There are opinions & there are facts, I support your right to your opinion on the quality of Vol 10 vs 11.

Facts on panel counts..............

I feel there are 3 classes of Kirby silver age plotting, based on panel counts

average of 6+ panels per page-------my opinion: too overplotted--no grandeur or epic look
average of 4 or less panels per page &-------my opinion: too padded
average of between 4 to 6 panels per page-----my opinion: a good mix of expostion vs action etc

FF 1-30 had 27 books with 6+ panels---the early days of Stan doing detailed synopsis with lots of exposition, good stories but kind of long-winded and lacking in grandeur. Lots of 7, 8 & 9 panel pages.

FF 31-102, 108 had 61 of 73 issues with between 4 & 6 panels.
The 11 issues of those that had less 4 panels per page and were #s 62, 71, & 81-89.
82-89 were in volume 9, which a lot of folks like, but I don't because I feel they are just way too padded.
I don't know why he plotted those books that way, but I'm really glad he went back to the old pace in issue 90-102, 108.
Starting around FF 94 Kirby asked Stan to go back to giving him detailed synopsis and contributing new characters. That coinsided with the company's directive on non-continued stories in addition their previous directive to scale way back on sub-plots and supporting characters. (Metro college, Wingfoot, etc.)
Perhaps Stan was too busy to come up with any great new characters, but he was credited as the 'writer' and took top billing so I don't think it was too much to ask.
Volume 10 does have very good pacing and great character moments along with lots of 'family' stories where the FF & Crystal were in civilian garb in almost every issue. To me it kind of bookends the Kirby/Lee era since they started out as single issues stories with lots of focus on family. I only wish they had battled some more rare/interesting foes---Ronan, Dragon-Man, Frightful Four (with a replacement baddie), Blaastar, Annihilus, etc.

I quit the FF with issue 116 (the last issue of volume 11) because it just didn't seem the same to me without Kirby and because I just didn't like the stories in that bunch----another 'Thing becomes human goes crazy' arc, another Jonny losses Crystal arc (#3), another super-alien takes over world no other Marvel heroes get involved arc. That was in addition to the fact that I really, really loved the missing sub-plots that didn't become common again till much later.

I'm happy that people like the Buscema issues because that's all we'll get for a while--I'll be waiting for some Byrne FF hardcovers.

By the way, I haven't been counting panels for 40 years---I should have said,
I counted them 40 years ago (& there're still the same i presume.image)


I don't feel bad about getting off-topic here because the matter of Vol 11 being shipped has been settled and the thread is moot otherwise.

Peace.


Last Edited By: Lockjaw Sep 20 08 3:05 PM. Edited 1 times.