Marvel’s Greatest Comics #50 [1974] – When Opens the Cocoon

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This issue reprints FANTASTIC FOUR #67 (1967), the second half of the storyline that introduces Him. It was mentioned in the KIRBY COLLECTOR a while back that this was a bit of a turning point on Kirby’s silver age run at Marvel, as his concept for this story was turned on its head when the first half was scripted, and after this point he created very few memorable new characters for Marvel in the next three years (while of course doing the concept art that would form the basis of the Fourth World).

Despite being a bit of a mid-course correction it’s still an entertaining story, as the FF work on how to follow the mysterious scientists who have kidnapped Alicia in order to use her blindness and artistic ability to study the mysterious creation in the “cocoon”.

Marvel's Greatest Comics #50 [1974]

That’s a great four-panel zoom on Alicia there. And of course Reed with his “working hard” beard growth.

Reed’s able to duplicate the wristband of the scientists (interestingly using technology that is pretty clearly nanotechnology, I believe several years before the expression existed) and the boys journey to the Citadel of Science and manage to rescue Alicia just as the cocoon opens and a golden figure who departs from a world not ready for him, destroying the Citadel in the process.

Joe Sinnott inks the cover and 20-page story.

Published 1974

4 thoughts on “Marvel’s Greatest Comics #50 [1974] – When Opens the Cocoon

  1. Mark Clegg

    > Reed’s able to duplicate the wristband of the scientists (interestingly using technology that is pretty clearly nanotechnology, I believe several years before the expression existed)

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  2. Doug

    The back story of this issue is an eye-opener, especially considering that this was one of the earliest FF stories I ever read (back in the 70s, I don’t think I understood the distinction between the reprints and the new stuff; it was all new to me), and it’s still one that’s close to my heart.

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