Fantastic Four #247
Published and © by Marvel, October 1982
Title: “This Land Is Mine!”
Synopsis: With Latveria suffering under the iron fist of Zorba, the Fantastic Four become the uncomfortable allies of Doctor Doom.
Writer: John Byrne
Artist: Byrne
Review: This issue serves as an uncomfortable endorsement of Doctor Doom’s autocratic practices, as the Fantastic Four helps restore the deposed dictator to power. Sure, Latveria might have fallen on some hard times, but one would think a brain as big as Reed Richards’ could have come up with a better solution than aiding Doom (who had tried, again, to kill the FF just one issue before [see review]!) John Byrne’s art fares better than his story, with rich detail and strong pacing. The two-page splash of a decaying Latveria is particularly well drawn.
Grade: B
Second opinion: “Byrne has done it again! As he did with Galactus, he managed to hit the reset button and restore Doom to the top of the villainous heap.” – Pierre Comtois, “Marvel Comics in the 1980s: An Issue By Issue Field Guide to a Pop Culture Phenomenon,” 2014
Cool factor: This story offers a nice twist, even if its politics are suspect. Also, Byrne’s art during this run just may be at its zenith here.
Not-so-cool factor: The FF helping Doom. Really not cool.
Notable: First appearance of Kristoff Vernard. … The “Fantastic Four Fan Page” letters page includes an LoC from Elfquest creators Wendy and Richard Pini.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 75¢ Canadian variant of this issue, as well as a Marvel Legends reprint. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “Do not be afraid.” – Doctor Doom (yeah, right!)
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Nov. 3, 2009.
