Fantastic Four #29: Yancy Street Pranks 6
Written with a dash of greatness by: Stan Lee
Drawn with a hint of glory by: Jack Kirby
Inked with a touch of drama by: Chic Stone
Lettered with a bottle of india ink by: S. Rosen
It's a bit touch-and go as to wether this splash page really counts as a prank. Technically, it's 'littering' and 'defending your turf'. However it's the first time the Fantastic Four have ventured down Yancy Street itself (previously, the Thing had stood at one end of the street holding up a flattering picture of himself), and that felt like it warranted a mention.
More appropriately, it's the first page to feature inks by Chic Stone, who instantly displays his strengths as an inker and set himself apart from his predecessor, George Roussos. Where Roussos favoured a heavy, chunky line, Stone's inks over Kirby's pencils would be defined by the lightness of his line, especially when it came to scenery and background. He also provides stronger definition for the main cast - check out Reed's cheekbones or how Johnny's 'flame-lines' hint at a more detailed musculature than had previously been depicted.
It's no secret that Stone is one of my favourite Kirby inkers, and although he would spend less than a year on the book, he was a valuable part of the title's transition from the earlier, experimental and improvised feel into the Fantastic Four truly becoming the World's Greatest Comics Magazine.
Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #29 on our thirty-second episode: Now With Genuine People Personalities