PART TEN OF THE COMPLETE FANTASTIC FOUR COVER & IMAGE GALLERY...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

I remember buying the original American issue of the FF that sported

the above cover from a shop in Rutherglen in 1977, the same shop from

which my maternal grandfather bought me a little plastic chariot in 1963

or '64.  So whenever I look at that cover, I think of that particular shop.

I wonder if it still exists today, so many years later?  I must find out.

I once had all the U.S. 'modern' issues reprinted in The COMPLETE

FANTASTIC FOUR comics you see here, but I'm not sure if I still had

them at the time they showed up again (in b&w) in the British Weekly.  It

only managed to hang on for 37 issues, but it was one of the better mags

from MARVEL U.K., I thought, and deserved a far better fate than

was its lot.  Or did you think it was a pile of poo?  Let us all know.

The main draw for me was the classic content reprinted in the back of

the mag.  Early LEE & KIRBY tales are probably what I like best about

Marvel, and I find it hard to resist new presentations of them whenever

they appear today.  Amongst the group of pals that hung out with me in

the '70s was a lad called RIKKI STEVENSON, aka 'BRITT', who,

surprisingly, also bought the Fab Four's comic every week.

I say "surprisingly" because Britt aspired (and failed) to be a bit of

a 'hard man', and reading superhero comics didn't really lend itself to

that image.  I only recently learned that he died a few years back, and

although we were never what could be described as close friends, I find

myself rather saddened by the news of his demise.  I suppose that when

part of our past disappears, we can't help but feel slightly diminished

in some way, strange as it may seem.

So here's to the FF, the sizzlin' '70s, and also to Rikki.  Whenever

I get around to re-reading these comics, I'll be sure to remember him

as I recall seemingly happier and more innocent times of my long-gone

teenage years.  Feel free to record your own reminiscences, if any,

about this great British weekly in the comments section.

        

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