Stephanie Kay
Oct 13, 2007, 10:10 pm
<a href=" http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10133"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-540t.jpg" hspace=10 align=left alt="Fantastic Four #540"></a>Reviewer: Andrew Jastrzembski, adjastrzem@msn.com
Story Title: Some Words Can Never Be Taken Back
Breaking up is the hardest thing to do. . .
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inker: Andy Lanning and Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letters: Virtual Calligraphy’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer and Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Published by: Marvel Comics (www.marvel.com)
Let’s face it. We all knew this was coming even before the last issues of Civil War and Fantastic Four. This is the breakup issue.
So who actually believes that Sue and Reed’s marriage and the Fantastic Four as we know it are actually done?
I don’t think their marriage is over. It is a question of when the team gets back together and what is the status of their relationships going to be. Here is why. The Fantastic Four is probably the most unique Marvel superhero book out there on the shelf. It is first and foremost a family team book. The team has four slots and only four people to fill those slots unlike the X-men or Avengers who have plenty of characters to choose from to fill their ranks. It would be like replacing your mom or dad with somebody else and then trying to act like your family is exactly the same. The same principle applies to the Fantastic Four. Team replacements change the book into something other than the Fantastic Four.
I also believe that the Fantastic Four can also be one of the dullest and predictable books out there. It has the same issue that X-men books have had in the past. There have been promises made about how a story arc is going to change the status quo but somehow the status quo remains firmly intact. The uniqueness of the Fantastic Four also stifles the book. Walking down any path will eventually change the Fantastic Four into something other than what they are now, but it is safer to keep them static and familiar.
Something needs to be done to shake things up, and as much as I like the idea of Reed and Sue breaking up, I don’t think it is the best thing (although I would love to see the issue where Franklin calls Namor “his other daddy” in front of Reed). Granted, they would not be the first couple to split in the Marvel Universe, but it probably would alter the Fantastic Four too much. Also, they are a high profile couple of one of Marvel’s mainstay books with a very pro-family vibe to it. If Marvel decided to end their marriage in any other way than death, critics from outside the comic book industry are bound to come out of the woodwork and accuse Marvel of promoting divorce for comic books sales. Is Marvel ready for that kind of possible scrutiny?
Better yet, are we, the readers, ready for their divorce?
That is a question that will be answered down the road, but for the moment, we are at the beginning of the Fantastic Four breakup. Regardless of how long it lasts, Straczynski and McKone scripted and drew, respectively, one of the best fights between Sue and Reed simply because they humanized Reed. Throughout Civil War, Reed has come off way too clinical and harsh. It is a part of Reed’s personality that he does not express emotions well. It takes the combination of words and art to subtly depict Reed emotional side. Straczynski was able to give him the depth of emotion he has been lacking by verbalizing Reed’s feelings in two panels and under forty words.
McKone gave us another good issue of artwork. His attention to detail and subtlety is what this issue needed. I really liked how Reed’s body language was strong and aggressive at the beginning half of the issue and then slowly changed to defeated and sad as his fight with Sue dragged on. The only complaint I had about McKone’s art was Sue appeared kind of dowdy and too matronly. Also, her hair length has been varying too much in recent issues. The “mom” haircut she was sporting was not flattering. Other than that, McKone’s work was spot on.
After the argument, Ben announced to Reed that he was leaving the teams and the country. His position on the war comes off honest and sincere after the events of last issue. It is an interesting spin on breaking up the Fantastic Four by having one teammate refusing to fight on either side. I also liked how Ben added some light comic relief that served as a nice contrast to Reed’s situation.
Now I do have some issues with this arc. First, I find Reed’s position on the Registration Act and trying to justify it to be hypocritical. It wasn’t long ago he took over Latervia, defying several world powers, including the U.S. in the process, to disarm Dr. Doom’s nation. Obviously, he did not care then but is now going to blindly follow the Registration Act just because it is the law. Maybe as Reed said, he does not want to lose everything he built, but that argument is also pretty weak.
Second, the final pages where Reed is talking to Peter Parker, which was covered in Amazing Spiderman, seemed redundant. It didn’t add anything to the story that wasn’t already explained. I would have liked to have seen Johnny make an appearance in this arc, other than being in a coma, or even better, more on the Thor subplot that popped up in the Fantastic Four two issues ago. I would have even settled for some more bad guys plotting and taking advantage of the civil war.
Despite a few flaws, this was a solid issue by Straczynski and McKone. The Fantastic Four has been more of an emotional rollercoaster than any other Civil War title because they have the most to lose out of any other team in the Marvel Universe. Hopefully this story arc will have a lasting effect on the Fantastic Four and their relationships with one another and not go back to the status quo.
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‘Buy this Fantastic Four online now from X-WORLD and save!’ ( http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=66&cat=FANTASTIC+FOUR)
Story Title: Some Words Can Never Be Taken Back
Breaking up is the hardest thing to do. . .
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inker: Andy Lanning and Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letters: Virtual Calligraphy’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer and Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Published by: Marvel Comics (www.marvel.com)
Let’s face it. We all knew this was coming even before the last issues of Civil War and Fantastic Four. This is the breakup issue.
So who actually believes that Sue and Reed’s marriage and the Fantastic Four as we know it are actually done?
I don’t think their marriage is over. It is a question of when the team gets back together and what is the status of their relationships going to be. Here is why. The Fantastic Four is probably the most unique Marvel superhero book out there on the shelf. It is first and foremost a family team book. The team has four slots and only four people to fill those slots unlike the X-men or Avengers who have plenty of characters to choose from to fill their ranks. It would be like replacing your mom or dad with somebody else and then trying to act like your family is exactly the same. The same principle applies to the Fantastic Four. Team replacements change the book into something other than the Fantastic Four.
I also believe that the Fantastic Four can also be one of the dullest and predictable books out there. It has the same issue that X-men books have had in the past. There have been promises made about how a story arc is going to change the status quo but somehow the status quo remains firmly intact. The uniqueness of the Fantastic Four also stifles the book. Walking down any path will eventually change the Fantastic Four into something other than what they are now, but it is safer to keep them static and familiar.
Something needs to be done to shake things up, and as much as I like the idea of Reed and Sue breaking up, I don’t think it is the best thing (although I would love to see the issue where Franklin calls Namor “his other daddy” in front of Reed). Granted, they would not be the first couple to split in the Marvel Universe, but it probably would alter the Fantastic Four too much. Also, they are a high profile couple of one of Marvel’s mainstay books with a very pro-family vibe to it. If Marvel decided to end their marriage in any other way than death, critics from outside the comic book industry are bound to come out of the woodwork and accuse Marvel of promoting divorce for comic books sales. Is Marvel ready for that kind of possible scrutiny?
Better yet, are we, the readers, ready for their divorce?
That is a question that will be answered down the road, but for the moment, we are at the beginning of the Fantastic Four breakup. Regardless of how long it lasts, Straczynski and McKone scripted and drew, respectively, one of the best fights between Sue and Reed simply because they humanized Reed. Throughout Civil War, Reed has come off way too clinical and harsh. It is a part of Reed’s personality that he does not express emotions well. It takes the combination of words and art to subtly depict Reed emotional side. Straczynski was able to give him the depth of emotion he has been lacking by verbalizing Reed’s feelings in two panels and under forty words.
McKone gave us another good issue of artwork. His attention to detail and subtlety is what this issue needed. I really liked how Reed’s body language was strong and aggressive at the beginning half of the issue and then slowly changed to defeated and sad as his fight with Sue dragged on. The only complaint I had about McKone’s art was Sue appeared kind of dowdy and too matronly. Also, her hair length has been varying too much in recent issues. The “mom” haircut she was sporting was not flattering. Other than that, McKone’s work was spot on.
After the argument, Ben announced to Reed that he was leaving the teams and the country. His position on the war comes off honest and sincere after the events of last issue. It is an interesting spin on breaking up the Fantastic Four by having one teammate refusing to fight on either side. I also liked how Ben added some light comic relief that served as a nice contrast to Reed’s situation.
Now I do have some issues with this arc. First, I find Reed’s position on the Registration Act and trying to justify it to be hypocritical. It wasn’t long ago he took over Latervia, defying several world powers, including the U.S. in the process, to disarm Dr. Doom’s nation. Obviously, he did not care then but is now going to blindly follow the Registration Act just because it is the law. Maybe as Reed said, he does not want to lose everything he built, but that argument is also pretty weak.
Second, the final pages where Reed is talking to Peter Parker, which was covered in Amazing Spiderman, seemed redundant. It didn’t add anything to the story that wasn’t already explained. I would have liked to have seen Johnny make an appearance in this arc, other than being in a coma, or even better, more on the Thor subplot that popped up in the Fantastic Four two issues ago. I would have even settled for some more bad guys plotting and taking advantage of the civil war.
Despite a few flaws, this was a solid issue by Straczynski and McKone. The Fantastic Four has been more of an emotional rollercoaster than any other Civil War title because they have the most to lose out of any other team in the Marvel Universe. Hopefully this story arc will have a lasting effect on the Fantastic Four and their relationships with one another and not go back to the status quo.
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‘Buy this Fantastic Four online now from X-WORLD and save!’ ( http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=66&cat=FANTASTIC+FOUR)