R: Fantastic Four King-Size Special (Annual) #8 (December 1970), reprinting FF Annual #1, art by John Romita and John Verpoorten
Bottom: Fantastic Four Special Edition #1 (May 1984), reprinting FF Annual #1, art by John Byrne
(Click picture to Giganto-size)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQenrY-T9_-EUVG2XBTW-ZiSnvw_V3JFU-8tiFlhrdgKCUBaE56ekbiILucymY9gA-xa4zdGy_z1Njojw78Z-YnlUiN4PIRRurK7GzqoEg3B-PmXl2RJaS1ZaVKVCEHP-m-WVr2xjqailLu1jlzylysiBGc3sVXLXNMFDzAURyrHhKBfcqyO4/s1600/button-libertybellmarch.jpg" "It's...")
2 comments:
When you put these cover variations up and I try and determine which I would be most likely to buy. I've got to say that with three covers, its a tough call.
"Annual" is alright. The eye moves from the text box to Namor's ridiculous helmet, which guides us to the trapped FF. There, all the elements are established clean and simple. Its a good composition, but it feels rather inert.
"King Size" is an appropriately named step up. Space is used to a greater advantage to show the scale of Namor's conquest. This adds a new level of risk to the situation, now that its not just the FF in danger anymore) The text, while bigger is fewer, and gets straight to the point. Namor is victorious, his armies marching through the city, humiliating our heroes by parading them through the city in sci-fi shackles.
Problem is the prison they're in, is shown at an odd angle and kinda looks like a mayonnaise jar rather than a restraining cell. Also, the FF's heads hide Namor's feet, making me think the artist is lazy and didn't want to draw them. Third, although the text is less and more exciting for it. "The Longest Sub Mariner FF Super Epic Ever Published" is just indulgent and blocks the establishing element of the all so important invading army!!!
"Special Edition" Of all the covers here, this is the most unique, in that the first two deal with a defeated FF. The action has already happened, and there's a desire to know how it happened, and how are they going to escape captivity (and save The Big Apple) Here Namor's forces are attacking NOW and the odds are overwhelming, there's some anticipation and promise of action, especially with everyone striking a power pose, expect for Sue, who merely gasps at the sight, knowing that her boobies make her incapable of being useful in a fight. Hey! how about using one of those forcefields of yours to the slow down the invasion, or at the very least bring down those cruise missles! What a load. The whole "What Can a Woman Do?" look of Sue, really loses points for me.
Despite my mad love of Kirby and Byrne, "King Sized Special", I believe is the best of the bunch. It shows us scale and scope of the story and well as suspense, wetting our appetites for what has happened in the story leading up to the cover, and what WILL happened after.
I always thought the older two covers told a mini-story. First, Namor ponders what to do with the captive FF. Next, we see the results of his ruminations: he rolls the FF along in a giant gerbil ball through the streets of NYC! The cad!
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