Super Skrull lands in Times Square and announces his intention of global conquest.
In this issue, Super Skrull doesn’t have all the powers of the Fantastic Four, as he would later. Instead, he turns into a variety of weapons.
Kinda weird that he’s a genetically engineered living weapon from space, and he turns into a medieval battering ram. It’s effective, though. He seems to have no trouble facing off against the Four.
Question, though: If he has the powers of the Fantastic Four, why is he the Super Skrull and not the Fantastic Skrull?
Super Skrull is also pretty smart–he’s able to track Sue in ways few others ever have.
But teamwork makes the dream work, and together the FF are able to trap Super Skrull.
In the end, he is defeated by being pushed into a hole, which is welded shut by Human Torch. This is remarkable because (a) it’s Skrull and not Thing in the hole (see the tag below); and (b) they bury the dude alive.
That’s some cold hearted shit.
This was also an early issue showing the team swarmed by a mob of reporters. The Fantastic Four were the “celebrities” of the Marvel set. The Avengers held press conferences, the X-Men were outcasts, and the FF were chased around like The Beatles.
Reed continues to use shape-shifting powers like he’s Plastic Man. This will abate as the years go on, but for now, it offers scenes like this:
Super Skrull does even better, though, turning his flames into a bow and arrow.
And just like that the wickedly powerful ability to generate and control flame is turned into an ability only slightly better than Hawkeye.
We also learn that Thing likes Disney.
Very convenient, since half a Century later, they buy Marvel. I’m tagging that as a publisher crossover, below.