FANTASTIC FOUR IN THE SILVER AGE SIXTIES A Tribute

Orignal pencils, inks and colors by Tom Ahearn 2011.
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Testimonials

“I do like the beginning of your piece, with the several definitions of fantastic.”
Roy Thomas,
FF writer and editor

“an interesting read”
John Morrow, publisher TwoMorrows Publishing

"Those were great times, great adventures; thanks for the memories and entertaining read"
Richard Johnson

"Fantastic. 'Nuff said!"
FF4ever

   Fantastic Four In The Silver Age Sixties is a celebration of the classic Stan Lee-Jack Kirby run, written by a fan who grew up on 12-cent comic books. The year 2011 marks the golden anniversary of Marvel’s Silver Age, 50 years since Fantastic Four #1 was the big bang that sparked a comic universe. In the four decades since the 1960s, the 102 FF issues and 6 annuals by Lee and Kirby have been regarded as one of the best comic book runs of all time.

   The 16 chapters presented here are my tribute to the characters and stories of the Fantastic Four Sixties. Each chapter is also a stand-alone article, and all are written using Stan Lee’s original approach for creating the Fantastic Four: I wrote a fun book that I would want to buy and read. Important FF history is examined, and framed in the context of the pop culture that mattered to kids at the time: cartoons, TV shows, movies, toys, food, sports, rock and roll… even Tetanus shots.

   Most comic book histories and encyclopedias are either scholarly dissertations or straight summaries with little bias. I modify both styles into a combination I’ve always craved as a diehard reader and collector. Aiming my retro rockets with youthful exuberance, I look back at the impact the Fantastic Four and the Sixties had on one another.

   In a series of opinionated essays, I meld remembrances as a young teen with adult analysis to chronicle the popularity and highlights of the individual heroes and villains that made the FF of 1961-1970 so relevant. I also use slanted opinions, just like when kids rank favorite stories, characters, battles and issues. Memorable quotes from comics are included, as well as results from fandom’s Alley Awards. It’s all about nostalgia… transporting back to a frame of mind when imagination was encouraged and we lived for the sake of fun.

     Being a Marvel fan means caring about continuity, and I carefully research and reference individual issue numbers. Too many comic book books and websites omit issue numbers, leaving readers wondering about appearances, meetings, scenes and showdowns. My book is complete without footnotes; references are included in the text or in parenthesis at the end of sentences, but casually – like one FF fan talking to another, reliving the best times in comic book history.

     Comic book fans love to read comic history, and about bygone glory days. But this book won’t be limited to readers interested in recollections of collections. I hope Fantastic Four fans, Marvel fans and superhero fans in general will enjoy my tribute to the FF of the Silver Age Sixties!

Robert Papetti

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