tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post548418026783245053..comments2024-03-27T11:32:34.392-07:00Comments on NOT A HOAX! NOT A DREAM!: FANTASTIC FOUR #276Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-3583268722901463022016-09-13T13:35:02.456-07:002016-09-13T13:35:02.456-07:00I caught that near-identical thought balloon thing...I caught that near-identical thought balloon thing when I read these issues, but I forgot to make note of it in my posts. Thanks! Seems like perhaps Mike Carlin was asleep at the wheel there.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-14425527008332224832016-09-05T10:37:26.709-07:002016-09-05T10:37:26.709-07:00I’m a big fan of Ordway’s inking on Byrne, althoug...<br>I’m a big fan of Ordway’s inking on Byrne, although I do think it takes some time for them to really mesh. Like you said on #274, Gordon’s inks were a nice change of pace if maybe a bit too light and feathery for Byrne’s style (and the spotlight on Thing in particular) — but now as then I was grateful for some added value to the art. <br /><br />Byrne uses virtually the same line for a thought balloon of Johnny’s as he did for one of Reed’s in #274, by the way: “Most of the world seems to think her full name is ‘Alicia Masters the Thing’s Girlfriend’” vs. “Most of the world seems to think of ‘Alicia Masters, the Thing’s Girlfriend,’ as if it were all one word.”<br /><br />The group of comic-strip characters was fun — and not just on its own terms. I couldn’t help but think of an issue of <i>Mad</i> I’d read as a kid (like 3rd, 4th grade) that showed the Flagstones, Bumsteads, <i>etc.</i> having a key party, which in fact was my introduction to the concept of a key party…<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-69699381990812493562016-08-15T08:52:50.391-07:002016-08-15T08:52:50.391-07:00"How does one break Reed's arm?"
I ..."<b>How does one break Reed's arm?</b>"<br /><br />I think you need Mephisto involved, otherwise it's pretty much impossible!Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-85551811456804985142016-08-15T08:52:00.819-07:002016-08-15T08:52:00.819-07:00Johnny's new hair might show up here or next i...Johnny's new hair might show up here or next issue; I can't recall. In any case, I don't much like it. Byrne's attempts at keeping his characters trendy resulted in some unfortunately dates looks in the latter part of this run.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-67773856166369801872016-08-15T08:50:46.909-07:002016-08-15T08:50:46.909-07:00I don't necessarily mind the photo backgrounds...I don't necessarily mind the photo backgrounds, because (as angmc43 says below), Jack Kirby did it sometimes -- as did Neal Adams, so Byrne is clearly emulating his idols here. I just think he takes it overboard. Plus he draws such great cityscapes that I feel a bit cheated by a photo instead of a drawing.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-37756776054525544892016-08-15T08:47:53.362-07:002016-08-15T08:47:53.362-07:00I love this cover. Byrne liked to experiment with ...I love this cover. Byrne liked to experiment with plain black & white like this; he did it on an issue of ALPHA FLIGHT with Aurora and a WEB OF SPIDER-MAN cover with the black costume. I seem to recall he said Jim Shooter did not like the technique.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-65963372380705184452016-08-11T14:20:12.246-07:002016-08-11T14:20:12.246-07:00"You seem to be well versed on the subject, M..."You seem to be well versed on the subject, Mrs. Chalmers."<br />"Oh, I am. My late husband, Martin, he never put much stock in my reading."<br />To a person who has a hammer, everything looks like a nail. To a person who has <i>The Hammer of Witches</i>... ;)<br /><br />That's again some very subtle and at the same time profound world-building. Step just a little away from NY, or the other bigger cities, and the people with superpowers don't seem to be anyone's primary consideration, barring some acute mutant agitation every now and then. Kind of close to Massachusetts, aren't they?Teemunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-14226735529218841412016-08-11T08:05:43.398-07:002016-08-11T08:05:43.398-07:00I love that the neighbor, who lives in the Marvel ...I love that the neighbor, who lives in the Marvel Universe, jumps to "witchcraft" and not "superpowers" when spotting strange things. <br /><br />How does one break Reed's arm? I suppose it's not always flexible, and it happened before he was able to make it flexible in any way? Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-74432283414507473042016-08-08T14:42:10.546-07:002016-08-08T14:42:10.546-07:00Is this when Johnny gets the new do?
I believe AM...Is this when Johnny gets the new do?<br /><br />I believe AMAZING SPIDER-MAN had the encased Alien Symbiote-costume try to put some mojo on Franklin. Next issue, a mysterious flying device flies around the place for the Symbiote to influence it to break it free. I believe the device might have something to do with what will happen in the next FF storyline.<br /><br />I see the photo-backgrounds as Byrne making a nod to how Jack Kirby filled FF issues with similar backgrounds.<br /><br />Reading this issue made me realize Hiram was gray in the temples. Byrne would later do an ink job for FUNKY WINKERBEAN.angmc43@hotmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15379700547226493861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-61951893563076277572016-08-08T14:12:49.739-07:002016-08-08T14:12:49.739-07:00I kind of like the Manhattan photograph background...I kind of like the Manhattan photograph backgrounds in Byrne's FF. Manhattan certainly is a character of its own in Marvel comics to warrant be seen, occasionally, in its real splendor.<br /><br />Elspeth Cromwell just may be the best one-off character/villain/antagonist ever. Professional enough when telling off Alma Chalmers, powerful enough to just breach Sue's force field which very few ever have managed, stupid enough to go wield spells that with only the accidental ingredient of innocent blood will summon Mephisto. I love the cinematic entry by Elspeth to battle Reed and Sue.<br /><br />Knights of Hades are a great visual and concept. People were asking for their reappearance in our letter col after the story. I'be always wondered though where the strict science guy Reed suddenly has the esoteric know of what the Knights of Hades' deal is: did he just pull his impromptu lecture from his ass or has he maybe been looking in to the stuff more deeply because Dr. Doom certainly is well-versed with that stuff. And when you start thinking of that, you kind of get uncomfortable with how exactly Reed could not only recognize Victor von Doom's ESU necrophone project as one but actually spot a miscalculation in the functions with one quick peek.<br /><br />Gotta wonder if PAD owes a bit to the Knights of Hades for his quite similar-looking "Endless Knights" in the "Fall of Pantheon" storyline in HULK #425.Teemunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7105844689832543332.post-76770817853053408642016-08-08T10:37:55.690-07:002016-08-08T10:37:55.690-07:00This was one of the first F4 covers that I remembe...This was one of the first F4 covers that I remember. My brother had a subscription way back when and I have since commandeered that collection and replaced missing ones.Vigus.maximushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09507638550137405659noreply@blogger.com