While going through my Marvel Team-Ups, I recalled how excited I was as a kid that #17 (Ja'74) featured Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic as the co-star. I never saw him guest star by himself in another comic. He was always with the Fantastic Four. And I mean as a real guest-starring hero, stretching and fighting, not a cameo or appearance helping the hero figure out some problem or lend them some device. He didn't reappear as the solo guest in MTU until #132-133 (Au-S'83!!)
Reed also co-starred in Marvel Two-In-One #36 (F'78) and #71 (Ja'81), both two part stories. But really how worked up can you get about The Thing joining forces with Mister Fantastic?
He made one more solo guest shot in The Defenders #105 (Ma'82), working with Doctor Strange and the Beast.
Does anyone remember any other solo guest role without any of the Fantastic Four? With a cover shot?
BTW, I love calling him Mister Fantastic, even though anyone hardly ever does. The Thing makes a point to call him "Stretcho"! But I still consider him to be the center of the Marvel Universe!
P.S. This is my first time adding a cover to one of my threads!
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Reed was Mister Fantastic, Sue could have been Mrs. Fantastic which is more interesting than Invisible Girl/Woman. Johnny could have been Kid Fantastic and Ben could have Stone Fantastic! Actually those are cooler names than their real ones, I think!
Alternates: Fire Fantastic, Jet Fantastic
Strong Fantastic, the Fantastic Monster
DC had Jimmy Olsen as Elastic Lad before that.
I think DC bought Quality outright, thus owning Plastic Man, even though they did nothing with him for 10 years. And the result was proof that they should have waited longer!
Stan Lee, of course, was familar with Plas. He never wanted Reed duplicating Plas' shapeshifting tricks. He rarely stretched his neck which was basic for DC's Twistable Trio. Roy Thomas read Stan's original notes for Fantastic Four #1 and his first idea was to have stretching be painful for Reed. So we had Plastic Man = comical, Elastic Lad = goofy, Elongated Man = light-hearted and Mister Fantastic = serious!
Though perhaps too serious as the Torch got a solo series in Strange Tales which the Thing later joined in yet there was never any urge for a Mister Fantastic #1, which I would have gladly bought!
I don't have anything to add as far as solo appearances. Most of the comics I've read have been from the past decade and if Reed appeared in a title other than Fantastic Fou he was typically there for scientific support.
Most of my experience with the character had been from the 90s cartoon and the movies. He came across as a nerd who'd rather be in a lab that saving the world. Then I read the early issues of Fantastic Four by Stan and Jack. That was the Reed Richards we need to see more of. He was smart but when it came to fighting, he did it. From what little I've read of Jonathan Hickman's run on FF, he seems to be channeling that version of Reed.
Doubt it'll ever happen but I'd like to see a mini series team up of Cyclops, Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Mr. Fantastic. For some reason I've always wanted to see them together on some sort of mission, just those three none of the other team members tagging along.
I remember being favorably surprised that Mr. Fantastic was chosen to cover feature on the 1967 ABC promo comic, "America's Best TV Comics," not only ahead of the more visually flashy Torch or Thing, but also ahead of Spider-Man.
Yes, Reed's powers struck me as being contrary to his serious demeanor. (His super-hero name, too, for that matter.) Kirby made it work, though.
PowerBook Pete (The Mad Mod) said: