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FANTASTIC FOUR #579

Faced with the death of imagination and growing pandemic of tomorrow fear, Reed Richards takes the future of discovery into his own hands. Think the world is a bad place, everything is going to hell, and the end times are surely around the corner? Try reading the World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.

WRITER: Jonathan Hickman
PENCILS: Neil Edwards
INKS: Andrew Currie
COLORED BY: Paul Mounts
LETTERED BY: VC - Rus Wooton
COVER BY: Alan Davis

Price: $2.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 0.3%

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Comments

  1. Avatar photo BruceLuvsClark says:
    May 24, 2010 at 2:40 pm

    SIGH   Already fucking with the creative team. Why? WHY?

  2. Avatar photo Slockhart says:
    May 24, 2010 at 2:51 pm

    Is it this issue or 580 that’s supposed to be the major turning point?  Because this book is REALLY starting to drag…

  3. Avatar photo skeets says:
    May 24, 2010 at 3:06 pm

    um they already messed with the creative team.

  4. Avatar photo Conor Kilpatrick (@cskilpatrick) says:
    May 24, 2010 at 3:13 pm

    @BriceLuvsClark: They already announced way back that Dale Eaglesham was leaving the book (plus, as skeets said, this is far from the first time there’s been a fill-in).

  5. Avatar photo DarkKnightJared says:
    May 24, 2010 at 3:14 pm

    Well, from what little I could find of Neil Edwards, he doesn’t look too bad. That, combined with the interesting sounding solicit (what can I say? I’m a sucker for high concepts) keeps me excited still. 🙂

  6. Avatar photo OttoBott says:
    May 24, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    It’s been a revolving creative team in the past, between Edwards and Eaglesham, now it’s just Edwards. 

    Edwards is like a less polished Bryan Hitch, circa newer work (as opposed to his superior Ultimates or Authority run). That may be why Edwards is able to do a book on time and why I don’t particularly care for it, either. That said, the preview for this issue was much better then any previous Edwards-FF, so maybe he’s getting better.

  7. Avatar photo Simmons says:
    May 24, 2010 at 4:36 pm

    The last two issues were a huge drag, if this one isn’t good, I think I’m off. Hickman’s run started off sweet, but it has really slowed down.

  8. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 24, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    I haven’t been feeling this book since the end of the Reed arc and that Franklin B-day issue. I may be dropping it with this issue. 

  9. Avatar photo DarthDuck says:
    May 24, 2010 at 4:39 pm

    Still excited for this title each month.  Bring it on!

  10. Avatar photo vadamowens says:
    May 24, 2010 at 4:53 pm

    @slockhart Agreed

  11. edward says:
    May 24, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    yup, i dropped this last issue. hickman wrote three good issues to start the run but since has been pumping out rubbish.  honestly, the book just isn’t good, don’t feel bad for dropping the title

  12. Avatar photo JimBilly4 says:
    May 24, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    It feels like Hickman is playing the Long Con on this one, setting up ideas to knock them down dramatically in later issues. Maybe not the best storytelling technique for a serialized medium, but the ideas have been so breath-takingly awesome and big that I am on board this crazy train for at least another arc, maybe two. If he hasn’t delivered by then I will agee with the nay-sayers, but I reserve judgement for now. I am concerned about the art post-Eaglesham. The previous fill-ins were not so hot.

  13. Avatar photo skeets says:
    May 24, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    I’m happy with the way things have been going so far. Dark Reign FF was awesome. Solve Everything was incredible. Franklin’s birthday was touching. The last arc wasn’t the greatest, but I thought it wrapped up nicely. It also had some really great Johnny Storm moments.

  14. Avatar photo Peterparker18102 says:
    May 24, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    I am still in for this, my read so far has been a great intro arc and good solid stuff after that.

  15. Avatar photo WinTheWonderboy says:
    May 24, 2010 at 6:58 pm

    I agree that this book is reeeeaaaaally starting to drag and also feel a bit repetitive. But, i have hope that it’ll turn around and we’ll see the some magic as in the first couple of issues again.

  16. Avatar photo kmob181 says:
    May 24, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    You all are psychotic psychos.  This is the first time I’ve cared about FF since the Byrne era.

  17. FausticCaust says:
    May 24, 2010 at 7:23 pm

    "Death of imagination?" What? I think Hickman’s projecting.

  18. Avatar photo SummerSleep says:
    May 24, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    To someone who asked earlier this is the issue Hickman has been saying is his mission statement. I’m really loving the way Hickman is writing this since it’s great FF, and the FF are my favorite group. This run so far has been nothing but ideas and exploring and for people who don’t like it, you may just not be completely interested in the FF.

  19. Avatar photo CaptainSweatpants says:
    May 24, 2010 at 8:52 pm

    Everything has been building the foundation for what begins with this issue. If you go back and read from Dark Reign FF till now you see Hickman has been building to work in Namor, The Inhumans and Doom among other classic elements.

    I am hooked till the end just based on the Atlantis plot.

  20. Avatar photo Mart says:
    May 24, 2010 at 9:10 pm

    @skeets, the last arc never actually wrapped up, did it? 

    I’m hoping for an offbeat issue in which all four members appear, and unite to overcome a conflict.

    I know, a lad can dream … 

  21. Avatar photo KickAss says:
    May 24, 2010 at 9:27 pm

    @Edward – you’ll eat your words when you read it in HC or paperback years down the line.

  22. Avatar photo jwaesch says:
    May 24, 2010 at 10:03 pm

    I’m definately switching to collected editions.  I’m still intrigued, but issue to issue just isn’t doing it for me

  23. Avatar photo NathanNicdao says:
    May 24, 2010 at 10:10 pm

    Maybe this is getting too wordy and/or smart for me.

  24. edward says:
    May 24, 2010 at 10:36 pm

    @Kickass: nah, i’m going to keep the $3.99 for this book and invest it in mobile phone cancer treatment drugs and be sitting pretty years from now 🙂

  25. Avatar photo skeets says:
    May 25, 2010 at 12:49 am

    @mart the arc wrapped up but the plot points the arc set up didn’t

  26. Avatar photo vadamowens says:
    May 25, 2010 at 8:53 am

    @skeets as stated above, and according to his recent interview on the site, he’s weaving a grander scheme.  Many sub-plots may not officially land until the end of his run

  27. Avatar photo JesTr says:
    May 25, 2010 at 9:32 am

    @Skeets I agree, everything has been building since Hickman’s Dark Reign FF mini.  The current arc has been a little slow but still good work.  Compared to Millar’s run this is even better.

  28. Avatar photo SunnyvaleTrash says:
    May 25, 2010 at 9:40 am

    Still enjoying this.  I didn’t think Edwards first couple issues were that bad, unlike a lot of people.  I will miss Eaglesham though.

  29. Avatar photo ctrosejr says:
    May 25, 2010 at 10:28 am

    The preview for this issue has me intrigued.  I like an arrogant Reed who pushes the boundaries.  That’s when things start hitting the fan.

  30. Avatar photo Urthona says:
    May 25, 2010 at 10:41 am

    He’s right, you’re all psychotic psychos.  This book is awesome.

  31. Avatar photo Mart says:
    May 25, 2010 at 10:41 am

    @skeets I know I must let it go but … it was four issues of set-up and the last issue stopped with four civilisations going to war. That’s a beginning, if anything.

  32. Avatar photo skeets says:
    May 25, 2010 at 12:19 pm

    dude i’m saying that 4 issue arc ended nicely. obviously it was set-up but as a 4 issue arc that struggled, the last issue of it made it work for me. seriously, there’s something getting lost in translation here.

  33. Avatar photo Paradiddle says:
    May 25, 2010 at 3:14 pm

    Tempted to trade-wait on this but will stick around for at least another arc. Curious to see how Hickman expands on the "big" ideas he’s introduced so far.

  34. Avatar photo Mart says:
    May 25, 2010 at 3:25 pm

    @skeets, fair enough, but please, no ‘dude’!

  35. Avatar photo 360Logic says:
    May 26, 2010 at 1:11 am

    I haven’t read FF in years, but I’ve always loved the scifi feel to the book and have been missing it lately. I’ve been keeping my eye on hickman’s run and the reaction to the "idea" heavy arcs he writes, and I’ve pretty curious to see what all praise/complain is about.

    How far back should I read to understand the threads that Hickman is working with here? Do I need to read all of Millar’s run as well, or just since Dark Reign? Basically, what’s absolutely essential?

  36. Avatar photo SummerSleep says:
    May 26, 2010 at 6:47 am

    @360logic if you read the Dark Reign mini you might be more well versed, but really, you can just jump right in with the first Hickman arc. The only thing you need to know really is that Valerie is super smart now, that is absolutely essential, besides that, start imaginauting away.

  37. IroncladMerc says:
    May 26, 2010 at 10:14 am

    I’d recommend reading the 2 Millar hardcovers (World’s Greatest and Master of Doom), those are awesome.

  38. Avatar photo kmob181 says:
    May 26, 2010 at 6:02 pm

    Has Marvel announced who will replace Eaglesham?  I know Edward is going to do a couple of issues but there was an indication someone else was coming onboard…

  39. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 26, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    @kmob181

    There is someone prominent coming onboard but no announcement yet.

  40. Avatar photo SummerSleep says:
    May 27, 2010 at 7:13 am

    They said that the artist wil be someone of higher status or equal to Eaglesham, what I am hoping is that Oliver Coiipel takes it over, since he fits that bill. I think he’d be a nice addition to the book since he has done Legion stories in the past, and Thor, combine those and you kind of have everything that could happen in an issue of the FF.

  41. Avatar photo OttoBott says:
    May 27, 2010 at 8:47 am

    That would be the first recent Big Event guy Marvel’s had who went BACK to an ongoing after the event finished. I mean, It would be amazing, don’t get me wrong, but…yeah. I dunno. I hope you’re right.

  42. Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
    May 27, 2010 at 10:34 am

    Loved this. Pick of the week for me

  43. Avatar photo DarthDuck says:
    May 27, 2010 at 5:11 pm

    Hickman is smart enough to make Reed as smart as he should be.

  44. Avatar photo captbastrd says:
    May 27, 2010 at 8:26 pm

    I’ve loved this run, defended it when others were dismissive as of late, but my interest took a steep nose dive on this issue. Maybe it’s the artist (who I also defended previously as being, "Okay… leave him alone just ’cause he’s not Eaglesham!") but this was atrocious. I may check out next issue, and I want to keep reading this series, but things had better pick up at 580.

  45. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 27, 2010 at 8:34 pm

    There were a few moments this issue that just worked but… it’s not doing it for me. I’ll willing to give it another issue based on those moments but I just don’t care. THough, +100 for using Artie!

  46. Avatar photo e_limarenko says:
    May 27, 2010 at 9:47 pm

    First four pages are pure brillance.

  47. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 28, 2010 at 12:20 am

    The art was not good at all. Still, the best since the first arc.

  48. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 28, 2010 at 9:47 am

    I have to say, the moment of the issue was Reed saying "You got a perfect score on your SAT? That’ll come in handy when we chase women and drink lots of beer."

  49. Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
    May 28, 2010 at 10:16 am

    @Prax among other things that reminded me of The West Wing.

  50. Avatar photo Urthona says:
    May 29, 2010 at 9:50 am

    Wow, this book was totally "jump the shark" for me and i’m out.  Reed’s opening speech?  Ridiculous and insulting, "I’m leaving this group because you all don’t reflect my thinking.".  The only person who gets a compliment is a super-being (and since when is She-Hulk a futurist??)  He then ends up with a class full of super-beings and no humans.  That’s the solution? And so many characters, some terribly ridiculous, like Dragon Man.  The only hope here is Ben coming around and kicking the sh*t out of Reed.  I wish.

    I’m out, bye FF!

  51. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 29, 2010 at 11:29 am

    @Urthona I agree with a lot of your points, but the class does feature Valeria and Franklin who are humans (and in Franklin’s case a mutant) and Artie also a human mutant.

  52. Avatar photo rockingeek says:
    May 29, 2010 at 11:37 am

    Fuck human!

  53. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 29, 2010 at 9:18 pm

    @Rockingeek "Magneto was right!"

  54. Avatar photo Slockhart says:
    May 29, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    I can make it to 580… I can make it to 580… I can make it to 580…

  55. Avatar photo NathanNicdao says:
    May 30, 2010 at 7:37 pm

    @Slockhart: Yes you can!

  56. Avatar photo mikeandzod21 says:
    May 30, 2010 at 8:01 pm

    I loved reed yelling at people. It was awesome.

  57. Avatar photo Urthona says:
    May 31, 2010 at 2:06 am

    Valeria is superhuman.  Franklin has a future self (and I think a really complicated history).  Sorry, but they ain’t human, and everyone knocked down at that conference was.

    Of course, Rockingeek makes an excellent point I have often thought myself.

    But @mikeandzod21, he didn’t just yell at them, he took his toys and went home.  If there is another way to read, "This conference doesn’t reflect my thinking any more, I’m not going to challenge it intellectually, I’m just quiting", I’d like to hear it.  He was a d*ck, as one of the reviewers so correctly pointed out.

    This book was a big confused mess.

  58. Avatar photo zlbenson says:
    May 31, 2010 at 2:48 pm

    I barely have any idea whats going on, but I’m digging it all. Just seems so damn epic and exciting.

  59. Avatar photo mikeandzod21 says:
    May 31, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    @urthona I liked Reed being a dick to them though. He’s dissapointed in his fellow scientists not being as hungry for discovery as he is and can’t help but voice it. And then he goes to a group of kids, who have boundless imagination and are crazy for discovery. And I loved it

  60. Avatar photo cromulent says:
    June 1, 2010 at 1:11 am

    Edwards draws faces kinda weird, but everything else was drawn pretty decent. He drew Dragon Man very well, at least I thought. Except for human faces, I didn’t think the art was as bad as the guys thought in the podcast.

  61. Avatar photo OttoBott says:
    June 4, 2010 at 3:48 pm

    Wow. This was 10 times better then what I expected. Edwards continues to improve on the art, this issue was pretty passable work for him (a few really nicely drawn panels actually) and Hickman nailed the proper balance of info-dump and actual, y’know, stuff happening. What bloody fun.

  62. Avatar photo Crippler says:
    June 5, 2010 at 5:29 pm

    This was amazing.  PoTW.  You want to read a smart mainstream comic?  This is it. 

  63. Avatar photo OttoBott says:
    June 7, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    Steve Epting has been revealed as the new artist, starting in September, for a six-part-arc.

     http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26559 

    Yes…just….yes. 

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