Category: Opinion

COMIC BOOK REVIEW – FANTASTIC FOUR 232: “BACK TO THE BASICS!”

On By ANDREW HOPEIn Comic Books, Opinion2 Comments

In 1981, years before the internet was a thing, I wandered into my local newsagent in Springburn, a neighbourhood in Glasgow, Scotland, looking to see if John Byrne had resumed the art on The X-Men.  Byrne was my favourite comic book artist, and had been for a few years by then, from his work on The Avengers, Marvel Two-In-One, Marvel Team- Up, and a few other titles.  The X-Men was the jewel in the crown as far as I was concerned.  I didn’t know what happened to him after his last issue the previous year, and assumed he’d be back on the title.  So it was quite a surprise to see his distinctive style on the cover of The Fantastic Four, a comic I only read occasionally, and mostly in the black and white Marvel UK reprints.

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THE WORLD’S GREATEST COMIC MAGAZINE – my thoughts on John Byrne’s run on Marvel’s first family

On By ANDREW HOPEIn Comic Books, Opinion1 Comment

FF PIN UP

In 1981, fresh off a defining run on the X-Men with writer Chris Claremont, Canadian comic book creator John Byrne turned his attention on The Fantastic Four. Once Marvel Comics’ flagship title, The Fantastic Four had become a middling comic book in the 70s, its position usurped by the X-Men due to engaging, tight plotting, well-defined characters, and a strong sense of realism in both the writing and artwork, not to mention powerful, cinematic drama. The Uncanny X-Men was the premier comic book title of the time, and John Byrne was a major component in its rise to prominence. When creative differences with Claremont and editor-in-chief Jim Shooter soured Byrne on The X-Men, he asked for, and was given, full creative rein on The Fantastic Four, beginning with issue 232, with a cover date of July 1981.

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Guest Opinion: WHY I’M DONE WITH COMIC-CONS

On By ANDREW HOPEIn Opinion1 Comment

BY TERRY BEATTY

terry beatty

I suppose I could be convinced to change my mind by a great guest list or the promise of a trip to an interesting location — but I think I’m done with “comic cons.” I won’t call them comic book conventions, because they’re not that, really, anymore. The last one I attended that felt like a real comic book show was OafCon in Oklahoma — which is specifically themed around vintage comics and paper collectibles — and was wonderful. My SupaNova experience in Australia was great, because they LOVE The Phantom there. But the last few shows I’ve attended elsewhere have been disappointing. Continue reading “Guest Opinion: WHY I’M DONE WITH COMIC-CONS” →