What does a Fantastic Four relaunch need to do to be successful?

[Thor2014]

Just a superstar creative team. Most people know the basics of the fantastic four and who they are and what they are about. Marvel just needs A-listers on there to get people to try the book out.

[The Ray]

When they return, Reed, Sue and the kids will have just helped re-create the multiverse. Have them become archeologists of the new multiverse with a strong writer that would fit this type of story like Warren Ellis or Grant Morrison.

Morrison? You sure?

Morrison: I’ve worked out this whole Freudian shit. The incest thing in The Fantastic Four. What you’ve got is a family. There’s Reed and Sue, the Mom and Dad. Johnny’s the big brother and Ben’s the little crazy baby. But in that situation you’ve got Johnny and Sue — brother and sister! So there’s an incest thing that the Fantastic Four hides. I looked at it and said, okay, Sue actually wants to fu** Johnny and Johnny wants to fu** Sue. So how do you do that? They make Namor, the Sub-Mariner who is always a linked pair with Johnny. The Human Torch and the Sub Mariner have always been together since the ’40s. Namor is the dark, seedy, watery, wet, dirty side of it. And Johnny’s bright, mercurial. So he doesn’t fu** his sister — but Namor does.

It would attract atention, that's for sure.

[Silvermoth]

I think they need to do something new with Johnny. He’s crying out for some fleshing out. Right now he feels like marvel’s Donald trump jnr

[Lutecius]

Morrison? You sure?

Morrison: I’ve worked out this whole Freudian shit. The incest thing in The Fantastic Four. What you’ve got is a family. There’s Reed and Sue, the Mom and Dad. Johnny’s the big brother and Ben’s the little crazy baby. But in that situation you’ve got Johnny and Sue — brother and sister! So there’s an incest thing that the Fantastic Four hides. I looked at it and said, okay, Sue actually wants to fu** Johnny and Johnny wants to fu** Sue. So how do you do that? They make Namor, the Sub-Mariner who is always a linked pair with Johnny. The Human Torch and the Sub Mariner have always been together since the ’40s. Namor is the dark, seedy, watery, wet, dirty side of it. And Johnny’s bright, mercurial. So he doesn’t fu** his sister — but Namor does.

It would attract atention, that's for sure.

Ew.

I enjoyed his run on X-men overall but now I'm afraid to read about the underlying justifications.

[Lutecius]

One of things (pun unintended) I've discovered here is that many of the hardcore FF fans here have differing opinions, but they will respect other opinions. It's perfectly OK to hate my awesome ideas, although I'd really wonder why. But don't worry about us not liking what you like. We're cool with it.

The FF fans are doing it wrong. They should call me a troll and a something-phobe/-ist who doesn't know anything about the characters

[Crimz]

Morrison? You sure?



It would attract atention, that's for sure.

... That's no to Morrison then.

I don't even understand what kind of hoops you have to jump through to have that view of Sue and Johnny.

[KOSLOX]

In another thread I proposed the idea of the Future Foundation being basically Avengers Academy, in space, for kids from anywhere. They could enroll to get training from instructors like the Four, Namor, Scott Lang, Wyatt and other long-time supporting members. You could also rotate guest teachers, so you would get the connection to the larger MU. Strictly a school, I wouldn't have them out fighting Thanos. I was imagining it as a T+ book but there is no reason it couldn't be teen or all ages.

Yeah, this is kind of what I was thinking. I think that Future Foundation should sort of be THE school for super kids that aren't quite ready for New Warriors, Young Avengers, New Mutants/Gen X.

Also, put Dani Cage in this school. Luke is another one of these characters linked to the FF, and I imagine that while Jess might find Sue to be too "Pinteresty" (That's what my wife says about moms she feel intimidated by, but won't admit that's the reason), the FF would be the best place for her to be relatively safe and learn about the world and her powers.

[KOSLOX]

This thread is really making me even more excited for Fantastic Four/FF to return. Everyone here is throwing out some really fun ideas.

[KOSLOX]

I think they need to do something new with Johnny. He’s crying out for some fleshing out. Right now he feels like marvel’s Donald trump jnr

I'd actually like to see Johnny go back to school and have him be a non-traditional student. But actually let him finish.

There are a lot of people that kind of screwed around in their early 20s (or have other situations that sideline studies) that later resolve those issue and find themselves back in the classroom.

I would have him start off being someone that tries but realizes that they are too old to be hanging out with 18-22 year olds, so maybe he opts for night classes instead.

[Crimz]

I'd actually like to see Johnny go back to school and have him be a non-traditional student. But actually let him finish.

There are a lot of people that kind of screwed around in their early 20s (or have other situations that sideline studies) that later resolve those issue and find themselves back in the classroom.

I would have him start off being someone that tries but realizes that they are too old to be hanging out with 18-22 year olds, so maybe he opts for night classes instead.

I had a similar idea for Sue, but it also really works for Johnny. Both of the Storm siblings need some fleshing out tbh.

[KOSLOX]

I had a similar idea for Sue, but it also really works for Johnny. Both of the Storm siblings need some fleshing out tbh.

Johnny really slides perfectly into the role of the "emerging millennial." Or really the role of whatever the younger generation is just before they move into a position to take the reigns.

So if it were the mid 90s he'd be "a Gen Xer that will never amount to anything", except two years later he helps start the Internet boom.

Right now he's a lazy, coddled millennial underachiever... that two years from now will invent whatever the next game changing thing is.

Well maybe not necessarily invent, but I hope you get the idea. Johnny, to me, is delayed potential or arrested development personified. I'd like to see them move that needle forward a little bit.

Not a lot, but lets just push him like 1.5 years further along on the sliding time scale and let that be his status quo for awhile.

[Crimz]

Johnny really slides perfectly into the role of the "emerging millennial." Or really the role of whatever the younger generation is just before they move into a position to take the reigns.

So if it were the mid 90s he'd be "a Gen Xer that will never amount to anything", except two years later he helps start the Internet boom.

Right now he's a lazy, coddled millennial underachiever... that two years from now will invent whatever the next game changing thing is.

Well maybe not necessarily invent, but I hope you get the idea. Johnny, to me, is delayed potential or arrested development personified. I'd like to see them move that needle forward a little bit.

Not a lot, but lets just push him like 1.5 years further along on the sliding time scale and let that be his status quo for awhile.

I'm happy with anything that makes Johnny act mature permanently. There has been lots of times that he's been through an arc that makes him grow and become more mature as a result, but the next creative team always resets him back to an immature man-child. I just hope that whatever method they use to make him grow as a character makes it stick with changes in creative teams.

Sue on the other needs development of her personality and being an individual character without her family. People can easily describe the other three's personalities and goals outside of the family, but with Sue the most they can say is 'nice'.

[KOSLOX]

Sue on the other needs development of her personality and being an individual character without her family. People can easily describe the other three's personalities and goals outside of the family, but with Sue the most they can say is 'nice'.

They need to let Sue join a superhero team that has no other members of the Fantastic Four on it. Or, let her have a solo book and let her and have meaningful interactions with her own friends.

I think you can play up part of the idea of her name being "Invisible" Woman and how she sometimes feels taken for granted because she IS seen as the "nice" one.

I legit want to see a comic where Jessica Jones, Jessica Drew, Greer Nelson, and Sue Storm all get a chance to go out together. I don't think they'd all get along but they are all part of the superhero "mom club" so I imagine they would be on a Facebook group together.

[CaptCleghorn]

They need to let Sue join a superhero team that has no other members of the Fantastic Four on it. Or, let her have a solo book and let her and have meaningful interactions with her own friends.

I think you can play up part of the idea of her name being "Invisible" Woman and how she sometimes feels taken for granted because she IS seen as the "nice" one.

I legit want to see a comic where Jessica Jones, Jessica Drew, Greer Nelson, and Sue Storm all get a chance to go out together. I don't think they'd all get along but they are all part of the superhero "mom club" so I imagine they would be on a Facebook group together.

At the very least, Sue and Jessica Jones both have a tendency for colorful language. I'd love to read this "Girls' Night Out" story.