Never Work With Children or Animals...

Marvel's first family, the Fantastic Four, already started off differently from other super teams at the time, due to actually ACTING like a family.  ... Without the alcohol and uncomfortable silences at family gatherings...  BUT as time went on for the title, they added some truly unique elements that I wanted to write about for today's blog.  One is certainly more intimately connected to members of the FF, namely Sue and Reed Richards.  The other was more of an element of those genetic freaks... not of the Scott Steiner variety.. of Attilan, the Inhumans, that probably proved to be MORE popular than Black Bolt's royal family.

Franklin Richards was born into the world in "Fantastic Four Annual #6".  And what a birth it was, with Sue Richards cooped up in the hospital to give birth, while Reed, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm off in the Negative Zone battling Annihilus!  I may be incorrect, but I think Frankie holds the distinction of being the first child of a super-heroic marriage.  Aquaman and Mera may have beat Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman to the altar, but those Richards knew how to maximize their bedroom time!  Franklin also had some interesting abilities, due to his cosmic ray-infused parentage.  But... That ability is a bit of a "comic book cheat".

I do give Frankie credit for being the first child of ANY super-hero pairing, but the power to "alter reality" is infringing on the abilities of those somewhat annoying magical imp characters both companies are guilty of creating.  (If I ever get around to writing about Impossible Man, expect a blog that's full of wrath and venom...)  It was also due to those abilities of Franklin that... while it did earn him a membership in Power Pack... helped create the unfortunate "Heroes Reborn" reality after the effects of "Onslaught".  Another personal failing I attribute to Franklin... or at least his development... is that he is NEVER ALLOWED TO GROW UP.  This character has existed for over 30 years now, and I still don't think he's been given a chance to reach double-digits in years, naturally.  Oh sure, we DID have appearances from his time-traveling older self in various events, but remembering that detail means remembering "Fantastic Force"... and who wants to do that?  So it's not like I have a major beef against Franklin Richards, but to me, he's essentially a take-it-or-leave-it element of the FF that I'm really not anxious to read about.  Franklin lovers, though... please just respect that it's solely my opinion.

As for my next subject, we go from kids to dogs.  Or at least I THINK he's meant to be a dog...  He's sure as hell canine-esque in appearance.  Ladies and gentlemen... LOCKJAW!

Showing up in "Fantastic Four #45", he was part of the grand introduction of the Inhumans to the FF universe.  Thankfully, he doesn't have as detailed a history as Franklin, in that Lockjaw was the only dog to be exposed to the Terrigen mists, granting him the ability of teleportation.  But aside from that, he's just a gigantic puppy with a tuning fork on his forehead.  ... And I love him for that!

 

I'll be the first to admit in real life, while I'm not anti-dog, I am certainly more comfortable with cat care.  But every time Lockjaw shows up for a Marvel event, there is a smile that crosses my face.  I think it's just the simplicity of the character's concept, and the generally jovial appearance, that brings me much joy.  Forget the fact that Lockjaw is generally stuck with the morose Inhuman clan; you know you're going to get some otherworldly antics with his appearances... and a little bit of dog-based humor every. Single. TIME.