TITLE: Fantastic Four vol. 1, Issue #41
YEAR: August 1965
COMPANY: Marvel Comics
Written by Stan Lee
Illustrated by Jack Kirby
Inker: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Sam Rosen
In the last issue, we saw Reed Richards, during a fight against Dr. Doom, turn Ben Grimm into the Thing in order to give a chance of the Fantastic Four and Daredevil in defeating Dr. Doom.
Reed Richards gamble was correct but by doing so, he did something that Ben Grimm never wanted, to become the Thing again and not have a normal life and now feeling that any normality has been taken away from him.
The issue ended with the Thing threatening to quit the group.
The Thing, who is hurt from his battle with Doom slips into someones truck and passes out. While the vehicle is off in a countryside in New Jersey, Ben Grimm falls out of the flatbed and immediately brought to the home where the Frightful Four is staying.
Medusa starts to usurp control, while there is infighting between Sandman and the Trapster. Meanwhile, the Wizard brings out the evil side of The Thing and lessens the good side but also making sure that only the Wizard can control The Thing.
As the three other members worry that the Wizard now has more control over them by having control of the Thing, Medusa, Trapster and the Sandman contemplate defeating the Wizard before he can do anything to them.
Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four are able to find a location where the Thing may be and sure enough, they are attacked by the Frightful Four and the Thing.
For the most part, this is a three-part storyline but it seems as if The Frightful Four may be used a little too much. Stan Lee was able to add Dr. Doom as an antagonist for a short while but then it’s back to the Frightful Four once again and it’s obvious that they need to find more enemies to take on the Fantastic Four at this point.
Also, this issue is rather interesting because Stan Lee tries to utilize the word “femine” too much, not sure if there was a discussion of women’s rights or a woman being strong but Lee was sure to make sure that both Invisible Girl and Medusa were aware of when they were being “too feminine” and when Medusa shows Sandman her power, Trapster makes a comment of “Who ever decided to call ’em “weaker sex”?
So, there was no doubt a statement that Stan Lee was trying to make in this issue that female superheroes can be powerful and not weak. And because this book was from 1965, this was during a time when the Civil Rights Act was being enforced but it wouldn’t be until 1972 until the Equal Rights Amendment would be approved by Congress.
But while much has progressed since the ’60s, there are still discrepancies among men and women especially when it comes to salary.
If anything, issue 41 was an interesting read and see how Stan Lee tried to incorporate how women, may they be superhero or villains, can be just as strong or stronger than their male counterpart.