Category: Comic Books

Fantastic 4D

The cliché theme “it’s all about family” in movies and TV continues with Fantastic 4: First Steps. The first Fantastic Four movie from Marvel Studios, rather than Fox.

I saw the movie in IMAX 3D. The effect adds something to the viewing experience, but if I go again it will be without the discomfort of wearing the 3D glasses over my distance glasses.

Nobody told me it’s an Adult movie!

F4 is a rather unusual movie in its presentation and pacing. From the start it’s a different breed of superhero flick, but only until the Fantastic Family meet Galactus, when the action becomes more typical of Marvel movie installments.

I like the retro Sixties vibe, which is notable for its lack of New Yorkers smoking cigarettes. Of special significance, the credits include a nod to Jack Kirby. It isn’t a co-creator credit but it’s nice nonetheless, and it “stans” alone, without Mr. Lee.

A Mighty Marvel Mish-Mash

Yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the unique and very worthwhile Museum of Printing in Haverhill, MA.

https://www.museumofprinting.org/

I went there not knowing that a couple of years ago the museum hosted a comic book event. The computer voice in this brief video mispronounces Haverhill. The “have” should sound like “cave,” and the second “h” is mostly silent.

The museum’s library has a nice selection of comic book related items, including the gigantic volume “The Stan Lee Story” that was published by Tashen shortly after Stan’s death in 2018.

This is the original art for that cover, owned by some fortunate and presumably well-heeled person.

Cover to Fantastic Four #59, 1966, by Kirby/Sinnott

A member of the Comic Book Historians group on Facebook posted this excellent article about the production of the 1966 Marvel Super-Heroes cartoons. It was published in the short-lived “The World of Comic Art.”



Shooter’s Secret War

Jim Shooter, Virginia Romita, Joe Sinnott, 1991

Out of nowhere on Monday, it was announced that comic book writer/editor/publisher Jim Shooter had died.

On May 7, Shooter’s summer convention schedule was posted on Facebook…

Jim will be appearing at the following shows!
Big Lick Comic Con – NOVA – May 31-June 1
Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find – June 20-22
GalaxyCon Raleigh – July 24-27
Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of FarleyCon Pop Culture & Comic Book Expo! – August 2-3
TerrifiCon ™ – Connecticut’s Terrific Comic Con at Mohegan Sun – August 8-10
Dragon Con – August 28-31
See you there!

… but after missing a couple of those dates, this appeared on June 18.

Shooter had said nothing that I’d seen about him battling cancer, and considering his optimistic convention schedule I have to assume his condition must have declined very rapidly. I waited to post something about his death until the NYTimes had an obit. It’s shared here paywall-free.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/arts/jim-shooter-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Tk8.2plK.Hai0QvTUlbwV&smid=url-share

I met Shooter only once, at a Terrificon in Connecticut. Joe Sinnott was going to be on a panel when we heard one of the other panelists was a no-show. I forget who it was, but he was a writer. I’d chatted with Shooter earlier that day, and when I heard of the vacancy I asked him if he would be willing to fill in. I told Jim that Joe would be there, he immediately agreed, and he was great.

Getting an Inkling

Vince Colletta had a long run of inking Kirby’s Thor, but in his rush to finish an assignment he would sometimes cut corners. Which he didn’t apparently do on this interior splash page.

Kirby/Colletta from Thor #153

Bill Everett inked some issues of Thor. This page makes for a good comparison.

Kirby/Everett from Thor #175