Marvel Masterworks Fantastic Four vs The Fantastic Four Annual #2
Side by Side, Part 1
Side by Side, Part 2
Side by Side, Part 3 - Conclusion
Continuing where I last left off, as I compared the original to the restoration, there are times where the recoloring doesn't match the original (aside from the acid-bright primary colors). In the above example is some recoloring where a color was omitted in Doom’s armor, perhaps it was the intent to increase contrast? Now that I’ve noticed it, I can’t unsee it!
Here, there are some definite registration issues going on, but notice there's more detail in this typical Kirby chromed device 👀 that Doom is tinkering with.
Another example: notice the slight differences in the facial expressions.
An iconic panel of Doctor Doom.
Here, Sue Storm is pulling a fast one on Doctor Doom by turning him invisible. I find that the original media lends itself better to how Sue’s invisibility is illustrated.
Conclusion
I'm sure my opinion is obvious, but I prefer the original colors and not the digitally "restored" colors. Something is lost in translation when you take away the halftones, Ben Day dots, and the fine nuances in the black that come with the printing method. One of the things that made Kirby so great is he really knew how to work with the limitations of the medium. The bold, expressive lines. The limited color palette used for maximum impact and expression. And some of that expressiveness is lost, dropped out, in the archival books.
I consider myself fortunate to be able to own some of these early comics. These days, some only have access to the digital versions of these comics, and may have formed opinions based on that. Which is a shame.
I don't do it often anymore, but I used to painstakingly do hires scans of original panels, do some minor enhancements but not alter anything if I could help it. Life came along and then was overwhelming, and work, and I stopped posting. To this day, stuff I posted back in 2012 and earlier, is still being reblogged, some of it in the hundreds (thousands?!). That means more people are exposed to what the comics are supposed to look like. And that's a good thing. I'm happy that I'm able to share these things with you. ❤️
Needle-box prints from 'The Queen's Floral Needle Box Set' (British, 1850).
Baxter process (which was ‘a mixed variety of printmaking, patented by George Baxter in 1835, using multiple wood-engraved blocks printed in colour over an intaglio key-plate’).
Images and text information courtesy British Museum.
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