THE LOGO CHANGES, THOUGH THE NAME STAYS THE SAME...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

The first time I saw the Fantastic Four mag's new logo was on Friday October 6th 1972, on issue #126.  Its first monthly mag appearance had been in November 1971 on #119 (cover-dated February for '72) and lasted right up to #159 in 1975.  It was then replaced by yet another new logo (#160), which is probably the most uninspired one the comic ever had.  Marvel eventually saw sense in 1980 with issue #220 and restored the original logo (or something closely resembling it) after a period of around 8 years and 100 issues.

The original Fantastic Four logo was in the same style of the Amazing Fantasy logo (or masthead if you prefer) and was designed by Sol Brodsky, clearly based on or inspired by that of The Twilight Zone TV show.  I like the original logo, but I must confess I thought the '70s one (119-219) was very nice indeed, and I wouldn't have minded in the slightest had it been retained in perpetuity.  It's big, it's bold, it's dramatic, and in my famously humble opinion, packs a punch that readers can't ignore - or miss.

I mainly associate the logo with John Buscema who was drawing the comic at the time, so I was surprised to see it had also appeared on a 1971 FF Special (#9), which featured a Jack Kirby cover - though not a new one, merely a reprint of the cover to FF #43.  The Special is cover-dated December and, if running true to form, likely went on sale sometime in September, meaning the new logo made its debut on the Special, not the regular monthly mag as I'd assumed.  As far as I know, #9 is the only Special or Annual to sport the logo. making it rather unique.

Anyway, having recently acquired that very Special, I thought I'd show you the cover where the new logo first greeted readers, just in case anyone else is as much a fan of it as I am.  If so, don't keep it a secret - shout your love for it from the highest hill and let it echo in our cataclysmic comments section.

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