There’s another article on Comics Research & Such providing some nice ancillary comments.
When I was in 7th grade, I used this comic in an in-class demonstration about comics. It was the first moment I realized just how good Joe Sinnott was as Kirby’s inker. I still think of Sinnott’s iconic, sleek look whenever I think about the FF. And this splash page has always haunted me:
For all of the technoimagery and collage work and Negative Zone images in this comic, this is truly the standout image of the book. Ben Grimm, alone, abandoned, awash in self-pity, standing in the rain. Stronger than nearly every other person on the planet, yet helpless against the elements and his mutated condition which walls him away from humanity. Just an amazing image.
Side rant: Sadly, the Marvel Masterworks that cover the best range of comics from this era- FF 41-60- are poorly done, using inferior representations of these most influential comics from the Silver Age. Luckily, current Marvel trade management is aware of the problem, and we’ve been promised (through the Marvel Masterworks board) a new restoration and presentation of these issues in the future. I suspect we’re going to get FF Omnibus 2 next year when the next FF movie comes out. We know we’re also getting a Frank Miller Daredevil Omnibus reprinting his first run on the Daredevil book, and there will also be a Steve Ditko Spider-Man Omnibus. I love Omnibuses (Omnibusii?); how can anyone not love oversized comics on the choicest paper available?