Stan, Jack, and Steve - The 1960's (1961) The Castaway Strikes Back 1 1

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Also in Strange Tales #94 - Kirby had a second story (inked by D. Ayers and thus, missing a signature, lol). There is an ad at the bottom of the last page for the Fantastic Four.

Story TWO:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

For Strange Tales #94 - Stan Lee and Steve Ditko also had a story in this issue, signed Stan Lee & S. Ditko on the splash page. There is an ad at the bottom of the last page for Amazing Adult Fantasy. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Prince Namor

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

In Tales to Astonish #29 - Kirby did the cover and write and penciled TWO stories (all inked by D. Ayers and thus, missing a signature).

Story ONE:

Edited December 19, 2022 by Prince Namor

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

In Tales to Astonish #29 - Kirby did the cover and TWO stories (inked by D. Ayers and thus, missing a signature, lol). There is an ad at the bottom of the last page for the Fantastic Four.

Story TWO:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

For Tales to Astonish #29 - Stan Lee and Steve Ditko also had a story in this issue, signed Stan Lee & S. Ditko on the splash page. There is an ad at the bottom of the last page for Amazing Adult Fantasy. 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Tales to Astonish #29 - D. Ayers had a story in this issue he penciled and inked... there's his signature on the page!

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

In Tales of Suspense #29 - Kirby does the cover and writes and pencils TWO stories (all inked by D. Ayers and thus, missing a signature). 

Story ONE:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

In Tales to Astonish #29 - Kirby did the cover and TWO stories (inked by D. Ayers and thus, missing a signature, lol). There is an ad at the bottom of the last page for the Fantastic Four.

Story TWO:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

For Tales of Suspense #27 - Stan Lee and Steve Ditko also had a story in this issue, signed Stan Lee & S. Ditko on the splash page. There is an ad at the bottom of the last page for Amazing Adult Fantasy. 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Kirby penciled the cover for Kid Colt Outlaw #103 for the month (inked by D. Ayers).

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - On the cover (Kirby pencils/Brodsky inks) we see the new uniforms for the team and the first appearance of their Fantasti-car. "The Greatest Comic Magazine in the World" is proclaimed for the first time, and in the other blurb, it's referred to as a 'great, collectors' - item issue". The mail they've gotten has obviously been encouraging! 

For the story (also inked by Sol Brodsky) we see Stan Lee & J. Kirby written on the splash. This introduces us to the Miracle Man. No new costumes yet, but we do see the use of the Fantastic-car and the first interior lay out of the Baxter Building. 

Part ONE:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - As a nice mid-story break we get a pin-up of the Human Torch (Kirby pencils, Brodsky inks)

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - In part two, Sue introduces the new costumes for the team, including Ben's short lived 'helmet', "I ain't gonna wear this fool outfit!" Miracle Man puts his plan into effect (a Kirby Monster, natch!) and the team goes into action. 

Part TWO:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 

Part THREE:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - Part Four includes a team argument between the Thing and the Human Torch and a retelling of the origin.

Part FOUR:

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - Before the finale, we have the letters page, as spoken about earlier. Some of these letters aren't from real readers, including S. Brodsky who no one would be aware of at the time (Marvel staffer and inker for the issue, Sol Brodsky). 

 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - It's a somewhat silly ending, but the last couple of panels is what gives the series it's power... the team arguing again, Torch quitting and flying off, Reed's worry... this was no ordinary super hero team!

Part FIVE:

[Zonker]

That first letter is from subsequent 1970s comics artist Alan Weiss, right?

Somewhere Stan Lee said the original intention was to never give the FF super-hero costumes, but they bowed to fan pressure to do so.  Have you already covered that bit, and I've forgotten?  If true, it would be in keeping with the August 1961 decision to self-consciously appeal to an older readership:  No secret identities, no costumes ("kid stuff" says The Thing), and as we saw, the contemporaneous launch of Amazing Adult Fantasy.  

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - Sol Brodsky also began redoing the Human Torch in this issue to make him more like what we know him to look like today. Kirby would catch up by issue #5...

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1961

Fantastic Four #3 - Corrections throughout... including the removal of Sue's 'mask'...