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.”