Editing Fantastic Four (section)

===1961–1970s===
The release of ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|The Fantastic Four]]'' #1 (Nov. 1961) was an unexpected success. Lee had felt ready to stop working on comics at the time, but the positive response to ''Fantastic Four'' persuaded him to continue with comic books.<ref name="century"/> The title began to receive fan mail<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1 = DeFalco|editor-first1 = Tom|author-link = Tom DeFalco|editor-last2= Gilbert|editor-first2= Laura|chapter= 1960s|title = Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 84|isbn =978-0756641238|quote= It did not take long for editor Stan Lee to realize that ''The Fantastic Four'' was a hit...the flurry of fan letters all pointed to the FF's explosive popularity.}}</ref> and Lee started printing the letters in a letter column with issue #3. Also with the third issue, Lee created the hyperbolic slogan "The Greatest Comic Magazine in the World!!" With the following issue, the slogan was changed to "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine!" and became a fixture on the issue covers into the 1990s,<ref name="Daniels"/>{{Rp|87}} and on numerous covers in the 2000s.

Issue #4 (May 1962) reintroduced [[Namor|Namor the Sub-Mariner]],<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 86: "Stan Lee and Jack Kirbuy reintroduced one of Marvel's most popular Golden Age heroes – Namor, the Sub-Mariner."</ref> an aquatic [[antihero]] who was a star character of Marvel's earliest iteration, [[Timely Comics]], during the late 1930s and 1940s period that historians and fans call the [[Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age of Comics]]. Issue #5 (July 1962) introduced the team's most frequent nemesis, [[Doctor Doom]].<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 86: "The introduction of Dr. Doom signaled a slight shift in direction for Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. At last they were moving away from their monster-book formulas to embrace the super hero genre. Dr. Doom was their first real attempt to create an enduring super villain."</ref> These earliest issues were published bimonthly. With issue #16 (July 1963), the cover title dropped its ''The'' and became simply ''Fantastic Four''. In ''Fantastic Four'' #19 (October 1963), [[Stan Lee]] announced that [[Mister Fantastic|Reed Richards]] would remain leader of the group, due to an overwhelming fan response in the affirmative (93.47%). Stan's comment of ''{{'}}Nuff Said'' would from here become an ongoing phrase in Lee's communications with fans.<ref>[https://www.cbr.com/marvel-comics-stan-lee-fantastic-four-nuff-said/ Cronin, Brian, ''When Did Stan Lee First Use 'Nuff Said' In a Comic Book?'', CBR.com, May 29, 2019.]</ref>

While the early stories were complete narratives, the frequent appearances of these two antagonists, Doom and Namor, in subsequent issues indicated the creation of a long narrative by Lee and Kirby that extended over months. According to comics historian [[Les Daniels]], "only narratives that ran to several issues would be able to contain their increasingly complex ideas".<ref name="Daniels"/>{{Rp|88}} During its creators' lengthy run, the series produced many acclaimed storylines and characters that have become central to Marvel, including the hidden race of alien-human genetic experiments, the [[Inhumans]];<ref>{{cite web | first= Brian|last= Cronin|url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/09/18/a-year-of-cool-comics-day-261/|title= A Year of Cool Comics – Day 261|website=[[Comic Book Resources]]|date= September 18, 2010|access-date= September 29, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101123190418/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/09/18/a-year-of-cool-comics-day-261/|archive-date=November 23, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DeFalco111">DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 111: "The Inhumans, a lost race that diverged from humankind 25,000 years ago and became genetically enhanced."</ref> the [[Black Panther (character)|Black Panther]],<ref>{{cite web |first= Brian|last= Cronin|url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/09/19/a-year-of-cool-comics-day-262/|title= A Year of Cool Comics – Day 262|website=Comic Book Resources|date= September 19, 2010| access-date= September 29, 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110708181411/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/09/19/a-year-of-cool-comics-day-262/|archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> an African king who would be mainstream comics' first black superhero;<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 117: Stan Lee wanted to do his part by creating the first black super hero. Lee discussed his ideas with Jack Kirby and the result was seen in ''Fantastic Four'' #52.</ref> the rival alien races the [[Kree]] and the shapeshifting [[Skrull]]s;<ref name="DeFalco84">DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 84: "The second issue of the increasingly popular ''The Fantastic Four'' introduced the shapeshifting Skrulls, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...Like the 1956 sci-fi mmovie ''The Invasion of the Body-Snatchers'', Lee and Kirby tapped into a fear that gripped the U.S. at this time: the fear that Russian spies were infiltrating society."</ref> Him, who would become [[Adam Warlock]];<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 124: "Adam Warlock was an artificial being created by scientists to be the first of an invincible army. Simply referred to as "Him' in his early appearances, Warlock later rebelled against his creators in ''Fantastic Four'' #66."</ref> the [[Negative Zone]] and [[unstable molecules]]. The story frequently cited as Lee and Kirby's finest achievement<ref>{{Cite book|last=Thomas|first=Roy| title=Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Universe|publisher=[[Sterling Publishing]]|location=New York, New York|year=2006|contribution=Moment 29: The Galactus Trilogy | pages=112–115 | isbn=978-1-4027-4225-5}}</ref><ref name="kirbycollector1">{{Cite journal | last=Hatfield | first=Charles | title=The Galactus Trilogy: An Appreciation | journal=The Collected Jack Kirby Collector | volume=1 | page=211 | date=February 2004}}</ref> is the three-part "[[The Galactus Trilogy|Galactus Trilogy]]" that began in ''Fantastic Four'' #48 (March 1966), chronicling the arrival of [[Galactus]], a cosmic giant who wanted to devour the planet, and his herald, the [[Silver Surfer]].<ref>{{cite web |first= Brian|last= Cronin|url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/19/a-year-of-cool-comics-day-50/| title= A Year of Cool Comics – Day 50|website=Comic Book Resources|date= February 19, 2010|access-date= September 29, 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100504111741/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/19/a-year-of-cool-comics-day-50/|archive-date=May 4, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 115: "Stan Lee may have started the creative discussion that culminated in Galactus, but the inclusion of the Silver Surfer in ''Fantastic Four'' #48 was pure Jack Kirby. Kirby realized that a being like Galactus required an equally impressive herald."</ref> ''Fantastic Four'' #48 was chosen as #24 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of Marvel's readers in 2001. Editor [[Robert Greenberger]] wrote in his introduction to the story that, "As the fourth year of the Fantastic Four came to a close, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby seemed to be only warming up. In retrospect, it was perhaps the most fertile period of any monthly title during the Marvel Age."<ref>{{cite book|editor-last = Greenberger|editor-first = Robert|title = 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time|publisher = Marvel Comics|date = December 2001|page = 26}}</ref> Daniels noted that "[t]he mystical and metaphysical elements that took over the saga were perfectly suited to the tastes of young readers in the 1960s", and Lee soon discovered that the story was a favorite on college campuses.<ref name="Daniels"/>{{Rp|128}} The ''Fantastic Four Annual'' was used to spotlight several key events. The Sub-Mariner was crowned king of [[Atlantis (Marvel Comics)|Atlantis]] in the first annual (1963).<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 95</ref> The following year's annual revealed the origin story of Doctor Doom.<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 103: "''Fantastic Four Annual #2'' revealed that Dr. Doom had been a college classmate of Reed Richards."</ref> ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #3 (1965) presented the wedding of Reed Richards and Sue Storm.<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 110: "Having seen them together as a couple since ''Fantastic Four'' #1, the fans couldn't wait for the wedding of Sue Storm and Reed Richards."</ref> Lee and Kirby reintroduced the [[Human Torch (android)|original Human Torch]] in ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #4 (1966) and had him battle Johnny Storm.<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 119</ref> Sue Richards' pregnancy was announced in ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #5 (1967), and the Richards' son, [[Franklin Richards (character)|Franklin Richards]] was born in ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #6 (1968)<ref name="DeFalco133">DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 133: "November [1968] saw the birth of Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue."</ref> in a story which introduced [[Annihilus]] as well.<ref name="DeFalco133b">DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 133: "Annihilus first encountered humanity when Mr. Fantastic, the Human Torch, and the Thing entered the Negative Zone in search of anti-matter particles."</ref>

Marvel filed for a [[trademark]] for "Fantastic Four" in 1967 and the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office]] issued the registration in 1970.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://trademark.markify.com/trademarks/uspto/fantastic+four/72276841|title= Fantastic Four|publisher= Markify|access-date= May 28, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165738/http://trademark.markify.com/trademarks/uspto/fantastic+four/72276841|archive-date= March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kirby left Marvel in mid-1970,<ref>[[Peter Sanderson|Sanderson, Peter]] "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 144: "In 1970, [the Silver Age of comic books] began its end with the departure of artist Jack Kirby...marking the end of the most creative period in Marvel history."</ref> having drawn the first 102 issues plus an unfinished issue, partially published in ''Fantastic Four'' #108, with alterations, and later completed and published as ''Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure'' (April 2008), ''Fantastic Four'' continued with Lee, [[Roy Thomas]],<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 157: "September [1972] witnessed a new generation taking command at Marvel Comics. Roy Thomas not only became writer of 'The World's Greatest Comic Magazine' with ''Fantastic Four'' #126, but also simultaneously became Marvel's Editor-in-Chief."</ref> [[Gerry Conway]] and [[Marv Wolfman]] as its consecutive regular writers, working with artists such as [[John Romita Sr.]], [[John Buscema]], [[Rich Buckler]] and [[George Pérez]], with longtime inker [[Joe Sinnott]] adding some visual continuity. [[Jim Steranko]] also contributed some covers during this time. A short-lived series starring the team, ''Giant-Size Super-Stars'', began in May 1974 and changed its title to ''Giant-Size Fantastic Four'' with issue #2.<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 165</ref> The fourth issue introduced [[Jamie Madrox]], a character who later became part of the [[X-Men]].<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 168: "New Marvel writer Chris Claremont and artist John Buscema introduced Madrox the Multiple Man, a mutant who could duplicate his own body over and over."</ref> ''Giant-Size Fantastic Four'' was canceled with issue #6 (Oct. 1975).<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 2169|title= Giant-Size Fantastic Four}}</ref> Roy Thomas and George Pérez crafted a [[metafiction]]al story for ''Fantastic Four'' #176 (Nov. 1976) in which the [[Impossible Man]] visited the offices of Marvel Comics and [[List of comics creators appearing in comics|met numerous comics creators]].<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 176: "In a venture into metafictional comedy, the mischievous Impossible Man visited the Marvel offices, where he met his creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, as well as the collaborators on his current story, writer Roy Thomas and artist George Pérez."</ref> Marv Wolfman and [[Keith Pollard]] crafted a multi-issue storyline involving the son of Doctor Doom which culminated in issue #200 (Nov. 1978).<ref>{{cite journal|last = Martini|first = Frank|title = Marv Wolfman's Bicentennial Battles|journal = [[Back Issue!]]|issue = 69|pages = 44–47|publisher = [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date = December 2013|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]] joined the title with issue #209 (Aug. 1979), doing pencil breakdowns for Sinnott to finish. He and Wolfman introduced a new herald for Galactus named [[Terrax|Terrax the Tamer]] in #211 (Oct. 1979).<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 190: "Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist John Byrne, Terrax would not only become a threat to the Fantastic Four but also Galactus himself."</ref>