Fantastic Four #100, July 1970
A few days ago marked the 65th publication anniversary of Fantastic Four #1, which hit the stands in August 1961. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby went on to produce 102 consecutive issues together, plus annuals — arguably the greatest sustained superhero family soap opera in comics history.
My first Fantastic Four off the stands was #63. After that, thanks to the usual childhood complications of schedules, availability and, mostly, money, I bought the book intermittently until somewhere around #98. From there, I don’t think I missed an issue for about 20 years.
And yes, I eventually went back and completed the run, as quickly as budget would allow.
Of course I did.
Fantastic Four #100 was also the first big Marvel anniversary issue I ever bought new, soon followed by Amazing Spider-Man #100 and Avengers #100. Triple-digit issue numbers felt like very serious business when you were a kid.
Which brings me to this page of original art.
I missed it the first time it came up for sale and figured I had blown it. Then, through an odd twist of fate, it became available again.
Couldn’t believe my luck.
Kirby pencils. Joe Sinnott inks. The whole team is here, along with Crystal, plus “Kang.”
Well, technically an android pretending to be Kang.
But I digress.
I also remember looking at the cover of #100 in 1970 and pretty much guessing the premise before I even read it.
Which tells me that, even at that age, I was already reading way too many damn comic books.
