Marvel Years 02.07 - July 1962

Fantastic Four #5

Title(s): Prisoners of Doctor Doom
Back to the Past
On the Trail of Blackbeard
Battle
The Vengeance of Doctor Doom

Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby

Villain: Doctor Doom

This is a single story split into five parts that have been given individual titles. The Fantastic Four comics continue to establish themselves as "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" with this landmark issue. It's the first appearance of Doctor Doom, generally recognised as Marvel's greatest villain. He might not be the strongest villain in terms of raw power, but his determination to rule the world makes him deadlier than any other. In this issue his origin is only briefly described, but in later comics we see more of the back story connecting Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom.

In Fantastic Four #5 we read that he wanted to combine science and sorcery. I don't feel that this aspect was sufficiently followed up in future comics, which concentrate on his scientific skills.

Fantastic Four #5 is also the first comic to deal with time travel. Doctor Doom presents his time machine as the most incredible invention of the age. In later comics time travel is taken for granted.

I'm not aware when the expression "Marvel Universe" was first used, probably not until the 1980's, but it was invented to explain the concept that we (the readers) exist in one reality while the comics take place in a different reality. (Later on the Marvel Universe was split up into thousands of different realities, but I won't go into that now). This concept of a distinct Marvel Universe is something foreign to Stan Lee's thoughts. DC Comics had their own universe. The heroes were located in fictional cities. Stan wanted to do the opposite. The heroes he created were located in real cities, mostly New York. There was no such thing as a Marvel Universe, the heroes existed in our universe. That's emphasised in the scene above. Johnny Storm is reading "The Incredible Hulk", published two months earlier. The Hulk was a comic book character, but he was also a real character in Johnny's universe who he would soon meet. Stan Lee also existed in the same world as the Fantastic Four, as we'll soon see.

---

The Incredible Hulk #2

Title(s): The Terror of the Toad Men
Enter the Toad Men
Prisoners of the Toad Men
Bruce Banner, Wanted for Treason
Hulk runs amok
The End of the Hulk?

Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby

Villain: The Toad Men

Regulars: General Ross, Betty Ross, Rick Jones

This is a single story split into five parts. The overall title is "The Terror of the Toad Men", and the five parts each have their own sub-titles.