WOMEN'S CANASTA AND MAH JONG SOCIETY
Membership: Unrevealed, only a delegation of four
women were seen. All remained unnamed
Purpose: To compete against one another in games
and tournaments of Canasta and Mah Jong
Affiliations: Unrevealed
Enemies: None, though the society wasn't too fond
of the Fantastic Four
Base of Operations: New York City, near or in the
Baxter Building
First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#22 (January,
1964)
History:
(Fantastic Four I#22) - When Mr. Fantastic accidentally forgot to lock
the doors and turn on the alarm system to the FF headquarters, a
delegation of the Women's Canasta and Mah Jong Society was able to make
its way inside. The four middle-aged women started complaining bitterly
about the Fantastic Four's activities. The representatives wanted Reed
to stop his dangerous experiments, claiming he was liable to make the
whole neighborhood radioactive if anything should go wrong. And that
would interrupt their annual Mah Jong tournament, which would be a real
shame. Mr. Fantastic tried to calm the ladies down, suggesting they
write him a letter in which they fully detailed their complaints. He
unsuccesfully tried to show them out, but the women weren't so easily
appeased and refused to leave. That all changed when Thing, turned
invisible by the Invisible Girl, barged in holding a weird robotic
creature he assembled from spare parts lying around Reed's lab. Seeing
the odd, floating creation come towards them, the terrified women ran
off. However, their visit did convince Reed that he might need to find a
new place to conduct the team's larger experiments.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, George Roussos (as G. Bell).
Forcing the FF to deal with the worriwarts of a local
women's club was an inspired bit of silliness on the part of Lee and
Kirby. Still, the Canasta ladies' complaints also served as the impetus
for the issue's main story which saw the FF visit an island that was boobytrapped
by the Mole Man, so the women were used for more than simple comic
relief. They've never appeared since, nor was it made clear where
exactly they held their meetings and tournaments. If they rented a space
in the Baxter Building, it's not unthinkable one or more of the Women's
Canasta and Mah Jong Society members were seen in Fantastic Four I#251,
during the FF's first tenants meeting after buying the Baxter Building.
Profile by Norvo.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Women's Canasta and Mah Jong Society has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#22, p8, pan1 (main image)
Fantastic Four I#22, p7, pan5 (facing Reed Richards)
Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#22 (January, 1964) - Stan Lee(writer), Jack
Kirby(pencils), George Roussos(inks), Stan Lee(editor)
Last updated: 09/18/13.
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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