"Defeated by the Frightful Four"
This issue is one for the ages, a real Silver Age classic! Jack Kirby's art is at it's finest here and Stan Lee's story is breathtaking. Madam Medusa proves that the Wizard chose the right female to defeat Susan Storm. The red-haired villainess brilliantly lays a trap for the blonde girl, as Sue is called to a fashion house to look over some designs for her upcoming wedding. Unfortunately for the Invisible Girl, Madam Medusa is waiting for her and easily captures Sue with her invincible red hair. Wizard, Trapster and Medusa then abduct the lovely Sue Storm in broad daylight and take her to an isolated Pacific atoll. Wizard has planned the perfect trap to finish off the Fantastic Four for once and for all. The island has an underground chamber that contains a Q-bomb, a powerful nuclear device. Wizard directs that the Invisible Girl be placed on the floor near the detonation mechanism. Before long, the rest of the Fantastic Four arrive on the island and a battle ensues on the island's surface. Eventually Ben hears Sue's moans below ground and Reed, Johnny and him go down to rescue her. This gives the Frightful Four a chance to flee in their ship. Moments later, before the Fantastic Four can attempt an escape, the Q-bomb explodes. The Frightful Four are ecstatic and so ends one of Stan Lee's best cliffhanger endings. Believe it or not... the FF really do suffer their first defeat in this issue and it is so right that it happens at the hands of their evil counterparts, the Frightful Four. While their lives are spared by Sue's force field, they have totally lost their powers and this leads into a terrific storyline in FF #39-40. Honestly, FF #38 ranks as a top 10 FF issue of all time!
