Panel Discussion: Frankly Fond of the Fantastic Four...

 

Redartz:  Yes, it's true. I'm quite fond of Marvel's 'first family', the Fantastic Four. And this affinity goes  back a long way, to nearly the start of my comics interest. You've all heard how I cut my comics teeth on Superman and Spider-man; well after the wall crawler, the FF pulled a strong second place. This probably stems from exposure to (and devotion to) the 1967 Saturday morning exploits of the FF as presented by Hanna Barbera. 

 

That and Spidey were the definite highlights of those cartoon mornings for me, and it led to me picking out some FF issues off the spinners (which was, no doubt, the hope and expectation of Marvel executives). Oddly, though I recall almost all my old Spidey issues easily, those FF issues are more difficult to pin down. One that I do remember distinctly having was Fantastic Four Annual 6, with Annhilus. I was drawn irresistibly to that swirling red Kirby/Sinnott masterpiece cover. It's still a favorite. Incidentally, that summer had two 'swirly' covers, both of which I picked up- the other being, of course, Spider-Man Annual 5. What a combination those two books made...

 

Years later, when I returned to Marvel after years of Archie exclusivity, the second book I picked up was, again, Fantastic Four. This time it was issue 147, in the heart of the Thomas/Buckler era. And I loved it; making the FF another 'must buy' each month. Oh, and Rich Buckler's Kirbyish art really grabbed me. Yes, it was obvious, but the book looked great., and the stories were classics. Doom and the Surfer, Counter Earth, the Inhumans- just so much good reading.  Thomas, Wein, and Wolfman put together a very solid multi-year run on the title. Yes, there were a few reprints and a few clinkers, but overall the FF held a level of quality few comics could match.

 And returning to art, the FF seemed blessed with solid art for most of it's history. From Kirby to Buscema to Buckler to Perez to Byrne; it was like a Comics Art Hall of Fame! Much as I hated to see Buckler leave the book later on, his replacement by George Perez really eased the pain. Still later, Keith  Pollard did wonderful work on the book, and Seinkewicz was different but interesting.  

 

Then there was John Byrne. He took the Four to heights unseen since the days of Lee and Kirby. Under his auspices the Fantastic Four became my number one favorite; even beating out Spider-man and the X-Men. Which was an accomplishment, believe me. His run on the book, over several years, still stands up as a high point in 80's comics. I look through those books even today and am stunned by how good they were, and are. 

But what about the Fantastic Four themselves? What made them appealing to 7 year old, 14 year old, and 23 year old Redartz? The characters, obviously. "Marvel's First Family", indeed. The series had a feel unlike any other, with that family dynamic guiding the storylines and character development. And the characters- four fascinating ones. Reed, the rather obsessive intellectual. Sue, who grew from a seemingly supportive role to become perhaps the team's strongest and most interesting member. Johnny, the Kid, but with heart (and his terrific 'frenemy' relationship with Spidey). And Ben, wonderful Ben. Ben Grimm may be the greatest, deepest character to arise from the minds of Lee and Kirby. So, so many excellent stories have been focused on him, his frustrations, his conflicts, and his personality. No wonder he trails only Spidey on my list of favorites. 

So there's the reasoning behind my fondness for the Fantastic Four. We'll wind up with a few more eye-catching covers that capture the greatness of the series. So after you feast your collective eyes upon them, let's share our thoughts about all things Fantastic! 

 

 

 

Short Cuts: Snow, Snow, Snow....

 

Redartz: As of this writing, much of the United States is experiencing a snowstorm. Well, that is, except where I live. All around us it's snowing, we're getting freezing rain and sleet, doggone it. Sorry to gripe, but I love snow, and get frustrated at missing all the good storms. Anyway, that's what gives us our topic; those frosty flakes (Not Frosted Flakes, sorry Tony the Tiger) that provided so much fun to so many of us. Of course many of us have few or even no memories of snow, largely dependent upon where we grew up. But this go-round, let's talk about what we have experienced, or heard, or imagined. 

My  personal snow stories arise from a youth in central Indiana. We could expect at least a couple pretty good snowstorms each winter, and were seldom disappointed. The announcement on tv of a"Winter Storm Warning" was met with concern by parents, but with glee by us kids.  It meant the possibility of a "snow day" escape from school. But even if that didn't come to pass, the snow itself provided cause for celebration. Our neighborhood would, with a couple inches on the ground, erupt in snowball fights that left us soggy, half frozen but laughing like idiots. I was always perfectionistic;  making snowballs as round as I could. And, I'd always try to wear a coat with a hood; otherwise some wise guy would surely sneak up behind you and ram the dreaded "slush ball" down your neck. Ooog

 

Closely associated with snowball fights were snow forts. Usually built to provide some degree of protection from 'enemy projectiles', they required a bit of cooperation to build. Although if you were operating in an area which had been plowed, you had a head start- the piled-up snow from plowing made a great fort, with little adjustment needed. And we would, if the pile was big enough, dig tunnels into it. Never caved in on us; it's probably another example of 'things we did that our parents would faint over'. 

Speaking of plowing- that brings to  mind another benefit of snow. When we got older, it provided an opportunity for some money-making. We lived in a neighborhood that had a couple good hills, with the streets accordingly loopy. If you got a decent snowfall, those streets were traps for most cars that dared attempt them. I made many a decent tip during my teens, trudging to the bottom of our hill with snow shovel in hand, and giving a bit of a push to some stuck motorist. . 

Ok, I'll leave some storytelling for you all. Besides, the snow outside my window has finally started to fall in earnest, we may get a few inches yet. Hope springs eternal...

 

Two Questions: Just How Musically Eclectic Are You?

 

Redartz: If there's anything as much fun to discuss as comics, it must be music. And we've made reference to many kinds of music here over the years; as we have as many musical preferences as we have community members. Many of us, myself included, consider our personal musical tastes to be fairly eclectic. Well, this week we intend to find out just how eclectic we really are...

Thus our questions this time around first ask for your judgement, and then will give said judgement a bit of a test. Call it an experiment, a bit of fun, or a goof. I'll accept the praise or brickbats either way.

First the personal assessment:

1.  Name at least three genres of music you enjoy listening to, and give us an example. 

Next, the practical test:

2.  If you have a device with the capability, set your music player to random and hit it  5 times. That should be sufficient to give as a taste of your taste! Let us know what those  songs turned out to be.If you've no such music player, feel free to blindly pull a few records /cds from your storage and name those. No fair skipping, if something embarrassing comes up we have to own up to it (God help me here; lol)!

No doubt you all are breathlessly awaiting me to start things off, so wait no more. My answers are...

1. Pop. I love pop, just good old unpretentious pop. As an example I'll give ABBA, and "Honey, Honey". Much of ABBA's output could serve as a solid example here. And I love just about everything they did.

 Blues. A trip to Memphis years ago with my wife really ignited my interest in this genre. One favorite cut is Amos Milburn and "Down the Road Apiece". Discovered this gem on a terrific compilation cd I snagged at a yard sale.  A great way to find new music on the cheap.

Broadway/Show Tunes. My parents played such music extensively as I was growing up, and it stuck with me. Probably my favorite is "Fiddler on the Roof"; all of it is phenomenal but the opening is spectacular. Tevye introduces the tale in fine form as storyteller and singer.

There's my three genres; I could go on extensively but would hate to bore you. So, now let's see what my Random Music Player says about me.

2. Cut one: Thin Lizzy, "The Boys are Back in Town"

Cut two:  Lorne Greene, "Ringo"

Cut three:  The Beach Boys, "Surfin' USA"

Cut four: Dinah Washington, "The Way I Feel This Morning"

Cut five:  Lene Lovich, "New Toy"

Well, I got off pretty easy. A good mix of styles and eras, and none of my Alvin and the Chipmunks tunes showed up. Okay, now let's hear from you. What wide ranging musical magnificence do you enjoy, and to what extent will your player show it? 

 

 

Chew the Fat: Models ( Aurora, Revell and Monogram; not Millie)

 

Redartz:  Back in our collective youth, we had many ways to occupy our free time. Reading, watching television, listening to music, engaging in outside activities, and so on. One activity that engaged both the mind and the hands was model building. 

As with comics, it was a friend who introduced me to the pleasures of modelling (and no, I don't mean posing for artists and photographers, although I did do some of that as an art teacher; but that's another story). This friend had a box full of leftover parts from numerous car models he had built, and invited me over to 'codge together' a couple of imaginative vehicles. We put together two pretty hodgepodge, clunky 'objects', not much to look at but it sparked my interest. 

 

Soon I was picking up model kits from the local store; seeking out cool looking kits such as Monogram (Mattel's model division) was producing at the time. My first 'solo attempt' was Monogram's "Cherry Bomb"; a sharp red speedster with an odd little trailer. I loved the 'lift open' top. 

 

 

Shortly thereafter I tackled another Monogram kit with cool gimmickry: the "Ice-T". Even had ice blocks in the back. And speaking of the "Ice-T", it represents another aspect of models that intrigued me. Soon after that model was released, Mattel's "Hot Wheels" car line released a redline version of the Ice-T. Obviously I had to pick that up. That was but one of many vehicles that became available as both a model kit and a Hot Wheel. I added the "Paddy Wagon" and the "S'Cool Bus", displaying the model and the Hot Wheel side-by-side on my shelf. 

Oh, and the "S'Cool Bus" was amazing. The model kit had acetate windows printed with cartoon kids doing all manner of goofy things; upon finding the Hot Wheels version I was disappointed to discover that it had no such feature. Ah well.  

Over the next few years I assembled numerous more models. My parents often gifted me with kits; a battleship and plane from Revell (another big model maker), more cars, and then a new twist arose. About the time I started into comics, Aurora released the "Comic Scenes" series. Aurora had long been a big producer of great kits depicting movie monsters, superheros, tv shows, and so on. Well, upon finding that Spider-Man kit, it was imperative that it be added to my model shelf. 

Sadly, this is where it turns dark. Not long after that my interest in comics totally eclipsed the models, and so they all met a deadly fate. A couple friends and I lined them all up in the backyard one day and shot them all to pieces with bb guns. It was fun at the time, yes. But years later, with those vintage models bringing sky high prices- I wasn't laughing anymore. 

But, the tale has a happier ending. A few years ago, at a flea market, I came across one of those Aurora Spider-Man kits. It was unassembled, and even still contained the instruction sheet/comic illustrated by Jazzy John Romita! The price was 30 dollars, which I gladly paid. Took it home, and over the next week assembled and painted it. I think my adult version turned out better than my youthful one.

 

 

So here's a few more kits you may remember, from several of the manufacturers discussed above. Any of these sit upon your shelves? Share your thoughts and memories of model building. Oh, and pass the Testor's cement, please...