Fantastic Four #265
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeFantastic Four #265 marks the moment Jennifer Walters formally joins the Fantastic Four as She-Hulk, filling the roster vacancy created when Ben Grimm chose to remain on Battleworld at the conclusion of Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars. That single roster swap—Byrne's deliberate 'illusion of change'—reshuffled the team's interpersonal dynamics for years and launched She-Hulk on a sustained FF run that would shape her characterization heading into her beloved solo revival. The issue also carries a long-fuse narrative bomb: the woman greeting the returning heroes as Alicia Masters is retroactively established to be the Skrull spy Lyja, a substitution not revealed until Fantastic Four #357 (1991) and one that would redefine years of continuity, including Johnny Storm's marriage.
In "The House That Reed Built," the Fantastic Four face a rift in their ranks when Reed, Johnny, and Ben vanish during the Secret War, leaving Sue to navigate the fallout with help from the Avengers. Upon their return, Sue is confronted with unexpected changes—Ben has chosen to stay behind, She-Hulk has joined the team, and her own personal journey with the baby brings new challenges. Written and illustrated by John Byrne, with cover art by Byrne, this 1984 issue captures a pivotal moment in the team’s dynamics, set against the backdrop of the Baxter Building’s shifting landscape—where even familiar walls might hide secrets.
In "Home Are the Heroes," Sue Storm is left behind as Reed, Johnny, and Ben vanish during the Secret War, struggling to make sense of their absence with a group of Avengers. When the team finally returns, Sue is stunned to learn Ben has stayed behind and She-Hulk has joined the Fantastic Four, all while she grapples with the challenges of her pregnancy.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The issue sits at the direct intersection of two major editorial initiatives: John Byrne's celebrated solo writer-artist tenure on Fantastic Four (which began with #232) and Jim Shooter's Secret Wars crossover event. Byrne structured the issue as two distinct eleven-page stories—'The House That Reed Built' and 'Home Are the Heroes'—both written, penciled, and inked by Byrne with coloring by Glynis Wein, lettering by Michael Higgins, and editing by Bob Budiansky. A notable quirk of publication timing documented by contemporary readers is that Fantastic Four #265 shipped before Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1, meaning readers encountered the aftermath of the event in this title months before the miniseries itself explained what had happened.
Trivia · 7 facts
- She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) officially joins the Fantastic Four in this issue, replacing Ben Grimm (The Thing), who elected to stay behind on Battleworld after Secret Wars.
- The Thing's departure from the FF roster begins here, an exit that persists through nearly the remainder of Byrne's run on the title.
- The woman presented as Alicia Masters in this issue is retroactively identified as the Skrull spy Lyja, making this her first chronological appearance in disguise; her true identity was not revealed until Fantastic Four #357 (October 1991), created by Tom DeFalco and Paul Ryan.
- The issue contains two complete stories: 'The House That Reed Built' (featuring the Trapster's attempted infiltration of the Baxter Building, told partly from the building's own security-camera perspective) and 'Home Are the Heroes' (the FF's return from Secret Wars).
- Roberta, the robot receptionist of the Baxter Building, plays a key action role in defeating the Trapster in the first story; her first appearance was earlier in Fantastic Four #239 (1982), also by Byrne.
- The entire issue was written, penciled, and inked by John Byrne, with colors by Glynis Wein, letters/editing by Michael Higgins, and editing by Bob Budiansky; Jim Shooter is credited as Editor-in-Chief.
- The issue has been reprinted in Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 4 (2005), the Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 2 (2013), and Decades: Marvel in the '80s — Awesome Evolutions (2019), among several international editions.
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Reprints
Reprinted in Fantastic Four #157/158 (1984), Die Fantastischen Vier #16 (1986), Los 4 Fantásticos #42 (1986), Los 4 Fantásticos #43 (1986), Nova #119 (1987), Fantastici Quattro #37 (1991), Fantastici Quattro #38 (1991), Marvel Exklusiv #9 (1998), Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne #4 (2005), Fantastic Four: Extended Family #[nn] (2011), [Marvel Super Heroes] Secret Wars #[nn] (2011), Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus #2 (2013), Marvel Héroes #60 (2015), Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld #[1] (2015), Decades: Marvel in the '80s - Awesome Evolutions #[nn] (2019), Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four #24 (2022), Almanaque do Capitão América #79, El Asombroso Hombre Araña Presenta #250, Fantastic Four Special #9, Marvel Superheltene #10, Marvels universum #8/1988
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