Fantastic Four (1961 series) #44

Reed and Sue Richards have got married (in Annual #3) and are settling in to domesticity (signified by Sue wearing an apron and Reed using his big brain to create an automatic dishwasher) in the Fantastic Four's HQ in the top floors of the Baxter Building. Johnny Storm is napping in a comfy chair until Ben Grimm wakes him up for some excitement. Human Torch automatically flames on and Sue warns about leaving ash on the furniture, so he leaves to go visit his girlfriend Dorrie Evans in his Sting Ray sports car. Thing plans to pick up *his* girlfriend Alicia (who still hasn't been given a surname) in the Fantasti-Car.

Johnny's thoughts tell us that he hasn't seen Dorrie since the wedding (so presumably she was there but we never saw her). Also he expected them to move out to an apartment (which they never do). He put off enrolling in college this year, which he now thinks he'll regret. He's surprised to find his car (with number plate T 1) unlocked. And more surprised when the car is rocked by a shock wave (we see a foot stomp on the ground behind the car). And the biggest shock is when Medusa (of the evil Frightful Four) speaks to him from the customised jump seat he's installed in the back of the car. She points a Vacuum Gun at him and tells him to drive out of the City before Gorgon catches her.

Ben's about to leave the happy couple alone together when *they* are interrupted by shock waves which wreck the room. Invisible Girl puts a protective forcefield around her husband, and they see boots sticking in through the outside wall as if someone's walking *up* the building. Thing looks out the window and confirms it's really happening. They all lean out and Mr Fantastic stretches his arm to grab the intruder, and then cries out as his hand presumably gets stomped on. Thing climbs up the footholds but sees the culprit getting away in the FF's helicopter.

Johnny drives Medusa to Dead Man's Lake near State University in Hegemon where Reed went to college (and the FF visited it in #35), hoping this Gorgon fellow won't find them here. Medusa won't tell him what's going on and won't accept his help (hypocritically because she's already made him help her) so he fires a bolt of flame at the ground below her feet. But she fires a vacuum pellet back at him which sucks all the air from around him, snuffing his flame and rendering him unconscious. She comments that she didn't want to harm him and he obviously tried not to hurt her with his flame.

But the burst of flame has awoken Dragon Man (who disappeared in the lake in #35). This android, created by a combination of science and Diablo's mystic potions (in that issue), lumbers towards the woman breathing fire. But her long soft hair reminds him of Sue Storm who was kind to him (in that issue) and his expression softens. However Gorgon's helicopter lands near Johnny's car and he announces his presence by kicking a boulder to pieces and sending the bits hurtling towards the beast who retaliates by flying and breathing fire at him. They fight, and the reader gets the 1st good look at the opponent (if you don't count the cover and the splash page). Nearby trees go up in flames and Medusa escapes to drive off in the car. But DM follows her and grabs the car and flies away with it, followed by Gorgon in the copter.

The flames revive Torch who flames on and uses his power to absorb all the surrounding fire. Then, not being able to find the other 2 people, he flies back home ...

... where Sue is bandaging Reed's crushed right forearm and putting it in a sling, and Ben is embarrassed about reporting the team's stolen whirlybird to the police. Apparently the wall-walker found time to disable the Fantasti-Car and Pogo Plane with kicks before he left so they can't fly after him. But while Thing anchors his legs Mr Fantastic stretches his body out the window to see if he can spot anything. He does see something but doesn't tell us what it is, but something pulls his body out of the window with Thing hanging on and Sue clinging to Ben's foot. The something pulls them over to another building, conveniently deserted, and up to the roof where they see Dragon Man. And of course Medusa and the car are up there with him. While Thing clobbers the dragon Sue tends to stunned Reed and Medusa tries to stop the fight because DM was only protecting her.

Medusa tells Sue that she's hiding from someone who's followed her half-way round the world. And then Gorgon calls her name and kicks through a rooftop wall to get at them. Invisible Girl's force field prevents him from reaching his target but Sue can feel the intense pressure. Thing tries to come to her aid but Dragon Man's large tail knocks him aside. However DM then comes to the aid of the females and menaces Gorgon, who kicks the roof to split it open and send the android plummeting down through the floors below. Thing's ready to fight the stranger but Gorgon suggests they just let him take Medusa. He tells them she's part of the same race as himself, and they're forbidden to mingle with others. Reed has recovered and tells Ben it's time to talk to the man, but Gorgon just returns to trying to break through Sue's force field.

Then Torch arrives and surrounds the foe with flames, but Gorgon kicks a carefully aimed shock wave which breaks a wall behind HT covering him with debris. However Torch melts that and threatens him with fire - but G apparently knows it's a bluff because the hero won't harm anyone. However Thing says *he*'s not bluffing and grabs him, but Gorgon slithers out of his grasp and knocks him down with a kick. All the FF gather together to present a united front between Gorgon and his goal. But he stamps to cause another shock wave that demolishes some other nearby abandoned buildings. And he threatens to do the same to the whole city unless they hand Medusa over to him.

But Medusa takes things into her own living hair. She wraps it round the FF and threatens to throw them at her pursuer and escape in the ensuing chaos. But Dragon Man has fought his way back up to the roof and erupts among them. He stares at Medusa and Sue in confusion, and then remembers which is his 'friend'. He grabs Sue and flies off with her. Gorgon seizes the opportunity to grab Medusa and with 1 stamp brings the whole (deserted, remember) building down beneath them.

To be continued.