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The first time I saw the Fantastic Four mag's new logo was on Friday October 6th 1972, on issue #126. Its first monthly mag appearance had been in November 1971 on #119 (cover-dated February for '72) and lasted right up to #159 in 1975. It was then replaced by yet another new logo (#160), which is probably the most uninspired one the comic ever had. Marvel eventually saw sense in 1980 with issue #218 and restored the original logo (or something closely resembling it) after a period of around 8 years and nearly 100 issues.
The original Fantastic Four logo was in the same style of the Amazing Adult Fantasy logo (or masthead if you prefer) and was designed by Sol Brodsky, clearly based on or inspired by that of The Twilight Zone TV show. I like the original logo, but I must confess I thought the '70s one (119-159) was very nice indeed, and I wouldn't have minded in the slightest had it been retained in perpetuity. It's big, it's bold, it's dramatic, and in my famously humble opinion, packs a punch that readers can't ignore - or miss.
I mainly associate the logo with John Buscema who was drawing the comic at the time, so I was surprised to see it had also appeared on a 1971 FF Special (#9), which featured a Jack Kirby cover - though not a new one, merely a reprint of the cover to FF #43. The Special is cover-dated December and, if running true to form, likely went on sale sometime in September, meaning the new logo made its debut on the Special, not the regular monthly mag as I'd assumed. As far as I know, #9 is the only Special or Annual to sport the logo, making it rather unique.
Anyway, having recently acquired that very Special, I thought I'd show you the cover where the new logo first greeted readers, just in case anyone else is as much a fan of it as I am. If so, don't keep it a secret - shout your love for it from the highest hill and let it echo in our cataclysmic comments section.
I've never seen that cover before - nice one! My association of that logo is also with the John Buscema years, and I have issue 119 which I thought was its first appearance but as your detective work has shown, was not the debut. Always annoyed me that whovever coloured the cover of 119 and / or signed off on it for publication did not notice that they'd missed some of the red background between the 'F'' and the 'A', since corrected in the masterwork collection (vol 12).
ReplyDeleteAlso continually impressed at the way Jack kirby could create all sorts of outlandish machinery that seemed simultaneously unbelievable but plausable, even when trashed here by the weight of The Thing.
Yeah, I noticed that colouring oversight as well, PC. Thing is, a lot of stuff was recoloured for the first editions of Marvel Masterworks and corrections sometimes made, but then mistakes were reinstituted in later printings in an attempt to be more archival. So it may be that you've got an earlier edition where the error was fixed, but later editions might have put it back in. I can't get at my Omnibus volumes at the moment to check, but when I do, I'll let you know.
ReplyDeleteAnd Kirby was certainly the man when it came to creating convincing (if outlandish) machinery, no doubt about it.
The cover changed with issue 218, not 220.
ReplyDeleteYou say "I thought the '70s one (119-219) was very nice indeed"
But you also say "another new logo (#160), which is probably the most uninspired one the comic ever had" which lasted until 217.
So, I think you liked the 119-159 logo, but not the 160-217 logo. And definitely not "the '70s one (119-219)" which was three different logos.
jmurphy
I knew what I intended to say, JM, but the old brain fog (which you'll have 'heard' me mention if you're a regular reader) intervened to prevent me saying it as I typed. Now amended, thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteI'm a traditionalist so the wonky original (and its slight variants) are my faves. But there's a keen modernism about this one.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link with the logos:
https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/Fantastic_Four
Thanks for the link, RJ, I'll take a wee look.
ReplyDeleteJust looked. Interesting to see that the 3rd version of the logo made a reappearance in later years. I've probably got the issues featuring it in my collection as well.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Marvel UK's logo for 'The Complete Fantastic Four - A Book-Length Thriller Every Week'.
ReplyDeleteNot forgotten, CJ, just not included as it's the US mag (and Annual) in the spotlight.
ReplyDeleteIs it me or is there something not quite right about the S in the FF logo used from issues 160-217?
ReplyDeleteIt's more than just the 'S', DS, the 'O' in 'Four' is too wide. And yes, I'd say the 'S' shouldn't be so curvy, more 'squarish' like the other letters.
ReplyDeleteOn a similar note Kid, what does your expert eye think of the original logo on Spectacular Spider-Man? Does the M look as though it's leaning to the right more than it should? It's always looked to me like it's just about to fall!
ReplyDeleteI would post a link but I'm in work right now so hopefully you can see it on Google- if note I'll send a link later to show what I mean.
I think it's because the left-hand stroke of the 'M' is slightly angled, DS, whereas the right-hand one looks straighter. However, it's not a great design to start with to be honest. Looks like the work of the same letterer who did the FF logo you just mentioned, but I'm too lazy to check.
ReplyDelete