Retro OSR Review & Commentary On The Fantastic Four Compendium (Marvel Super Heroes, Ma4) By David Martin (Author) For The Marvel Super Heroes Advanced Rpg system

 " In this book, you'll meet all the heroes who have at one time or another been members of the Fantastic Four, the group's extended family, their friends, and their allies. You'll also find stats for the Fantastic Four's most hated and feared DR. DOOM (both of them!), the PUPPET MASTER, the members of the FRIGHTFUL FOUR, and many others. Details are provided for the old Baxter Building and the new Four Freedoms Plaza, for such locales as PEGASUS, ILIAKANDA, and HANDAR. From the Fantastic Four's first battles with GORMUU and the MOLE MAN to their latest adventures, you can find everything you need to play the Greatest Superhero Team Ever between these covers."

So last night I got out this old beauty because of the fact that I'm planning on introducing some of the classic The Fantastic Four Compendium (Marvel Super Heroes, Ma4) adventure elements to our campaigns. 
The first thing that jumps out to me is just how much classic Marvel Fantastic Four elements that the TSR crew crammed into this classic! Ma4 is for the Marvel Super Heroes Advanced Rpg system even though it's incredibly useful for other super hero rpg systems. 

 The Fantastic Four Compendium (Marvel Super Heroes, Ma4) By David Martin (Author) is way, way, out of date from the Fantastic Four comics. However, Ma4 does cover all of the Sixties through early Eighties classic era Fantastic Four adventure elements.  There's a great Amazon review of MA4 from Kevin M.Derby from June 27,2016; "David Martin hit a home run with the “Fantastic Four Compendium.” While this is a supplement for TSR’s classic Marvel RP from the 1980s, Martin also offers an interesting resource for fans of the team though, after more than a quarter of a century, this is a dated look at the team (so dated that the team included Crystal and Ms. Marvel--not She Thing--instead of Reed and Sue Richards). Besides looking at the main characters and their supporting cast and opponents, Martin shines a light on the team’s various headquarters and other locales, vehicles, and equipment. It’s a fascinating look at the Fantastic Four after John Byrne’s run and the inconsistencies which have mostly plagued that team since then. Highly recommended to Fantastic Four fans." 
So what's so great about Ma4?! Well besides giving us the lowdown on Namor, Atlantis, the Moleman, and more. Is the fact that The Fantastic Four Compendium (Marvel Super Heroes, Ma4)  gives out the prime adventure locations like the Negative Zone, and it's inhabitants such as Blasstar and many others. 
Plus we get a wide range of equipment, gimmicks, devices, etc all used by the FF. And these are just waiting to get your PC's into trouble. 
Because Ma4 was designed with this in mind it slots right into the Marvel Super Heroes Advanced book. These design choices go right along with Pete Tamlyn opinion who  reviewed Marvel Super Heroes Advanced Set for White Dwarf #84; "Regarding the rules, Tamlyn states: "Jeff Grubb has done a pretty slick job, both in expanding the system without over-complicating it [...] and in explaining it all in an entertaining manner."^[3] He was critical of the set's complexity, "TSR seem to believe in simple, improvisational games for kids and complex, rule-heavy ones for adults."^[3] He continued, "Whether you need MSH Advanced depends on how you like to run your games. If you're starting out, provided it is not your first roleplaying game, I'd go for the Advanced game but be prepared to treat a lot of what it says as guidelines only." All of this can be found within the Marvel Super Heroes Advanced wiki entry here. 

Photo stolen from Wayne's books who has an excellent Marvels Super Heroes section here. 

Our own super heroes were known as the 'mop up's' back in the Eighties because that's exactly what we did with The Fantastic Four Compendium (Marvel Super Heroes, Ma4) By David Martin (Author). We'd often mop up after the Fantastic Four had moved on and taken out more negative zone or Mole Man monsters after the FF had moved on to other things. Often this was direct result of working for Damage Control. We got paid on a mission by mission basis and were super mercenaries way before it became fashionable. 
Is The Fantastic Four Compendium (Marvel Super Heroes, Ma4) By David Martin (Author) worth the download?! In a word, oh yes and it's available through the Classic Marvel Forver website under downloads advanced tab.