tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post5802437209001229686..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: Giant-Size July: Giant-Size Fantastic Four 4Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-4609773375774798922012-07-09T22:55:30.334-05:002012-07-09T22:55:30.334-05:00I rarely ever got any of the Giant-Size mags, main...I rarely ever got any of the Giant-Size mags, mainly because I either couldn't find them at my usual comics sources or I just didn't have enough money to buy them! Of course, this was really only frustrating in the case of all those Englehart Avengers stories that continued from the regular mags into the Giant-Size issues. Wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I filled some of those Giant-Sized holes in my collection. This mag remains one of the holes, however, and given the review not one I'm particularly anxious to fill. Most of those old FF's with Chic Stone inking look awful to me, even on such a classic tale as the FF/Avengers/Hulk brouhaha in issues 24 & 25. I do remember seeing ads for GS-FF #2 and being intrigued enough by the cover to wish I could get it, and I also liked the idea of the 4 Horsement tale, but when I finally did read them, ages later, like David B, I found the execution lacking. Ah, well, they can't hit one out of the bowling alley every time (uh, did I really just screw up my sports metaphor?).Fred W. Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07602124919964053532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-9555286014951088912012-07-09T12:43:43.008-05:002012-07-09T12:43:43.008-05:00Hey, it wasn’t really the writer’s sports error, b...Hey, it wasn’t really the writer’s sports error, but Ben Grimm’s. Maybe Ben doesn’t know anything about football. Not buying that excuse? Me either.<br /><br />Anyway, it is weird reading this and seeing all of these other powers for Madrox. Apparently, they changed his skill set a bit later on, as this was his first appearance. I agree with Karen that the multiplication power is fairly useless, at least in battle. It may be semi-useful for espionage, though. Then again, I’d always thought Medusa’s power fairly useless, yet she’s always made out to be rather powerful.dbutler16https://www.blogger.com/profile/00046066729353639991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-21688012535396670782012-07-09T11:25:54.811-05:002012-07-09T11:25:54.811-05:00I read this issue one awesome summer (I think it w...I read this issue one awesome summer (I think it was 1980), when I borrowed this wonderful box full of several years worth of mainly Marvel comics from 1975 and before. I remember liking it all right mainly because of the tie-in with X-men, which I was really into at that point.<br />However, based on your rundown, and the panels you posted here, I have to admit it doesn't look very good. One thing I remember vividly, though, is the Thing in that superfly get-up at the beginning. I still can't figure out what they were thinking with that, but it is incredibly hilarious...Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-18466893090754653742012-07-09T08:09:31.228-05:002012-07-09T08:09:31.228-05:00Being a big fan of the Medusa/Johnny Redsuit phase...Being a big fan of the Medusa/Johnny Redsuit phase of the FF, I'd typically be picking up these final issues, but GS FF's have been frustrating to enjoy on several counts especially after the first one brimmed with so much appeal, one of the better Hulk/Thing Bronze bouts.<br /><br />I picked up GS FF ish's 2 and 3, and found the story concepts still very intriguing with Ben back in the roaring 20s, Reed and Johnny back in the Revolutionary War (ok, not exactly fighting Galactus, but potentially a nice breezy summer read from Conway..) then fighting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but the execution's lacking. <br /><br />The art's consistently spotty ~ I never read a classic where artists/inkers are changed up mid-story; and the story's didn't have focus, at least to drive home a nice, satisfying ending. Not sure what other projects Chris and Len were writing at the time, but it looks like they got more attention than these issues. There's limits to how good art can carry a story. <br /><br />Seeing Chic inking Buscema in the regular series this year (1975), he didn't do too bad when John B. had game, but when the layouts are rushed, that's when you REALLY need Mr. Sinnott in the final inning. Unfortunately you see a lot of it here in ish 4 and Mr. Stone's not your man. <br /><br />And to make matters worse, a lackluster cover (the later GS FF reprint issues had better covers..). <br /><br />Overall, this chapter of FF history lost emotional resonance after the moving Reed-Sue-Franklin storyline in ish 141. I'd file this as wanting to pick this up to fill holes in what I've hailed as my favorite FF period, but as an adult I'd prefer to hunt this down in a dollar bin and keep saving for more nice Silver Age gems.david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.com