Lee/Kirby FF Run

[wktf]

Marvel Masterworks Fantastic Four Volumes 1 - 10.

Though I’ve read nearly all of Stan and Jack’s FF stories, I wanted to read Kirby’s entire FF run in sequential order, which I’d never done before.

Wow. So many amazing characters, themes and storylines originated in these pages it’s simply impossible to recount them all. And, in keeping in mind that all of this was so groundbreaking at the time, the sheer joy of reading these works was tremendous. Not to mention seeing Kirby’s imagination just evolve and explode on these pages, along with the nuances and characterization Stan achieved in his scripting and dialogue.

All that said, both creators seemed to throw in the towel with volumes 9 & 10. In volume 9 alone, in three completely different story arcs, different villains all used hypnosis to negate the FF’s powers. Really? Were Stan and Jack so done with originality that they had to retread the same idea THREE TIMES within 10 successive issues? And Jack’s art? Well, Kirby still is Kirby, but the pages just lost the incredible life and dynamism of the first 8 volumes. Jack was gone before volume 10 was over, with John Romita’s less than impressive art filling in before John Buscema later took over. I know much of what’s been written of Jack’s anger and frustration with Stan, and the turmoil in their relationship, but it was a bit painful to see how that evidenced itself in the creative product they produced for the FF’s fans.

Volumes 1 - 8 are a resounding 10/10! Volume 9 & 10? Maybe a 6/10? Overall weighted average of 9/10. Given that this is the Lee/Kirby FF, I just wish I could say the entire 10 volume set is a 10/10. Just not the case, though.

[nbr3bagshotrow]

Originally Posted by wktf

Marvel Masterworks Fantastic Four Volumes 1 - 10.

Though I’ve read nearly all of Stan and Jack’s FF stories, I wanted to read Kirby’s entire FF run in sequential order, which I’d never done before.

Wow. So many amazing characters, themes and storylines originated in these pages it’s simply impossible to recount them all. And, in keeping in mind that all of this was so groundbreaking at the time, the sheer joy of reading these works was tremendous. Not to mention seeing Kirby’s imagination just evolve and explode on these pages, along with the nuances and characterization Stan achieved in his scripting and dialogue.

All that said, both creators seemed to throw in the towel with volumes 9 & 10. In volume 9 alone, in three completely different story arcs, different villains all used hypnosis to negate the FF’s powers. Really? Were Stan and Jack so done with originality that they had to retread the same idea THREE TIMES within 10 successive issues. And Jack’s art? Well, Kirby still is Kirby, but the pages just lost the incredible life and dynamism of the first 8 volumes. Jack was gone before volume 10 was over, with John Romita’s less than impressive art filling in before John Buscema later took over. I know much of what’s been written of Jack’s anger and frustration with Stan, and the turmoil in their relationship, but it was a bit painful to see how that evidenced itself in the creative product they produced for the FF’s fans.

Volumes 1 - 8 are a resounding 10/10! Volume 9 & 10? Maybe a 6/10? Overall weighted average of 9/10. Given that this is the Lee/Kirby FF, I just wish I could say the entire 10 volume set is a 10/10. Just not the case, though.

Is there an omnibus for these?

[Shoo]

Originally Posted by nbr3bagshotrow

Is there an omnibus for these?

The Fantastic Four Omnibus vols. 1, 2 and 3 collect up to issue 93, just a few issues shy of the full Lee-Kirby run.

[The Dark Knight]

I will get the omnibuses. It's always on my mind... But i just have too many things to get.

[VaultMan]

Thanks for the review! Very cool to read

[risingstar]

I'm almost afraid of re-reading my silver age favorites for this very reason... I'm not the same person I was when I first read them back in the day. I'd likely read different things into them, and I'd probably be less forgiving....

[Mister H]

I appreciate the Silver Age for what it means to comicdom, I just prefer Bronze Age and a little while after.

[mmk123]

at one point I owned the Fantastic Four Marvel Masterworks #5 through 10. I never got around to reading them and when I was doing my purge of stuff last year I decided to take a bunch of books to my LCBS for some store credit. I had so much I had to read that I knew these would be on the bottom of the list. I figured that these would sell there and surprisingly they did not.

[risingstar]

Originally Posted by mmk123

at one point I owned the Fantastic Four Marvel Masterworks #5 through 10. I never got around to reading them and when I was doing my purge of stuff last year I decided to take a bunch of books to my LCBS for some store credit. I had so much I had to read that I knew these would be on the bottom of the list. I figured that these would sell there and surprisingly they did not.

Millennials prefer to read different books like Saga and Walking Dead. Nothing wrong with that, just saying that it's a different era.

[mmk123]

that is true. I have though about purchasing back the FF Masterworks #5 to 7 since there were so many stories in those that impacted the Marvel Universe tremendously (the intro of the Inhumans, Silver Surfer, Galactus, Black Panther, Warlock).