Issue(s): Amazing Adventures #1, Amazing Adventures #2 (Inhumans story only)
Cover Date: Aug-Sep 70
Title: "Beware the Inhumans" / "Friend against friend"
Credits:
Jack Kirby - Writer
Jack Kirby - Penciler
Chic Stone - Inker

Review/plot:
In the intro to Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans vol. 1, Mark Evanier describes the fits and starts that ultimately resulted in this Inhumans series being included in a split-book with the Black Widow. It started years earlier, circa 1965, when Joe Simon began plans to expand the super-hero line for Harvey comics. As a reaction to that, Martin Goodman made an attempt to get rid of the limit on the number of books that his distributor (owned by DC) imposed on him, and in preparation for an expansion, Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created a bunch of new characters that would get their own books. These included Wyatt Wingfoot, the Coal Tiger (later the Black Panther), Black Bolt, and (separately) the Inhumans. When the attempt to increase the line failed, the characters were introduced in Fantastic Four. Meanwhile, Harvey's super-hero line fizzled out.

Years later, after the distribution limitation was no longer a factor, Marvel again intended to create an Inhumans book, but now Goodman feared he was expanding too fast, so the Inhumans were forced into the split book with Black Widow (and similarly, Dr. Doom and Ka-Zar were merged into Astonishing Tales). Kirby had already produced two full-sized stories, so they were reconfigured into four half-sized ones. By the time these issues saw print, Kirby had already left the company.

The UHBMCC gives Stan Lee a writing co-credit for these issues (and the following two) but by all other accounts these issues were written entirely by Kirby. It's the first time he's gotten an exclusive writing credit, although Stan Lee's Editor credit is given equal weighting in the credits section.

These first two stories (remember, intended as a single issue) serve mostly as a re-introduction to the characters, first with the FF watching a film about them (apparently put together by Mr. Fantastic?)...

...and then with a power demonstration scene where the Royal Family drive off some Chinese soldiers.

The scene with the soldiers raises the interesting question of how long that Inhumans can remain a hidden and independent civilization. Such "minor intrusions" have been occurring with "appalling frequency" lately, according to some anonymous Inhuman civilians. "Humans now have planes and missiles... they are bound to find us soon!". Especially if Reed releases that movie.

The immediate crisis, hover, is Maximus, who is in exile on his tropical island with his entourage of evil Inhumans.

He's launched some missiles at the Inhuman city that are blatantly designed to implicate the Fantastic Four.

Crystal is currently a member of the FF, but instead of contacting the team, the Inhuman royal family launch a counter attack.

Meanwhile, however, they send Triton out to locate Maximus, and when he confirms that Maximus was indeed responsible...

...the Inhumans cut short their attack and give the Thing a new bathrobe.

Having the Inhumans meet the FF and deal with a scheme from Maximus again isn't the most exciting way to establish a premise for a new series, but it does serve as an introduction to the characters. The interesting bit is when the Royal Family is leaving; they suggest that while they might have attacked without proof that the FF was responsible, at least they did so with restraint.

Although if the US accidentally invaded, say, Germany, i don't think they'd accept a new bathrobe as an apology.

It's nice to see Kirby producing stories entirely his own, although this issue wasn't all that promising.

Here's a really minor bit of trivia. Note that in the first Maximus scan above, Maximus is talking to an evil Inhuman centaur named Centarius. But here's another centaur that he addresses as Stallior.

You might think that maybe Kirby just forgot the name for this guy, but a later (non-Kirby) story will show that there are in fact two evil Inhuman centaurs, Centarius (with a beard) and Stallior. This is the first appearance of Centarius. The beardless Stallior has appeared a number of times before. Note that there may also be a third evil Inhuman centaur named Chiron, as seen in Fantastic Four #117, although i tag him there as Stallior.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The Marvel Index places the FF's appearance here between FF #101-102. The MCP follows that as well, but also places the Inhumans here after their inconsequential appearance in Marvel: The Hidden Years #16. I have Hidden Years #16-22 running concurrently with FF #102-104 and i've placed the Hidden Years entry after the FF entry. There's nothing in either Hidden Years or these AA issues that that dictates placement.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans vol. 1

the thing ive never understood about the inhumans is why they were masks? It's not like they need to conceal their identities. Do you think the Gorgon could take off his mask and fade into the crown with those goat legs?

Kevin, the inhumans DID attempt to blend in when next visiting the U.S. Neal Adams did an amazing job of hiding their deformities...Karnak was an indian swami, Medusa had a chinesse silk blouse with high collar, and Gorgon... well, I just don't recall right now...but they were all well consealed!! (It was a comic book!) And Yes, they were without masks.

Sam Rosen, letterer, misspelled inker Chic Stone's name as "Chick" on the title page. Hm

Jack Kirby's treatment of the Thing is still pretty good and in character in spite of not having Stan Lee to rewrite all his dialog bubbles. Ben seems a little more literate; his dropping of "g"s is maybe a little less consistent (in the scans shown above, he says "breathing" instead of "breathin'" in one instance, "dreaming" instead of "dreamin'," and so forth).

The whole thing reads pretty much like any ol' average Fantastic Four comic.