Fantastic Four #117 (Pt 1) Johnny Visits the Inhumans

Fantastic Four 117 (1971) Buscema

Fantastic Four 99 (1970) Kirby

Fantastic Four #116 (Pt 5) The Silver Surfer Sneaks In

I immediately recognized a few shots of #116's Stranger and the Overmind as quite obviously based the Silver Surfer and Quasimodo from the Surfer's solo tale in Fantastic Four Annual #5 (1967). This type of wholesale character substitution was unusual for John Buscema during his FF stint. His use of Kirby was pretty straightforward; he'd typically refer to a Kirby Reed as a model for his own Reed, a Kirby Sue for Sue, etc.

FF #116 was among the Marvel comics on sale in August 1971 that had an increased page count from 32 to 48 pages (along with a price increase from 15 cents to 25 cents). I'm guessing that #116's additional pages induced Buscema to rely on Kirby reference more than he normally would have, as he now had to produce 34 pages of art--instead of the usual 19 or 20!  

Fantastic Four #116 (1971) John Buscema

Fantastic Four Annual #5 (1967) Jack Kirby

Fantastic Four #116 (1971) Buscema

Fantastic Four Annual #5 (1967) Jack Kirby

And then I saw these panels: 

FF 116 (1971) Buscema             FF Annual 5 (1967) Kirby

The pages in question:

Page 31, Fantastic Four #116 (1971) Buscema
Also, the last panel here was likely inspired by Annual #5's page 5 splash below

Pages 4 and 5, Fantastic Four Annual #5 (1967) Kirby

Pages 6 and 7, Fantastic Four Annual #5 (1967) Kirby


Fun Fact! Marvel's books reverted to their previous page count the very next month, only now with a 20 cent cover price--all part of Martin Goodman's master plan. 

Fantastic Four #116 (Pt 4) Classic Dr. Doom

Fantastic Four #116 (1971) John Buscema

Avengers #25 (1966) Jack Kirby

Fantastic Four #116 (Pt 3) Sue's Back

Fantastic Four 116
(1971) Buscema

Fantastic Four 70
(1968) Kirby

Fantastic Four #116 (Pt 2) Sue from Fantastic Four #39

Fantastic Four 39 (1965) Kirby                     Fantastic Four 116 (1971) Buscema 

             Fantastic Four 39 (1965) Kirby              Fantastic Four 116 (1971) Buscema

Connections: Buscema likely looked to FF #39 for inspiration/reference, since Dr. Doom appears in both #39 and #116 (and you'll see some similar Doom shots in both issues). 

Also, Buscema's back view of Sue in #116 (the "a little afraid" panel) strongly reminded me of another image of Sue. I'll post it here next time. 

Fantastic Four #116 (Pt 1) Johnny's Follicle Follies

Fantastic Four #3 (1962) Jack Kirby

Fantastic Four #116 (1971) John Buscema

I know I'm jumping way ahead but I just can't resist including Buckler's version here. This is Thor/Don Blake from 1989's (!) Avengers #304. 

Avengers #304 (1989) Rich Buckler

Okay, back to the FF issues...now let's take a look at Johnny's fluffy forelock and furrowed brow:

Fantastic Four #3   Kirby                                       Fantastic Four #116   Buscema

The Buscema sequence from Fantastic Four #116. 

Fantastic Four #116 (1971) Buscema

The Kirby sequence from Fantastic Four #3. 

Fantastic Four #3 (1962) Kirby

 Jack and John, was this a DA hairstyle? So '50s! ;)

Fantastic Four #115 (Pt 2) Reed, Ben and Fantastic Four #32

This Buscema Sue-Reed panel had always reminded me of this FF #32 Alicia-Ben panel by Kirby:

Fantastic Four 115 (1971) John Buscema              Fantastic Four 32 (1964) Jack Kirby

Other similar, perhaps suggested by scenarios in proximity to the above, such as here...  

Fantastic Four 115 (1971) Buscema                 Fantastic Four 32 (1964) Kirby

...and here, with Reed taking center stage in both #115 and 32. 

Fantastic Four 115 (1971) Buscema

Fantastic Four 32 (1964) Kirby

Fantastic Four #115 (Pt 1) Sue is Surprised

Fantastic Four #115 (1971) Buscema

Fantastic Four #48 (1966) Kirby

Fantastic Four #114 (Pt 4) The Ever-Helpful Watcher

Fantastic Four 114 (1971) Buscema          Fantastic Four 49 (1966) Kirby                     

Fantastic Four #114 (Pt 3) He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother-In-Law

Fantastic Four 80 (1968) Kirby

Fantastic Four 114 (1971) Buscema

Giant-Size X-Men #1 - The Girl with Green Hair

It's lovely Lorna Dane, natch! In the legendary Giant-Size X-Men #1, Dave Cockrum paid tribute to the equally legendary Thomas-Adams X-Men run. 

X-Men 57 (1969) Neal Adams

GS X-Men 1 (1975) Cockrum

Fantastic Four #114 (Pt 2) Ben Grimm's Main Squeeze

Fantastic Four #114 (1971) John Buscema

Fantastic Four #96 (1970) Jack Kirby

Hmm, looks like Joltin' Joe had left and gone away ;) --at least temporarily--both issues were inked by Fearless Frank Giacoia. 

Freaky Friday! X-Men #40's Nod to Fantastic Four #12

Fantastic Four 12 (1963) Jack Kirby

X-Men 40 (1968) George Tuska

          

Fantastic Four #114 (Pt 1) Baxter Building Business

Fantastic Four #114 (1971) John Buscema

Fantastic Four #101 (1970) Jack Kirby

Fantastic Four #113 - Classic Reed and Sue

Fantastic Four 113 (1971) Buscema              Fantastic Four Annual 4 (1966) Kirby

Not a swipe, just a popular pose for Reed and Sue. John Buscema will do another variation on it in just a few issues. Rich Buckler liked it too :) --you can check out his versions here and here. 

And for more Buscema and FF #113, take a look here.

Fantastic Four #112 - Ben and Reed Get the Point

                            Fantastic Four 22 (1964) Kirby                                            Fantastic Four 112
                                                                                                                         (1971) Buscema



The full Kirby panel: 

Fantastic Four #22 (1964) Jack Kirby

Fantastic Four #111 (Pt 3) Even More Ben Grimm

Fantastic Four #111 (1971) John Buscema

Fantastic Four #2 (1962) Jack Kirby

Fantastic Four #111 (Pt 2) More Ben Grimm

Fantastic Four #111 (1971) John Buscema

Fantastic Four #79 (1968) Jack Kirby

Fantastic Four #111 (Pt 1) Big John and Big Ben

Fantastic Four 39 (1965) Kirby

Fantastic Four 111 (1971) Buscema

Fantastic Four #110 (Pt 3) Ben, Sue and Johnny Hold Their Own

Fantastic Four 110 (1971) John Buscema

Fantastic Four 62 (1967) Jack Kirby

Perhaps "suggested by" #62--the stories are similar. 

Fantastic Four 62 (1967)                    Fantastic Four 110 (1971)