The Fantastic Four have encountered a number of iconic characters during their adventures, chief among them Namor the Sub-Mariner. Giant-Size Fantastic Four #1 from Fabian Nicieza, Crees Lee, Arif Prianto and Joe Caramagna reveal the origin behind his signature battle cry, “Imperius Rex”. When Reed Richards joins Stingray on a deep sea expedition, they accidentally free a being called “Imperius Rex” who has ties to the underwater kingdoms of Atlantis and Lemuria. Unfortunately he didn’t take too kindly to being imprisoned for millennia and the Four are in his headlights.
North’s take on the Fantastic Four has been centered on the fact that they’re a family. Separate them, put them through whatever trials and tribulations you can think of, but the fact remains they will get through it together. It’s evident in the way they work together: when looking for a missing Mr. Fantastic the Invisible Girl uses her force fields to surround the Fantasticar while the Human Torch and the Thing pilot it down to the depths of the ocean. Teamwork also extends to their battle skills, as the Storm siblings utilize a combination of nova flame and force fields to battle Imperius Rex. But in true F4 tradition, the real victory comes not from throwing punches but from finding a different solution.
Marvel Comics
As North’s regular F4 collaborator Iban Coello was busy illustrating Giant-Size Spider-Man #1, Lee takes over art duties – though looking at his work, it’s hard to tell the difference. What Lee does bring to the table is a formidable design for Imperius Rex. The undersea monarch is rippling with muscles, his skin a dark blue to match the turbulent water surrounding him. His armor is crafted from the shells of long-dead crustaceans. His eyes are filled with hate. It’s tricky to make a new villain stand out, but Lee succeeds. Prianto also deserves a fair amount of praise, as his color work transforms the ocean into the terrifying abyss it’s meant to be.
Like Giant-Size Spider-Man #1, this comic also contains a bonus tale – a reprint of Fantastic Four #33 from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It’s fitting for two reasons: one, the story revolves around Namor. Two, Lee and Kirby built Fantastic Four as the bedrock of the Marvel Universe – it’s from there that Spider-Man, the Avengers, Daredevil and the X-Men sprung into being. Even a one-off tale like this is reminiscent of the pure creative power that gave birth to an entire universe.
Giant-Size Fantastic Four #1 introduces a new foe in a classic Fantastic Four story. For longtime fans of the Four or those wanting to see what makes the Four stand out before their big movie reboot next year, this is worth checking out. At the very least it should get fans invested in North and Coello’s run (which is sorely underrated.)
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