Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Fantastic Four Omnibus



You know the people that have to buy a dvd twice because it's the ultra special edition with two minutes of extra footage and one more documentary?

You're looking at him.

I'm an archivist. I need to have the works that have affected and inspired me at my fingertips. And I need to have the best version.

About five years ago, I started buying Marvel Masterworks, expensive hardcovers that collect the best of the Silver Age, including Jack Kirby's entire run of the Fantastic Four. Now comes the Fantastic Four Omnibus. A larger hardcover collecting three volumes of Masterworks.

A ripoff? Seemingly but I was anxious to get it. The art has been completely restored. Even digital snapshots show the sharper linework and rich colors. These things were originally printed on toilet paper and now I've upgraded from glossy stock to thicker, less glossy stock. And I feel smart for doing so.





I skipped volume 1 since the stories there aren't as strong. But volume 2 are the best comics ever made. From the Galactus Trilogy to "This Man, This Monster", this is the peak of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's career, the two most important men in comic history. So maybe I do need it again.


I have this run digitally, in hardcovers and deluxe hardcovers. It's never going to end, is it?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

...of course it's never gonna end. Wait till they come out with the special Blu-Ray version. What would really be cool would be the "Viewmaster" 3D edition. Of course, now that you've shown the pictures, I may have to spend some of my hard-earned barking cash. Thanks buddy.

-Hoopachoo-