The Evolution of Fantastic Four Comic Covers Through the Years

Alright, alright, let’s talk about them Fantastic Four comic covers, you know, the pictures on them books my grandson likes to read. They got all sorts of colors and folks flyin’ around and stuff. Real eye-catchin’, I tell ya.

First off, you gotta know these Fantastic Four folks, they like a family, kinda. There’s Mr. Fantastic, he’s stretchy, like rubber, you know? Then there’s his wife, Invisible Woman, she can disappear, poof, just like that! And her brother, the Human Torch, he’s all fiery, flies around like a big firecracker. And that Thing, he’s made of rocks, strong as an ox, but a good fella, deep down.

Now, them comic covers, they gotta tell you a story, right? Gotta make you wanna pick up the book and see what’s happenin’. Some of them old covers, they’re real somethin’ special. My grandson told me they call them the “classic covers”, they got these guys fightin’ big monsters, robots, all sorts of crazy stuff. And the colors, oh my, bright reds, yellows, blues, everything jumpin’ out at ya. They gotta make you say, “Well, I’ll be darned, I gotta see what this is all about!”

I seen some covers where they’re all smilin’ and happy, like a family picture, you know? And then there’s ones where they’re all serious, fightin’ for their lives, looks like. The artists, they gotta be real clever, gotta show all that action and emotion in just one picture. That ain’t easy, I tell ya. It’s like tryin’ to tell a whole story with just one look at a cow’s face – you can tell if she’s happy, sad or hungry , you just gotta know how to look.

One thing I noticed, they always put the important stuff front and center. Like if they’re fightin’ Doctor Doom, that metal-faced fella, he’s gonna be right there, big and scary.
And they always got the words, the title, real big and bold. Gotta catch your eye, make you remember the name. “Fantastic Four,” it says, and you know you’re in for a ride.
And they use them words, like “smash,” “bam,” “pow!” You know, the sound effects. Makes you feel like you’re right there in the fight, hearin’ all the ruckus. It’s kinda like when my old tractor backfires, it goes “bang”, you hear it and you feel it!

Some of them covers, they got this shiny stuff on ’em, makes ’em sparkle. My grandson calls it “foil,” fancy, huh? Makes ’em look real special, collectible, I guess. He keeps ’em in plastic bags, don’t want ’em gettin’ all bent up and dusty. Says they might be worth somethin’ someday. Well, I don’t know about that. Back in my day a picture was just a picture.

And them covers, they changed over the years, you know? The old ones, they look kinda different from the new ones. The art styles change, the colors change, even the way they draw the characters changes. But they always tryin’ to tell a story, always tryin’ to grab your attention. It’s like lookin’ at how my garden grows over the years, the same plants but always lookin’ a little different.

Sixty years, that’s how long my grandson said they been making these books. Sixty years of pictures, and stories. That’s a lot of time and a lot of covers! It’s amazing to think about all the adventures they’ve been on, all the bad guys they’ve fought. They say these Fantastic Four folks, they started this whole “Marvel Age of Comics” thing. Guess they musta done somethin’ right, huh? They are supposed to be the “World’s Greatest Comic Magazine”, according to my grandson. He reads a lot of them, knows all the details and everything.

And you know, even if you don’t read the books, you can still look at them covers and get a sense of what’s goin’ on. That’s the power of a good picture, I reckon. It can tell you a whole story without you even havin’ to read a single word. It’s like lookin’ at the sky, you can see the clouds and know if it’s gonna rain, just by lookin’. It’s the same thing with them covers, you look at them and you see the heroes, the villains and you know there’s gonna be a fight and in the end good is gonna win. It’s always nice when good wins, you know? Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

So, next time you see one of them Fantastic Four comics, take a good look at the cover. See if you can figure out what’s happenin’, see if it makes you wanna read the story. It’s more than just a picture, it’s a whole world waitin’ to be explored. And who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself a new favorite hero, or a new favorite villain. Or maybe you’ll just enjoy the pretty pictures. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that neither.