here's an example of why it takes me so long to finish a book. i drew this whole page before i decieded i didn't like it. i'm not sure if i will continue the story or not.

5 page preview!

here is the first five pages of my next comic.

Roland in the wasteland

                If I was trying to get someone to read the Fantastic Four I think I would hand them the origin issue and then tell them to skip everything until this collection. That isn’t to say that what happens between isn’t good, or important, but these stories are so damn good they will go back read all that and beyond it.  There isn’t a single issue in here that isn’t a giant sized insane concept story. The FF are fighting the Inhumans one minute, and then Galactus the next. It never lets up.

                A really big thing to note is that this is the collection where Joe Sinnott took over as regular inker for Vince Colletta. If you think an Inker can’t make a difference in a book take a look at the difference of what’s on the page. I’m not saying Vince was a bad inker, but Joe really got into the groove with Kirby. You got the sense that Vince was also inking other books, so he had to get in and get out. But Joe seemed to really take his time with the work. He got in there and did every little detail and black area that Kirby was drawing. He also seemed to have a better handle on Kirby’s action. When someone gets punched you really feel the motion and the explosion of impact.

                While we are on the subject of people who inked Kirby we have to talk about the man himself right? Kirby is one of my favorite artists of all time, and the work in this book is a big part of that. I just love the way he draws…well everything. I know Kirby isn’t known as someone who draws pretty girls, but I love the way he draws Sue and Crystal.  I don’t think anyone could have done a better job at these stories. From the Forbidden land, to the Negative Zone, then to Wakanda, Kirby can do it all and make all of it looking amazing.

                My one complaint about this book is the way Reed talks to Sue. I know that is was a different time, and you might think that was just the way a man would talk to his wife, but really he comes off as a big fat Jerk.

                The first thing that really stood out for me in this book was the art work. I’ve always been aware of John Byrne, but until now I hadn’t read anything by him. After reading this collection I can see why he is held in such high regards. The art work in here is fantastic. Everything about it is firing on all cylinders. It’s that crisp, but not hyper-stylized artwork I love in super-hero comics. I enjoy these Essential collections because they are printed in black in white, giving you a chance to really take in the artwork. I don’t think the art would be weaker in black and white, there are parts that would have been interesting in color, but for the most part I think the stories read even better without color.       

                And how about those stories: For the most part they are good. It’s the Jim Shooter age of Marvel Comics and his big push was as many panels and as many great stories as possible. There is a real sense of one story flowing into another, the way events in real life seem to lead one right into the next. Villains don’t simply show up at the X-Men’s door talking about world domination. There is an issue to issue buildup of their plan, before the X-Men get involved.

                There are of course a few negatives things. I liked the Dark Phoenix sage, but it seemed to drag on a bit. It might have been because the “saga” actually happens there is a slow build up to it. Cyclops, and others, keeps thinking about how strong Jean is becoming and wondering if she can handle that level of power. When it at last seems to be over they squeeze another two issues out of it. While I was reading it there just seem to be this giant part in the middle that I had to work my way through to get to the end.

                It was also a bit annoying to read all the recaps issue to issue. I know that this is really no one’s fault. When the comics were original published they were coming out month to month, and no one was thinking they might one day be printed in a 500 page collection. So they had to throw that recap in for the readers who were unable to get the last issue, or even the last couple. But for those of us reading all those issues back to back it was a bit annoying.

                Overall this was a really great read. It was a classic time in the X-Men comic, and for me it will stay that way.

i've started posting to the disgusting flith blog again. i think i'll do shorter strips this time though.