ANOTHER KRACKING KOSMIC KIRBY (RE) KREATION By KID...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS



It's common knowledge that MARVEL's STAN (The MAN) LEE sometimes rejected JACK (King) KIRBY's initial cover ideas and requested that he come up with another approach.  Such was the case with FANTASTIC FOUR #20, perhaps on the grounds that the good ol' FF - being covered with a coating of plaster - were not quite as dynamic (or recognizable) as Stan felt they should have been.  (And a stunted ALICIA MASTERS seemingly sprouting from the back of the menacing MOLECULE MAN wouldn't have helped.)

A few years back (1997  to be precise), The JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR printed a stat of the pencils of the unused cover, and I was consumed with a desire to see it in finished form.  I enlarged The THING slightly (Jack often drew him too small, compared to his original towering stature in FF #1) and "fixed" Alicia's position in the background.  I also decided to render the foursome without the plaster coating, the better to be able to see them.  TJCK printed it in one of their issues, but I forget which number.  Once again, there are a few areas which could stand improvement (The MOLECULE MAN lettering in the cover blurb for example) and maybe one day I'll eventually get around to doing it.

Anyway, I thought all you cavorting Criv-ites might like to see just how FF #20's cover could have looked.  (And maybe even does, in an alternative reality somewhere.)

"HEAD FOR HOME, ROBERT..."

Copyright relevant owner

Don't you just love it when someone does something really clever?  Here's an example of what I mean: feast your eyes on the cover of the very first FIREBALL XL5 ANNUAL for 1963/'64 (above).  Now cast your awestruck orbs on the cover of the DVD collection containing all 39 episodes, released a year or so back (below) - see what they've done?  I think it's really cool, and a nice way of bringing things full circle.

This is the second DVD release of this cult programme; there was one a few years back which, rather nicely, had the XL5 logo on the discs, but sadly contained no extras.  This time it's got extras galore, plus a fantastic TV CENTURY 21 booklet written by ANDREW PIXLEY, and detailing the history of this GERRY ANDERSON 1960s' classic.

If you don't already have it, add it to your Christmas list now.  (And it might be wise to start saving for the colourized collection - there's bound to be one eventually.)

DON'T ASK - JUST BUY IT!

Pencils by Kirby, inks, colours & lettering by Robson

Thirteen years ago, The JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR printed a stat of a pencil drawing of ORION - and asked readers to send in their inked version of the pic.  I never got around to it at the time, but later - and for my own amusement - I used a sheet of tracing paper to ink the piece and then decided to have a go at colouring it as well.  I only had some acrylic inks and felt-tipped pens, so that's what I used.  So here it is (above) in all its glory.

For good measure, shown below is the black and white inked version.  When I get a chance, I'll dig out the issue of JKC and post the copy of the pencils.

Inked with Windsor & Newton #3 sable brush