By mid-1967 Crystal was a regular cast member in the Fantastic Four comic, albeit as a supporting character. But for a solid year's worth of issues--#68-80, plus two Annuals--she uses her elemental powers exactly once (and just to teach Johnny a lesson). She's relegated to hand-wringing and plays nursemaid-to-pregnant-Sue, a role that could've been handled by Alicia. The million dollar question: why have Crystal the Inhuman in the series and keep her on the bench?
At any rate, since she was not busy performing feats of derring-do, throughout this period with the FF Crystal was in civvies. Without further ado here's Crystal during her "I Am Curious (Mostly in-) Yellow" phase, in 1967-8.
Fantastic Four #68-69
Crystal's look changes with FF #68. She still has her trademark headband/tiger stripes, but now she dispenses with the snoods and lets the ends of her hair go free. For the time being Crystal's also ditched her yellow Inhumans uniform, but in keeping with that same uniform her civilian clothing is often yellow. Back then, it was standard for characters to have a signature color; think of Clark Kent in his blue suit, or Jimmy Olsen in his green suit.
In FF #68, Crystal first appears in a sleeveless lemon-yellow dress...
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| Fantastic Four #68 (1967) |
...then in a yellow top and skinny pants (similar to what she wore in FF #67).
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| (L) Fantastic Four #68 (R) Fantastic Four #69 |
Note: concurrent with Fantastic Four #68 Crystal appeared with her fellow Inhumans in the opening splash of the new Inhumans feature in Thor #146. She's shown in her yellow Inhumans uniform but as with her new FF look she's sans hair snoods.
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| Thor #146 |
Fantastic Four #70
Crystal wears a yellow and pale green-striped minidress.
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| Fantastic Four #70 (1968) |
Fantastic Four #71
Crystal wears a yellow plaid jumper with a black turtleneck underneath.
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| Fantastic Four #71 |
Love those shiny metallic bracelets!
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| Fantastic Four #71 |
FF #71 was on sale in November 1967; that same month Crystal appeared in a couple of other Marvel mags. First, as "Gristle" in Not Brand Echh #6, in which she's wearing a yellow minidress with matching yellow tights and boots. Also, her hair snoods are back, at least along the front of her hair.
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| Not Brand Echh #6 |
Then a very young Crystal pops up in Thor #149 in the Inhumans back-up feature. It's a tale set in the past exploring the Royal Family's background. Here Li'l Crystal's "almost eight." Note: no hair snoods or headband, but true to form she is wearing her by-now obligatory yellow.
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| Thor #149 |
And now back to our regularly-scheduled FF continuity 😀
Fantastic Four #72
Crystal wears a sleeveless polka-dotted yellow dress.
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| Fantastic Four #72 |
And guess what??? After appearing in every single FF issue since #59, Crystal does not appear in #73. But never fear, she's back in...
Fantastic Four #74
And guess what color she's wearing--that's right, yellow. Here she is in a shiny citron-hued dress.
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| Fantastic Four #74 |
Fantastic Four #75
What's this--Crystal in blue? Guess her yellow clothes hadn't come back from the cleaners. Also, where's her headband?
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| Fantastic Four #75 |
Fantastic Four #76
Whew, the headband is back! Crys is clad in green here, in an comfy-looking checked top and skinny pants.
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| Fantastic Four #76 |
Fantastic Four #77
Back to basics: Crystal's in a yellow, short-sleeved dress.
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| Fantastic Four #77 |
However on the issue's cover, she's shown in green, perhaps to provide a contrast with Sue's yellow hair.
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| portion of Fantastic Four #77 cover |
Fantastic Four #78
What the --?! Green, red, and blue, with no trace of yellow in sight--whoo hoo!
What the --?! Green, red, and blue, with no trace of yellow in sight--whoo hoo!
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| Fantastic Four #78 |
Fantastic Four #79
Here she frolics in a pale green sleeveless dress.
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| Fantastic Four #79 |
Fantastic Four #80
Yellow top and skinny pants...plus an apron. And cleaning up after Reed, Johnny, and Ben? 😖
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| Fantastic Four #80 |
Fantastic Four Annual #6
Crystal appears in a couple of different dresses--both yellow, of course. First, a plain unadorned one...
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| Fantastic Four Annual #6 |
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| Fantastic Four Annual #6 |
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