Fantastic Four Vol 1 91

	Published
	October, 1969
"The Thing -- Enslaved!"
	Writer Stan Lee; Penciler Jack Kirby; Inker Joe Sinnott; Letterer Sam Rosen; Editor Stan Lee;

I like your arrogance! The more spirited you are, the higher a price you will bring... when you are put upon the auction block!

-- Slave-Master

Appearing in "The Thing -- Enslaved!"

Featured Characters:

Fantastic Four

Supporting Characters:

Torgo (First appearance)
Taxtor (Only appearance)^[1]

Antagonists:

Deviant Skrulls
- Slave-Master
- Boss Barker (First appearance)
- Napoleon G. Robberson (First appearance)
- Lippy Louie (First appearance)
- Whitey (First appearance)

Other Characters:

Unnamed Richards baby
Alicia Masters
Machine Gun Martin (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
Bonnie Parker (Mentioned)
Clyde Barrow (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

Humans
Skrulls
Mekkans (First appearance)
Tektons (First appearance)

Locations:

Kral System (First appearance)
- Kral IV (First appearance)
Solar System
- Earth
  - United States of America
    - New York
      - New York City
        Manhattan
        Baxter Building

Items:

Power Stone (Skrull) (First appearance)
Anti-Gravity Rod (First appearance)
Corrosive Ray (First appearance)
Nerve Collar (First appearance)
Shock Rod (First appearance)
Neutralizer Cannon (First appearance)

Vehicles:

Skrull Saucers
- Slave Ship
Slave Truck (First appearance)
Slave-Stealer Ship (First appearance)

Synopsis for "The Thing -- Enslaved!"

The Skrulls take the captured Thing to the planet Kral, a world whose culture is a mirror of the legendary 1930s. Back in the Prohibition Era, a mobster named Machine-Gun Martin escaped prison and was captured by the Skrulls. The inhabitants of Kral, fascinated by gangster culture, adopted it as their own. Boss Barker makes a bet with his opponent Lippy Louie that his acquisition of the Thing will be able to defeat his best fighter, the Mekkan known as Torgo in the Great Games.

While the FF on Earth begin searching for their captured friend, Ben is delivered into slavery at the hands of Boss Barker. Along the way Ben learns that the Skrulls of this planet adopted 1930's humanoid forms, inspired by Martin, and capture beings from other worlds to fight in their gladiator pits. After a few failed escape attempts, Ben is informed that he will have to fight Torgo. When meeting Torgo, Thing learns that the justification of the Mekkan's life will be the death of the Thing.

Back on Earth, Reed's deductions as to what happened to Ben bring him to the conclusion that he was likely kidnapped by the Skrulls.

Solicit Synopsis

See the mighty Thing, enslaved on the planet of the Skrulls!

Notes

Continuity Notes

Machine Gun Martin later went on to have a feature article in the 1939 Daily Bugle. His first name was revealed in that story.

The Skrulls of Kral IV are not the only Skrulls who co-opted Earth culture for their own ends. In Fantastic Four #174 a group of Skrulls was found that co-opted Earth culture from the 6th Century for entertainment purposes. Black Panther (Vol. 4) #32–34 showed that some of the Skrulls of Kral IV later took on the culture of the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s & 60s. Wisdom #1–6 showed that a group of Skrulls embraced the 60s British Pop music explosion.

Fantastic Four #173 identifies that Torgo's is a member of the Mekkan race and that his homeworld is the planet Mekka.

Taxtor was identified as a member of the Tekton race of the planet Tekton in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #10.

Chronology Notes

Events occur behind the scenes of this story that affect the chronology of the following characters:

Human Torch:

Page 1-19 - Johnny goes out looking for the Thing.
Page 20 - Johnny returns to the Baxter Building and learns Ben was kidnapped by the Skrulls.