Comics:Fantastic Four Vol 1 3

Appearing in "The Menace of the Miracle Man"

Featured Characters:

• The Fantastic Four
  • Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards)
  • Invisible Girl (Sue Storm)
  • Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
  • Thing (Ben Grimm)

Supporting Characters

• none

Villains:

• Miracle Man (First appearance)

Other Characters:

• Lt. General Fredricks (not identified) (First appearance)
• police commissioner

Locations:

• Baxter Building (First appearance)

Items:

• Fantasti-Flare

Vehicles:

• Fantasti-Car MK I (Flying Bathtub) (First appearance)
• Fantasti-Copter (First appearance)
• Pogo Plane MK I (First appearance) (seen in hangar)
• Intercontinental Passenger Missile (First appearance) (seen in hangar)
• atomic tank (US Army prototype?)

Synopsis for "The Menace of the Miracle Man"

The Miracle Man is performing at a theater. He points out the Fantastic Four and mocks them. He claims his powers are far greater than theirs and demonstrates by growing into a giant, turning into a cloud, and controlling thunder and lightning. He even upstages the Thing in a test of strength. While they head home in the Fantasti-Car, Reed wonders whether they could defeat the Miracle Man if he were a criminal. Meanwhile, the Miracle Man plots to bring a monster statue (at the Bijou movie theater next door) to life and use it to terrorize the public.

Chapter II: The Monster Lives!

At the team's new headquarters, the Baxter Building, Johnny is watching live coverage of the premiere of "The Monsters from Mars" (at the Bijou) on television. Sue Storm comes in with new costumes for the entire team, including a helmet for the Thing. Johnny spots the Miracle Man, who gestures and brings the monster to life. It attacks the crowd and then vanishes. The Fantastic Four call the commissioner, who has received a note from the Miracle Man declaring his intention to conquer the world. The team is authorized to stop the Miracle Man.

Mister Fantastic finds the Miracle Man and his monster robbing a jewelry store, but the Miracle Man hits him with a brick. The Human Torch finds them stealing the army's new atomic tank and confronts them.

Chapter III: The Flame That Died!

The Invisible Girl and Thing see the fight and join in. The Thing removes his helmet and rips off his costume before joining the fight. The Human Torch burns the monster down; it was made of wood and plastic. The Thing and the Human Torch are defeated, and the Miracle Man escapes in a truck with the tank in tow, although the Invisible Girl hides aboard unseen.

Chapter IV: In the Shadow of Defeat!

Back at their headquarters, the remaining members of the Fantastic Four wait for Sue's signal. Johnny pokes fun at Ben, who loses his temper. A fight breaks out between the two, and Johnny storms off. Meanwhile, the Miracle Man is hiding the atomic tank at a junkyard, when he discovers Sue and uses his powers to put her under his command. He has Sue signal the rest of the team with the Fantasti-Flare. Ben and Reed take off in the Fantasti-Copter. Johnny sees the signal from a corner soda fountain and flies toward it.

Chapter V: The Final Challenge!

At the junkyard the the Miracle Man fights Ben and Reed, and escapes with Sue and the tank again. Johnny appears, and the three follow the Miracle Man in an antique racing car. Johnny flies ahead and uses his flames to create a flash that temporarily blinds the Miracle Man, who loses his powers. In fact, he never had powers at all, he was merely a clever hypnotist. Reed brings Sue out of her trance, and the Miracle Man is apprehended.

The Thing is annoyed when he perceives than Johnny is getting all the credit for stopping the Miracle Man. Johnny, having had enough of the Thing, quits the team and flies away. Reed wonders what would happen if he became their enemy.

Notes

• The Fantastic Four's classic blue costumes debuted this issue. The Thing discarded his costume (and helmet) mid-issue.

*While the Thing's helmet did not last long, he did start wearing a similar helmet after being wounded by Wolverine in Fantastic Four #374, but it lasted only a brief period (until Fantastic Four #386).

• Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch, and the Thing all last appeared in Fantastic Four #2. They appear next in Fantastic Four #4.
• The Miracle Man appears next in Fantastic Four #138.
• The events of Tales of the Marvels: Inner Demons occur between the events depicted in this story.
• This issue is reprinted in Fantastic Four (Pocket Books).

Trivia

• "The Greatest Comic Magazine in the World!!" tag line was added to the cover of this issue. It would be replaced by the more familiar "World's Greatest Comics Magazine!" starting with Fantastic Four #4.
• The setting of this story is never explicitly given, but the location of the Baxter Building is later given as New York City.
• The cover price increased to 12¢ with this issue.

See Also

• Discuss Fantastic Four Vol 1 3 on the forums
• Cover gallery for the Fantastic Four series

Recommended Reading

• None.

Links and References

• FF Plaza page on this issue