Pick of the Week
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I have generally not been a big fan of Fantastic Four comic books, but I feel like I should be. Does that make sense?
They are the first family of Marvel Comics and one of the cornerstones of the Marvel Universe, yet I always find myself a little bored with their books. I know this because every so often I keep trying their books whenever there is a new or interesting creative team, going all the way back to the John Byrne era. That’s a lot of years. The last time I remember really having fun with their books was the Mark Waid/Mike Wieringo run, and that was short-lived.
The announcement that the Ultimates team of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch was going to take over Fantastic Four had me really intrigued and a little excited — I was going to be picking up Fantastic Four again!
With this, the second issue of their run, I am starting to see that we might have the perfect melding of author and subject on our hands. For some reason it seems that many British writers — like Mark Millar, Grant Morrison, or Warren Ellis — can do big, wacky science ideas leagues better than their American counterparts. Maybe it’s because they grew up on different pop culture, or maybe it’s the beer, I don’t know. All I do know is that the Fantastic Four should be about big wacky exciting science and this seems to be what we have on our hands here with Mark Millar’s story.
With four members of the Fantastic Four, we’ve got four separate storylines (what does that say about the health of this family?) and this issue pretty much focuses on Reed’s, which is clearly the main crux of this first arc. Reed’s super smart college girlfriend (nicknamed “Mrs. Fantastic” by Sue) popped up in the last issue to show Reed her newest project, Nu-World, a manufactured to-scale version of Earth existing in a parallel dimension (Marvel Multiverse alert!). The Nu-World project has been undertaken because a bunch of uber-smart people have decided that environmental damage to our planet means that we have less than 10 years until total environmental collapse and the extinction of the human race. Hence they started rapidly building a very large “Plan B.”
In this issue we follow along as Reed gets a tour of Nu-World that allows for Bryan Hitch to draw a lot of “gee whiz” sweeping vistas of the new planet. Reed finds out how the new Earth was designed and modeled after our planet, with no detail overlooked — not even the graffiti in the cities. It’s all very science fiction utopian. And then the tone of the tour changes ever so slightly. Of course, on the new world there will be scientifically engineered robotic peacekeepers. Of course there will be no armies or weapons allowed. Of course our well-being will be looked after by advanced technology.
HAVEN’T ANY OF THESE PEOPLE EVER SEEN A SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE?!?
I think Reed has seen a few, which is why he’s not as gung-ho about the Nu-World project as his ex would like him to be. And, of course, the very last scene of this issue validates his concerns, as the main peacekeeping robot — unfortunately named CAP — breaks free to, one would assume, wreck havoc.
This is exactly the stuff I want from my Fantastic Four stories. I want big, crazy science. I want large and intricate machines (expertly rendered by Bryan Hitch) that go haywire. I want brains over brawn (with the occasional and timely use of The Thing’s brawn in conjunction with “It’s clobberin’ time!”). I want more science fiction than superhero. And that’s what I’ve gotten so far from this book and this new creative team.
Let’s all give it up for science!
Conor Kilpatrick
Delancey St. is actually the inspiration for Yancy St.
conor@ifanboy.com
Did you read Fantastic Four #555? Add a comment and tell everyone what you thought!
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Didn’t pick this up– I’m not a big fan of FF comic books, either. But your description of this as a sci-fi book might get me to go pick it up– I love that stuff. I actually really liked the first couple of arcs of the Ultimate FF book, which I read.
My stack of books this week was, shall we say, underwhelming in quality. The best of the lot was probably Walking Dead, followed by an excellent Booster Gold and pretty good Wonder Woman.
One question, though– is this book going to get all tied up in the Secret Invasion thing? If you tell me it’s not, I’ll be much more likely to go pick it up….
Two POWs in a row of books & characters I could never bring myself to read. I have a mental block for anything Fantastic Four. It’s totally irrational. I like the concept of the FF but the books leave me feeling meh.
Known Secret Invasion tie-ins can be seen here: link
I’m going to say either Booster Gold or Wonder Woman were my POW. Both were excellent but I can’t decide which one I enjoyed most. Good comics.
I’m pissed. I forgot to pick this up. Oh well…tomorrow.
You’re making it hard for me to stick to my plan of waiting for the trade on this.
millar and hitch "get" fantastic four. and it’s fucking outstanding. what an awesome story this is going to be.
I think it’s the beer. Perhaps we all should drink more beer while reading our comics (those of us who are legal drinking age, of course.) Didn’t pick this up but you have me intrigued. Perhaps i will wait for the trade…
WALKING DEAD
When ever this book comes out it is the best thing on the shelf.
How can you bare to wait for the trades?
@doddzilla – It’s not that hard, actually. Very satisfying in big chunks.
I’ve been intrigued by what I’ve heard about this series, but I’m definitely waiting for the first arc to play out. I don’t really trust Millar’s follow-through.
Even without this book, I had an awesome Marvel week, with "Wolverine" and "X-Factor." "Mighty Avengers" was lots of fun, and "Thunderbolts" was solid.
And I also got a little book called "Green Arrow/Black Canary," because of some podcast where they keep talking about it. Black Canary + motorcycle = kickass. (But how does she ride a bike with those fishnets on? How do they not have runs? Are they Kevlar reinforced or something? I’m curious!)
gah foiled again. i didn’t pick this up. i still haven’t even read my books from today yet because i’ve been so busy 🙁
Yayyyy FOR SCIENCE!
I’m lovin this. If this is how Millar starts out his run, I ca’t wait to see other stories he’ll do with the team. I’m soooo glad I’m reading a Fantastic Four book. Its…. (oh god, I can’t believe I’m going to say it) FANTASTIC!
"I heard the Jury was still out on Science"
-Gob, Arrested Development
i picked up the first issue of this run and it didn’t strike a chord with me. Like Conor i’ve never been a big FF fan and even the stories i have enjoy, weren’t really all that good. The first issue did nothing for me so i skiped the second, maybe if i keep hearing good things i’ll pick it up when it’s collected. My POW was X-Factor. This book has been slipping lately and this newest issue felt like a real return to form, now if only we could get Layla Miller back….
one other thing about FF. I’ve been re-reading Millar and Hitch’s Ultimates run and in comparison to that, Hitch’s art here is not up to snuff. I don’t know if it’s inked poorly or if he rushed it out, but the ultra detail found in his Ultimates work is just not there in FanFour. I know everyone bitches about late books, but Hitch’s art is so damn beautiful that i’m willing to wait and if he has now decided to phone in work to avoid a late schedule, i think we as a comic reading audience are going to miss out. Of course, my opinion is only based on the first FF issue, since i haven’t read the second, but break out your old issues of Ultimates and compare, you’ll be disappointed.
Excellent, I enjoyed the first issue a lot but I’d love to soo Laura Martin take over coloring duties.
Good pick this week Conor. This was definitely one of the stronger books in my stack. Like many, I wasn’t really reading an FF until this series was announced, and I’ve really been enjoying it. This whole big, crazy science is pretty wicked awesome as no other books I read really do this. Maybe that’s what makes it such a treat.
I felt pretty ho-hum about everything else I read this week. Not that anything was necessarily bad, but there just wasn’t too much good stuff. Highlights of my stack were Wolverine, Serenity: Better Days, and DMZ Vol. 4.
My POW though is probably Nova #11. This is just a really fun, really solid book. I’ve been enjoying the hell out of it as each issue continues to move at a blistering pace. And the pencil work is fantastic. Look for a more in-depth review later tonight.
This issue was better than the first part, but I can’t help but to think "I’ve seen this all before". This was the big reveal at the end of Hitchhikers Guide…well the movie at least. The construction, the scaffolding the attention to minutia. I think the similarities between the visuals of the movie and this comic borders on plagiarism. But then, I guess The Twilight Zone did it before Adams….
@conor I thought I’d agree, but after reading the three ardcovers and one trade to get on issue I’m so glad I did, the singles are just much more fun.
I bought the issue and then based on it being this weeks pick, kinda saved it to read towards the bottom of the stack. I then read it eagerly, and with each page I waited for something to happen… I’m still waiting. There’s nothing wrong with pacing, set up and characterization.. .this just never seemed to pay off for me. While Hitch’s art is beautiful in spots, it still has some quirks that bug me… I kinda wish the Reed Richards looked like Reed Richards (amongst other nitpicks).
Didn’t pick up FF, so my pick was X-Factor in this lackluster week.
Respectable pick, and comments. It WAS Conor’s week and I was fully expecting a Green Arrow/Black Canary pick, but to his credit he comes outta left field (And rightfully so) with FF.
Mine would have been Mighty Avengers. I just loved the Retro feel of the book(I started reading comics around this time), and found myself doing a lot of chuckling.(I especially loved the back and forth banter between Stark/Doom, and the resultant thought bubbles.)
Walking Dead was AWESOME! (Just thought I would throw that in there for u trade holdouts.)
"for some reason it seems that many British writers – like Mark Millar, Grant Morrison, or Warren Ellis – can do big, wacky science ideas"
Probably because they grew up reading (and then writing for) 2000AD, which is full of nothing else. All though of the three, Ellis never wrote for Tooth, which is odd, as he fits the house style (such as there is) the best in many ways.
I had to agree with Conor about this being the pick of the week.
These were my top four of the week:
1. Fantastic Four
2. Booster Gold
3. Mighty Avengers
4. Green Arrow/ Black Canary
Absolute pick of the week, I agree, in a week where GA/BC was also great, as well as Mighty Avengers and Avengers: The Initiative (Ant-Man and Taskmaster… awesome!) This is COMPLETELY Hitchhikers-ish, very Magrathean, and I completely don’t mind at all. It’s almost to the point where I’m expecting Mrs. Fantastic to stick a fish in Reed’s ear. I also love the very traditional sci-fi/cautionary tale conceit of the people who are setting up "paradise", but only according to THEIR rules. This Nu-Earth, as it is happening, is a terrible idea, and what makes Reed a hero and the other geniuses just scientists is that he sees (or will eventually see) that.