Another from the series of cover-to-cover reprints Marvel did in the 1990s, this one reprinting AVENGERS #4 from 1964. Very odd issue when you try to describe it, with lots of stuff going on. Namor finding Cap, the Avengers finding him later, the Avengers getting turned into statues, Cap finding the alien resonsible, who had been working for Namor and now gets the Avengers’ help, Namor attacking the Avengers. Fun, but kind of reads like they didn’t know where they were going from one page to the next.

Lots of great artwork in the story, though, scenes that are at the heart of Marvel mythology. The death of Bucky, scene, of course, the retrieval of Cap. I’ve always been fond of the cop who had seen Cap as a kid with his “Forgive me, Cap, willya? I- I seem to have something in my eye” line.

George Roussos inks the 23-page story and cover (and they use the cover they always have in the reprints, with the skewed wings on Cap’s mask instead of the even ones the original printed version had). Can’t say I cared for the look much, just like most of his FF, this one seemed especially rushed especially with the backgrounds, although some bits are nicely done.

Published 1995

Ah, the Invaders defending a homefront parade from the menace of a giant Red Skull. There’s an image for you. It’s like a combination of a monster cover and a super-hero cover. I know the layouts for these covers were done in New York (by Marie Severin for this one, I’m pretty sure. I think her layout ran in ALTER EGO a while back), but she really knew how to play to Kirby’s strengths with them.

Joe Sinnott inks.

Published 1976

This issue features a reprint from TALES OF SUSPENSE #81 (1966) starring Captain America. As the story opens, the Red Skull has gotten the Cosmic Cube and all the power it gives, and is boasting of his plans to use it to conquer the world and then build an intergalactic empire.

Fortunately for the galaxy, his hatred of Cap doesn’t let him just use the cube to destroy Cap, but instead he creates a being powerful enough to beat Cap in battle, not counting on Cap’s usual determination and battle skills to overcome raw power. Finally the Skull’s pride defeats him, as Cap pretends to surrender and be the Skull’s servant, leaving an opening for Cap to wrest away the Cube.

Some excellent stuff in here, showing Cap at his battling best, the Red Skull at his most conniving but foolish and loads of cosmic energy. Frank Giacoia inks the 10-page story.

Published 1974

Odin on a rampage, gotta like that. See those Asgardians quivering in the face of his just and merciful wrath.

Odin cracks me up every time.

In “Abandoned on Earth”, Thor feels the anger of Odin in this issue as he’s stripped of his powers, other than his strength, and left on Earth following a major battle. He decides to try this out and get a job, and ends up applying as the strongman at a circus, not knowing that it’s a front for the Circus of Crime, who are planning a major theft that needs a strongman. Thor impresses them but then gets hypnotized by the ring-master to prepare for their heist.

The “Tales of Asgard” back-up concludes in this issue with “The End”, with the final battle against Mogul, the tyrant who has enslaved various lands, including that of Hogun the Grim. Ends kind of abruptly, but has a lot of action leading up to there, capturing the grandeur of the modern myths they were weaving.

Colletta inks the cover, 16-page lead and 5-page backup.

Published 1967

Here’s a particular favourite among Kirby’s 1970s covers for other editors, featuring the Impossible Man. Not one of the great Kirby villains, true (I think this is only his second story, maybe the longest gap between a Kirby FF villain’s first and second major appearances), but I love the pose and especially the Iron Man and Mjolnir hands.

Joe Sinnott inks, of course.

Published 1976

Another 1970s cover, this time inked by Joe Sinnott. I like the look of those demonic hands reaching up, looks kind of like something from a 1950s BLACK MAGIC story combined with 1960s super-heroics. Plus of course Sinnott inking Thor makes you think of what might have been…

Published 1976

Only one Kirby piece in this issue of DC’s character guide, inked by Greg Theakston.

A very nice look at the enigmatic Forever People character, who would trade places with the team when he was needed for battle. A nice character, one of Kirby’s strong, confident, optimistic types, which comes across nicely in these little vignettes.

Published 1986

After drawing the first 8 issues, Kirby went to just drawing the covers for AVENGERS with this issue (returning to layout a few issues a while later).

I have to say, that’s way to big an intro blurb for a character as lame as Wonder Man.

Is this the first “floating heads” cover that Marvel had? I know the format became a bit of a cliche in 1970s Marvel team books, but were there any before this one?

Chic Stone inks the cover this time.

Published 1964

You tell ’em, Ben.

This issue has an edited reprint of FF #93 (1969), finishing off the “Thing Enslaved” storyline. Reed, Johnny and Crystal follow the trail of the Skrull slave ship while Ben fights Torgo in the arena, holding his own and trying not to harm Torgo while figuring out how to stop the Skrull threat to the homeworlds of their slaves.

The rest of the FF finally arrive and dress up in 1920s mob wear themselves as they make their way to the arena. The story ends kind of abruptly after that, I’m not sure if it was supposed to go somewhere else at first and changed for the usual reasons or what. Lot of nice bits in the art, like the flying 1920s car over the faux-1920s city, Torgo leading the final rebellion of the slaves after the FF free them of the fear of retribution against their home planets and Reed, Johnny and Crystal in 1920s garb.

Two pages edited out, both of Ben in the arena. One is just a recap of what we know from the previous issue but the other is right before this page so the first half of Torgo’s sentence is missing. I hope the money from that Hostess ad was worth it, Marvel…

Frank Giacoia was the inker on the story and cover here, doing a great job of filling in for Joe Sinnott and keeping the look of the book consistent.

Published 1978

Minor landmark time here at ye olde Kirby webloge, with this book I have comments and samples up here of 400 Kirby publications that you can peruse using those alphabetical and chronological lists over in the sidebar (once I update them in a few minutes).

The ever-dependable Frank Giacoia inks this very sharp cover for a Thing/Iron Man crossover that brings back one of the most obscure characters from the original FF series (I think Prestor John just appeared in one issue as more of a sidenote, don’t know if he was in any non-Kirby stuff in the interim).

Published 1975