FANTASTIC FOUR MASTERWORKS Vol. 11 (#93-104): This is a pretty good volume which shows the title in transition and features the last stories by the increasingly dissatisfied Jack Kirby. The best of the Kirby stories is #94, which introduces Agatha Harkness in the midst of an attack by the Frightful Four (including Medusa!), none of whom apparently recall the events of Marvel Super Heroes #15. Beyond that, the last couple of Kirby issues are mostly solid but undistinguished done-in-ones. #98 (cover dated May 1970) is set against the back-drop of the Apollo Moon landing in July of 1969 and is interesting for that reason. Kirby’s last issue, #102, is the first of a three-parter in which Sub-Mariner and Magneto attack New York. The art on #103-104 was by John Romita, admittedly aping Kirby’s style as best he could.
FANTASTIC FOUR MASTERWORKS Vol. 11 (#105-116): The issues collected in this volume tell one long story with a beginning, and ending… and lots of stuff in between! The title is still in transition, but pickig up steam after Kirby’s departure. The artist switches from John Romita to John Buscema with issue #107, and the writer from Stan Lee to Archie Goodwin with issue #115 as the status quo for the Bronze Age begins to coalesce.
Both of these volumes tie in heavily to the rest of the Marvel Comics Universe of the day: Magneto from X-Men and into Amazing Adventures via FF; the Inhumans from Amazing Adventures into FF and back via Avengers; New York and the FF being attacked first by the Inhumans manipulated by the Mandarin then by the Atlantians being manipulated by Magneto, all while the Kree-Skrull was is brewing in the background!
I think some of the final Lee/Kirby issues are weaker because of Lee as well as Kirby. He was doing less with the dialogue. I like the Agatha one, and the Maggia one. The Thinker one has a great cover, but a weak story. The moon and Monocle ones have weak stories.
Troy's question here made me realise how topical the FF's origin was. Gagarin's flight, and Kennedy's moon commitment, had come earlier in the year. So Lee and Kirby's FF run sort-of began with Kennedy's moon announcement, and ended with the actual moon shot.
For a short time in the late 60s, just after Fantasy Masterpieces changed its name to Marvel Super-Heroes, the title switched from an all reprint format to one new feature backed by Golden Age reprints. That's where Captain Marvel was first introduced, as well as the Guradians of the Galaxy and Phantom Eagle. Other new stories included a Spider-Man inventory story, and Black Knight and Ka-Zar solo adventures. The Inhumans feature in #15 was to have been the first issue in a new series, but was cancelled before it got out of the starting gate. It also featured the Frightful Four and an already-reformed Medusa.
Lee's role, I think, expanded to do whatever was necessary. As I see it, he would do as little as possible (and I don't mean that in a deragatory way), but because he was spread so thin, he'd leave as much of the plot and character design as possible to his collaborators. When Ditko left Spider-Man Lee upped his game to produce some of my favorite stories ever, and I think the immediatle post-Kirby issues were better than the last of the Kirby-plotted issues leading into them.
I guess we're in horseraces territory regarding some of these stories. I agree on the Agatha one, but I don't think the Maggia one was as stong as the Collins landlord character Lee would soon introduce. He was revealed to have practically begged the FF to make the Baxter Building their HQ when the building was new, but the Maggia's ownership of the building became a Mopee (meaning that it was not mentioned again). I'll agree the Monacle story was weak, but I liked the Moon one. The 100th "anniversary" issue was weak, but introduced the concept of "guest-stars galore" even though the real villans were minor (the Puppet Master and the Mad Thinker in this case) and the "villains" not really real (android puppets, in this case).
Re-reading the first Archie Goodwin stories for the first time in many years (like 25) and the second time ever, I was surprised to note the striking similarities between the “Overmind” and Kirby’s later Eternals series. First of all, the Overmind was from a race of Eternals, and second, the “Overmind” is very similar in concept to Kiby’s later “Uni-Mind.” Do I think Kirby copied the concept from Goodwin? Highly unlikely. But it’s easy to imagine the Overmind being the leader of a race of “Eternals” created by Kirby’s race of Celestials on a planet in another solar system.
I’m surprised I’ve never read of anyone making this comparison before (which is not to say someone hasn’t, only that I’ve never heard of it).
The artist switches from John Romita to John Buscema with issue #107, and the writer from Stan Lee to Archie Goodwin with issue #115 as the status quo for the Bronze Age begins to coalesce.
What's the status quo for the Bronze Age? Constantly shifting creative teams?
According to the GCD, Gerry Conway wrote or co-wrote ##133-152, along with Giant-Size Super-Stars #1/Giant-Size Fantastic Four ##2-3 during the period. (I don't know who was the driving force on the issues he co-wrote with Roy Thomas.) Roy Thomas wrote or co-wrote ##156-179, 181, along with Fantastic Four Annual #11 during the period. (He had previous written ##119, 126-132, and ##133, 136-137 with Conway). Marv Wolfman wrote or co-wrote ##195-217 (having dialogued Giant-Size #3 and written #190 and Annual #12 earlier).
For a short time in the late 60s, just after Fantasy Masterpieces changed its name to Marvel Super-Heroes, the title switched from an all reprint format to one new feature backed by Golden Age reprints. That's where Captain Marvel was first introduced, as well as the Guradians of the Galaxy and Phantom Eagle. Other new stories included a Spider-Man inventory story, and Black Knight and Ka-Zar solo adventures. The Inhumans feature in #15 was to have been the first issue in a new series, but was cancelled before it got out of the starting gate. It also featured the Frightful Four and an already-reformed Medusa.
Good to know, I never knew the Guardians of the Galaxy appeared so early. I always figured they were one of those mid-'70s throw anything at the wall and see what sticks (I always kind of liked them myself).
The original story was by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan. Starhawk was introduced when they appeared in Defenders, and Nikki in their short-lived series in Marvel Presents.
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FANTASTIC FOUR MASTERWORKS Vol. 11 (#105-116): The issues collected in this volume tell one long story with a beginning, and ending… and lots of stuff in between! The title is still in transition, but pickig up steam after Kirby’s departure. The artist switches from John Romita to John Buscema with issue #107, and the writer from Stan Lee to Archie Goodwin with issue #115 as the status quo for the Bronze Age begins to coalesce.
Both of these volumes tie in heavily to the rest of the Marvel Comics Universe of the day: Magneto from X-Men and into Amazing Adventures via FF; the Inhumans from Amazing Adventures into FF and back via Avengers; New York and the FF being attacked first by the Inhumans manipulated by the Mandarin then by the Atlantians being manipulated by Magneto, all while the Kree-Skrull was is brewing in the background!
Is it (including Medusa!), because she was supposed to have been reformed at this stage?
Troy's question here made me realise how topical the FF's origin was. Gagarin's flight, and Kennedy's moon commitment, had come earlier in the year. So Lee and Kirby's FF run sort-of began with Kennedy's moon announcement, and ended with the actual moon shot.
Lee's role, I think, expanded to do whatever was necessary. As I see it, he would do as little as possible (and I don't mean that in a deragatory way), but because he was spread so thin, he'd leave as much of the plot and character design as possible to his collaborators. When Ditko left Spider-Man Lee upped his game to produce some of my favorite stories ever, and I think the immediatle post-Kirby issues were better than the last of the Kirby-plotted issues leading into them.
I guess we're in horseraces territory regarding some of these stories. I agree on the Agatha one, but I don't think the Maggia one was as stong as the Collins landlord character Lee would soon introduce. He was revealed to have practically begged the FF to make the Baxter Building their HQ when the building was new, but the Maggia's ownership of the building became a Mopee (meaning that it was not mentioned again). I'll agree the Monacle story was weak, but I liked the Moon one. The 100th "anniversary" issue was weak, but introduced the concept of "guest-stars galore" even though the real villans were minor (the Puppet Master and the Mad Thinker in this case) and the "villains" not really real (android puppets, in this case).
Re-reading the first Archie Goodwin stories for the first time in many years (like 25) and the second time ever, I was surprised to note the striking similarities between the “Overmind” and Kirby’s later Eternals series. First of all, the Overmind was from a race of Eternals, and second, the “Overmind” is very similar in concept to Kiby’s later “Uni-Mind.” Do I think Kirby copied the concept from Goodwin? Highly unlikely. But it’s easy to imagine the Overmind being the leader of a race of “Eternals” created by Kirby’s race of Celestials on a planet in another solar system.
I’m surprised I’ve never read of anyone making this comparison before (which is not to say someone hasn’t, only that I’ve never heard of it).
What's the status quo for the Bronze Age? Constantly shifting creative teams?
I plan to address that question (as I see it) next week after re-reading FF Masterworks Vol. 12.
Good to know, I never knew the Guardians of the Galaxy appeared so early. I always figured they were one of those mid-'70s throw anything at the wall and see what sticks (I always kind of liked them myself).
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