In Search of the Richards: Marvel Two-In-One (Interview with Chip Zdarsky)

[Miles To Go]

"The Fate of the Four."

That story title should tell you just about everything you need to know about what's coming from Marvel Two-In-One #1 in December. But there's more to writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Jim Cheung's revival of the classic Ben Grimm-centric title than just the first step on the road to the Richards family - even though yes, that's in there too.

In the story, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm will reunite to find the rest of the Fantastic Four - because Johnny just can't accept that they're really gone. Standing in the way, however, is Doctor Doom - who holds the secret to the Richards' return.

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Newsarama spoke to Zdarsky about Marvel Two-In-One, including what it means to bring back the title in "Legacy," his favorite era of the FF, the surprise cameos he has in store, and of course why he believes Jim Cheung is the best Ben Grimm artist today.

https://www.newsarama.com/36372-marv...e=notification

[Oberon]

Sounds like all kinds of awesome or fantastic, if you will.

I have questions.

I love-love the FF, especially Sue, btw.

Has and how has it been resolved that the Sue in Secret Wars is really "our" Sue, along with any other characters that seemingly were killed in that story when everything blew up before they came to the new Doom(s) world(s).

I am having a hard time accepting that Sue, Doom's consort is the same Sue; 1, she would be 8 years older or whatever, so even older than Johnny (we assume she was about 2 years older, so now 10). But the bigger point would be that Sue was Doom's consort with all that implies. I have a hard time accepting that it was our Sue, even brain washed, doing that.

Others thoughts?

[Frontier]

Zdarsky would not be the kind of writer I'd put on something as big as Johnny and ben trying to find the rest of their family, but I also don't think we'll ultimately see that much development on that issue in this series.

I am curious to see what Doom knows though.

[Iron Maiden]

No, the Susan that was Victor's royal consort was confirmed to be from another multiverse by both Hickman and Brevoort. You open up a nasty can of worms there if she isn't a different Susan.





And she was part of a different iteration of the Fantastic Four with Dr Franklin Storm as leader



I really am looking foward to this title more than anything else.

[Oberon]

I'm betting on this too. That what Doom knows, will explain and/or tie up any loose ends with the Richards and the brain-washing, etc.

And we'll see the classic return of him as villain. I'm not reading everything around so, did Ult-Reed buy it yet? Because if not, I would see a truly terrible Marvel Villain Team Up with him and Doom. Maybe Doom should go around the multiverse and recruit other versions of himself or Reed. Brute-Reed?

[Oberon]

So, yeah, what I figure or surmise from my own reading, IM.

Who's the blonde with Reed and the kids? It would be sorta cruel if SW's Sue just evaporated inbetween panels somehow, as Doom 'released' the real Sue, someone, again, off panel. Sheesh.

[Crimz]

I'm excited! Not familiar with Zdarsky's work though, hope it'll be.... fantastic!

[Iron Maiden]

Zdarsky would not be the kind of writer I'd put on something as big as Johnny and ben trying to find the rest of their family, but I also don't think we'll ultimately see that much development on that issue in this series.

I am curious to see what Doom knows though.

I was encouraged to read that Zdarsky appreciates the work Bendis and Maleev have been doing on Infamous Iron Man. Sounds like he wants him to stay on the path he's currently on at least, pending what the outcome is spoilers:

with Mephisto

end of spoilers.

I wonder what this secret is? Victor knows Reed is with Sue and the kids rebuilding the multiverse. We keep reading in Infamous Iron Man and elsewhere that the vast majority on MU Earth don't even know that Battleworld etc. happened and Doom was God Emperor. Maybe he'll reveal part of it to Ben and Johnny since they seemed to be in the dark about it when they met up in Infamous Iron Man a couple of issues back.

[Iron Maiden]

I'm betting on this too. That what Doom knows, will explain and/or tie up any loose ends with the Richards and the brain-washing, etc.

And we'll see the classic return of him as villain. I'm not reading everything around so, did Ult-Reed buy it yet? Because if not, I would see a truly terrible Marvel Villain Team Up with him and Doom. Maybe Doom should go around the multiverse and recruit other versions of himself or Reed. Brute-Reed?

No I think you misunderstand. Susan, Ben and Johnny died when their part of the life raft got destroyed. Only Reed, T'Challa, Carol and Scott Summers were left in the one that crash landed on Battleworld. What happened at the end of SW is that combined with Molecule Man's remaining powers given to Reed and T'Challa having the Reality Gem, things got restored to the point just before the Black Swan arrives during the first Incursion over Earth.

It's sort of like a full reboot of Marvel Earth to that point in time. The only one to make it over from the Ultimate Universe were Miles and the Maker AFAIK at the end of SW. In the meantime, Reed and Franklin are rebuilding the multiverse. I assume those little kingdoms of Battleworld were erased as long as whoever populated them like the other Susan, Val and Franklin, etc.

So, yeah, what I figure or surmise from my own reading, IM.

Who's the blonde with Reed and the kids? It would be sorta cruel if SW's Sue just evaporated inbetween panels somehow, as Doom 'released' the real Sue, someone, again, off panel. Sheesh.

Royal Consort Sue is the woman that Doom finds while looking to see if his old adversary Reed survived the final incursion. Stephen had found his raft but kept it hidden on his secret island fortress on Battleworld.

[Oberon]

oKAaaaaY. I guess I didn't clearly see that MM, and T'challa/Reality gem did that. I can have that.

Darn, now I have to find those issues and re-read because it doesn't 'exactly' strike me that way. But having real Sue, B and J is worth it I guess.

[Crimz]

How is Chip Zdarsky's writing?

[Iron Maiden]

oKAaaaaY. I guess I didn't clearly see that MM, and T'challa/Reality gem did that. I can have that.

Darn, now I have to find those issues and re-read because it doesn't 'exactly' strike me that way. But having real Sue, B and J is worth it I guess.

I think that's the way most of us saw it when we discussed the Secret Wars at the time. That's not to say other writers can't come along to change things....it's been known to happen. I think if Brevoort is editing Marvel 2 in 1 then they have to have a good reason to change things because he and Hickman worked pretty closely together on SW.

[Cloudman]

How is Chip Zdarsky's writing?

Quite heavily comedic, from what I've seen. I'm sure it works fine with some series like Howard the Duck, but I found his Peter Parker very grating. If he manages to rein in his jokey impulses while writing Ben and Johnny, I think this series could be a good read.

[Prof. Warren]

How is Chip Zdarsky's writing?

Depends on who you ask. I like it. And he's doing a good job with Johnny over in Spectacular Spider-Man so that bodes well for this.

I do think his humorous, light-hearted style should be a good fit with Two-In-One and he should handle Ben and Johnny's banter well.

Excited to check this out - especially as it all but guarantees that Reed and Sue are coming back. They're not going to launch this with "The Fate of the Four" as the opening arc only to have them come up empty.

[Miles To Go]

Excited to check this out - especially as it all but guarantees that Reed and Sue are coming back. They're not going to launch this with "The Fate of the Four" as the opening arc only to have them come up empty.

Maybe, but a key part of the story is that Johnny has'nt come to terms with "losing" his sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew. He could learn what they're up to, but may have to learn to let go.