Biggest Key, Weakest Story? 0

[ComicConnoisseur]

52 minutes ago, Ken Aldred said:

Some superb Joe Kubert art in those issues, at least.  Classic rendition, never bettered.

The art was good,just stories were not my cup of tea. The funny thing is if they used this version of Hawkman and Hawkgirl I go see it working in the movies. It was kind of cool that they were aliens and living among humans.  It was just that early DC Silver Age style that I am not used to compard to the Marvel Silver Age style 

[Sqeggs]

On 3/19/2017 at 4:09 AM, Unca Ben said:

I LOVE FF #1; probably one of my favorite key issue stories.
In 25 pages Jack and Stan revolutionized comics.  I'd argue that without FF #1 we wouldn't have Denny O'Neil/Adams' Green Lantern, Miller DD or Dark Knight, Starlin's Captain Marvel or Warlock, etc.
Before FF 1, comic heroes were, for the most part, one-dimensional cardboard cutouts.
What Jack and Stan did in one book - introduce multiple characters, establish their relationship and personalities, tell their origin, introduce and confront their first villain, tell the villain's origin story and defeat the villain, all while continuing the character development (unheard of in comics at the time) - would take a six issue (at $3.99 a pop), made-for-trade-paperback, story arc nowadays.
Jack and Stan did it in one 10¢ book; clear, concise, and effective storytelling.

an old post of mine:   

Quote

Here is my 2 cents on Fantastic Four #1:
A wonderful cover that presents the four characters, conveys their abilities, and gives a teaser of the story-line, all at a glance.
A 13-page chapter 1 that, in the first 8 pages, individually introduces the characters and firmly establishes their personalities, followed by a 5 page origin tale that shows how they received and first discovered their powers, while continuing the character development through the narrative of how these four personalities could be in conflict and yet join together in a common goal.

A 6-page chapter 2 that introduces the threat of the Moleman and shows our heroes in their first adventure travelling to Monster Isle, fighting a Monster (why not?) and confronting their first super villain.

The final 6-page chapter continues with more monsters and more character development. I love panels 3 and 4 on page 21 after the Thing dispatches a big ugly threatening Sue;
BEN: “What did you expect?? I’m THE THING, ain’t I??” “Now let’s go and find that skinny, loudmouthed boy-friend of yours!”
SUE: “Oh Ben—if only you could stop hating Reed for what happened to you!”
Then we get a 1-page pathos filled origin of our villain, followed by more fighting, more monsters, and the Moleman's defeat by our heroes.

Though the art may be primitive compared to Kirby’s later work, his dynamic layout and pacing is clearly evident. For example the first 6 panels on page 23 of the story, where the Moleman and Reed spar with staffs, the action flows seamlessly from panel to panel. I could tell exactly what was happening on the page at first glance, without even reading the accompanying text. Clear, concise storytelling that just got better and better as Jack and Stan continued with the series. Beyond Jack’s powerful penciling and creativity, beyond Stan’s dramatic and flowery prose, Stan and Jack were consummate storytellers. Fantastic Four #1 is a great beginning to a fantastic story.

And isn’t that what comics are all about? 

...Yeah, I know this post runs contrary to the topic's theme, but I gotta defend one of the best books of all time. 

 

Oh, yeah.  The book that started the SA and modern comic fandom.  The first few FF issues were a sharp break with what came before in a way that SC 4 (and the following SC Flash issues) never was. 

[Loki]

ASM 129 (1st Punisher, 1st Jackal)

 

The storyline in this issue is so weak that, even when I was reading this as a kid, I couldn't believe how transparent the plot was. 

[Timely]

The ending to Avengers #1 is horrible. It's like the writer didn't know how to end the story. They trick Loki and make him slide into a stove. "Even Loki can escape from a lead-lined tank!" REALLY!!! Lame!

Edited March 31, 2017 by Timely

[Rip]

I was thinking about mentioning Avengers 1 as well.

Loki emits radiation out of his body repelling the team, but then happened to be standing by a trap door that put him in a lead lined room. Yea, OK sure.

[1950's war comics]

Not a key and actually a GREAT story !!

Single digit early XMen..... 1st Unus the Untouchable!! 

XMen couldn't stop him ! he was completely untouchable ! they finally figured out the way to defeat him was by INCREASING his powers  !!  they had him begging to return him to normal ! just like the King Midas touch  CLASSIC ISSUE !!!!

[Ken Aldred]

1 hour ago, Timely said:

The ending to Avengers #1 is horrible. It's like the writer didn't know how to end the story. They trick Loki and make him slide into a stove. "Not even Loki can escape a leadlined oven". REALLY!!! Lame!

Avengers 4 is one of my favourite Silver Age books and features the revival of one of my favourite characters. However, it does rely on the team, just by dumb luck, happening to be patrolling underwater in a submarine in that particular region of the Arctic, just after Cap's been thrown in the water by his Timely ally, the Submariner.  

Nonetheless, it's a powerful reintroduction, and the second half of the issue can't match that and is a very mundane read in comparison.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Ken Aldred

[Nosferastu]

On 3/18/2017 at 10:18 PM, Lt. Eckhardt said:

I've heard folks on the boards in the past talk about the Hulk 181 story not being all that amazing.  For example, it's kind of simplistic and feels like it's geared toward younger readers etc.

Herb Trimpe is a terrible artist too.

[Unca Ben]

3 hours ago, Ken Aldred said:

Avengers 4 is one of my favourite Silver Age books and features the revival of one of my favourite characters. However, it does rely on the team, just by dumb luck, happening to be patrolling underwater in a submarine in that particular region of the Arctic, just after Cap's been thrown in the water by his Timely ally, the Submariner.  

Nonetheless, it's a powerful reintroduction, and the second half of the issue can't match that and is a very mundane read in comparison.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but it's cool the way Jack & Stan reintroduced the "Big Three" Timely GA superheroes in the Silver Age:  A re-imagined Human Torch is introduced in FF #1, then this Torch discovers the Sub-Mariner in a flop house and restores his memory, then the re-invigorated Sub-Mariner finds and frees Captain America from his icy tomb.
A clever little chain of events.

[romanheart]

BA 12

ho hum story mostly about Batgirl and little or nothing about Harley

[Ken Aldred]

16 hours ago, Unca Ben said:

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but it's cool the way Jack & Stan reintroduced the "Big Three" Timely GA superheroes in the Silver Age:  A re-imagined Human Torch is introduced in FF #1, then this Torch discovers the Sub-Mariner in a flop house and restores his memory, then the re-invigorated Sub-Mariner finds and frees Captain America from his icy tomb.
A clever little chain of events.

Strangely enough, it never occurred to me to interlink all of those reintroductions as a single chain of events. 

[Brian48]

I was going to mention All Star Comics #58, of which I've been buying multiple copies of lately, but I got to thinking about what is a "really weak" story for what is considered a key or really high-dollar book.  Of my own collection, I guess it would have to be this one.  Although demand is not as rabid as it once was, it's still highly sought after despite the fact that story is mind-numbingly bad even by Bronze Age standards.