Customer Reviews

Fantastic Four, Vol. 1 (Marvel Masterworks)

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Marvel's reprints of their old stuff under the Marvel Masterworks title are major proof not only of the timelessness of the story telling, but it is a testament to the consistency found in Marvel. With DC comics continuity has been changed so many times it's not funny. With Marvel, much of the events that happen in this collection of the Fantastic Four have lasting effects on the Marvel Universe. Specifically the second issue which not only introduces the Skrulls, but establishes events referred to much later in the Kree/Skrull war which plays a role in leading up to the recent Secret Invasion.

Stan Lee's story telling and Jack Kirby's art are great, classic work any hard core fan of the Fantastic Four shouldn't go without!

I was pleased to see the new masterworks released in a paperback format as this was. I really don't want to pay $50-$60 just to read old stories everytime I get a craving, so these fit well for me.

These serve as a point of nostalgia for me, not that I was a kid when these were originally in stores (I'm only 25), but nostalgia in the form that it reminds me of the days when I was a kid first reading comics as I'm sure many people felt reading these very issues when they were kids.

To me, the stories are good old Stan Lee style storytelling, full of action and cosmic adventures. I'll admit, there seemed to be a need (as with all the older marvel works) to have each character say a paragraph and fill each panel full of word balloons. This detracts a bit from the story, but not to the extent that you would not want to continue reading. Just try reading issue by issue and pacing yourself if you feel overburdened with word balloons.

Overall, having never read the old fantastic four stories, I enjoyed them very much. I still like the old Spidey stories better, but these are the next best in my opinion.

Well friends, I've just got this TPB yesterday and I was amused and bemused at the same time. I had never seen Jack Kirby's pencils before, it's wonderful, he desires really to be called "King". Fantastic Four is the only old material I will colect from these new reprints of Marvel Masterworks, i'ts the best comic produced in 60's!!! The paper is very good, and I love softcovers, I prefer than to the Hardcovers. Man, profit of this time to buy it, you won't regret.

Talk about classic tales. The Fantastic Four are a cornerstone from the Silver Age of comics that still resonates throughout the medium (and in the current FF comic) today. A masterpiece of the form.

FF was Marvel's first superhero team, and Stan Lee's writing brings the team to life. Unlike most comics of the time (the early 60's) these superheros don't hide their real identities and feel true-to-life. At least, as true as comic book superheroes with fantastic powers can feel. Johnny and Ben have squabbles that should seem familiar to anyone with a sibling, they have money problems, Sue has creepers hitting on her, etc.

Not only does this collection of issues 1-10 introduce Reid Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Susan Storm/The Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing, they also bring us the first encounters with the evil genius Dr. Doom, the conniving Sub-Mariner (and his lust/admiration for Susan), and the alien Skrulls.

The production is phenomenal: the paper is thick and semi-glossy, line work is sharp, colors are crisp, all giving Jack Kirby's legendary work the showcase it deserves. The book is standard trade paperbook size.

The price, format, and content are all perfect. This comic and its stories have stood the test of time and have become a classic. Don't hesitate to add it to your personal library and share it with your own family.