JB, how was the look of the city scene in the first panel of the fourth page posted achieved?

Hi-contrast photograph.

I've had a strange deal come over me in recent years, where I feel like I'd enjoy stories about Ben Grimm as a human man again.

I feel like it might be cool if someone else were the Thing for a while (and not a woman), while Ben became a part of the FF without powers. He has his courage and his stubborness. I think a boat totally was missed by Roy Thomas back in the 70s, when Ben was changed to human and belly-ached so much about being a "nothin'" that Reed invented the Thing exoskeleton for him.

I'd love to see Ben as part of the FF, but as a normal man. Englehart had human Ben take out the Frightful Four during his run at one point. It's funny how much I always enjoy a human Ben story. I've never read this issue...love the beard, of course. Great look.

Simply put, Ben Grimm is a handful whether he's human or Thing. I'd like to see extended human action, just for the hell of it.

My first ever issue of FF, I'm pretty sure I bought it for the epilogue after seeing Spider-Man visit the Baxter Building to get rid of the symbiote in his own title.  I went into a Byrne back issue buying frenzy after this. 

And yeah, I don't like the inks looking back, especially on that close-up of Reed's face.

I agree that the art looks off on this, but I wonder what precisely JB thinks he went wrong.  Did he change the the way he laid out the story, the panel composition, the way he used shadow?

I remember that the last bit explaining the symbiote's escape was reproduced ad infitum in other titles to prepare for the costume's return in Web of Spider-Man #1.

The countdown continues to my first Byrne FF issue (as I have mentioned, not technically true as I had a few issues in the 230s and the one where Terrax came to Earth that lead to the Galactus storyline - but those were lost and forgotten).

JB, you are my favorite John Byrne inker, so I really wish you inked these later issues.  I find myself preferring the Ordway inks to Gordon's, though.

FYI, I like Jerry Ordway's work.  I really do, but over John Byrne, George Perez, and Dan Jurgens, I think he makes them look a little too much like Jerry Ordway.  Not a bad thing; these 4 guys are in my top ten (JB and George are #1-2), but I like it when JB and George ink themselves or use someone who does not overshadow(?) their own styles.