The Inhumans #3
The Inhumans #3 (cover-dated February 1976) serves as the debut issue for three characters who would anchor the series' Kree-driven story arc: Shatterstar (the Kree super-soldier Arides), his dissident father Falzon, and Phae-Dor, the hard-line head of the Kree Supreme Science Council. By introducing a Kree plot to recapture the Inhumans as their original genetic experiment, the issue pivots the series decisively toward cosmic stakes, situating the Royal Family in the larger Marvel space opera that would define their mythology for decades. The issue also represents one of the earliest Bronze Age showcase moments for a then-rising George Pérez, whose detailed, kinetic pencils were already distinguishing him from the pack before his signature runs on Avengers and New Teen Titans made him a household name.
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The 1975 Inhumans series gave the Royal Family their first solo title after years of back-up strips and guest appearances; writer Doug Moench, who handled all but one of its twelve issues, steered the book toward a sustained Kree menace storyline that began in earnest with this third installment. Marv Wolfman served as editor, and the interior art team of Pérez (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks) handled the issue, while Rich Buckler and Dan Adkins provided the cover — a different pairing from the interior team, a routine Bronze Age production practice. The series was collected in full decades later in Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans Vol. 2, giving modern readers access to the complete Moench–Pérez–Kane–Pollard run.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Shatterstar (real name Arides), a Kree 'super-soldier' created by the Supreme Intelligence's science program and sent to capture the Inhuman Royal Family — a character created by Doug Moench and George Pérez who recurs through Inhumans #6 and later in Captain Marvel #53 (1977) and Avengers #383 (1995).
- First appearance of Falzon, a dissident Kree scientist who stows away on Shatterstar's ship to warn the Inhumans of the capture plot — also created by Moench and Pérez, and confirmed by the Marvel Appendix fan reference site.
- First appearance of Phae-Dor, leader of the Kree Supreme Science Council, whose name is not revealed until Captain Marvel #52.
- First appearance of the Kree Supreme Science Council as a body within the Marvel Universe.
- The story, 'Panic in New York!', features the Fantastic Four (Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, The Thing) in cameo only — the Royal Family travels to New York to contact them but fails to do so.
- Written by Doug Moench; penciled by George Pérez; inked by Mike Esposito; colored by Petra Goldberg; lettered by John Costanza; edited by Marv Wolfman.
- Cover art by Rich Buckler and Dan Adkins; cover-dated February 1976, with an on-sale (release) date of November 18, 1975.
- The letters page 'Black Bolt's Bulletins' includes a letter from Ralph Macchio, who would later become a prominent Marvel editor and writer. The issue also carries a Series B Marvel Value Stamp: B-36 (The Amazing Spider-Man). The entire 12-issue series, including this issue, was reprinted in Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans Vol. 2.
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↩ Reprints [Marvel Hostess Ads] #4 (1976)
Reprinted in Fantastic Four #67 (1976), Fantastic Four #68 (1977), Frankenstein #12 (1979), Blockbuster #3 (1981), Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans #2 (2010)
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