman is waiting inside and smothers him. The Trapster is also ready with asbestos tape and they take off with a mummified Torch as yet another hostage.

Now that they can follow the ship, Reed and Ben take off in the pogo plane. They land on the atoll and the Trapster fires a cutting blade which slices the pogo plane in half. Thing smashes through the anti-grav ship and they release Johnny. Reed helps Johnny get free of the asbestos tape which subdues his powers.The fight between the two FFs is brutal, and Sue, hearing the commotion, breaks her bonds. Thing puts his ear to the ground and hears Sue underneath and bashes through the rocks to get to her. When the team climbs inside the underground facility, the Frightful Four make escape. Thing notices the Q-Bomb but it is too late. The entire island explodes in a mushroom cloud calamity! Sue’s force field protects them, and as they float in the ocean waters unconscious, something strange is happening. The Thing is changing back into Ben Grimm.

--synopsis by Jonathan Clarke, aka doesitmatter, with Gormuu

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