Every week, I'll examine the five goofiest moments from a five-issue stretch of a particular comic book series. Here is a list of the moments featured so far.

This week, we look at Fantastic Four #31-35, all scripted by Stan Lee, all penciled by Jack Kirby and all inked by Chic Stone.

As always, this is all in good fun. I don't mean any of this as a serious criticism of the comics in question. Not only were these writers certainly never imagining people still reading these comics decades after they were written, great comics often have goofy moments (Kirby/Lee's Fantastic Four is one of the best comic book runs of all-time and there were TONS of goofy stuff in those 100 plus issues!).

HONORABLE MENTIONS

I just love the names Reed comes up for his inventions...



In #32, Sue believes that a new bad guy is her father. She stops Reed from attacking him. I like to read Johnny's comment as if he was just genuinely curious...



"If we're fighting each other now, then fair enough, I just wanted to know. I'm cool with fighting each other, I just wasn't sure what the deal was."

Later, in #34, a bad guy has convinced the various members of the FF that their fellow members are imposters and/or under enemy control. But even if Johnny thinks Sue is under the Puppet Master control, it is still pretty weird to shoot FIRE at her, right?



I love how in #35, Stan decides to act like Reed and Sue was still a "are they into each other?" deal...



In #31, Reed needs to teach Johnny more about history...



There HAVE been earthquakes in New York, Johnny!

In #34, Stan needs to come up with a way of establishing that the issue's bad guy is really rich. So he has him RETURN A BILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE THE MONEY IS NOT NEW!!



I love that that is where his mind went when he saw Jack draw in those bags full of money. And I love that the bags have dollar sings on them.

In #33, Reed creeps everyone out by becoming a manta ray...



In #32, Reed cures Ben of being the Thing, but there is a side effect...







I love how Reed not only makes this major life decision on Ben's behalf, but he won't even let Ben determine if he is willing to take the risk of the amnesia not being permanent by trying again.

5. "We can't go on together...with suspicious minds"

You have to love how Reed's mind works...



4. How convenient.

So Sue gets hit by shrapnel. Only one man can do the surgery....her father!!



It doesn't get much hokier than that.

3. Things wants to hold your hand

What a revoltin' development it was in #34 when we learn of the Thing's interest in wearing a Beatles wig...





2. Reed the dictator

In #32, after Sue screws up their attempt to capture the Invincible Man (who she thinks is her dad), she and Johnny think that they have to quit the FF because Reed is better off without them. I love when Stan had Reed act like a total jerk to the rest of the group...





1. Mister Fanstastic - genius

Amazingly, the brilliant plan of the bad guys in #34 is to leave a gun next to Mister Fantastic under the hopes that he'll just fire any weapon nearby him...and they planned correctly!!!