Giant Size X-Men #1 vs. Fantastic Four #12 2 2

[KirbyJack]

Even a die hard FF zealot like me will admit that GSXM 1 is the more significant book, but short term, buy the FF first.

Or just buy all these x vs. y books you ask about. So far, they've all been great comics.

[kimik]

On 2/6/2018 at 8:37 PM, thehumantorch said:

FF was Marvel's flagship title back in the day BEFORE SPIDER-MAN took over in 1963 and Marvel liked to cross new characters into FF to give them exposure.  FF 12 was the sixth appearance of the Hulk and the first time FF and the Hulk met.  It's a great read and has a fabulous cover and pretty tough to find in high grade.  

Fixed that for ya. 

[Humantop]

That is easy, GSXM 1 for me, it is so much more significant due to a lot of character appearances. 

[FineCollector]

In 4.0-5.0 range?  Fantastic Four 12 all day.

$600 seems a lot for GSX1 in that range with so many copies available, although I don't keep track of pricing.  Finding a nicely presenting copy of any early FF is a chore, I never did find my copy for the price I wanted to pay.

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 2/8/2018 at 3:45 PM, kimik said:

Fixed that for ya. 

Honestly not sure if what you say is true.  Spidey is an awesome character, and his title was awesome from the very beginning, but I also think it's correct to say the FF was Marvel's "flagship title," from a creative standpoint, through most of the Kirby run (say, at least until issue 75ish).  Spidey quickly built up an amazing rogues gallery of villians and other supporting characters that to this day represent some of the richest storytelling in comics history, but most of the more grandiose "universe building" was going on over in the FF books.  This is perhaps because, unlike Spidey who was firmly rooted in New York City, the FF and their explorations were constantly expanding the physical and conceptual boundaries of the Marvel Universe itself.

(And by the way it should not be considered a coincidence that the only other book to rival the universe-spanning ambition of the FF in those days was Journey Into Mystery / Thor, which also happens to be pure Kirby genius.)

It's easy to forget, given the way the movies have played out, just how central the FF were to the Marvel Universe as it originally evolved.  But "flagship title" is a fair description of its place during the height of the Silver Age.

In short I'm not disputing your basic point that Spider-Man "took over" as Marvel's flagship character ... I'm just saying it didn't happen overnight in 1963.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Sweet Lou 14