Fab Four Fun!

Fantastic Four Annual #2 was an impressive comic. Not perhaps as groundbreaking in its storytelling scope as had been the previous annual which documented the rebirth of Atlantis and Prince Namor's first (of many) Marvel Age invasions of the surface. But it was pretty impressive.(Note: I love that multi-colored logo, it screams fun.) The origin of Dr.Doom must've been thrilling to boys and girls who had been fascinated by the vile FF villain. I can only imagine it must have been like finding out who Darth Vader was a generation later.

But one detail many if not all of Marvel's classic annuals had was a host of pin-ups. The second FF Annual featured a bevy of them. There was an expansive rogues gallery. You can get a glom on that scurvy collection here. But to my eye it was the charming posters of the FF themselves that stole the show.

Below are the originals. Note how Kirby captures the essence of each member, each with a smidge of disarming humor.





The Torch poster was later used as the cover art for the Essential collection of Johnny's Strange Tales solo adventures.


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