AG Monday: Byrne’s Fantastic Four
In anticipation of discussion the new movie, we talk about a classic FF run.
What better way to celebrate the release of the Fantastic Four movie than to journey back to the 1980s, when John Byrne took over both the writer and artist roles for the Fantastic Four comic book. This was one of the best runs of any writer or artist over the 64 year history of the comic book, and Steven and Tom are eager to tell you why.
The FF family facing crisis after crisis! Science fiction galore! Doombots exploding! Galactus getting beaten up by everyone! Reed Richards as a mediocre adjunct professor! It’s all here, and more.
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
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While I finish it:
Q: Why did the Minbari cross the road?
A: Understanding is not required. Only obedience.
How did they not become a totalitarian dictatorship?
There was a Fantastic 4 cartoon that played often in the 70s. So I’m familiar with the characters. But I can’t recall any of the villains except Dr. Doom. And what I recall about him is he sits down and tells his origin story before fighting the good guys.
About Dr. Doom’s university career, I was reminded of this exchange in The Big Bang Theory:
Sheldon Cooper: Leonard is upstairs right now with my arch-enemy.
Penny: Your arch-enemy?
Sheldon Cooper: Yes, the Dr. Doom to my Mr. Fantastic, the Dr. Octopus to my Spider-Man, the Dr. Sivana to my Captain Marvel…
Penny: Okay, I get it, I get it!
Sheldon Cooper: You know, it’s amazing how many supervillains have advanced degrees. Graduate schools should probably do a better job of screening those people out.
@Kathy: Ha!