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Fantastic Four #2 Review

 Posted by  Issue Review, Marvel Reviews  No Responses »
Oct 172009
 

by Travis Starnes, CMRO Contributing Writer

Fantastic Four

Issue #2

Written by Stan Lee, Art by Jack Kirby

Published: January 1962

Fantastic Four #002

The second issue of Fantastic Four is a little better (in my opinion) then the first.  Impersonated by an alien race called the Skrull (who marvel readers will get to know really well over the years), they have to figure out how to get back their name.  I particularly like the ending of this issue for the point of going to the mother ship to leaving the three Skrull as cows (especially since we will see these guys again 40 years down the road).  I still have some complaints about this similar to my problems with the first issue.  Dialog is rough, with the Skrulls explaining to each other how they mimiced the FF’s powers.  You would think three guys working together would know that already.  Also the Thing is not worked out into the hot tempered but likable guy we will come to know.  He still gets unreasonably angry and destructive at everything. (“What do you mean your out of peanut butter?” and then destroys the restaurant.  An exaggeration, but not by much).  Also, it seems strange to surrender to the army just to fight their way out minutes after being locked up, but that could just be me.

Fantastic Four #001

 Posted by  Marvel Reviews  No Responses »
Oct 162009
 

Fantastic Four #001

Here we go, the first issue in the modern Marvel continuity and the first in the reading order.  I think I should start with a warning that I am not a big fan of early silver age stuff.  These comics were all geared at a pre-teen audiance, and it shows.  This is before the writting in an issue was given much thought, and it clearly shows.  While generally the plots themselves and story construction is pretty good, everyone is portrayed as very “arch”.  And the dialog is painful.  But, I think to really get the most out of the more modern comics coming out, it is important to have a good basis in the early years.  There is so much continuity in Marvel now it is hard to just jump in.

So, on to the issue.  Overall it’s pretty enjoyable.  The first thrid of the books, the team assembling, is very much of its day in the way people talk.  But it’s not really bad.  The middle section is a retelling, or in this case telling, of their origin.  I have always been a fan of the FF’s origin story, and their family connections.  This sets a good bedrock for a team that generally holds its membership consistantly for almost 50 years while other teams have changes out complete rosters dozens of times.

The final part (or 2 parts rather) of the story, the introduction and battle with Mole Man is pretty good also.  I like the story of the Mole Man, how he got his powers, and their sealing him in.  They also hint that it is not the last we have seen of him (And we all know how that works out).

I know I started off talking about my problems with 60′s era comics, but weirdly enough I don’t count this one as being all that painful.  The art for the FF isn’t quite to where we now see the characters.  Specifically the design of the Human Torch, who is much more fiery with less of an human figure outline then we see him in later issues.

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