Issue Description

Can it be? Has Spider-Man joined the Frightful Four? Appearances are deceiving, as the Fantastic Four must thwart a nighttime invasion by a former ally!

When a Spider-man comes calling!

The Frightful Four are back once again to attack the FF. They land at the Baxter Building with the help of the Wizard's anti-gravity craft and their new member is Electro. A pasted-bound Spider-Man is with them and a few flashback scenes show how they captured him. Trapster disguises himself as Spider-Man and the Human Torch lets him in through his bedroom window. When Torch turns his back to Trapster to change clothes, he is knocked out cold by a blow to the back of his head. Trapster then uses his paste gun to bind the Torch. Moving on to the Thing, a disguised Trapster gets him mad and the Thing foolishly smashes his hand into a panel of electrical circuitry. This knocks the Thing out and the Baxter Building security systems as well. Electro then short-circuits the locks to the roof's doors and the other three Frightful Four members gain entry to the Baxter Building.

When Susan Storm Richards knocks on her brother's bedroom door, she hears a groan. She enters the room and sees his paste-bound body on the floor, thus immediately knowing the the FF are under attack by the Frightful Four. Sandman seizes the blonde girl with a giant hand of sand, but Sue's force field is able to break his grip. Sue turns invisible and begins to flee. Unfortunately, she forgets that she is not in costume and the evil FF can see her pink nightdress. Electro creates an electromagnetic storm around the Invisible Girl. This carbonizes the air and imprisons her within a layer of very hard electrocarbon atoms. Wizard congratulates Electro and tells him that he is glad that he liked his plan to turn Susan Richards into a living statue.

After a few scenes of Spider-Man trying to break free of his paste bonds, we see all four of the Frightful Four sneaking up behind Mr. Fantastic. Trapster has removed his Spider-Man disguise, no longer having need of it. A quick moving Mr. Fantastic avoids two of Electro's electric bolts, five of the Wizard's anti-gravity discs and a direct hit from Sandman's hardened fist. However, Sandman grabs him with two giant hands and Trapster pastes Reed Richards to the computer console. Electro uses his powers to send a near-fatal jolt of electricity through Mr. Fantastic's computer system, knocking Reed Richards unconscious.

Unfortunately for the Frightful Four, before they can make their victory over the FF a permanent one, Spider-Man smashes through the roof. Having freed himself from the Trapster's paste-bonds, he quickly grabs the Wizard. Electro fires an electric bolt at Spider-Man, but it hits the Wizard instead. Sandman attacks Spider-Man, but Spidey smashes through his body of sand and the loose sand particles free Mr. Fantastic from the computer console where the Trapster had pasted him. With the Wizard too shaky to fight, it is now three against two. Sandman transforms himself into a mountain of sand as he attacks Spider-Man, but Mr. Fantastic uses a power vacuum to capture the Sandman. Electro rushes toward Mr. Fantastic, but Spider-Man uses a rubber hose to spin Electro like a tornado and then Spidey knocks him out with a swift kick. All alone now, Trapster tries to run away. However, he soon encounters the other three members of the Fantastic Four. Trapster is so scared when he sees an angry Thing standing in front of him, he immediately faints. With the Frightful Four defeated, Spider-Man leaves his FF friends.

NotesJim Salicrup becomes editor with this issue and Bob Budiansky becomes assistant editor. (Budiansky credit taken from letters page header)Features a half page bonus pinup of the Fantastic Four on the letters page by Joe Sinnott.Features the Hostess Fruit Pies ad, "Thor Meets The Ricochet Monster!"The Fantastic Four logo changes back to the original one from the 1960's with this issue.

Fantastic Four (1961)

Publisher

Marvel

Volume Description

The Fantastic Four were created in response to DC's Justice League and soon became the Silver Age's premier superhero team. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby collaborated on the opening 102 issues of the magazine, and told the adventures of Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, Invisible Woman and the Human Torch. This first volume ran through issue #416, before it was rebooted as Fantastic Four (vol. 2) (13 issues) as part of the short lived Heroes Reborn arc. The series was restarted again with issue 1 in Fantastic Four (vol. 3) before it reverted back to the original numbering with issue #500.

Collected Editions

Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four

Vol. 1 (Issues 1-10)Vol. 2 (#11-20, Annual #1)Vol. 3 (#21-30)Vol. 4 (#31-40, Annual #2)Vol. 5 (#41-50, Annual #3)Vol. 6 (#51-60, Annual #4)Vol. 7 (#61-71, Annual #5)Vol. 8 (#72-81, Annual #6)Vol. 9 (#82-93, Annual #7)Vol. 10 (#94-104)Vol. 11 (#105-116)Vol. 12 (#117-128)Vol. 13 (#129-141)Vol. 14 (#142-150, Giant-Size #2)

Essential Fantastic Four - Seven volumes printing #1-159

Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The World's Greatest Comic Magazine (#1-18)S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Complete Collection (#21)Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 1 (#1-30, Annual #1)S.H.I.E.L.D. by Lee & Kirby: The Complete Collection (#21)Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2 (#31-60, Annuals #2-4)Silver Surfer Epic Collection: When Calls Galactus (#49, #55, #57-60, #72 and #74-77)Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 3 (#61-93)Fantastic Four Visionaries: George Perez Vol. 1 (#164-167, #170, #176-178, #184-186) Vol. 2 (#187-188, #191-192)Fantastic Four: Crusaders & Titans (#164-176)Fantastic Four: Reunited They Stand (#201-203)In Search of Galactus (#204-214)Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 0 (#215-218, #220-221) Vol. 1 (#232-240) Vol. 2 (#241-250) Vol. 3 (#251-257, Annual #17) Vol. 4 (#258-267) Vol. 5 (#268-275, Annual #18)Vol. 6 (#276-284) Vol. 7 (#285-286, Annual #19) Vol. 8 (#287-295)Fantastic Four Epic Collection: All In the Family (#296-307)Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Into the Time Stream (#334-346)Fantastic Four Visionaries: Walter Simonson Vol. 1 (#334-341) Vol. 2 (#342-346) Vol. 3 (#347-350, #352-354)Fantastic Four/Inhumans: Atlantis Rising (#401-402)Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Strange Days (#403-416)

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