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Fantastic Four No. 1 Panel By Panel is essentially 'take two' of Maximum Fantastic Four, first published back in 2005. The new 2021 version is intended to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Cosmic Quartet's first appearance and contains a 'reprint' of their debut issue, photographed from an actual published comic from 1961, as are the close up panels which precede it.
It doesn't work, and I have to be frank and say that I was disappointed with the book when I browsed through it earlier today. Why? Because the publishers have used an extremely grubby and dilapidated copy of FF #1 and the paper discolouration is far too evident, as is every blemish and imperfection on each page. Unlike the Maximum edition, which used clean and recoloured proofs for the panels (it didn't contain the issue in its original form), Panel By Panel uses them as they originally appeared (though enlarged) and Ben-Day dots just don't lend themselves to being increased to several times their normal size.
It all might have worked had a cleaner, brighter copy of FF #1 been utilised, but I suppose they had to go with whatever was available, which was a ragged, dirty copy that looks like it's suffered from damp. The essays are interesting, but I'd suggest only buying this book if you won't miss the money it costs to purchase it.
Conclusion? Interesting, though very far from being an essential 'must have'.
Footnote: Also, the book doesn't quite live up to its name, as I've just noticed at least one panel is completely missing (I'll check for others later), and many others are cropped, resulting in only partial images, not complete ones. One partial panel has been 'manipulated' to include its caption from the 'off-screen' side and, what's more, the caption has been reduced in size, resulting in the lettering being much smaller than an accompanying speech balloon. Tsk! My disappointment continues to grow.
When do the Jim Reeves festive tunes start, Kid? It's a Crivens Christmas tradition!
ReplyDeleteMaybe in the next couple of days, CJ - if you're a good boy. You could just type Jim Reeves into my blog's search box though, if you can't wait. That way, you'll see every Jim Reeves' song link I've ever posted.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but it's more Christmassy if you feature his festive songs on the blog :)
ReplyDeleteWhich song is your favourite out of all 12, CJ?
ReplyDeleteMary's Boy Child because that's one of my favourite Christmas songs whoever sings it.
ReplyDeleteThis has prompted me to dig out my Jim Reeves Christmas Songbook cd. 22 tracks which I will give a spin tomorrow morning. Bought it a couple of years ago but think I only played it once
ReplyDeleteI'll play that one first then, CJ, just to keep you happy. Am I good to you or what?
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Trouble with that CD, AL (which I've also got), is that it included religious songs recorded at a different time, which don't have the same sound as the ones on the 12 Songs of Christmas album. You should (if you can) programme your player to play only the 12 Christmas songs.
Ok thanks for the info. I didn't realise that
ReplyDeleteThe original running order on the 1963 vinyl LP and later CD (different on the Pickwick LP & cassette) is as follows:
ReplyDeleteJingle Bells, Blue Christmas, Senor Santa Claus, An Old Christmas Card, The Merry Christmas Polka, White Christmas, Silver Bells, C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S, O little Town Of Bethlehem, Mary's Boy Child, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, and Silent Night.
Thanks for the review. I have the Maximum FF and was planning on giving this one a miss and now I'm certain I will. Maybe when I chance upon a copy for cheap, but not full price.
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Maximum FF isn't perfect, RJ, but at least you can see and study the art properly. Why anyone would want to look at close-ups of smudgy printing and Ben-Day dots in this new volume is a mystery to me.
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