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Mark Haslett
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 19 April 2004
Location: United States
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 5:54pm | IP Logged | 1
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I was reading John Romita's Fantastic Four run this morning and noticed how Romita (and John Verpoorten) stayed so on-model for Reed that he actually imitated Jack Kirby's unique nose-design.
It got me puzzling over a half-remembered remark I once read here where John Byrne's hard opinion of his own work undercut my opinion that his Reed was "definitive"-- after Jack Kirby. (Which, of course, is not "definitive" at all-- but re-interpreting Kirby is kind of a challenge for everyone who comes after him.)
Which is a problem John Romita solved briefly by imitating Kirby effectively. Jazzy John settles into his own version of Reed pretty quickly and I love it. But, as I was reading this morning, I couldn't help wondering:
What does Reed look like? Who "gets it" the best, after Jack Kirby?
edited to omit my mistaken claims.
Edited by Mark Haslett on 07 June 2024 at 7:39pm
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 5:56pm | IP Logged | 2
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When did I say I wasn’t happy with my version of Reed’s face?
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Mark Haslett
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 19 April 2004
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 6:33pm | IP Logged | 3
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Yikes!
What I recall is a post here with words to the effect that you felt your version of Reed in the commissions was getting better, but that something dissatisfied you about Reed's face during your run on Fantastic Four. I think you used the word "pinched."
I would not agree, so I don't think I invented this-- but since I don't have a quote or link to provide, I might have misunderstood. If I got this all wrong, I am rather mortified.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 6:42pm | IP Logged | 4
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That’s a period when I have described most of my faces as “pinched”. It’s not a complaint specific to Reed.
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Colin Ian Campbell
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 24 April 2015
Location: England
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 6:53pm | IP Logged | 5
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Did Romita do much inking of his own pencils during his FF run? I think the credits gave John Verpoorten on #103-105 and Joe Sinnott on #106 as the inkers.
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Mark Haslett
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 7:07pm | IP Logged | 6
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I've done it again-- another thread about all the mistakes in my first post!
You're right, Colin-- it's John Verpoorten over John Romita in that image.
I'll re-edit the first post.
Maybe there are opinions out there about who gets Reed the best and, with some luck, some of them will end up in this thread. If that does happen, it will be in spite of me!
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Doug Centers
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 7:25pm | IP Logged | 7
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Sinnott is such an influence (not a bad thing) in my eye that Reed practically was identical no matter the penciller. J. Buscema, Perez, Buckler, Pollard, Byrne.
Byrne inking himself is my favorite Reed. That thin almost gaunt face, it's just right.
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Shaun Barry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 08 December 2008
Location: United States
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 8:38pm | IP Logged | 8
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Granted, I never owned those particular issues, but I'm also surprised I never knew that John Romita pencilled a chunk of FF work (apparently right in-between the Kirby and John Buscema runs?)...
Gonna have to check out some affordable reprints!
Edited by Shaun Barry on 07 June 2024 at 8:39pm
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Peter Hicks
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Joined: 30 April 2004
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 9:23pm | IP Logged | 9
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“ Sinnott is such an influence …”*********** Joltin’ Joe had a great influence keeping the FF artwork on model through drastically different pencillers like Kirby, J Buscema, Buckler, Perez, and J Byrne. I collect complete runs of all Silver Age Marvel comics, but honestly I don’t really enjoy Kirby’s work on FF until Sinnott becomes the full time inker.
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Shaun Barry
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| Posted: 07 June 2024 at 11:33pm | IP Logged | 10
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Edit: Thread drift, apologies!
Edited by Shaun Barry on 07 June 2024 at 11:34pm
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Craig Earl
Byrne Robotics Member
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| Posted: 08 June 2024 at 11:29am | IP Logged | 11
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Reed seems to have such distinctive features that he is always also recognisable as a 'normal' looking headshot, no matter who the artist is.
Maybe it's the fact that he is an 'unmasked' hero that his features have been so deeply familiar (is Steve Rogers, Clint Barton or Bruce Banner, anywhere near as recognisable in their civilian guises?).
Personally, Kirby, Busceme, Perez and Byrne have nailed Reed in the best way - giving us their own versions but also a character that is also clearly Mr Fantastic.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
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| Posted: 08 June 2024 at 12:24pm | IP Logged | 12
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Staying on model has become something of a lost art. So many artists want to Make Their Mark on the characters. “This is how I do it!” becomes the mantra. (Some years back I read an issue of SUPERMAN trying to find the reason he had become Asian. There wasn’t one. It was just how the artist drew.)
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