FF #15 – Review

by Matt Fraction, Lee Allred (Writers), Michael Allred (Artist), Laura Allred (Colorist)

The Story: As it turns out, video games can actually help you beat evil and be a useful addition to society. Robots and tacticians do help too.

The Review: Whenever a book is close to reaching its inevitable conclusion, it needs to have either huge climaxes or a big load of payoff for its reader base. After all, the last few issues are the culmination of everything that went before, which means that the themes, characters and conflicts have to be portrayed in ways that can satisfy those that went on to be invested in the story in itself. With FF closing in to the final issue, does this one provide enough to sate those who have followed the series thus far?

The answer is a resounding yes. With plenty of what made the book interesting and entertaining being put on the page, not only does this issue respect the heart behind the series but it also manages to bring everything together neatly. Bluntly put, this is a gem of an issue.

For one, everyone in the book gets to shine a little bit, with the huge cast participating in the assault against Dr. Doom together in the most maniacal, yet fun of ways. With the kids taking part in the battle as if it was a video game and a competition, their zaniness are all brought forth to their maximum degree, with Bentley-23 being his crazy-self, Dragon Man being the voice of reason and so on. Even Caesar, Maximus, Sun Tzu and others are present with a certain role to play in the amusement and the chaos that ensues on the pages. The four teachers are of course here as well, yet their part in the battle comes as a bit less fun in this issue. They are effective in the story and for the progression of events and they do manage to work with the context presented, yet they pale in comparison to the rest.

FF #14 – Review

by Matt Fraction, Lee Allred (Writers), Michael Allred (Artist), Laura Allred (Colorist)

The Story: Both sides of the imminent battle prepares as both Dr. Doom and the Future Foundation gets their stuff and strategies together.

The Review: Cohesion is not something to be underestimated or dismissed in terms of importance. Sure, every readers desire a certain amount of memorable scenes, great lines and solid action, but not everyone thinks about their context and how important it is that every scenes follow each other in a natural manner. We may get fan-favourites characters or some of the best concepts ever put on paper, there needs to be a setting in which they can grow naturally to perfection before being unleashed for the readers enjoyment.

This issue, in a way, shows a certain lack in that regard as while the crazy antics and the rather fun mix of serious and comical matters are still very much present, not all of the scenes leads up to another really well.

It’s a bit of shame, as a lot of the very best elements that makes this series enjoyable are present, with the children’s antics, the willingness to mock some of the elements of its premise and the use of the odder ideas of the Marvel universe. The council of Dooms, the search for various robotic replicas, the Watcher and his girlfriend, Dakor the magician along other such ideas are used rather well in this issue, with a certain degree of importance, yet levity given to them.

FF #9 – Review

Matt Fraction (Writer), Joe Quinones (Artist), Laura Allred (Colorist)

The Story: Pool Party! That and also the meeting of Julius Caesar and the teachers.

The Review: This is a strange title. It is a curious way to start a review, but it also the truth. Let us consider exactly what we are reading: a bunch of superheroes teach a group of hyper-intelligent and very diverse group of children in order to form them for humanity’s future and betterment. In this group, we have a robot dragon, a bunch of children that comes from underground, with one of them having discovered his true gender a being much more feminine than what his masculine body would foretell, one being a head in a flying jar. I could go on with how bizarre all of these characters are but the point is this: this is a rather weird book.

While it may sound like a flaw of the book, let me reinstate this in the other way by pinpointing the fact that this is the strongest point of the title. Superhero books live by the fact that we can accept that some things aren’t here to make complete sense or to be completely logical, which this book accepts and even make it his biggest selling point. Where else could you get a book where all those students learn the joy of having a pool party, splashing around as their interaction provide the crucial entertainment we so crave?

As much as the teachers, the replacement FF are interesting and fully formed as characters, it is clearly the kids that are the stars of this book. The main reason is surprisingly simple: they actually behave as actual children, with their high and lows, their desires and their amazement toward some of their discovery. In making them so likable in their optimism, Matt Fraction managed to make it so incredibly gifted and talented kids can be so incredibly relatable as we see their actions. Who never splashed around when they were in a pool, trying to rush water toward the other to satisfy that primal urge of fun and action? These kids do in this issue and while it may sound as the most boring thing to describe in a comic, it is quite entertaining to read as these characters feel quite alive, as Bentley-23 tries to discover who the aquatic students, Vil and Wu are, while the other reacts differently to this whole basin of water that is there for their enjoyment.

Avenging Spider-Man #17 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (Writer), Paco Medina, Juan Vlasco (Artists), Dave Curiel (Colorist)

The Story: Spider-Ock has to babysit the Future Foundation, while the Time Variance Authority comes crashing in because time will severely be meddled with.

The Review: With all the weirdness going around in the main Spider-Man book, Superior Spider-Man, one has to appreciate books like this one. While it still does offer weirdness, it offers a wholly different kind of adventure, as Spider-Ock interacts with the grander Marvel Universe.

Here in this issue, Spider-Ock has to keep the Future Foundation, the fun concept of genius-level children introduced by Jonathan Hickman, in check while the replacement Fantastic Four are going in a mission in the microverse. Such a concept does allow for a fun bout with the genius-level Otto Octavius interacting with children that are closer to his level of intellect.

FF #22 – Review

By: Jonathan Hickman (writer), Andre Araujo (art), Cris Peter (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story:  Bentley confronts his father, the Wizard, to prove once and for all that he is not a chip of the old, crazy block.

The Review:  You know, this upcoming Wizard story was sort of like my last hope for Hickman’s Fantastic Four these days.  I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think Hickman had run out of stories quite a while ago and that Marvel soured a good thing by stretching the Hickman’s stint beyond his planned exit.  But the Wizard…that was the one remaining loose end, the one story that remained.  And it was a crossover between Hickman’s two titles, so there must be something there right?

Apparently not.  The preceding Fantastic Four issue felt shallow and light on content and this issue of FF?  Well, it’s just frustrating, to be honest.  If you expected the issue to just follow up on last issue’s cliffhanger of Bentley’s confronting his father, you’d be dead wrong.  See, only FOUR PAGES occur after where we left our characters.  That’s right, four pages.  The rest of the issue simply rehashes what we already saw earlier this month, albeit (sort of) from the perspective of Val and Bentley.  Admittedly, there’s an opening scene that’s new: a ping pong game between some of the kids, and it’s a bit of a laugh (even if it’s completely insignificant/irrelevant to the plot).

FF #18 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Nick Dragotta (art), Chris Sotomayor (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Johnny takes the class on a field trip to the Negative Zone.

The Review:  For the second straight month, FF proves that Jonathan Hickman has a really solid grasp on comedy.  Unlike the last issue of FF, however, the comedy in this issue isn’t always the direct focus, nor is reliant on big gags with set-up.  Instead, Hickman lets the dialogue bring the laughs, mostly courtesy of Johnny, whose voice Hickman has an excellent handle of.  From his trademark arrogance to his wonderful dynamic with the students, Johnny is really great this month.  I loved the simultaneously affectionate and dismissive stance he takes to the kids and his treating them like the ordinary kids they aren’t leads to some great laughs.

I also really liked the fun spin Hickman put on the insect denizens of the Negative Zone.  They’ve long been seen as the faceless, single-minded swarm, so seeing them rebel for….democracy and self-government (?!) was a brilliant, brilliant twist by Hickman that led to an amusing, but also quite smart issue.  It also leads to a wonderful conclusion however that balances things very well – while the bugs of the Negative Zone may want democracy and self-government, they’re ultimately still bugs from the Negative Zone.  It’s almost a quasi-historical/political statement by Hickman; if you interfere with another culture’s politics and that interference leads to them taking after your own political practices, that may not necessarily mean the erosion of that culture’s inherent beliefs and values.  Despite all the fun and comedy, it’s a nice turn by Hickman and made me wonder if he was at all inspired by the current situation in Egypt, where after rebelling and gaining democracy, they look to be on their way to electing either an Islamist regime or electing to bring back the military-authoritarian regime they just got out of.  Who knew that cosmic insects and the Marvel’s first family could be so relevant?

There’s a lot else to like about this isssue; once again, we get to see Franklin flex his cosmic muscles, which is always a treat.  The final page is also an excellent cliffhanger.  While the twist could perhaps be easily predicted, Hickman does it in a way that at least is guaranteed to get a laugh.

FF #15 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Nick Dragotta (pencils), Mike Choi (inks), Chris Sotomayor & Guru eFx (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Franklin receives guidance from his imaginary friend as the kids race to prepare Sol’s Anvil.

The Review:  Before I get to the real meat of the review, let’s all do a little happy dance that Juan Bobillo has officially departed from the title.  Hurray!

Now that we’re through with that, this is actually a somewhat troubling issue.  It’s certainly not at all poorly written: it’s technically a well-crafted script by Hickman, as you’d expect, with big cosmic hullabaloo combined with little injections of humour.  The problem is that no matter how I think on this issue, I can’t really think of a bona fide reason why it had to be written at all.

Put simply, there’s not a whole lot of significance that occurs here beyond what we already knew from the last issue of Fantastic Four and the new events that we do witness could easily have been assumed to have occurred off panel.  Hell, it even ends on the same cliffhanger splash page (albeit, not as well drawn).  It’s hard to see why this issue had to exist at all either than to give some of the kids a little screen time.  Really, I’m left feeling that this issue is akin to your favorite band putting out a collection of b-sides.  It’s kind of cool as a collectible or an oddity, but it’s not at all a must-have, nor does it stand at the same level or gravity of a full album, ultimately being “for completionists only.”

The weirder thing is that, while this issue doesn’t do much above and beyond what Fantastic Four #603 already rocked our brains with, it also can’t be read without having read that issue.  I can’t imagine FF #15 making a lot of sense at all if you’re not reading Fantastic Four.  In fact, it becomes even more useless.  So ultimately, if you’re reading Fantastic Four, you’re sort of getting an issue narrative “extras” a bit lacking in necessity and substance while, if you’re not reading Fantastic Four, this won’t be of any worth at all.

FF #14 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Juan Bobillo (pencils), Marcelo Sosa (inks), Chris Sotomayor (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Doom makes the ultimate sacrifice.

The Review:  Jonathan Hickman’s calling card seems to be his labyrinthine plots, composed of a great deal of moving parts, all leading to an increasingly massive scope.  This can at time lead to some mystifying issues here and there and a constant lingering dread that it’s all going to collapse beneath its own weight, yet you can’t help but admire the ambition and craft.

However, now and then, Hickman’s approach leads to fantastic comic books like this issue of FF, where everything comes together like a meticulously assembled jigsaw puzzle.  Put simply, this is an immensely satisfying issue if only because all the pieces come together and they all fit so very well.  Better still, this is accomplished thanks to, not in spite of, flashbacks and time travel elements.

I loved how Val and Nathaniel, through their tinkering with future possibilities, end up taking something an authorial position.  Through them, Hickman lets us peak behind the current so that, not only do the pieces all come together, but we see exactly how and why they come together as they do.  In seeing Val and Nathaniel’s master plan behind the scenes, get to see a good part of the greater structure that Hickman has assembled in both FF and Fantastic Four.  Really, it’s cool seeing Nathaniel and Val in this sort of meta scene (fittingly, in a different time and place from the rest of the comic and all the other characters), but it also leads to a real appreciation for the mad scientist elegance of Hickman’s craft.

FF #13 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writing), Juan Bobillo (pencils), Marcelo Sosa (inks), Chris Sotomayor (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: The Future Foundation cross the Bridge into the former home of the Council of evil Reeds, now owned by the mad Celestials.

The Review: Last month, myself and many other reviewers took FF to task for the bizarre artwork turned in by Juan Bobillo.  While Hickman turned in a solid enough script, the art was completely off-kilter and wacky.

Well, the artwork still sticks out like a sore thumb, but there are improvements.  Bobillo’s take on Doom is fun and his illustrations of the Celestials and any technology is detailed and generally entertaining and charming to look at.  But really, most of the improvement should be credited to the incredible efforts of Sosa and Sotomayor, who work their asses off to make Bobillo’s art as appealing as possible.  Sosa uses pleasant, thick lines while Sotomayor has made a dramatic shift from his work last month, opting for a bright, vibrant palette that makes the comic far more appealing.

That said Bobillo is guilty of some of the same crimes:  it’s still difficult to tell some of the kids apart, Dragon Man looks nothing like himself, and Reed still looks far too old and weathered.  That said, I’m coming to the conclusion that Bobillo isn’t really a bad artist, just hugely inappropriate for this title.  Hickman is trying to tell a grandiose epic tale with heavy cosmic elements.  A heavily stylized indie cartoonist just isn’t a good fit for a book like this.

Hickman’s script, however, hits enough high notes that it makes the issue more than worthy for Fantastic Four fans to give it a look.  For starters, seeing Franklin confront a gang of Celestials is a blast.  We don’t often get to see Franklin flex his very superpower muscle, but whenever he does, it’s always “fist pump” awesome, and that’s certainly the case this month.  Power-level aware comic geeks will also get a serious kick out of a little tidbit the Celestials reveal regarding Franklin.

Also, yet again, Hickman writes a fantastic Doom.  His talking in the third person, his general badassery, it’s all here in spades and as always, it’s a treat to read.  What Hickman does so well is portray Doom’s reasoning, both highly intelligent and with an arrogance that forms a key part of his decision making.  Doom’s logic may make little sense for another character, but for Doom, it’s elegant perfection.

Amazing Spider-Man #666 – Review

by Dan Slott (writer), Stefano Caselli (art), Marte Gracia (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Life is good, and very busy, for Peter Parker, but unbeknownst to him, more and more people in New York City are gaining spider-powers.

What’s Good: Apparently, Dan Slott and the rest of the crew in the Spider-office take that $3.99 price-tag really seriously.  This is a lot of comic book.  It’s 30 pages of dense storytelling, packed with characterful dialogue and narration that’s entertaining, regardless of the exposition.  It’s also amazing quite how many bases Slott touches upon in these 30 pages.  Not only does Slott set the stage for Spider-Island in ever conceivable way, he also gives us an update on more or less every nook and cranny of Peter Parker’s world.  As a result, the number of characters in this book is pretty damned massive, but because Slott keeps it, for the most part, tightly focused on Peter, Spider-readers won’t get lost.

What’s even more remarkable is what a firm grasp Slott has on this immense cast.  Obviously, his Peter Parker is great, but everyone elses’ dialogue is fun and energetic and every character has his or her own distinct voice.  With so many characters on hand, here, that’s pretty impressive.

All in all, this is just a really big, well-rounded package.  It sets up the state for Spider-Island quite well and will leave you ready and willing to dive in, but more than that, you get a little taste of literally everything and everyone relevant to Slott’s run on ASM thus far.  No stone is left unturned, and as a result, you get a Spidey comic that really feels like a Spidey comic.  With so much in this book, this is a pretty immersive experience, one that really brings you into Peter’s world.

Of course, Caselli’s art doesn’t hurt.  It’s as lively and energetic as ever and while Caselli often puts a lot on the page, in both content and panels, it’s never confused or claustrophobic.  Whether it’s a dialogue scene or an action scene, Caselli’s work always feels fast-paced.

FF #5 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Barry Kitson (art), Paul Mounts (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: The siege on Old Atlantis comes to a head as Sue comes to learn what Reed’s been keeping from her.

What’s Good:  With Old Atlantis under siege, Hickman gives us an issue that is both epic and desperate.  Seeing Sue and Alex stand against hordes of angry Atlanteans and Moloids, war engines and all, is exciting and grandiose.  All told, it both looks and reads impressively.  I loved seeing Alex play hero and unleash some real power.

Better still is Sue’s encounter with an “evil Reed.”  Her reaction is well-written and the whole thing, and really this whole issue, continues to turn the alter-Reeds into not only a credible villainous contingent, but one that’s downright frightening.  This month’s evil Reed in question, particularly in his treatment of Sue, is ice cold chilling and overall, the tone in which Hickman writes the Reeds goes a long way in making them a not only unique, but also very threatening enemy.  Sue’s confronting her Reed about all this is also a moment that is written sincerely and genuinely.

There’s also a little two-page interlude in which Alicia Masters plays grief counselor with Ben.  It may sound like this would be jarring, given that it comes out of nowhere, but it’s a nice little reprieve.  It’s heartfelt and Kitson’s Thing looks almost too adorable with his frowny demeanor.  It was only two-pages, but I could’ve done with more of this.

Barry Kitson’s art continues to be a major boon for FF moving forward.  His work has a slightly old school feel that brings a great deal of liveliness and energy to go along with the detail and general artistic horsepower.  His armies of monstrous looking Old Atlanteans and mole things look great, and his facial expressions on the various Reeds and the very slimy Mole Man are well done.  I also like his take on Sue, who has a distinct face as opposed to just being another good-looking blonde in the Marvel U.

FF #4 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Barry Kitson (artist), Paul Mounts (colorist), and Clayton Cowles (letterer)

The Story: The Doom conference on Reeds continues as Sue, Alex Power, and Spider-Man raise to stop a civil war erupting in Old Atlantis.

The Review:  A single good concept can go a long way in carry a comic.  In this case, the continuing conference of FF bad guys led by Victor von Doom continues to be a very, very good concept.

There’s something so naturally awesome about the idea of a group of bad guys having a meeting in the Baxter Building about how to beat Reed and Hickman does a fantastic job of portraying the various personalities on display here.  Each villain is a different sort of bad guy and it’s so much fun watching them bounce off one another.  From Doom’s arrogance, to Diablo’s sly villainy, to the Wizard’s evil, this is great stuff.  Hickman also does an uproarious job in writing the Mad Thinker, who is everything his name suggests he is.  Throw in Reed, Val, and Nathaniel and this is merely an opportunity for Hickman to have strong personalities clash.

Furthermore, as grave and serious as the subject matter of this meeting is, there’s a constant undertone of humor, as you may expect given the cast involved.  From Reed’s telling Doom of what the his fellow Reeds do to the Dooms they find, to Reed’s muttering “this is a disaster,” this is just so much fun to read.

Also fun is the art provided by Barry Kitson.  I really like Steve Epting as an artist, but while his darker style suited the tone of the “Three” arc and the death of Johnny, he was quite the right fit for the FF moving forward.  Kitson brings a brighter more upbeat style that serves the series much better.

Fantastic Four #587 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer) & Steve Epting (artist)

The Story: Reed Richards attempts to save a planet’s worth of people, Sue finds herself thrust into an ancient war, and Ben, Johnny, and the kids make their stand against the Annihilation wave.

What’s Good: So let’s talk about the character death first.  Despite all the publicity, polybags, countdowns to casualty, and general hype, Jonathan Hickman actually gives us a character death that is heartfelt, tragic, and close to tear-inducing.  Given all the hype, that’s no small feat; all the marketing may have tried its best to cheapen the event itself, but Hickman plays it brilliantly.  The character finds him/herself against impossible odds and it’s, ironically, a defining moment for him/her.  It is truly, well, heroic, which only makes it all the more heart-rending.  It also exposed the true heart of the character, beneath all the fluff and pretensions.  More than that though, Hickman also does a great job by balancing the character’s sacrifice with his/her relationship with one of the other members of the FF.  It makes it all the more touching and gives a tragic “those left behind” feel for that latter character and the sheer emotion is violent in its intensity.  Indeed, the final page will haunt you.  It’s just such a damned sad image and it’s one of those situations where you feel as bad, maybe even worse, for those left behind as you for the deceased.

So the death is handled extremely well, hits all the right notes, and is about as tastefully and sincerely written as can be hoped for.  However, what really distinguishes this issue is that Hickman doesn’t let it standalone.  The plot with Reed on Nu-World ends is resolved through ploy that’s guaranteed to make you go “whoa.”  It’s one of those massive ideas that defies any sense of limitation, the sort of thing that has defined Hickman’s Fantastic Four.  The plot with Sue, meanwhile, happens upon yet another massive twist, leaving things in a very interesting state going forward while also providing a great Namor/Sue moment.

Despite the imminent death, Hickman even finds a way to cram some humour in.  Bentley and Leech were both absolute riots this month.  Leech was adorable while Bentley was hilarious due to his downright creepiness.

I also appreciated how Hickman structured this issue, intent on building tension throughout as the reader tries to guess who’s going to bite the bullet.  He slowly resolves each plotline one at a time, eliminating each member of the Fantastic Four until only two are remaining.  It’s a great ploy that made for a gripping read.

Fantastic Four #580 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Neil Edwards (pencils), Andrew Currie (inks), Paul Mounts (colors), and Rus Wooton (letters)

The Story: Franklin, Leech, and Johnny head to Arcade Toys for “the most impossibly awesome toy event ever.”

What’s Good: With wacky characters like Arcade and Impossible Man and most of the action taking place in a madcap toystore, the book reads like a really fun kids movie or cartoon of the sort that adults can also find enjoyment in.  As a result, there’s a lot of energy and gleeful abandon to the book, making it basically impossible to dislike.  It’s the kind of action that just makes the reader happy and that’s never a bad thing.

Certainly, Arcade and Impossible Man’s larger-than-life presences are more than welcome and make the comic a livelier and more welcoming experience.  Both characters suit the kids movie tone perfectly and give the book a sense of familiarity.  They’re two Saturday morning type characters and as such, they offer a bit of a reprieve from the big ideas that Hickman usually layers his books with.  I do love Hickman for those ideas, but giving us a little break now and then can be refreshing and liberating.  That and Impossible Man, when written well, is always a barrel of fun.

Amidst all the wackiness, there is solid character work as well.  I was pleasantly surprised by Hickman’s writing of Johnny this month, who came across as uncharacteristically paternal, loving, and even, dare I say it, responsible.  His relating to Franklin’s situation and the advice he gives his nephew hit home and provided something of a tender moment between the two.  Basically, Johnny acted like the perfect uncle this month.  All of this was still distinctly Johnny, however, with his characteristic narcissistic remarks peppered throughout.

The final scene, which involves the Future Foundation seeking a cure for Ben’s condition, was intriguing as well.  I found it particularly effective due to bittersweet note it ended on.  What the Future Foundation does for Ben is so limited, yet for Ben, that’s already a miracle.  It’s heartwarming to see something done for Ben, but also sad that it took this long and is so deteriorated in effectiveness as a result.  Hickman struck this balance perfectly.

Fantastic Four #579 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Neil Edwards (pencils), Andrew Currie (inks), Paul Mounts (colors), and Rus Wooton (letters)

The Story: Tired of self-limitation among the scientific community, Reed looks to prepare the next generation of thinkers.

What’s Good: This is one of those issues of Fantastic Four that demonstrates why the title is perfect for Hickman, linked as it is with ideas he’s had since Transhuman.  That is, specifically, the refusal to accept limitations and glass ceilings and a simultaneously idealist and escapist belief in infinite potential and boundless possibility.

This is laid out in the book’s strongest scene, an extended speech by Reed at a conference scientists, where he condemns them for their inertia and self-limiting.  It’s a beautiful fusion of Romanticism and scientific thought, and a bold, exciting message of hope.  It’s also highly relevant to our world as well, with Reed actually calling out the decision to suspend manned space missions.  Reed’s speech is some of the finest writing I’ve ever read from Hickman particularly because it’s so pertinent to the human condition and contemporary society in its ideas and sentiment.  It’s also, of course, perfect for the Heroic Age.  Simply put, the sky is the limit but, in Reed’s eyes, we’ve stopped looking up.

This idea of “no limits” extends to a conversation between Reed and the Wizard.  The Wizard is wonderfully written by Hickman, stark raving mad and spewing just barely incomprehensible pseudo-science babble.  Reed’s explanation for his reasons behind taking in the Wizard’s clone is very well linked to the speech with which he opened the issue, almost as though Reed is putting his own words into practice.  He will raise the boy in order to prove that there are no limits to human potential; genetics, destiny, and predestination are bunk in the face of a nurturing environment.