Ian: There is so much to like about FF #1 I could just have a fit!
What’s that you say? You’ve never read Marvel’s First Family? Don’t sweat it you guys. Everyone knows there are four members – Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), The Invisible Woman (Sue Storm/Richards), The Human Torch (Johnny Storm) and The Thing (Ben Grimm). And who knows? Maybe you’ve been living in an old bomb shelter a la Brendan Fraser in Blast From The Past * and you ain’t EVEN heard that Johnny Storm died a couple of months back. But you know what? Writer Jonathan Hickman’s got your back, and together with artist Steve Epting, they hold your hand the whole way through this issue. That’s right, FF #1 is a good old fashioned JUMPING ON POINT!
Deadly!
Okay, just shut up for a second while I tell you more about everything! Some dudes are doing something or other on the first page, one guy has a stutter, but then you turn the page and find WOW! a cool super splash with the earth and sun and four sentences that will smarten your ass right up. “The Human Torch has died. The Fantastic Four is no more. Welcome to tomorrow. Welcome to the Future Foundation.” What a great way to open a book for new readers, except for instead of putting that last period, I would have put, like, nineteen exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Skip past the credits that say Joe Quesada isn’t the Editor-in Chief anymore and what do you find? In rapid-fire succession you get Reed moping, Johnny’s last will FROM THE GREAT BEYOND, weird lookin’ kids redecorating the Baxter Building, and Spider-Man busting some sweet moves courtesy of Mr. Epting who is not kidding around WHATSOEVER with the pencils. The real winner here, though, is Sue Richards. Let’s face it, she’s Marvel’s most underrated super-betty. Everyone knows it, nobody says it, and I’ve just made history as far as comic book articles go.
What else happens? I’ve never heard of Dragon Man before, but he’s a great big dragon-mandroid and he’s sitting in a chair reading a book! It’s the craziest thing I’ve seen since the last time I saw the X-Men’s Beast sitting in a chair reading a book. How can they be doing that? They’re both savages! Also, The Thing gets smashy and takes out some grief on a pack of chumps from A.I.M. and The Wizard gets busted out of the P.A.V.L.O.V. prison. Then, and without giving away TOO many spoilers, to celebrate blowing it big-time, Reed Richard’s father (who just returned from the future with a futuristic pony-tail) cooks everyone an awesome-looking roast. Man, roast! They’re just like us!
Oh, here’s a tangent worth taking! Do you know what? I hate living in Vancouver, but there are a couple of things that make it awesome. HOLY SHIT MY NEIGHBOR JUST BLEW UP HIS LAWN MOWER! AWESOME! Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah. Every day my drive home from work includes driving right up to the downtown Marine Building aka THE BAXTER BUILDING, headquarters of the Fantastic Four in the two movies. And you know what? Fantastic Four and Rise of the Silver Surfer were two of Marvel’s better cinematic outings, despite Jessica Alba’s best attempts to ruin everyone’s lives. Anyway, no matter how crappy my day was I always get super happy when I see that building. Why? Because I love the Fantastic Four.
So in all seriousness, this new book has a lot of promise and I haven’t been so stoked about the First Family since Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Steve McNiven took the reins on Marvel Knights 4 back in 2004. Give it a shot! If you don’t like it you can always bribe some stupid little kid with it because they tend to like anything with Spider-Man.
* possibly the best movie ever made
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Nuv: Other than the fact that this toolbox likes those bullshit FF movies, he’s right on the money. FF #1 rules like a mofo! Spidey is a perfect fit, and has history with the team, dating back to the 60s and the very first issue of his own comic! And even though Johnny Storm’s gone (pick up the equally excellent final issues of Fantastic Four to witness his death you morbid creeps!), his presence looms large in the pages of FF via his absence. (Literally in the case of the aforementioned dinner scene, when Spidey tries to sit in Johnny’s seat at the table.)
Oh, also – if you’re looking for more Fantastic Four/Spider-Man goodness, look no further! Amazing Spider-Man #657 hits the stands today! Art by, among others, Marcos ‘Motherfuckin’ Martin (I done told you ’bout him already!) so it’s bound to be pretty, and it’s all about Spidey’s friendship/rivalry with Johnny, so, like this very column, it’s sure to be fun and full of quick quips, pesky pranks and super-shenanigans!
Alright. That’s it. RIP Johnny. You were a perfectly radical douchebag and your frat-boy antics and constant pranks on The Thing will be missed. The Marvel Universe won’t be the same without you. (At least until someone inevitably brings you back from the dead… Comics!)
Flame off.
– The Big Two
