Peter Parker’s been assigned to take photos of the local Polar Bear club on Christmas Eve, as they plan a quick swim in the frigid temperatures.  But they’re interrupted by a disturbance in the sand — the Sandman is back!  Peter changes to Spidey to track the villain down, but Sandman slips through his grasp.

Spidey still hopes to make his date, so he swings by to warn the Fantastic Four that the Sandman is back.  But the only hero on hand is the somewhat Scroogelike Johnny Storm, who isn’t feeling in the Christmas spirit.

Still, Spidey joins Johnny, dressed in some swingin’ ’70s threads, to search for the Sandman.  The pair stop to help make some citizens’ Christmases more merry along the way, by averting a traffic accident and stopping an attempted robbery.

They eventually catch up with the Sandman, and there’s a Christmas twist of sorts to the tale’s final third. Johnny eventually comes around on the season, as well.

Roy Thomas and Ross Andru are the creative team for a charming first issue.  The series, featuring Spider-Man teaming with various Marvel superheroes, ran through issue No. 150 in 1985.  Trivia note: The woman who Johnny and Spider-Man save from a mugging was later revealed to be Misty Knight, later girlfriend to Iron Fist and a private detective in the Marvel Universe.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1981. Still to go: 30

The “Ultimates” team of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch teamed up for a two-part tale set during Christmas as part of their “Fantastic Four” run, which ran for 16 issues in 2008-2009.    In issues 564-565, the Fantastic Four visit Reed’s distant cousin in Scotland for their Christmas vacation.

In the highlands town of Iarmailt, there’s no crime and the town is hale and hearty.   Millar and Hitch create a beautiful Scottish countryside — but of course, things are a bit too perfect, and the tale goes from fun vacation romp to Lovecraftian horror.

Franklin and Valeria, Reed and Sue’s kids, get some good moments in this issue, and the art is simply gorgeous.  The story is a bit slight, but was probably intended as a change of pace between larger arcs. Unlike most Christmas-themed comics, these didn’t actually come out in December, but instead in February and April — but given the events of the issue, that may have been partially intentional. Further mixing up the seasons, the cover to #564 is an homage to Norman Rockwell’s painting “Thanksgiving.”

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1980.  Still to go: 31

Gary Oldman retires James Gordon’s badge; Fox plans more Marvel films; and reviews of “Action Comics” and more in the Planet 46 Comics Podcast at NewsOK.

GARY OLDMAN DONE AS GORDON
Gary Oldman tells Moviefone that “The Dark Knight Rises” will be the end of his run as Jim Gordon, and talks about using Bane as the villain.

“It’s great. It’s a terrific conclusion to the trilogy,” Oldman tells Moviefone. “Nolan rounds it off: he brings in a bit of the first one, from ‘Batman Begins,’ and he does some really surprising things with it. I thought his choice of villain was very interesting, to use Bane instead of Riddler or Penguin. He’s not gone with the most obvious choice. The challenge for Chris was always really the story and I think he didn’t want to make a third one for the sake of it. I think there was pressure on him, obviously, because the second was so successful. So there’s always going to be some pressure to keep it going. But he’s too smart and classy, really to just make a third just for the sake of making it, because others are demanding or want it from him and I think he felt that, ‘Let me get the story right.’ So the fans won’t be disappointed.”
Read more: http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/12/06/gary-oldman-dark-knight-rises-steve-buscemi-snl/

FOX STILL PLANS MORE X-MEN, FF, DAREDEVIL
Fox’s Tom Rothman tells MTV that he wants another “X-Men: First Class.”
“We’re trying like hell,” he said. “We’re trying as hard as we can. We really want to do it. We’re planning to do it.”
Rothman also commented two other Marvel properties that Fox plans to revive: “Daredevil” and “Fantastic Four.”
David Slade is attached to “Daredevil,” while “FF” is earlier in the development process.
REVIEW FILE: Valen the Outcast #1, Action Comics #4, Hawk & Dove #4, Raphael #1, Defenders #1
Comics read in 2011: 1902. Still to go: 109.

The title “Fantastic Four” returns today in comic shops as a major event happens in the lives of the group, who had been calling themselves “The Future Foundation” since the death of original member Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch.

The Associated Press has a report on the issue, which you can read at NewsOK.  If you’re trying to avoid spoilers, wait til you’ve read the 100-page comic before you click the link.

- Matt Price

“Essential Fantastic Four, Volume 5″ collects issues #84-110 of what was called at the time “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.”   Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, who had collaborated on the book since issue #1, end their partnership here with issue #102.  (Previous Kirby art was reworked for #108.)   John Romita Sr. and John Buscema follow the King, but despite their talents, never reach his heights on the series.

These issues are probably the least of the Lee-Kirby FFs — Doom’s a bit out of character in a multi-part story, and there are some apparent plotholes involving the Inhumans.  But there’s enough here to make it worth reading, especially for Kirby fans.   The best of the lot is probably the four part story in #90-93 in which the Thing becomes a gladiator on an alien world.

Also read:

Amazing Spider-Man #5: One of my favorite comics as a youngster (I had the Marvel Tales reprint) features Doctor Doom challenging Spider-Man.

Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure: Using the original pencils Jack Kirby had turned in, which later were rearranged to partially make issue #108, Marvel released this “lost” Lee-Kirby issue in 2008.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,725. Still to go: 286.

Does this Fantastic Four teaser by Joe Quesada indicate the return of the Human Torch in November?  Or is it simply a flashback, red herring, or something else?

- Matt Price

Here’s another teaser for whatever is happening with the Future Foundation, formerly the Fantastic Four, in November.   It seems the return of the original numbering with Fantastic Four #600 might be the way to bet.   What do you think?

- Matt Price

According to The Beat and other sources, “Fantastic Four” #1, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, shipped 50 years ago today, Aug. 8, 1961, kicking off the Marvel Age of Comics!  Way to go, Stan and Jack!   Thanks for all the great comics.

Check out the Kirby Museum for more about Jack Kirby.   Stan Lee can be found online at POW! Entertainment and on twitter.   Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four page can be found at the Marvel site.

The Lee-Kirby run on “Fantastic Four” is rightly remembered as a high water mark for comics at the time, and it certainly changed much of what came after.  If you’ve never read any, I recommend making the time.

- Matt Price

Marvel sent out the following teaser today.  If the FF were to switch its numbering and title back, this could be just in time for “Fantastic Four” No. 600.  Do you think the Human Torch will return? Is it too soon? What have you thought about the “Future Foundation” FF in the interim?

- Matt Price

In “Fantastic Four” #588, the final issue of the long-running series, the team deals with the death of one of their own, as their grief affects not only them, but also heroes throughout the Marvel universe.

There’s an excellent scene with Spider-Man and Franklin Richards talking about their experiences with deaths in their family that’s certainly a precursor to the relaunch of “FF” next month by the same writer.

Spidey also deals with grief in his own series, as in “Amazing Spider-Man” #655, Spidey deals with the aftermath of the death of Marla Jameson.  Both this and the “Fantastic Four” issue have long wordless stretches, and it’s interesting to see how well artist Marcos Martin conveyed the story without dialogue.

Dan Slott’s run on Amazing Spider-Man so far has been fantastic, and this issue continues the trend.

Also read this week:

Secret Avengers #10 – Ed Brubaker is nearing the end of his run, but he’s getting great art out of Mike Deodato; this issue is largely a battle sequence with former Cap ally John Steele.

Avengers #10 – I love Infinity Gauntlet stories, so I’m probably the ideal audience for Brian Michael Bendis’ and John Romita Jr.’s arc in which a villain tries to collect the Infinity Gems.  While this may be a little generic in execution, come on, it’s the Infinity Gems!  I’m enjoying it despite some possible feeling of been-there, done-that.

Captain America #615 – This wraps up the Trial of Captain America and sets up the next story arc.  Writer Ed Brubaker provides more insight into what makes Bucky tick, and Butch Guice nails the artwork, as usual.

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #5 – Best issue of the series thus far, as we begin to get into the origin of Solar in this revamp of the Gold Key characters. If you were a fan in the Valiant days, but the first four issues turned you off, you might give it another shot with this issue.

From the back-issue bins this week:

Sludge 1-6 (Malibu Ultraverse): Steve Gerber and Aaron Lopresti were the creative team for this oily sludge monster that was part Plastic Man, part Man-Thing.   Frank Hoag, a cop accepting money from organized crime, nevertheless refuses to kill a fellow officer. This gets him plugged by the gangsters, but rather than dying, he stumbles into a lab where a set of chemicals turn him into the sewer-dwelling monster Sludge.  With a bit of swiss-cheesed memory and a tendency to malaprop words, Sludge is struggling with his new status quo while fighting against those who did this to him, and trying desperately to end his existence.   This series also introduces Lord Pumpkin, a visually appealing “Ballad of Sleepy Hollow”-reminiscent villain.

Fatale 1-6 (Broadway Comics): Created in1996, this series kind of tagged along on the “Bad Girl” trend that had me pretty sick of comic books in general in the late 1990s.  This one, though, was better written than most.  It was created by Shooter and illustrated by J.G. Jones (“Final Crisis”).

Desirée Hopewell, kind of like Rogue, could take energy and memories from men by kissing them. She’s being hunted by an organization called “The Brotherhood”  and is rarely sure of who she can trust.  Broadway was unfortunately short-lived; the comic-book bust kept any of the storylines except for this one from completing.  Worth grabbing from the bins if you see it.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 311. Still to go: 1700

Marvel announced today that “FF” #1, by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting, will present the debut of the Future Foundation.

After the death of the Human Torch, the surviving members of the Fantastic Four—Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman and

FF #1 Acuna variant

Thing—join with Spider-Man and additional top secret members to form The Future Foundation.

The group aims to save the Marvel Universe from its greatest threats and prevent future dangers from arising.

“FF will alter the very fabric of the Marvel Universe,” Tom Brevoort, Senior Vice President of Publishing, said in a release.  “Jonathan and Steve have crafted a unique, powerful new series that’s going to surprise a lot of fans with its combination of mind-blowing ideas and visuals.”

The $3.99 issue is scheduled for March 23.

- Matt Price

In “Fantastic Four” #587, released early to comic-book shops today, Marvel revealed the death of a popular super-character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Human Torch died heroically at the conclusion of the “Three” storyline by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting.  The Fantastic Four lose one of their founding members, who first appeared in “Fantastic Four” No. 1 in 1961.

“Jonathan Hickman [writer of Fantastic Four] came to us two years ago with a vision for evolving the characters and concepts introduced to fans 50 years ago in Fantastic Four #1 – and quite frankly his vision blew us away,” said Tom Brevoort, Marvel Entertainment SVP of Publishing, in a news release.  “The death of the Human Torch is the first major move in this incredibly exciting evolution of the legendary Fantastic Four franchise and a necessary part of the larger story we will be telling featuring the beloved characters moving forward.”

In the next issue, #588, the Fantastic Four disband, and the surviving characters seek a new role in the Marvel Universe.

- Matt Price

Stan Lee (AP)

Happy birthday to Stan Lee, who co-created many of Marvel Comics’ mainstays, including Spider-Man, X-Men, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four and many many more.  It’s safe to say that without Stan Lee, modern comics wouldn’t be what they are today.

Stan turns 88 today.  On his 85th birthday I made a list of 85 Stan Lee comic books you should read.

Let me add three more issues for the three years since then:

86. Avengers #8 — introducing the time-traveling villain Kang.

87.Fantastic Four #2 – introduction of the Skrulls

88. Amazing Spider-Man #28 – Peter Parker graduates high school, and the Molten Man is introduced.

- Matt Price

- Matt Price

Uncanny X-Men 141

Today is the 60th birthday of John Byrne, writer/artist of many of my favorite comics throughout the years.
In the late 1980s, Byrne was my absolute favorite artist and one of my favorite writers. There was a time that, if you read comics, you had read Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s X-Men. Byrne’s “Fantastic Four” is often considered one of the top runs on those storied characters, as well. What I’ve listed below are 60 comics from Byrne that I think are a great cross-section of some of his best work, and worth taking a look at, especially for superhero fans.  Even with this list, there’s a ton of John Byrne work that won’t be mentioned – Alpha Flight, Hulk, Babe, Danger Unlimited, Batman, Namor… the man is very prolific.  What are your favorite Byrne issues? Feel free to share in the comments.

Uncanny X-Men #141-142
“Days of Future Past” has been referenced and homaged a number of times, as the X-Men try to stop a dystopic future from coming to pass. In the future, following the assassination of Senator Robert Kelly, mutants live in concentration camps, and the United States is under the heel of robotic, mutant-hunting Sentinels. Kate Pryde travels back in time, taking over the mind of her younger self to warn the X-Men of the danger.

Fantastic Four #242-244
I’d recommend eventually reading the entirety of John Byrne’s Fantastic Four, but that would be 62 issues all by itself, and wouldn’t make for a very varied list. In issues 242-244, the FF face Galactus, and Reed Richards makes a momentous choice.

Uncanny X-Men #129-138
The Dark Phoenix saga features X-Man Jean Grey’s corruption by the powers of the Phoenix. The X-Men are forced to make a choice between a founding member and the fate of the universe.

Man of Steel #1-6
Byrne updated Superman for the 1980s in this six-part miniseries. This brought a lot of attention to Superman, and a lot of Marvel readers over for the ride.

Fantastic Four #236
“Terror in a Tiny Town” is the 20th anniversary issue of the FF, which homages their origins while telling an original compelling story.

Fantastic Four 258-262
The FF face off against Doctor Doom, and Reed’s decision about Galactus puts him in dire straits.

Captain America #247-255
With Roger Stern, this short but influential run featured Captain America considering running for President; a faceoff with Baron Blood; and a streamlining of Cap’s origin.

John Byrne’s Next Men # 0-12
This series ran 30 issues, which are all worth seeking out in my opinion. During the first 13 issues, five teenagers discover they’ve been living in a Matrix-like world. These superpowered teens had powers triggered by the government. Once taken from the sheltered world of the Greenery, they must deal with a real world that’s harsher than anything they had imagined.

Fantastic Four #285
After a fan of the Human Torch dies by setting himself on fire, Johnny Storm considers never becoming the Human Torch again.

John Byrne’s 2112
The graphic novel set in the future of the “Next Men” world features the evil Sathanas vs. Safeguard, Inc.

Batman/Captain America
Batman and Robin and Captain America and Bucky face off against the Joker and the Red Skull in the waning days of World War II.   Written in a Golden Age style, this one-shot is a lot of fun.

Superman (Vol. 2) #9
Superman faces off against the Joker, who has kidnapped Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White.  In a back-up story, “Metropolis – 900 Miles,” Byrne takes a look at what makes Lex Luthor tick.

Fantastic Four #257
Galactus destroys the Skrull homeworld.

Superman #12
A flash back to Superman’s college days, and his love with Lori Lemaris.

Marvel Team-Up #50
The Thing vs. the Thing in the past.

Fantastic Four #252
A sideways issue in which the FF journey into the Negative Zone.

Sensational She-Hulk #1
After introducing the She-Hulk to the Fantastic Four, John Byrne writes and draws her own fourth-wall-breaking comic book series, which was something like an action-packed sitcom.

Action Comics #595
The first appearance of the Silver Banshee, who has returned to vex both Superman and Supergirl in recent years.

- Matt Price

Variety reports that Fox is rebooting the “Fantastic Four” film franchise.   Whether or not this will mean recasting is up in the air, but signs point to probably.

Akiva Goldsman will oversee the reboot as producer.  I still hold him partially responsible for “Batman and Robin,” but maybe that’s not fair. Michael Green, (“Heroes” and the upcoming “Green Lantern” script) will write the script for the new “Fantastic Four” film.

The first thing this brings to mind for me is, is this Fox making sure they have the characters in development so they don’t revert back to Marvel, now with the power of Disney behind them?  Maybe.

According to Variety, Fox controls “Fantastic Four” in perpetuity — as long as it continues making the films.  This is the same deal Fox has on “X-Men,” “Daredevil” and “Silver Surfer.”  So, I’d expect to hear an announcement on “Daredevil” someday soon as well.

- Matt Price

Starting with issue #570, the Fantastic Four will sport a new logo, reminiscent of the team’s 1970s logo.  This issue kicks off the storyline by Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham.  Issue #570 goes on sale August 26.

The new team of Jonathan Hickman (Nightly News) and Dale Eaglesham (JSA) take over Fantastic Four with issue #570, and Marvel Comics has released a preview of that art.

- Matt Price

“I think they’re done,” Evans said. “They’ve closed the book on that franchise. I think if there was talk I think that I would’ve heard about it by now.”

– Matt Price

“Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes” mixes the characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with modern animation and anime-influenced design.

The Fantastic Four is a super-team. The team’s adventures are based on the Marvel Comic book.

Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) is the genius leader who can stretch his body like elastic. Sue Storm (Invisible Woman) can turn invisible and project force fields. Ben Grimm (The Thing) is an orange, rocky monster, and Johnny Storm (Human Torch) can turn himself into a flame and fly.

The melding of 2-D and 3-D animation could be jarring for some, and the designs aren’t directly lifted from the comic book. French animation house Moonscoop tried to modernize the look, with the “4” logo seemingly spray-painted on The Thing’s rocky hide and the Torch sporting a Japanese anime-style haircut.

Several guest-stars from Marvel Comics appear, including Hulk and Iron Man.

The featurette “From Origin to Animation” is a treat for fans, as Lee talks about the Fantastic Four’s creation. The “Rise of the Rogues” featurette showcases the Fantastic Four’s villains, including Doctor Doom. Also included is a partial reprint of the “Ultimate Fantastic Four” No. 1 comic book.

— Matthew Price

Need more info? I’ll have a review of the DVD set on Friday.

– Matt Price

– Matt Price