FANTASTIC FOUR: UNSTABLE MOLECULES

By: Rob Allstetter
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Source: Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics has announced FANTASTIC FOUR: UNSTABLE MOLECULES, a four-issue mini-series that presents the "cartoon biography of the real-life inspiration of comics' first family."

James Sturm, creator of GOLEM'S MIGHTY SWING, is writing and thumb-nailing the story. He is joined by artist Guy Davis and cover artist Craig Thompson.

Through a release from Marvel, Sturm recounted "the events that led to -- and the purpose of the story" that begins in January:

"THE FANTASTIC FOUR was drawn and written by the brilliant team of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee and set a new standard for heroic adventure comics. In the 1970s, like thousands of other children, I became an avid fan and was inspired to become a cartoonist one day myself.

"Twelve years ago, while visiting my Aunt Alice, I was thumbing through a family scrapbook. In the back were yellowing newspaper clippings about the exploits of Johnny and Sue Sturm, a brother and sister who took great risks during the Cold War. Although they were not related to my family, Aunt Alice informed me that my late Uncle Travis, a World War II veteran, took great pride in the fact that we shared the same name. When I commented that I read comics which had a brother and sister named Johnny and Sue Storm, Aunt Alice laughed at my ignorance.

"Having not been born in 1961, I never realized that THE FANTASTIC FOUR series was based on the lives of actual people! As often is the case, real life was as astonishing as fiction. Eight years ago I began seriously researching the lives and exploits of the historical Fantastic Four with the hope of authoring their definitive biography.

"In 1996 while riding the subway, fate guided this project forward. Sitting next to me was Marvel Editor Tom Brevoort who was reading a FANTASTIC FOUR comic. Not knowing who he was, I commented that the FF were based on real people. He, of course, knew that but was impressed enough by the scope of my research to suggest the idea of Marvel publishing the biography as a comic. In addition, Tom was also able to provide much insight and details of the real Fantastic Four's publishing relationship with Marvel.

"However wonderful the Kirby/Lee version of The Fantastic Four was, there was often stringent restrictions upon what could and could not be told. Scripts had to be approved by the Fantastic Four's public relations office and, on several occasions, the U.S. government. Stories were often rejected or drastically changed.

"My intention with this cartoon biography is to revisit the Fantastic Four's beginnings with a historian's eye. In the last several years, under the Freedom of Information Act, I have been given access to FBI files that have been sealed for over thirty years. My research has also unearthed school, military and lab records, personal accounts and diaries. I hope to deepen our understanding of these fascinating characters and deliver a story that is as compelling as they were."

FANTASTIC FOUR: UNSTABLE MOLECULES #1 goes on sale Jan. 2.

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