This issue of Marel Two-in-One was the first Fantastic Four-related comic I remember reading. Sometime after that I remember looking at some random issue of Fantastic Four my cousin had, which one I can’t remember, but I do know it was in the middle of some ongoing story and it was weird and strangely fascinating to someone mostly used to DCs and the occasional Charlton.
It wasn’t until the early ’80s that I began my full-on dive in Marvel Comics readin’, and my gateway was…an issue of The Thing, which brought me to John Byrne’s run on Fantastic Four (starting with the then-current issue and picking up the previous ones as I could) and then on to just about everything else Marvel-ish.
Fantastic Four, though, was one of the main two I stuck with (the other being Incredible Hulk and all its later permutations). I would occasionally not follow the title (there’s a big chunk of ’90s FF I skipped) but I have all those Byrne issues, the Waid run, the Millar run (which I still think is actually pretty good), Fraction and Hickman, Simonson, and now Slott…all readable, enjoyable and imaginative. I’ve also since read all the original Lee/Kirby stuff, with all its primal energy, laying the foundation for a fictional universe that is essentially dominating all popular culture today (even if its mostly been without the FF’s direct interaction, though not for lack of trying a couple of times).
None of this really says anything about the comic, so let me just say it’s a fun tribute to the team’s long history, with cute “chapter break” images that really drive home the time the team has spanned. You will not be surprised at all by one of the story’s “twists,” but really, it’s a wild trip though the FF’s history and that’s entertainment enough. It’s mostly a standalone book (though one major subplot does carry through from the previous issues, but the exposition train pulls into the station long enough to catch you up) so if you haven’t read FF in a while, it’s a good sampler of the title’s current status, and worth checking out.
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On a copmpletely different topic, I was looking at my old Flaming Carrot action figure the other day. It has a feature where if you twist the little plastic plume of “flame” that sticks out of the top of his head, it will light up. Or would light up if the battery wasn’t long dead, I thought as I twisted the doodad, but lo and behold:
…LET THERE BE CARROT LIGHT. I wondered just how old this figure was, as I couldn’t recall exactly when I picked it up from the previous place of employment. A peek into Diamond’s database revealed 1) it was still listed in said database, and 2) it came out in December of 1998. Nearly 23 years later, that little light is still working. Amazing. Now if we can only fnd out what the Carrot’s actual secret identity really is, and where that speaker in his chest came from.
The official Dark Horse Comics site still has a page devoted to the figure (which gives a release day of November ’98). A closer look is in this pic I “borrowed” from an online source:
All that does is make me wish I hadn’t discarded the packaging for my figure.
A few of you responded to this post in which I wondered what I should read after finishing all the B.P.R.D. comics (which I’m nearly done with, by the way!).
John suggests Planetary, which is a good one, and in fact I did reread the series just prior to the long awaited last issue being released a couple of years ago. I could probably stand to read it again, but may give it a while since it still feels like it’s maybe too soon since the last reread.
Michael suggests Yummy Fur, which is fair enough since I just made a big hoohar over finally completing my run. Believe it or not, I’m not really ready for a Yummy Fur reread…I’ve reread Yummy Fur lots of times, relying on the trade paperback for the initial part of the “Ed the Happy Clown” story, and then reading the single issues that continued Ed’s story, and on through the autobiographical (and semi-autobiographical) stuff. When I finally got that issue #9, I read the Bible story back-up since I hadn’t had the opportunity to read it before. And then I put the number #9 in with my numbers 1 through 8 and 10 through 32, and then my full run of Yummy Fur and I pranced though the grassy fields, hand in hand. …I’ll probably sit down and read it straight through sooner or later, though.
Bruce and “Snark Shark” both recommend Grimjack, one of my all-time favorite series and one I do reread, not necessarily in whole but at least in part, every once in a while. I did a full reread of the series a few years back, and have since gone back and reread an issue or seven here and there when the mood strikes me. I’m pretty sure I wrote about reading the James Twilley-era Grimjack here on the site…or at least I posted a lot about Grimjack after reading all those Twilley issues.
Bruce also suggests, along with David G, Legion of Super-Heroes, which David favoring the ’70s/’80s material, while Bruce extolls the virtues of the Legion era circa Legion Lost (original, not the New 52 version). I have been a Legion man, as David G asks, for many, many years, only recently giving up on the franchise following the, what, fourteenth or fifteenth reboot. I almost, almost, got back on the wagon when I saw that Keith Giffen was drawing an issue or two of the New 52 Legion, and that the Fatal 5 were coming back, and oh boy oh boy the Legion fanboy buried deep within me nearly clawed his way back to the surface, but I stopped him just in time.
…I have reread some short runs of Legion not long ago, such as the “Great Darkness Saga,” and I feel like I reread all the “Five Year Later” stories straight through to the Zero Hour “conclusion” not too long ago (well, maybe about ten years ago), so I’m probably good on those for the time being. However, those later stories that Bruce mentions, the Legion Lost and Legion Worlds comics, I may go back to soon. …I don’t even remember what Legion Worlds is about, so that’s probably a good candidate for a return visit.
philfromgermany is going to make me admit my secret shame: I’ve only read a smattering of Suicide Squad, Hourman and the Christopher Priest Black Panther. …I know, I know, I’m a horrible human being and should be ashamed to call myself a comics fan, but I can say I did like what I read, and should the opportunity arise, I’ll attempt to read them all in toto. (“You stay out of Toto!” “Sorry, Dorothy!”)
Aaron asks, in regards to my Flaming Carrot mention, if I backed the Kickstarter to reprint issues 6 through 12 of the series. Sadly, I did not, but I am glad that the Carrot comics are remaining available for people to read. I really do think that’s going to be the next Big Reread for me, though I’m sure it’ll remind me I don’t have the Kilian Barracks one-shot which always frustrates me. (But I have at least read it at one point, so I can’t complain too much.) I’m especially looking forward to rereading the Carrot comics with Harvey Jerkwater’s particular interpretation in mind.
And in response to Bill: I mean removable labels like these to seal your comics. Pretty much the only thing I use to seal comic bags at home and at the shop. Avoid those pesky tape tears!
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Thanks to everyone for your kind words regarding my post about
Errol. I’m still in that phase where I’m still not quite accepting the idea that we’re never going to see him again. I mean, it doesn’t seem like he’s passed away…he only came to the store once a month, with calls between, so right now it just feels like he’s running a little behind on his regular schedule, not that he’s gone forever.
…Sigh. Stop dying, people I like.
