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Fantastic Four #604 Review

 Posted by  Issue Review, Marvel Reviews  1 Response »
Apr 202012
 

by Dylan Duarte, CMRO Contributing Writer

Fantastic Four

Issue #604

Written by Johnathan Hickman, Art by Steve Epting

Published: May 2012

Fantastic Four has never been about smaller scale stories. Just looking at the various powers of the foursome gives you a good idea of the nature of the storytelling. It’s not a title for holding back, something the latest story arc makes abundantly clear with its alternate universes, world devourers, cosmic beings, and past selves talking to future selves. And throughout all this madness, writer Jonathan Hickman handles it like a pro, taking a story that could’ve easily collapsed under its own complex weight and breaking it down into an easily-digestible and highly-exciting sci-fi romp.

And while navigating these potential pitfalls, he manages to inject a lot of heart into it. Despite all of the madness, this is an intensely personal story. Generations of Richards, from different times, fight side by side to save our planet. The entire arc and this issue in particular deals with fatherhood, and in a unique way, thanks to some incredibly fantastical elements. Even as someone who rarely reads Fantastic Four, I find myself heavily invested in all of these relationships, some featuring characters that I’m not familiar with at all. I think this says great things about Hickman’s writing.

And I can’t forget about Steven Epting’s wonderful pencils and Paul Mount’s vivid colors, which bring the issue to life and help guide this grand story to its conclusion. None of this is hyperbole. Sure, I’m an excitable individual, but I really did love this issue and it made for an immensely satisfying conclusions, with some truly epic moments. I don’t know if Hickman can ever live up to Mark Waid, who happens to be one of my favorite comic writers of all time, but it’s issues like this that really celebrate what the Fantastic Four is all about.

Fantastic Four #7 Review

 Posted by  Issue Review, Marvel Reviews  2 Responses »
Mar 132012
 

by Webslinger, CMRO User

Fantastic Four

Issue #7

Written by Stan Lee, Art by Jack Kirby

Published: November 1962

Despite some plotholes pointed in other comments this by far the best issue so far.

This is the first time Reed Richards is working on his ‘Fantastilab’ up to something. I imagine if I was high when reading it when the bad mood ray acts, making the women throw the tea all over her husband!!!! Best joke ever (so far)!! And the plot is convincing as well.

A bad mood ray, this idea is really awesome!!

I figure the shrinking ray acted only on living things, so the comming planet could not be affectet. And about the enlarging ray- if only Reed knew about Ant Man! but no one did so far.

Hard to believe is that a developed civ didn’t care for space exploring.

I think this is a great issue, this is the way I like the Fantastic Four to be!!!

-Except from the fact that Sue Storm has for a long run a second role play….

Everything here is in a throw away beat, sorry for that, but it’s too late now:)

Fantastic Four #4 Review

 Posted by  Issue Review, Marvel Reviews  2 Responses »
Jan 062012
 

by Travis Starnes, CMRO Editor

Fantastic Four

Issue #4

Written by Stan Lee, Art by Jack Kirby

Published: May 1962

The fourth issue of The Fantastic Four pics up shortly after the team defeated the Miracle Man in issue number three.  The team is dealing with the loss of the Human Torch, who quit in the final pages of that issue.  That of course is just the setup.  The crux of this story revolves around the re-appearance of the golden ages’ Sub-Mariner, for better or worse.

It is clear that Stan had a point of view when writing this issue.  The issue starts with, and barrels headlong through, a message of anger overtaking reason.  From the resolution of the previous Torch/Thing feud, and their continued fighting, to Namor’s anger at someone who had moments before helped him, Lees message comes through.  That however is the end of the praise for Lee’s writing.

The plot in this issue is plain silly.  The Torch finds a hobo who is being pushed around and his first instinct is to use fire to shave the man and find out “what he really looks like”.  Seeing his home destroyed, the Sub-Mariner sicks a sea monster on Johnny and the city, only to catch Sue, fall instantly in love, and decide that she is a fairly good trade for the destroying of his home.  Is she the first girl he has ever seen?  Ohh, and they strap a nuclear bomb to the things back so he can walk inside the sea monster and blow it up.  WTF Stan.

The hardest part for me to read however is the way Lee has his characters react.  Their reactions to the most trivial or major events is the same level.  The Thing and Johnny get to the point of throwing and melting cars in their argument, which is pretty much over name calling.

The art is fairly on-par with the rest of the art we have seen to this point so far.  Although I personally dislike it, my long-standing Kirby bias rules me out from being an impartial judge.  Action is depicted reasonably well and most of the time it is fairly easy to tell what is happening.  While it isn’t jaw dropping, it can be argued that Kirby did a good Yeoman like job on the art in this issue, with one caveat.  It is obvious that he took his art direction on the Sub-Mariner from the drawings of the character in the 40′s, and did little updating to it.  He looks comical next to other the more modern Kirby creations.  His head is trapezoid shaped and in general his proportions seem fairly off to me.

While this issue isn’t unreadable it also isn’t going to blow your socks off.  On the flip-side we do get an new villain with a solid history behind him for the Fantastic Four to battle.

Fantastic Four #600

 Posted by  Issue Review, Marvel Reviews  2 Responses »
Dec 092011
 

by Andrew Hurst, CMRO Contributing Writer

Fantastic Four

Issue #600

Written by Jonathan Hickman, Art by Steve Epting & Leinil Yu

Published: January 2012

Marvel’s first family has reached their landmark 600th issue and not only is this issue the great next chapter in Jonathan Hickman’s superb story, it’s a celebration of everything the FF represents, and what the readers love. Though the $8 price tag may turn off most comic book readers, Fantastic Four #600 is simply one of those comics any serious collection must include.

If you’ve been reading Hickman’s run on FF, then you’ll put this book down satisfied as all of the stories and subplots have been gracefully culminated in this 96-page epic. Separated into five different stories, this anniversary issue is chock full of surprises, laughs, and awes to the likes of which I wish I could spoil for you (but I won’t). My second favorite of the five stories (because I won’t spoil my first favorite) features the almighty Galactus as we catch a glimpse of a deeper side of our favorite Devourer of Worlds.

The last of the stories showcases the misadventures of Reed and Sue’s dangerously over powered son, Franklin, as he lives through his own fantasy of being a hero. Of all the five artists contributing to this book, Farel Dalrymple’s work on this final story was without a doubt my favorite, giving us an almost contemporary kind of newspaper comic strip art feel.

Fantastic Four has always been comics’ go-to book for any sort of science fiction action fix, and this giant issue shows us exactly why that is. Whether you’re a long time FF reader or you’ve never read a single FF comic in your life, this issue delivers on all levels. More than just being such a great comic book, FF #600 exemplifies perfectly what an anniversary issue should be. Grab this one before the value goes up, and make your collection that much more prestigious. Bravo, Marvel. Bravo, Jonathan Hickman. And bravo, Fantastic Four. Here’s to another 600!

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