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This is one of my all time favorite John Byrne covers.This is the awesome cover art to Fantastic Four No. 249 (Cover Dat...
09/02/2026

This is one of my all time favorite John Byrne covers.
This is the awesome cover art to Fantastic Four No. 249 (Cover Date: December 1982) by JOHN BYRNE & TERRY AUSTIN.

"MAN AND SUPER-MAN!"
Creative Team: John Byrne, George Roussos, Joe Rosen, Jim Salicrup & Lance Tooks.

Four Skrulls are fleeing into Earth space trying not to be captured by Gladiator, of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard who has been pursuing them since they made an unauthorized passage through Shi'ar space.

With nowhere to run, the Skrulls decide to execute a special maneuver to defeat their foes.
Just as the Gladiator gets within range, both he and the Skrull ship are lost in a blinding flash of light!

Meanwhile on Earth, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm who are taking a stroll through Central Park spots the Fantasti-Flare and has to depart.

Johnny is the first to arrive at the newly reconstructed floors of their Baxter Building headquarters. There, he finds Reed and Sue and learns that Reed has detected a strange energy reading within their solar system that might be a threat.

At that very moment, Gladiator arrives in New York City and his arrival is witnessed by the Thing who is trying to get the Baxter Building by taxi cab.

Unable to understand the Gladiator's alien language, Ben decides to step in when the Shi'ar warrior begins tossing cars around.
Ben tries to fight the Gladiator but is no match for his superior strength and is thrown right into the upper floors of the Baxter Building.

Suddenly the building is rocked at Gladiator lifts the Baxter Building right from its foundation!









Special 250th issue!This is the cover to Fantastic Four No. 250 (Cover Date: January 1983) by JOHN BYRNE & TERRY AUSTIN....
09/01/2026

Special 250th issue!
This is the cover to Fantastic Four No. 250 (Cover Date: January 1983) by JOHN BYRNE & TERRY AUSTIN.

"X-FACTOR."
Creative Team: John Byrne, Christie Scheele, Joe Rosen, Salicrup & Tom DeFalco.

Spider-Man is swinging through New York City when he spots the stretched out body of Mister Fantastic, who was defeated in his battle against Gladiator of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard.

Reviving Richards, Spider-Man learns of the battle he just fought. Spidey agrees to lend a hand and swings Reed to the location of the fight.

There they see Gladiator being approached by what appears to be Cyclops, Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler of the X-Men.

When the "X-Men" suddenly attack, Gladiator is confused, as the last time he fought alongside the X-Men, and begins to wonder if they are in league with the Skrulls.

While not far away, the Human Torch regains consciousness after his thrashing at the hands of Gladiator.

Remembering how the Thing was crushed under a bus, Johnny rushes to his aid and melts through the bus to get to him.

Unable to do CPR for Ben due to his unique physiology, the only thing that he can think to do is generate heat to keep the Thing's body temperature up in order to prevent shock.

While high above in the Baxter Building, Franklin Richards tries to revive his mother following her brush with the Shi'ar warrior.

She comes around just as Spider-Man and Mister Fantastic arrive.
When Sue explains how Gladiator was able to fight through her invisible force fields, it causes Reed to figure out how their foe's powers work.

As Reed and Sue rush off to work a plan, Spider-Man decides to return to the battle down below to see what he can do.











This is the cover to Fantastic Four No. 251 (Cover Date: February 1983) by JOHN BYRNE."INTO THE NEGATIVE ZONE!"Creative ...
08/27/2026

This is the cover to Fantastic Four No. 251 (Cover Date: February 1983) by JOHN BYRNE.

"INTO THE NEGATIVE ZONE!"
Creative Team: John Byrne, Glynis Wein, Jim Novak, Linda Grant & Tom DeFalco.

Reed is showing Ben their new Negative Zone portal, a tube that goes through dimensions from the floor in the Baxter Building, something that Reed hopes will prevent beings from the anti-matter universe from breaching the barrier and crossing over to Earth.

When Ben questions why Reed would want to build a device after vowing not to open the portal ever again, Reed explains that the Negative Zone has too much potential to go unexplored.

All Ben can think of is the threat posed by Annihilus, the ruler of the Negative Zone.
Reed also reminds Ben of other threats from that dimension, namely Blastaar and Stygorr, and how they once banished Galactus to the Negative Zone for a time.

Sue interrupts their discussion to tell Reed that it's time for their first tenants meeting with the businesses that rent out the office spaces in the Baxter Building.

Reed and Sue brace themselves for the coming meeting and after a brief moment to consider that they did not really think through the perils of owning a rental property, the couple wade into the meeting as the tenants begin making demands and complaints about their accommodations.

Finally, Reed manages to complete his tenants meeting and shows his clients to the door.

Now able to focus on his current work he is happy to get working on his newest invention, the Negative Zone Exploratory Module. When the rest of the team arrives with Alicia and Franklin, Reed explains to Alicia how the portal works and demonstrates it by activating the device, the distinctly loud "KA-CHUNG!" indicating that the portal has been opened.

After assuring everyone that while they'll be gone for a number of months in the Negative Zone, time actually passes slower on Earth.

Soon the Fantastic Four are in the Negative Zone Exploratory Module and it is dropped into the portal tunnel.
After a bumpy passage through the distortion field, the Fantastic Four safely emerge into the Negative Zone to begin the first leg of their exploratory voyage.

Sometime later, back at the Baxter Building, Alicia leaves Franklin alone to prepare a snack when she suddenly hears the "KA-CHUNG!" from the Negative Zone portal.

Wondering why the Fantastic Four are back so soon, she goes to the portal to investigate.
When she has entered the room, Alicia is grabbed by Annihilus, ruler of the Negative Zone who has used the portal to cross over to Earth!











"Chapter 1 of an exciting four part epic deep within the Negative Zone!"This is my favorite issue cover art, it's the co...
08/26/2026

"Chapter 1 of an exciting four part epic deep within the Negative Zone!"
This is my favorite issue cover art, it's the cover to Fantastic Four No. 252 (Cover Date: March 1983) by JOHN BYRNE.

"CITYSCAPE."
Creative Team: John Byrne, Glynis Wein, Jim Novak, Lance Tooks & Tom DeFalco.

On a distant world within the Negative Zone, below a massive metallic citadel a race of aliens try to eek out an existence.

Among them is Taiya, a young woman who is intended to be sacrificed as a bride of Ootah, much to the jeers of her people. She is pulled aside by her mortal lover Tannar who suggests that they leave the madness of their people behind so that they can remain together in love.

Taiya cannot accept that and suggests that Tannar forget about her and find a new love to have children with.

Their discussion is interrupted when they both spot a strange object coming down from the sky. The people rush to see what it is.

The object turns out to be the Fantastic Four in their Negative Zone Exploratory craft.

Once it lands the team disembarks and begins exploring the area around them.

Reed is about to do a scan of the stars in the sky when the aliens attack.
Spotting the danger, Sue is able to shield her husband with an invisible force field, but is too late to stop a drugged dart from hitting him.

Johnny and Ben fight back, easily knocking back the primitive villagers. Believing that she is seeing demons, Taiya spots the unconscious Reed Richards.

Taking one of her warrior's daggers she attempts to slit his throat, but is ambushed by Sue who gets the drop on the alien woman by turning invisible.
Suddenly the battle is called to a halt by the alien's leader Mama Shonti.

She tells her people that these must be the "four who fall from the heavens" that is spoken of in their prophecy.

Note: With the exception of the advertisements and the letters page, this cover and the entire issue is printed sideways.













This is the cover art to Fantastic Four No. 253 (Cover Date: April 1983) by JOHN BYRNE."QUEST."Creative Team: John Byrne...
08/24/2026

This is the cover art to Fantastic Four No. 253 (Cover Date: April 1983) by JOHN BYRNE.

"QUEST."
Creative Team: John Byrne, Glynis Wein, Jim Novak, Al Milgrom & Ann Nocenti.

Deep in the heart of the Negative Zone, a massive and ancient starship known as Kestor's Hope detects an on coming craft.

Their leader, known only as the Captain, orders the vessel pulled aboard with their tractor beam.
As the ship is pulled aboard a security team goes to meet it.
Inside the cargo hold, the Fantastic Four emerge from their Exploratory Module and are shocked by the decrepit age of the ship that they have been pulled aboard, Reed estimates that it must be over ten thousand years old.

When the Kestorians enter the cargo hold they assume they are besieged by monsters when they see the Thing and attack.

The Fantastic Four easily disarm the security team with their powers, but the Captain orders a halt to the hostilities.
He chastises his men for blindly attacking and then welcomes the Fantastic Four aboard their vessel.

The Fantastic Four are then taken to a dining hall where they are given a massive feast, it is during the meal that Reed asks the Captain how their people came to be voyaging in the vastness of the Negative Zone.

The Captain tells the FF that his people come from the planet Kestor.
Millions of years ago, they had a technological utopia until one day the very planet revolted against them.

With their planet doomed, the leader of the Kestorians ordered the construction of a massive ship so they could relocate to a new world.

They soon blasted off aboard their massive ship the Kestor's Hope just moments before their homeworld exploded.

Their ship was damage in the resulting destruction severely damaged their navigational computers forcing them to spend countless centuries searching for a suitable home.

In order to preserve their people, the Kestorians put the majority of their population into suspended animation, leaving only a small crew to pilot the vessel.

The Captain finishes his tale by telling their visitors that they are the descendants of the original crew.










This is the cover art to Fantastic Four No. 254 (Cover Date: May 1983) by JOHN BYRNE."THE MINDS OF MANTRACORA."Creative ...
08/24/2026

This is the cover art to Fantastic Four No. 254 (Cover Date: May 1983) by JOHN BYRNE.

"THE MINDS OF MANTRACORA."
Creative Team: John Byrne, Glynis Wein, Jim Novak, Al Milgrom & Ann Nocenti.

On the Negative Zone world of Mantracora, the Mantracorans' spiritual leader Tarnith Gelstal judges a new "Chosen" couple and finds them worthy of taking their rightful place in the Brotherhood.

The couple joyfully accepts their selection and are led deep below Gelstal's massive castle.
Once there, as great doors open, they find something horrifying, but their brief screams are not heard by those celebrating above them.

Two days later, the Fantastic Four are riding a wagon incognito toward that same city as part of their continuing exploration of the Negative Zone.

Reed wants to check out a strange energy reading he has detected in the citadel, energies that are quite different from the general emissions of the planet.

As they approach, the Thing is not impressed with the outfit they have given him as a disguise, but Reed deems it necessary in order to mask their presence as much as possible.

However, their entry does not go unnoticed, as one of Taranith Gelstal's servants spots them and the sensors he wears on his face send scans of the newcomers to Tarnith Gelstal in the Keep who finds them to be of interest and instructs his servant to follow them cautiously and try to get a better look.

As his computers detect the massive intellect within the mind of Reed Richards, Taranith Gelstal thinks to himself that the alien is the final piece of the puzzle needed for his grand schemes.

Note:
The Fantastic Four have been in the Negative Zone for two months now, but only a few hours have passed on Earth.
The time differential was explained by Reed in Fantastic Four No. 251.













Take a look at this awesome cover art to Fantastic Four No. 255 (Cover Date: June 1983) by JOHN BYRNE."TRAPPED!"Creative...
08/24/2026

Take a look at this awesome cover art to Fantastic Four No. 255 (Cover Date: June 1983) by JOHN BYRNE.

"TRAPPED!"
Creative Team: John Byrne, Glynis Wein, Jim Novak, Al Milgrom & Ann Nocenti.

On the island of Manhattan, Daredevil is swinging through the city when suddenly he slams into an invisible barrier that even his radar-sense could not detect.

However, thanks to his keen training and fast reflexes, he manages to save himself from a fatal fall some twelve stories down.

Going to investigate the barrier, Daredevil is able to find it by touch, but is shocked when his radar sense can detect nothing but thin air.

The cause of this barrier is Annihilus, ruler of the Negative Zone who has erected it using the equipment from within the Fantastic Four's Baxter Building headquarters.

Meanwhile, deep in the Negative Zone on the planet Mantracora, the Fantastic Four are horrified to find the alien they had known as Taranith Gelstal has drained the mind of their leader, Mister Fantastic, in order to use his mental energies to power his ship and escape the world on which he had been trapped for the last thirty years.

When the Fantastic Four try to attack their diminutive foe, the alien has a tactical advantage of being able to crawl all over the ship due to his unique physiology and, despite their best efforts, he is able to escape the chamber where he had drained the minds of all his victims!

Note: Daredevil appears here between Daredevil No. 195 where he clashed with crooked mayoral employee Tarkington Brown and Daredevil No. 196 where he and Wolverine investigate the kidnapping of Bullseye from the hospital.











This is the cover art to The Jack of Hearts Limited Series No. 1 of 4 (January 1984) by GEORGE FREEMAN."MURMUR OF THE HE...
08/23/2026

This is the cover art to The Jack of Hearts Limited Series No. 1 of 4 (January 1984) by GEORGE FREEMAN.

"MURMUR OF THE HEART...!"
Creative Team: Bill Mantlo, George Freeman, Nick Burns, John Morelli & Bob Budiansky.

In this first issue of a four issue limited series, a deeply depressed Jack of Hearts tries to commit su***de by flying through the middle of a powerful electrical storm but is unable to.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents find him afterwards and return him to the Hart estate which is thereafter visited by Marcy Kane, Hart’s former love interest and recent PhD.

Agent Martins escorts her through the secure estate as he explains that Hart’s death could end the world and he must be helped by Kane.

She meets with Hart but only succeeds in agitating him before he is forcibly calmed down by neutro-mist.

Later, Marcy reads through Jack’s bio and learns of his parents' discovery of a limitless energy source and the death of his mother and murder of his father by an energy cartel, the latter event having lead to the accident that caused him to fall into the vat of zero-fluid and become the Jack of Hearts.

She meets with Jack again the next morning and argues with him about his self-pity but the estate comes under sudden attack by flying saucers who apparently want the Jack of Hearts.

Jack fights them and they are ultimately scared off by S.H.I.E.L.D. hovercraft. Afterwards, Jack flies off with Marcy in order to speak with her in private.









"Invasion!"This is the cover art to The Jack of Hearts Limited Series No. 2 of 4 (February 1984) by GEORGE FREEMAN."HEAR...
08/22/2026

"Invasion!"
This is the cover art to The Jack of Hearts Limited Series No. 2 of 4 (February 1984) by GEORGE FREEMAN.

"HEART TO HEART."
Creative Team: Bill Mantlo, George Freeman, Nick Burns, John Morelli & Bob Budiansky.

In this issue, Jack of Hearts carries Marcy Kane to a secluded location in Maine where she reveals herself to be an alien called a Contraxian, as was Hart's mother.

She reveals a vision of their home planet in which the high priestess reveals that their planet's sun is dying.
Another Contraxian named Commander Varga demands they seek out a new planet to inhabit to save their race but the high priestess denies this as an option as it would surely result in genocide.

They instead decide to seek out a powerful source of energy to revitalize their sun.
Marcy reveals that on one such mission Hart's mother was researching his father's zero fluid as a possible source of energy but fell in love with him.

Meanwhile, at the Hart Mansion, having caught fire after the invasion of the flying saucers, Colonel Fury is outraged that the Jack of Hearts has escaped but he is soon detected when he releases a burst of energy while reacting to a vision of his mother's untimely death.

Jonathan then realizes that Marcy was sent to Earth as a replacement for his mother to study the zero fluid.
She admits to this but insists that she loves him and pleads with him to help Contraxia as his energy could help save their home planet.

They are discovered by the flying saucers which are revealed to be a fleet sent by Commander Varga, seemingly exceeding their authority to seize the Jack of Hearts.

They flee to a town but are quickly met by the Contraxian saucers who Hart battles and is soon joined in the fight by Nick Fury and other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Jack of Hearts fights off the Contraxians and disables the saucers.
He seeks to locate the mother ship orbiting in space but discovers that Marcy Kane is inside.

She convinces him that Varga has been sufficiently punished for exceeding his authority but did so in Contraxia's best interests and convinces him to come with her back to their home planet!











"Sacrifice Of A Hero!"This is the cover art to The Jack of Hearts Limited Series No. 3 of 4 (March 1984) by GEORGE FREEM...
08/22/2026

"Sacrifice Of A Hero!"
This is the cover art to The Jack of Hearts Limited Series No. 3 of 4 (March 1984) by GEORGE FREEMAN.

"HEARTBREAK!"
Creative Team: Bill Mantlo, George Freeman, Nick Burns, Julianna Ferriter, John Morelli & Bob Budiansky.

Jack of Hearts and Marcy Kane arrive at Contraxia with in a display of power that brings a sense of hope to the dying snow-covered planet.

He presents himself to the Priestesses of the Sun but they're unsure on how to leverage his power to help their dying sun while Commander Varga suggests they should sacrifice him to rekindle the sun.

They instead look to prepare a test of his powers while Marcy, who reveals her true name to be Kaina takes him to his quarters while the Survivalists continue to plot to save the planet at Jack's expense.

Kaina takes Jack to his mother's prior home where he is able to see visions of her history on Contraxia and is inspired him to help the planet at all costs including sacrificing himself if necessary.

They later tell the grateful priestesses of his plan to help the planet but Kaina implores Jack to leave Contraxia and reinforces her love for him.

Soon, however, the Survivalists attack with Jack's powers having been neutralized by the Neutro-Mist and unable to effectively defend them but knowing that the mist will wear off soon, Jack tells Kaina to flee.

When his power is unleashed, the Survivalists fight to overcome him and Kaina learns from her captor that they wish to rule the planet beyond just saving it from its pending demise.

Varga breaks from this plan after Smythe murders the sun priestesses but Smythe suggests they can use the deaths to frame Jack and present themselves as heroes for capturing him and sacrificing him to restore the sun.

Varga, despite his misgivings, refuses to reveal the truth to a mob of Contraxians after Jack is captured and neutralized.
He awakens later aboard a ship bound for the sun that is meant to be used as a means to transfuse his power and kill him!








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