Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:38 pm
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In another thread (This one: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=57250 ), I posted my reviews of the Lee/Kirby FF run. In this thread, I will continue past Kirby's departure. I will review every FANTASTIC FOUR and MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE issue published between FF #103 and the end of the Moench/Sienkiewicz FF run. As noted in the thread title, the time span concerned is 1970-1981.
These are the issues that I plan to read:
FANTASTIC FOUR #103-231 FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #'s 11-15 (Note that #'s 7-10 were all-reprint issues) GIANT-SIZE FANTASTIC FOUR #'s 1-4 (Note that #'s 5 & 6 were all-reprint issues) MARVEL FEATURE #s 11-12 (The MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE series really begins here) MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #'s 1-76 MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE ANNUAL #'s 1-5
There will also be a few crossovers with other series, notably AVENGERS (There may be another title or two in the mix, too, but I don't remember offhand. I know that there is more than one crossover with AVENGERS, though.).
I am ending just before Byrne's FF run begins. This is deliberate. If I ever revisit the series again (and I hope to, someday), then the Byrne run is a good place to jump back on. Besides, this gets me through the 1970s and into about a year and a half of the 1980s, so that strikes me as a good place to quit.
Incidentally, I will be reading most of these on the computer. The Masterworks currently end with FF #116. After that, I have the FF/SILVER SURFER dvd-rom. In the case of the MARVEL TWO-IN-ONEs, I will be reading these through two Essential volumes and then about twenty-five back issues.
...and now, on with the show!
_________________ "The devil's pourin' drinks, and his daughter needs a ride." - Hank Williams III
Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:44 pm
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FANTASTIC FOUR #103 October 1970 (Went on sale in July 1970)
Title: "At War With Atlantis!"
"Produced and Presented by: Stan Lee and John Romita"
Inking: John Verpoorten
[NOTE: This issue picks up where the previous issue (which is also the last issue of Kirby's run) leaves off. To read my review of that issue, click here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=57250&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=330 ]
Namor's war fleet prepares to invade the surface world. Reed contacts President Nixon and asks him to hold off an attack until the FF can talk to Namor. Nixon agrees, but says, "Let me make one thing perfectly clear...our armed forces will be ready in case you fail."
Reed, Ben and Johnny go to talk to Namor. Sue takes Franklin to Agatha Harkness. Crystal stays behind to "monitor communications." She tells Johnny that this is "the last time" that she'll stay behind.
Namor sees the Fantasticar approaching. Magneto uses his magnetic power to launch one of Namor's missiles. Namor declares that he will not strike first and rushes to stop the missile. Reed uses the Fantasticar's "jamming ray" to detonate the missile before it strikes them. It blows up, and Namor is stunned in the blast. This kicks off a battle between the FF and Namor while Magneto takes over Namor's ship. He sees Sue rushing to join her team mates after dropping off Franklin, and he sinks her ship.
Finally, Namor stops fighting with the FF long enough for the FF to learn of Magneto's involvement. They realize that Magneto must be behind everything. One of Namor's ships appears and beckons Namor inside. Magneto appears on the viewscreen. He is in Namor's flagship, and he has Sue and Namor's girlfriend, Dorma as hostages (Dorma explains that she went aboard the ship looking for Namor.). Magneto tells Namor, Reed, Ben and Johnny that they must do as he says for as long as he has Sue and Dorma.
TO BE CONTINUED
COMMENTS:
I'm reading this story in a MARVEL MASTERWORKS volume. The volume also includes essays by Roy Thomas, Joe Sinnott and Mark Evanier, among others. In the Thomas essay, Thomas notes that sales actually went up for awhile after Jack Kirby left. This doesn't really surprise me. Romita's art is more commercial, after all, and Kirby's style may have seemed more "weird" by 1970. It's also true, I think, that the quality dipped during Kirby's last year on the book.
Still...I think that Kirby always had a little "zing" to his work that's kind of missing here. I loved the weird-looking Kirby gadgets that did far-out things and just the way that Kirby's characters were always doing something.
On the other hand, it's true that the FF wasn't really going anywhere for the last year or so. Now, at least we're back to continued stories. For the first time in nine issues or so, the stakes seem higher, and it's nice to see Namor again. John Romita is no Kirby, but he's a good artist, and his stuff is always nice to look at.
Some things certainly haven't changed, though. The women are still kept out of the action, and Sue ends up getting captured! The fight with Namor is also a pretty typical Marvel-type "misunderstanding" between super heroes.
Regardless, I'm enjoying the ride so far, and I'm happy to see where it goes.
_________________ "The devil's pourin' drinks, and his daughter needs a ride." - Hank Williams III
Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:26 pm
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I have a lot of these "in-between" issues and again Marvel tried very hard to keep a Kirby flavor to the FF. Both Romita and Buscema tried to draw the book like Kirby and Buckler straight copied Kirby. Even the Perez art had a Kirby influence. Of course, it helped that Joe Sinnott inked nearly all of it.
Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:42 pm
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Yes, Dave, this is true. I met Buckler and hung out in his studio. He drew my characters on a comic cover with Sinnott inking. A unique guy. If you guys want I'll post the cover again or maybe when Bob gets to the Buckler issues.
Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:54 pm
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Who's the guy around here who's eyes turn red whenever we mention Buckler?
Anyway, I'm with Wayne - I grew up with a lot of FF, but really gravitated toward the Perez run. It had humor, it had pathos, some really interesting new villains, and alternate reality versions of everyone! Crazy shit. Also, the Thomas/Buscema run was spectacular. A lot of time traveling, World War II, and stuff.
I especially like Darrko, the Death-Demon. What a great anti-hero. Someone needs to bring him back.
Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:59 pm
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Steve wrote:
Who's the guy around here who's eyes turn red whenever we mention Buckler?
Anyway, I'm with Wayne - I grew up with a lot of FF, but really gravitated toward the Perez run. It had humor, it had pathos, some really interesting new villains, and alternate reality versions of everyone! Crazy shit. Also, the Thomas/Buscema run was spectacular. A lot of time traveling, World War II, and stuff.
I especially like Darrko, the Death-Demon. What a great anti-hero. Someone needs to bring him back.
I think the guy is Chris. Perez was Buckler's assistant before he got the FF. I think he kind of inherited the FF from Buckler.
Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:09 am
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FANTASTIC FOUR # 104 November 1970 (Went on sale in August 1970)
Magneto takes command of the Sub-Mariner's fleet and uses it to war on humans by attacking New York. He holds Sue and the Namor's girlfriend, Dorma, hostage, tying the hands of Namor and the FF. At Reed's urging, Namor joins Magneto, declaring that he will fight at Magneto's side. Meanwhile, Reed, Ben, Johnny and Crystal return to the Baxter Building, and Reed gets to work. Ultimately, Reed saves the day by inventing an "electronic converter." When Magneto uses his powers, Reed points the converter at him, and it mirrors Magneto's power back at him, imprisoning him in a magnetic cone. This ends the threat of Magneto. Namor leaves for Atlantis. He warns, however, that he can never be friends with the human race "so long as you air-breathers hate and distrust all who are different."
COMMENTS:
Lots of padding in this issue. Really, when you get down to it, not that much happens. There's just a lot of stalling until the inevitable conclusion. There are also a lot of standard FF cliches. Once again, Sue is captured and once again, Reed saves the day by inventing something on the fly. Of course, if you were a kid reading these issues monthly in 1970, then much of this would probably seem more fresh.
In any case, this certainly isn't a bad issue. Magneto is one of Marvel's best villains, and I think that he's at his evil best here. Romita's art is, of course, nice to look at.
_________________ "The devil's pourin' drinks, and his daughter needs a ride." - Hank Williams III
Post subject: Fantastic Four: Between Kirby and Byrne (1970-1981)
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:24 am
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Dr. Brian Fever wrote:
Do we get to keep track of the Buckler swipes when we get there??
I'd probably miss some.
Steve wrote:
I especially like Darrko, the Death-Demon.
Darkoth.
Steve wrote:
For a long time, almost none of it was ever reprinted. Now the Essentials have caught up and we've gotten a Perez FF trade or two.
Yeah, this era of the FF has been mostly neglected - arguably for good reason, I guess. Still, I think that there is some good stuff here - mostly from FF #158 (the beginning of the second Roy Thomas run) to #200 (Wolfman started his run with a great Dr. Doom story that culminated in FF #200...then his run went South).
The Conway/Buckler run is the worst of the era. That's the time when Sue left Reed, Medusa joined the team, and the Human Torch got a red costume. In fact, I think that that may well be the nadir of the entire series.
I'm getting ahead of myself, though. First, we have the Lee/Romita and Lee/Buscema - and honestly, Stan's first ten issues or so without Kirby are pretty darn good. Watch and see if you agree!
_________________ "The devil's pourin' drinks, and his daughter needs a ride." - Hank Williams III
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