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kknoblauch's review
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
dantastic's review
4.0
Reed Richards is dying and plans an expedition through all of space-time to find a cure with the rest of the Fantastic Four and the two Richards kids. Before they leave, the FF recruit their substitutes; Ant-Man, She-Hulk, Medusa, and some chick the Torch was boning. The FF is only planning on being gone for four minutes of Earth time. What could go wrong?
Confession time: I have over 100 issues of Fantastic Four scattered in the various comic boxes in the Dan Cave. When I saw Marvel was doing a non-standard Fantastic Four series with Mike Allred doing the art chores, I waited patiently for this very volume to fall into my clutches.
This volume is split into two threads. The iconic Fantastic Four lineup preparing to leave earth for parts unknown, and the subs, Ant-Man, She-Hulk, Medusa, and Miss Thing. I pretty much only picked up this volume for the second thread.
While the stuff with the iconic lineup is pretty good, I found the storyline of the subs trying to fill the shoes of the real deal to be far more interesting. I love future Human Torch coming back to warn the new team of a menace and the homage to Fantastic Four #1 from way back in 1961 in the form of Mole Man attacking the surface world.
Matt Fraction's storyline is very intriguing but I'd be lying if I didn't say Mike Allred's art is the main reason I was up for it. I've been a fan of his pop art style since Madman and love what he does with the Fantastic Four here.
Even though this volume is short, it stands alone pretty well on its own while leaving enough unanswered questions to get me to read the next one. Four out of five stars.
Confession time: I have over 100 issues of Fantastic Four scattered in the various comic boxes in the Dan Cave. When I saw Marvel was doing a non-standard Fantastic Four series with Mike Allred doing the art chores, I waited patiently for this very volume to fall into my clutches.
This volume is split into two threads. The iconic Fantastic Four lineup preparing to leave earth for parts unknown, and the subs, Ant-Man, She-Hulk, Medusa, and Miss Thing. I pretty much only picked up this volume for the second thread.
While the stuff with the iconic lineup is pretty good, I found the storyline of the subs trying to fill the shoes of the real deal to be far more interesting. I love future Human Torch coming back to warn the new team of a menace and the homage to Fantastic Four #1 from way back in 1961 in the form of Mole Man attacking the surface world.
Matt Fraction's storyline is very intriguing but I'd be lying if I didn't say Mike Allred's art is the main reason I was up for it. I've been a fan of his pop art style since Madman and love what he does with the Fantastic Four here.
Even though this volume is short, it stands alone pretty well on its own while leaving enough unanswered questions to get me to read the next one. Four out of five stars.
helpfulsnowman's review
3.0
The premise here is pretty great. The Fantastic Four is about to go off into some other universe or some such nonsense, and FOR ONCE they decide that, just in case, they better find some replacements to take their place.
It's almost a running joke. Reed Richards has figured that due to some sci-fi magic-science-drunken-god stuff they should be gone a year, but on Earth it will be only four minutes. But JUST IN CASE something goes wrong, they'd better find replacements.
They keep saying JUST IN CASE and ONLY FOUR MINUTES, but it's almost like the characters already know that something is going to be terribly screwed up. Because why else would you even seek out replacements?
What's confusing is that this collects two different series, Fantastic Four and FF. FF concerns the replacements and what they have going on. Fantastic Four follows the quadro (is that like Duo except four?) we all know and love. Or...at least sort of like.
I have to admit, the FF stories were a lot more interesting. Watching 4 people try and fill those big, flaming, stretchy, sometimes invisible shoes was a lot more interesting than watching the normal characters do it. Fish out of water.
It's almost a running joke. Reed Richards has figured that due to some sci-fi magic-science-drunken-god stuff they should be gone a year, but on Earth it will be only four minutes. But JUST IN CASE something goes wrong, they'd better find replacements.
They keep saying JUST IN CASE and ONLY FOUR MINUTES, but it's almost like the characters already know that something is going to be terribly screwed up. Because why else would you even seek out replacements?
What's confusing is that this collects two different series, Fantastic Four and FF. FF concerns the replacements and what they have going on. Fantastic Four follows the quadro (is that like Duo except four?) we all know and love. Or...at least sort of like.
I have to admit, the FF stories were a lot more interesting. Watching 4 people try and fill those big, flaming, stretchy, sometimes invisible shoes was a lot more interesting than watching the normal characters do it. Fish out of water.
srishtidear's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
manuelte's review
5.0
Marvel had a great idea combining the first comic books for both the Fantastic Four and the FF (Future Foundation) in a single Volume, giving us a good overview of everything that is happening in the greatest superhero family.
The Fantastic Four are going away for a year in a space and time faring machine, and given the time travel part of it only 4 minutes will pass on Earth if everything goes as planned. To nobody's surprise nothing goes as planned, so the backup team they left to cover for them for four minutes end up more involved than planned.
I love the focus on family the team has, as well as the fact that the Future Foundation is still a thing - it felt that it would be a short term plot during the whole Johnny Storm death storyline (2011)
The Fantastic Four are going away for a year in a space and time faring machine, and given the time travel part of it only 4 minutes will pass on Earth if everything goes as planned. To nobody's surprise nothing goes as planned, so the backup team they left to cover for them for four minutes end up more involved than planned.
I love the focus on family the team has, as well as the fact that the Future Foundation is still a thing - it felt that it would be a short term plot during the whole Johnny Storm death storyline (2011)
mjfmjfmjf's review
4.0
Surprisingly interesting and enjoyable. A clever mix of old familiar characters and new. I've never been an FF fan - but I've been a Franklin Richards fan ever since Power Pack (Lentil Soup my Favorite). Compared to the other dreck I've been reading in the Marvel Now, this has a real plot and a rationale for each character to be there. Sure its goofy but in a good way. With good enough writing and good enough art.
gohawks's review
2.0
I always hear so much about Fraction and his Iron Man has been the only thing that does it for me. The idea of the Fantastic Four leaving and having replacements is kind of fun, but this just felt all over the place combining the issues of both Fantastic Four and FF. The art styles are so different too. I also don't enjoy most of the characters in FF and the floating alien heads are too silly for me.
trike's review
2.0
This is pretty standard FF fare: the FF go on adventure, everything goes wrong, they persevere, yadda yadda.
I don’t think I’ve read Hickman’s FF books, so I don’t know if the character changes here are his or Fraction’s, but I’m not done with them. Apparently Johnny Storm was dead, or perhaps presumed dead, but either way he came back several IQ points lower and several years less mature. He’s an annoying dick, frankly.
Reed is the worst. He apparently has some form of supercancer affecting his unstable molecules and, using the excuse of not wanting to worry anyone, he doesn’t say anything. So his “solution” is to go gallivanting around the universe to look for a cure under the guise of a “family road trip”. Johnny, Sue, Ben, Franklin and Val, are going to take a year off and then return in their spacetime ship 4 minutes after they left.
Why are Johnny and Ben okay with this? Johnny just got resurrected/returned and is starting a new life with a brand-new relationship and Ben... well, apparently Ben has a gym in his old neighborhood that’s being regularly trashed by hooligan pranksters. They agree to walk away from this for a year. Even if things go according to plan (ha) and they return 4 minutes after leaving, they’ll still be a year removed from when they left.
Those guys should really have compelling reasons of their own to go, rather than just “because they’re in the FF so of course.” Maybe Johnny has unfinished business in space. Maybe Ben needs time away from something-or-other. Doesn’t matter, just *something* rather than no reason at all.
Why Reed doesn’t tell Sue is a mystery. Sue is clearly tough and capable here but she’s basically just a good mom who is competent at being a superhero, not a genius biologist as she’s been in other incarnations. (I might be thinking of Ultimate FF or maybe Byrne’s run from the ‘80s. It’s hard to keep track of shifting continuity.) Regardless, Sue is Reed’s wife and she’ll be 4 times as angry that he held back this information than she would be worried about his unstable molecules coming apart.
So they recruit Ant-Man, She-Hulk, Medusa and... some pop starlet?... to be the new FF as a back-up. Darla the singer is Johnny’s new squeeze and she’s supposed to be a Taylor Swift-style person. Johnny’s rationale is that she only has to be in the FF for 4 minutes on a Tuesday morning, so what’s the harm? Plus, he’s such a slacker that he forgot to recruit anyone else.
Ant-Man makes sense. His daughter was murdered and he needs something in his life. She-Hulk replaced the Thing during Byrne’s run, plus she’s apparently a free agent and the tank the team needs. Medusa I don’t get at all. She’s the queen of the Inhumans, so I imagine she has other duties to occupy her time. Crystal would make more sense, since she isn’t busy running an entire kingdom and has control over the 4 elements, including fire. Get it? Four elements? Fire? Fantastic Four? Human Torch? Is this thing even on?
Anyway, the story is fundamentally broken at its core, so the adventures they go on are comic book busywork. The whole “leap before you look” schtick is dumb for someone as smart as Reed, or for Sue, especially when she has two little kids to consider. You can have thrilling adventures without being foolhardy.
Then suddenly a much older and clearly crazy Human Torch comes flying out of the time portal, com0lete with artificial arm, leg and eye, a la Cable from the X-Men. Why this particular (and super-popular) storyline is being regurgitated I don’t know, but it’s just standard “we’re all out of ideas” stuff. Which is sad, coming from the former House of Ideas.
The idea has massive potential, but the execution is just dumb.
The art is fine. The ever-reliable Mark Bagley does half the book while Mike Allred’s 1960s-era pop-art style fills out the other half. Either would have been fine, but alternating them gives one artistic whiplash. I guess the story was told in two separate books. Which is a stupid marketing idea on its face, forcing fans to buy two books to get the whole story.
Anyway, I was disappointed. I don’t even know why I bothered ranting about it. I guess I still have fond memories of the FF from the 1970s and 80s.
I don’t think I’ve read Hickman’s FF books, so I don’t know if the character changes here are his or Fraction’s, but I’m not done with them. Apparently Johnny Storm was dead, or perhaps presumed dead, but either way he came back several IQ points lower and several years less mature. He’s an annoying dick, frankly.
Reed is the worst. He apparently has some form of supercancer affecting his unstable molecules and, using the excuse of not wanting to worry anyone, he doesn’t say anything. So his “solution” is to go gallivanting around the universe to look for a cure under the guise of a “family road trip”. Johnny, Sue, Ben, Franklin and Val, are going to take a year off and then return in their spacetime ship 4 minutes after they left.
Why are Johnny and Ben okay with this? Johnny just got resurrected/returned and is starting a new life with a brand-new relationship and Ben... well, apparently Ben has a gym in his old neighborhood that’s being regularly trashed by hooligan pranksters. They agree to walk away from this for a year. Even if things go according to plan (ha) and they return 4 minutes after leaving, they’ll still be a year removed from when they left.
Those guys should really have compelling reasons of their own to go, rather than just “because they’re in the FF so of course.” Maybe Johnny has unfinished business in space. Maybe Ben needs time away from something-or-other. Doesn’t matter, just *something* rather than no reason at all.
Why Reed doesn’t tell Sue is a mystery. Sue is clearly tough and capable here but she’s basically just a good mom who is competent at being a superhero, not a genius biologist as she’s been in other incarnations. (I might be thinking of Ultimate FF or maybe Byrne’s run from the ‘80s. It’s hard to keep track of shifting continuity.) Regardless, Sue is Reed’s wife and she’ll be 4 times as angry that he held back this information than she would be worried about his unstable molecules coming apart.
So they recruit Ant-Man, She-Hulk, Medusa and... some pop starlet?... to be the new FF as a back-up. Darla the singer is Johnny’s new squeeze and she’s supposed to be a Taylor Swift-style person. Johnny’s rationale is that she only has to be in the FF for 4 minutes on a Tuesday morning, so what’s the harm? Plus, he’s such a slacker that he forgot to recruit anyone else.
Ant-Man makes sense. His daughter was murdered and he needs something in his life. She-Hulk replaced the Thing during Byrne’s run, plus she’s apparently a free agent and the tank the team needs. Medusa I don’t get at all. She’s the queen of the Inhumans, so I imagine she has other duties to occupy her time. Crystal would make more sense, since she isn’t busy running an entire kingdom and has control over the 4 elements, including fire. Get it? Four elements? Fire? Fantastic Four? Human Torch? Is this thing even on?
Anyway, the story is fundamentally broken at its core, so the adventures they go on are comic book busywork. The whole “leap before you look” schtick is dumb for someone as smart as Reed, or for Sue, especially when she has two little kids to consider. You can have thrilling adventures without being foolhardy.
Then suddenly a much older and clearly crazy Human Torch comes flying out of the time portal, com0lete with artificial arm, leg and eye, a la Cable from the X-Men. Why this particular (and super-popular) storyline is being regurgitated I don’t know, but it’s just standard “we’re all out of ideas” stuff. Which is sad, coming from the former House of Ideas.
The idea has massive potential, but the execution is just dumb.
The art is fine. The ever-reliable Mark Bagley does half the book while Mike Allred’s 1960s-era pop-art style fills out the other half. Either would have been fine, but alternating them gives one artistic whiplash. I guess the story was told in two separate books. Which is a stupid marketing idea on its face, forcing fans to buy two books to get the whole story.
Anyway, I was disappointed. I don’t even know why I bothered ranting about it. I guess I still have fond memories of the FF from the 1970s and 80s.