I wanted to reconnect with the question of what happened to that doppelgänger, who we assumed to have died in the Negative Zone, and to also explore in more depth some of the territory Jack Kirby laid out there. The second famous issue I revisited is Fantastic Four Annual #6, with the team’s major foray into the Negative Zone, when Annihilus is introduced and Reed and Sue’s son, Franklin Richards, is born at the end of the issue.

The widely considered prime example of the Lee-Kirby magic was in Fantastic Four #51, with the introduction of the Negative Zone and the Thing’s form-stealing doppelgänger in his only appearance. Ross: The book actually recalls a couple of the most famous stories from the original ’60s run. What is that story and why did you want to revisit it? TJA: The book revisits a classic Kirby-Lee story from the 1960s. It took a long period of negotiations about what that could be and an additional book publisher to be brought in to make the graphic novel I completed during the anniversary year. My proposal to be the one who guided the team in that return lost out then, but I was later approached to see if I wanted to create anything special for the 60 th anniversary. I had originally pitched the Fantastic Four editor a “new look” approach for the team, back before the book was announced to resume publishing. Ross: It was kind of a little bit of both. TJA: How did Full Circle come about as a project? Did you approach Marvel or Marvel approach you? My first comic of them was either the Power Records reprint of John Buscema’s origin retelling, or it was 1975’s Fantastic Four #163 with Rich Buckler art. Troy-Jeffrey Allen: When did you first discover the Fantastic Four?Īlex Ross: I most likely learned of the Fantastic Four when I was about four or five years old. PreviewsWorlds’ own Troy-Jeffrey Allen spoke with Ross, who took time out of his busy schedule to talk about this exciting exclusive project… Ross has brought the Negative Zone to life as Kirby himself depicted it… replicating his famous collage style in page-after-Kirby Krackle-infused page. Fantastic Four: Full Circle is a fully painted adventure set within the strange “Negative Zone,” home of the interdimensional warlord Annihilus and countless other threats to our reality. This July, Abrams ComicArts and Previews will present a PREVIEWS EXCLUSIVE graphic novel by the legendary Alex Ross, who has, in past endeavors, captured the heart, soul, and spirit of those who came before him in exciting new projects expanding upon and paying tribute to classic characters and scenarios… particularly those of the early Marvel Comics.

Jack Kirby, along with Marvel front man / idea man Stan Lee, transported readers to worlds both alien and commonplace for over 100 issues of their “World’s Greatest Comics Magazine,” Fantastic Four. There’s no denying the power of a certain image and its ability to transport readers to another realm.

Fantastic four full circle release date