American Comics Update: The Bute Collection/Mighty Marvel Firsts: Debut of the Skrulls in Fantastic Four #2
*Marvel: From the prestigious Bute Collection. In the second ever appearance of the Fantastic Four, we met the race of shifty shapeshifters who were to become one of the FF’s, and the Marvel Universe’s, greatest nemeses: the ‘Skrulls From Outer Space!’, as the cover had it. (In case readers got them confused with the Skrulls from Penge West…) Still a half-way house between proper super-heroics and the ‘Big Panty Monsters’ that had been a staple of the company, the non-costumed FF looked at this stage almost as bizarre as their extra-terrestrial opposition. This historic issue is a low grade pence printed copy. The cover is plagued by colour-breaking creases, particularly in the lower half, although the cover image remains pretty good. The spine is heavily worn with many splits and the staples are off the front cover. There is an old piece of tape inside the front cover up from the bottom edge which attempts to repair a small tear. There are small amounts of tape also on the bottom right corner of 1 interior page. The comic is complete, although it should be noted that the Thing pin-up page has, at some time, been torn out and replaced fixed by tape that is now old and rotting so that the page is now loose. The comic is well worn and feels old and thin; .the pages are unmarked, if a little grubby and beset by nicks and small tears. The second ever ‘proper’ Marvel Comic with the debut of a major antagonist, this copy represents the chance to pick up a major key issue at a price that won’t require a mortgage. High resolution images are available on request.
PICTURED: FANTASTIC FOUR #2 PR/FA £650 SOLD