Episode #17 - Blast Starr, the Living Bomb Burst
Original Airdate - January 6, 1968

Reed uses his time-space dimension machine to observe a strange distant planet in the midst of a giant battle. The planet's inhabitants are fighting Blast Starr, an incredibly powerful being capable of throwing power bolts from his hands. He is eventually defeated using a special gas and exiled to outer space in a capsule suit. Reed uses his machine to enter the Negative Zone and look closer at the planet, but ends up trapped there with no return. He asks Johnny to follow him to halt his journey through space, and with his help, Reed is returned to Earth, along with Blast Starr, who escapes from his capsule suit. On Earth, Blast Starr begins destroying everything in sight, and the Four attempt to stop him. They trick him into believing that he has destroyed them, and then lure him to an atomic power plant on Atlantis island where the final battle takes place.

Notes: Based on "Blastaar, The Living Bomb-Burst!" from Fantastic Four #63 (July 1967), written by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby.

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Review: Another 'cosmic' story with the Fantastic Four, this time with a very credible threat in the form of the all-powerful Blast Starr.

The opening scenes are pretty exciting, with a glimpse at Blast Starr at war with a whole alien planet, and Reed's accidental entry into the Negative Zone. From here on, the action never lets up, with Blast Starr presented as one of the most powerful enemies the FF have faced so far.

This episode, more than any other, brings home how troublesome having the FF's headquarters in the middle of New York can be, as Blast Starr aims his power bolts indiscriminately at passing traffic and the National Guard are ultimately called in again. It them makes perfect sense for Reed to lure Blast Starr away from the city for the final battle.

As with Molecule Man, Blast Starr works well as a villain because he is presented so seriously.

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