Fantastic Four
#93
(December 1969)
- Volume
- 1
- Price
- 0.15 USD
- Pages
- 36
- Indicia Frequency
- monthly except November, semi-monthly
- On-sale Date
- 1969-09-16
- Publisher's Age Guidelines
- Approved by the Comics Code Authority
- Indicia / Colophon Publisher
- Magazine Management Co. Inc.
- Brand
-
Marvel Comics Group [under character box]
- Printer
- Printed in the U.S.A. by World Color Press, Inc., Sparta, Illinois 62286
- Editing
- Stan Lee (editor)
Issue Notes
This issue has variants:
Arena of Death!
Fantastic Four / cover / 1 page
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Boss Barker; Lippy Louie; The Thing [Ben Grimm]; Torgo
- Universe
- Marvel : mainstream
- Reprints
-
in Los 4 Fantásticos (Editora de Periódicos, S. C. L. "La Prensa", 1962 series) #120 -
in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1983 series) #10 -
in Die Fantastischen Vier (BSV - Williams, 1974 series) #89 -
in HIP Classics (Classics/Williams, 1969 series) #19150 (1970) - in Hit Comics (BSV - Williams, 1966 series) #150
-
in Fantastic Four (Editions Héritage, 1968 series) #9 (Novembre 1971) - in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #91 (1 Ottobre 1974)
-
in Marvel's Greatest Comics (Marvel, 1969 series) #75 (January 1978) [modified; with re-touching] which is reprinted - in Fantastic Four Omnibus (Marvel, 2005 series) #3 (2015) [1/4 page]
-
in Fantastic Four : L'intégrale (Panini France, 2003 series) #1969 ([janvier] 2010) -
in Marvel Gold. Los 4 Fantásticos (Panini España, 2011 series) #3 - El Largo Camino a Casa (Junio 2013) - in Fantastic Four Omnibus (Marvel, 2005 series) #3 (2015)
- in Fantastic Four Epic Collection (Marvel, 2014 series) #6 - At War with Atlantis (2020)
-
- Keywords
- gladiatorial matches; robots
![Cover Thumbnail for Fantastic Four (1961 series) #93 [British]](https://files1.comics.org//img/gcd/covers_by_id/1067/w100/1067084.jpg?3596200556803933811)
[no title indexed]
Joe Weider Course and Products / advertisement / 1 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Tired of being 'skinny'?
Indexer Notes
Inside front cover. Ad for a weight gain supplement.
At the Mercy of Torgo!
Fantastic Four / comic story / 20 pages
- Script
- Stan Lee (credited)
- Pencils
- Jack Kirby (credited)
- Inks
- Frank Giacoia (credited)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Artie Simek (credited)
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- I don't get it, Reed!
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Fantastic Four: Crystal [Crystalia Amaquelin Maximoff]; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Mr. Fantastic [Reed Richards]; The Thing [Ben Grimm]
Boss Barker; Lippy Louie; Napoleon G. Robberson; Slaver; Torgo - Universe
- Marvel : mainstream
- Reprints
- in Die Fantastischen Vier (BSV - Williams, 1974 series) #89
- in HIP Classics (Classics/Williams, 1969 series) #19150 (1970)
- in Hit Comics (BSV - Williams, 1966 series) #150
- in Fantastic Four (Editions Héritage, 1968 series) #9 (Novembre 1971)
- in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #91 (1 Ottobre 1974)
- in Une Aventure des Fantastiques (Editions Lug, 1973 series) #13 - Les jeux du cirque (3ème trimestre 1977)
- in Marvel's Greatest Comics (Marvel, 1969 series) #75 (January 1978) [edited; 2 pages removed]
- in Fantastic Four : L'intégrale (Panini France, 2003 series) #1969 ([janvier] 2010)
- in Marvel Gold. Los 4 Fantásticos (Panini España, 2011 series) #3 - El Largo Camino a Casa (Junio 2013)
- in Fantastic Four Omnibus (Marvel, 2005 series) #3 (2015)
- in Fantastic Four Epic Collection (Marvel, 2014 series) #6 - At War with Atlantis (2020)
-
- Keywords
- Kral (Skrull planet)
Indexer Notes
This story combines elements from two episodes of Star Trek the Original Series (1966-1969): forced gladiatorial combat for the entertainment of alien masters ("The Gamesters of Triskelion", aired January 05, 1968) and imitating 1920's American gangster culture ("A Piece of the Action", aired January 12, 1968).
These episodes aired on consecutive weeks in January 1968 and, given the time of publication, it is not inconceivable that Stan Lee or Jack Kirby (or both) could have borrowed from them... not knowing that, in the near future, Star Trek would become a well-known and well-studied mainstay of American popular culture.
The Race to Danger
Lee Jeans [Lee Leens] / comics-form advertising / 1 page
- Genre
- sports; teen
- Characters
- Bobby; Jim Driscoll
Indexer Notes
Comics ad for Lee Leens pants from H.D. Lee Company, Inc. between story pages 3 and 4.
[no title indexed]
American Circle Products / advertisement / 0.5 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Magic world of surprises & mystery
Indexer Notes
Ad for novelty items from the American Circle Corp. located on top half of page between story pages 6 and 7.
[no title indexed]
Unicorn House / advertisement / 0.5 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Grow amazing live sea-monkeys!
Indexer Notes
Ad for sea monkeys. located on lower half of page between story pages 6 and 7.
[no title indexed]
Grit Newspaper / advertisement / 1 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Look, fellows!
Indexer Notes
Ad solicits boys to sell Grit magazine, located between story pages 6 and 7.
[no title indexed]
Bullpen Bulletins / in-house column / 0.4 page
- Feature Logo
Marvel Bullpen Bulletins [times three]- Characters
- Silver Surfer
Indexer Notes
Between story pages 9 and 10. Includes: obituary for George Klein; Item; The Mighty Marvel Checklist; house ad for Silver Surfer (Marvel, 1968 series)
[no title indexed]
promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.6 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Exciting new club Marvelmania International
- Characters
- Captain America; Hulk; Iron Man; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Silver Surfer; Spider-Man; Thor; Dr. Doom; Daredevil
Indexer Notes
Ad for membership to Marvelmania, between story pages 9 and 10, on lower half of page.
Super Saturday on ABC
ABC Saturday Cartoons / advertisement / 3 pages
- Characters
- Casper the Friendly Ghost; Smokey Bear; Cattanooga Cats; Hot Wheels; Sky Hawks; Hardy Boys; Fantastic Voyage; Gulliver
Indexer Notes
Advertisement for Saturday morning cartoon lineup on ABC Television for the season starting September 6, 1969. Also advertisement for ABC's Super Saturday Club.
Located between story pages 11 and 12.
[no title indexed]
Fantastic 4 Fan Page / letters page / 1 page
- Script
- Roy Thomas ?
- Pencils
- Jack Kirby (illustrations)
- Inks
- Joe Sinnott (illustrations)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- typeset
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Dear Devastating Duo, Once a month I set aside my massive volumes of...
- Feature Logo
- Fantastic Four Fan Page
- Characters
- Mole Man; Fantastic Four [Mr. Fantastic [Reed Richards]; the Thing [Ben Grimm]; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Crystal]
- Reprints
Indexer Notes
Letters from: Mike Burton, Doug Thornton, and Judy Axelrod. Between story pages 12 and 13.
Shop by Mail
advertisement / 2 pages
- Script
- ? (ad copy)
- Pencils
- ?; ? (photography)
- Inks
- ?; ? (photography)
- Colors
- ? (background only)
- Letters
- typeset
- Editing
- ?
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Get the biggest comic book cover you’ve ever seen... and you are on it!
Indexer Notes
Thumbnail advertisements for a variety of products including back-issue comic books.
Located between story pages 15 and 16.
[no title indexed]
Fred Bronner Corporation / advertisement / 0.5 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Did you know that the people who make little “Matchbox” models make big “Matchbox” models, too?
- Synopsis
- Ad for King-Size Matchbox models.
Indexer Notes
Located on top half of page, between story pages 18 and 19.
Shop by Mail; Stamps
advertisement / 0.5 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Draw the first day!
Indexer Notes
Various ads for stamps companies and other items. Appears between story pages 18 and 19 on lower half of page.
[no title indexed]
Academy for Home Study / advertisement / 1 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Second chance for high school drop-outs to get a diploma
Indexer Notes
Ad for the Academy for Home Study.
[no title indexed]
Cheerful Card / Cheerful House Cards and Stationery / advertisement / 1 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Do you need extra money?
- Characters
- Santa Claus
Indexer Notes
Inside back cover. Ad to earn money by selling greeting cards.
-
0.
Arena of Death!
Fantastic Four -
1.
["Tired of being 'skinny'?"]
Joe Weider Course and Products -
2.
At the Mercy of Torgo!
Fantastic Four -
3.
The Race to Danger
Lee Jeans [Lee Leens] -
4.
["Magic world of surprises & mystery"]
American Circle Products -
5.
["Grow amazing live sea-monkeys!"]
Unicorn House -
6.
["Look, fellows!"]
Grit Newspaper -
7.
[no title indexed]
Bullpen Bulletins -
8.
["Exciting new club Marvelmania International"]
-
9.
Super Saturday on ABC
ABC Saturday Cartoons -
10.
["Dear Devastating Duo, Once a month I set aside my massive volumes of..."]
Fantastic 4 Fan Page -
11.
Shop by Mail
-
12.
["Did you know that the people who make little “Matchbox” models make big “Matchbox” models, too?"]
Fred Bronner Corporation -
13.
Shop by Mail; Stamps
-
14.
["Second chance for high school drop-outs to get a diploma"]
Academy for Home Study -
15.
["Do you need extra money?"]
Cheerful Card / Cheerful House Cards and Stationery -
16.
["We're looking for people who like to draw"]
Famous Artists Schools
- Chris Boyko
- Roger Brochu
- David Bruce
- Nick Caputo
- Steve Coates
- Gregory Fischer
- Del Gruber
- Darrel McCann
- Mark Q
- Derek Reinhard
- Tony R. Rose
- Richard Thomson
- Joe Torcivia
- Jim Van Dore
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