Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Fantastic Four: Yaffa Vol. 3 - The two-issue run


In my recent overview of the Yaffa Fantastic Four series I said that there was no Vol. 3 as per The Amazing Spider-Man. This is technically true.

And yet, there was a Fantastic Four Vol. 3 by Yaffa - it's just that it was an altogether different beast to The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3.


Shortly after Fantastic Four Vol. 2 ceased publication with #222/223, Yaffa/Page Publications relaunched Fantastic Four with a digest-sized #1 issue. This issue reprinted the main features from the US Fantastic Four #'s 23-25, featuring the cover from #25, and omitting the splash page from that issue.

But what is interesting is that this is a continuation of the vintage Lee/Kirby stories that were appearing as backup features in Fantastic Four Vols. 1 and 2. Indeed, the last such story reprinted in Fantastic Four #222/223 was originally from the US Fantastic Four #22. Hence the direct connection between Fantastic Four Vols. 2 and 3.


Fantastic Four Vol. 3 #2 continued this pattern - it reprinted material from the US Fantastic Four #'s 26-28, the cover based on US Fantastic Four #27.

As far as I know there were only two issues published in this series.

And yes - they are nicer editions than The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3!

Update 30 April 2023: Fantastic Four Vol. 3 #2 was published c.February 1981.

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