- "If you're tryin' to make fools of us, Walnut-Head, I'm gonna mop up the place with ya!"
- ―The Thing
| "A Visit With the Fantastic Four" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fantastic Four | |
| Title: | "A Visit With the Fantastic Four" |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Number: | 11 |
| Cover price: | .12 |
| Cover date: | February, 1963 |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Credits | |
| Chief: | Stan Lee |
| Writers: | Stan Lee |
| Pencilers: | Jack Kirby |
| Inkers: | Dick Ayers |
| Cover artists: | Jack Kirby |
| Cover inker: | Jack Kirby |
| Letterers: | Art Simek |
| Editors: | Stan Lee |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | Fantastic Four #10 |
| Next: | Fantastic Four #12 |
"A Visit With the Fantastic Four" is the title to the first story featured in issue #11 of the first Fantastic Four ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The story was written by Stan Lee with artwork by Jack Kirby and inks by Dick Ayers. It was lettered by Art Simek. The second story is called "The Impossible Man", and is also brought to you by the creative team of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, and Art Simek. Stan Lee was the editor on both stories. This issue shipped with a February, 1963 cover date and carries a cover price of .12 cents per copy.
"A Visit With the Fantastic Four"[]
Featured characters
- Mister Fantastic, Reed Richards
- Invisible Girl, Susan Storm
- Human Torch, Johnny Storm
- The Thing, Ben Grimm
Supporting characters
- Willie "Lumpy" Lumpkin (1st appearance)
Villains
- Yancy Street Gang (Behind the scenes only)
Minor characters
- Charlie
- Doctor Doom, Victor von Doom (In flashback only)
Organizations
- Fantastic Four
- Nazis (In flashback only)
- Office of Strategic Services (In flashback only)
- United States Air Force (In flashback only)
Races & Animals
- Altered humans
- Humans
- Skrulls (In flashback only)
Locations
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Baxter Building
- State U. (In flashback only)
- Outer space (In flashback only)
Items
- Cosmic rays (In flashback only)
- Machine guns (In flashback only)
Vehicles
- Airplane (In flashback only)
- Reed Richards' rocket ship (In flashback only)
- Xantha saucer
Powers
Miscellaneous
- Birthdays
- College (In flashback only)
- Smoking
- Space vessels
- World War II (In flashback only)
"The Impossible Man"[]
Featured characters
- Mister Fantastic, Reed Richards
- Invisible Girl, Susan Storm
- Human Torch, Johnny Storm
- The Thing, Ben Grimm
Supporting characters
Villains
Minor characters
Organizations
Races & Animals
- Altered humans
- Humans
- Poppupians (1st appearance)
- Urrpo-Fish (In flashback only)
Locations
- Poppup (In flashback only)
Items
Vehicles
Powers
- Density control
- Elasticity
- Flight
- Invisibility
- Invulnerability
- Pyrokinesis
- Shape-shifting
- Size-alteration
- Superhuman agility
- Superhuman strength
- Thermal propulsion
Miscellaneous
Notes & Trivia[]
- The Fantastic Four were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. They first appeared in Fantastic Four, Volume 1 #1 in November, 1961. By and large, the roster of the Fantastic Four has remained the same over the years, consisting of Reed Richards as Mister Fantastic, Susan Storm as the Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm as the Human Torch and Ben Grimm as the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing. Occasional transitory members of the FF have included Crystal Amaquelin, Luke Cage, Scott Lang, and T'Challa.
- This issue shipped to retailers on November 1st, 1962.
- This issue includes a one-page pin-up of the Sub-Mariner.
- "A Visit With the Fantastic Four" establishes that both Reed Richards and Ben Grimm are veterans of World War II. Ben was a pilot in the Pacific Theater while Reed was a soldier in the European Theater. In lieu of the fact that the passage of time is different in comic book settings than in the real world, any references to Reed and Ben having served during World War II are considered apocryphal.
- The origin of the Fantastic Four, as first chronicled in Fantastic Four #1 is re-told in flashback in this issue.
- This issue shows a flashback to the Fantastic Four's first battle against the Skrulls. This took place in Fantastic Four #2.
- This issue shows a flashback of the Fantastic Four's first fight against Doctor Doom. This took place in Fantastic Four #5.
- The events of the first story take place on Susan Storm's birthday.
- It is The Thing that comes up with the name "Impossible Man" for the otherwise unnamed alien.
- This is the first appearance of Poppup; Seen in flashback only.
- If you think that the Impossible Man is just a green-skinned freak in purple clothes that is giving Ben Grimm a headache, wait until you get a load of the guy that causes trouble for the Thing next issue!
Reprints[]
Stories from this issue are reprinted in the following volumes:
"A Visit With the Fantastic Four"
- Essential Fantastic Four 1
- Fantastic Four Annual 3
- Fantastic Four Epic Collection 1
- Fantastic Four Omnibus 1
- Marvel Masterworks 6
- Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four 2
- Marvel Treasury Edition 2
- Marvel Visionaries: Stan Lee
- Mighty World of Marvel 22
"The Impossible Man"
- Essential Fantastic Four 1
- Fantastic Four Annual 3
- Fantastic Four Epic Collection 1
- Fantastic Four Omnibus 1
- Marvel Masterworks 6
- Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four 2
- Marvel Treasury Edition 2
- Mighty World of Marvel 23