Fantastic Four #131

Fantastic Four #131, published by Marvel Comics in February 1973, arrived during a transitional era for the title following the long-running tenure of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Written by Gerry Conway with pencils by John Buscema, the issue serves as a mid-point in the title's evolution, focusing on the team's internal dynamics and the persistent threat of classic adversaries. This period of the series often explored the characters navigating existential pressures while dealing with the fallout of earlier, cosmic-scale narratives.

The visual direction of this era was heavily influenced by John Buscema, who brought a more grounded and anatomically focused aesthetic to the Fantastic Four compared to the kinetic abstraction of his predecessors. Readers and critics of the time noted this shift as a move toward a more polished, traditional superhero look. While the issue is considered a standard entry rather than a high-profile key, it remains a testament to the consistency of the creative team as they maintained the structural integrity of Marvel's flagship family during the 1970s.