From Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #347 (1990)
It only took a few comic book pages for a rogue Skrull to take out the members of the Fantastic Four one at a time. After personally defeating the family that, time and again, defeated the Skrulls and their plans, this lone shapeshifter realized that she needed help in order to track down a weapon she could use to further her lofty goals. Towards that end, she disguised herself as Sue Richards and reached out telepathically to ensnare four gullible heroes to come to her aid. Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Wolverine, and Hulk, who was then in his Gray / Mr. Fixit phase, answered her summons and became the New Fantastic Four. It just so happened that these four heroes were among the most popular characters in the Marvel Universe in 1990.
There’s a reason why the next issue’s cover proclaimed it to the “The World’s Most Commercialist Comic Magazine!” Walt Simonson knew what he was doing when he wrote this story. Though he was both the writer and artist for the majority of his Fantastic Four run, he stepped away from the art chores on this storyline. The fan favorite art team of Art Adams and Art Thibert handled the story. The combination of character, spectacle, and art was calculated to move books and, for an 8 year-old Jeff Reid, it succeeded gloriously. I ate this thing up.
The three issues that contain this story took its premise and just had a ton of big, goofy fun with it. At no time is this story presented with overbearing gravitas. This page, which showcases the wonderful work of Art and Art and conveys the silliness of the story, still gives me a kick.
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Yeah, I still got this story at home. I collected pretty much everything Ghost Rider in the 90s. It was a lot of fun.
I love me some Fantastic Four, and this story was a ton of fun. I miss when Marbel comics were fun. *sigh*
oh my goodness, i absolutely loved the art in these issues.
I’m an idiot for art adams, and around this time is when I had just found him and was ripping through my comic shop for any thing he had done. there’s just something about his line work that is so interesting and his use of shapes in his character designs always make me smile.
he has a way of making things full, but not cluttered, playful but not childish.
great description of art adams work….spot on
in the 90’s Art Adams was on my MUST buy list. Along with Jim Lee and Mcfarlane.
Fun Story with a weird mixture of heroes. Good stuff
Great threads for Wolverine!
Was he in his Indiana Jones phase?
I miss that phase
I love those issues
Hulk wearing that outfit Zack Morris style. He wears a tie but he’ll be damned if he’s going to keep it tight.
I own these.
Loved this stuff when it came out.
Fun and Silliness? Please bring this back.
Grey Hulk FTW