Slowly Closing In.

Well, there are only a few issues of FANTASTIC FOUR that I need after #20. A few had been proving tough to locate, but I've managed to get most of them. There was that amazing burst of creativity that Kirby displayed beginning with issue #44 and only ended with #67. So many books in that run that are going up in demand and price because of the wonderful characters Jack Kirby created and introduced during those dizzying years.

Today I landed a copy of FANTASTIC FOUR #50. I am very pleased with the condition that the book is in for the price that I paid.

Now the only key issues I need to land for issues after #20 are numbers 48 (first Galactus and Silver Surfer), 52 (first Black Panther) and #67 (second half of the "HIM" storyline that Lee managed to fuck up).

Once I have those three issues in hand, I will tackle the the first 20 books. I only have one issue of FANTASTIC FOUR before #20. I hope to have a complete set of Kirby's FF by Christmas 2014. We'll see.

Phone Call from a New York comic book publisher's office:
Publisher's nephew: "Jack. The art and notes came in for FF #48. Yeah...I remember who this Galactus dude is. But this shiny cat on the surf board. What's that all about? Who the heck is he?"
Jack: "That's the Silver Surfer. I figure if Galactus is like G-d, then he needs a herald. Something like an angel. So he's the herald of Galactus."
Publisher's nephew: "Oh. Cool. That makes sense! Excellent Jack! You're the King!" (I wish I could come up with stuff like that, he thinks as he hangs up the phone.)