Fantastic Four #1 Preview and Spoilers

[Prof. Warren]

This is a difficult issue to critique for me. On a purely emotional level 'Signal in the sky' was excellent. I bought every beat, enjoyed the voices and like the developing themes. On the other hand I felt cheated of substance. Surely the first issue of a much heralded and anticipated book shouldn't feel like a prologue?

What I really enjoyed was the way Slott has Johnny at the apex of acceptance that Reed and Sue are gone, and how Ben is moving on with his life. The story was crafted perfectly to reach these points. It is a really good story. I am just not sure why it was in this particular issue. It feels like a linking story not a story opener.

Talking of linking stories, it feels wrong to me, to have the Doom story in this issue. Again, the story is good, and the way it is handled works, I just don't think it is right for the context of a #1. I am a fan of Bianchi, and I thought the choice of art was appropriate for that tale, but it certainly doesn't feel like a nine page story. It feels too drawn out for the substance we see here.

I don't add my voice to those that feel it was wrong to not have the team back together again. If the story is going to be about how the team reform then so be it, I am here for the ride. To some extent I think Marvel Two-in-One was always a red herring, I don't think it was ever going to contain the main aspects of the story, which rightly belong in this book.

Yes, I think it's right that Slott should have Ben and Johnny's coming to terms of life without the rest of the family happen in these pages and not just in the pages of 2-in1.

D'Zarsky has done fine work in that book but this has to be a proper part of Slott's story too and the emotional journey that Ben and Johnny have been on shouldn't just be footnoted here as "See recent issues of Marvel 2-in-1".

In some ways, this could have been labeled a #0 issue, one that sets the stage for the real #1 but I don't think that was necessary.

If this opening arc is about bringing the family back together, this issue, in every way, earns the right to be considered a proper #1.

[MyriVerse]

This is the opening arc of the return of the FF, meaning that it shouldn't really be that surprising to anyone that the story is just getting started in #1 and that there's more to come.

It's pretty disgusting that this is what comics have become... but yeah.

But in every way, this issue is a joy. And Reed and Sue are well represented here.

Not getting the "bad news" that someone said, but also not getting even a smidgen of joy. And no, they are not imo. This felt more like a MTIO lead-in to the new FF#1.

[Prof. Warren]

It's pretty disgusting that this is what comics have become... but yeah.

Comics are serialized storytelling. There's always a "To Be Continued."

If anyone is excited to have the Fantastic Four back as a monthly title, chances are they were planning on making this a regular read again.

So having the big reunion delayed until #2 doesn't seem like such a big ask.

[Sensational C]

Loved it. Nicely balancing family aspects of Ben's proposal with Johnny's boiling over temper with crazy sci-fi ideas of a staff activated with singing. The future shines bright for the Fantastic.
As for not having the reunion I think its good to have a "darkest before the dawn" moment showing Thing and Torch before they are shown the spectacular sign that Reed and Sue are out there.
Slott's voice for Jennifer never disappoints me and she had a nice minor role here. I enjoyed how familiar she is with the FF family.

[SuperiorIronman]

My issue is getting delayed in the mail, but screw it I figured I knew what was up and on some level I was right. But considering I'm only lacking major spoilers I'll just ask this; is it even a Fantastic Four issue?

What I mean is that does anybody in the main story appear outside of Ben and Johnny and does this have anything to do with the Richard's? Because if not, why is this not a number zero, a one shot, or tackled in some sort of annual for Two-in one? In-fact why wouldn't this just be one of the backup stories stuffed into the issue and the main plot is here instead? Because if they don't actually come back until issue 2 then the book might as well be launching in September if we are only shipping monthly. Wouldn't that only be a Fantastic Four book in name only if the same sort of concept of Thing and Torch going on adventures without the rest of the FF is being done in another book right now? If that's the case as good as the issue is doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of bringing back the FF if they are literally not going to be brought back for another month?

[kilderkin]

FF? More like BB, standing for Blue Balls. Considering the page count, I wish they'd gotten us at least to the point where the family are reunited. And no, the smart-alec Skottie Young page doesn't make up for charging $6 for a book that accomplishes so little story-wise.

This was a hugely inflated price given the issue content imo

Nothing new from marvel there I find

That said

I liked the characterizations

nice to see wyatt again

Great moment between ben and Alicia

thought johnny was handled badly in his reaction to be s question, stress aside it came across as very selfish given all they've been through

Art was okay, but I wasn't as impressed as I have been in the past with the artist, but it's not like there was much epic images to bring to this

All in all I expected more from this issue, it felt like more build up, but we've had all of that in 2 in 1, I wasn't impressed considering this was the return of the ff

But it of course it wasn't, and the fact they felt they needed to reassure us says a lot for me

I'll admit I feel a bit ripped off given the price point once again by a marvel first issue

I love the family so ill stick with it, but it's already trying my patience given I've been seeing better in 2 in 1 with these guys and the build ups already been done there for me

I thought it would be great, it was okay, I'll stick but my concerns over slots style remain

[kilderkin]

Comics are serialized storytelling. There's always a "To Be Continued."

If anyone is excited to have the Fantastic Four back as a monthly title, chances are they were planning on making this a regular read again.

So having the big reunion delayed until #2 doesn't seem like such a big ask.

I gotta disagree

comics are perfectly capable of telling discreet stories

there was no reason given the build up 2 in 1 provided this book as a first issue, of the 4, could not have done that

Serialized dies not require no payoff and if nothing else, this first issue dud not pay off on the return of the ff together as a team

And given the size of the book, and the filler stuff at the back (in so much as it didn't need to be there instead of the 4 reuniting ) it coukd easily have been done

And therefore delivered on what it promised

The fact they felt they needed to reassure us tge team would reunite next issue says more that I coukd about that

Serialized story's are not a reason nor excuse not to tell discreet chapters

[Magneto]

Yeah, I just can't like Slott's writing.

[Prof. Warren]

My issue is getting delayed in the mail, but screw it I figured I knew what was up and on some level I was right. But considering I'm only lacking major spoilers I'll just ask this; is it even a Fantastic Four issue?

What I mean is that does anybody in the main story appear outside of Ben and Johnny and does this have anything to do with the Richard's? Because if not, why is this not a number zero, a one shot, or tackled in some sort of annual for Two-in one? In-fact why wouldn't this just be one of the backup stories stuffed into the issue and the main plot is here instead? Because if they don't actually come back until issue 2 then the book might as well be launching in September if we are only shipping monthly. Wouldn't that only be a Fantastic Four book in name only if the same sort of concept of Thing and Torch going on adventures without the rest of the FF is being done in another book right now? If that's the case as good as the issue is doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of bringing back the FF if they are literally not going to be brought back for another month?

Reed and Sue are in this issue.

[Prof. Warren]

I gotta disagree

comics are perfectly capable of telling discreet stories

there was no reason given the build up 2 in 1 provided this book as a first issue, of the 4, could not have done that

Serialized dies not require no payoff and if nothing else, this first issue dud not pay off on the return of the ff together as a team

And given the size of the book, and the filler stuff at the back (in so much as it didn't need to be there instead of the 4 reuniting ) it coukd easily have been done

And therefore delivered on what it promised

The fact they felt they needed to reassure us tge team would reunite next issue says more that I coukd about that

Serialized story's are not a reason nor excuse not to tell discreet chapters

If someone's sole interest in this issue was in seeing all four characters together in panel, then oh well. Sorry that particular box wasn't checked.

But if you love the FF and are interested in all the characters and want an emotionally involving story that shows how much heart is invested in bringing their adventures back, this issue delivers.

[Iron Maiden]

I do wish they had gone bigger with the main story on this one. It was a very charming issue but lacked the excitement factor I felt it should have but I don't think that it is necessarily Dan Slott's fault. For some reason, I think Marvel has mishandled the conclusion to Hickman's Secret Wars. There's no good reason that everyone should be in the dark about Sue and Reed's whereabouts. With all the power transferred from Doom to Reed, and the Molecule Man and Franklin being part of the crew, I can't see why they just didn't get the word out the Avengers, Ben and Johnny that everything is fine and that they have some universe rebuilding to do. We already knew that Doom remembers being God Emperor Doom but I assume that very few others do. That's still pretty confusing as to who does and who doesn't.

That being said it did have some nice character moments in the issue and it is probably the calm before the storm (no pun intended) The FF comics of Stan and Jack's day always mixed in the family moments with the next big story. I think the story could have been punched up a bit to reveal a bit about the new menace that is due to arrive soon I guess. As it is, Slott's Doom story did the heavy lifting in providing some drama to the story. And I hope Ben and Alicia's upcoming nuptials turn out better than the last time when Alicia got married to Johnny. Maybe Ben's will turn human in time for the honeymoon. I guess that is still in effect from Hickman's run.

And I hope that they keep Doom's story separate for a while, and maybe Slott can also cover it in his Iron Man. I've said before how disappointed I was that at the end of Infamous Iron Man , he ended up with a scarred face again. But this one should be more fixable since it seems to have been caused by sorcery and that can be a story for another time and place. It looks like the people are ready for Doom to return to his usual role but I'm not sure that is the right path for him. I guess I will have to wait and see what Slott does with this. If he is playing the role of saviour as Zora expects and hopes for, then I hope Slott doesn't have him revert to the sins of the past. He says in the FF trailer that Doom things are "complicated" with Doom. I want him to stick to that promise.

All in all, I did enjoy the issue and l hope to see big story developments in the future.

[Triniking1234]

There are some complaints that Slott's story runs concurrent with Chip's 2-in-1 story where Doom is still Iron Man and Ben and Johnny have power problems.

However that's editorial's job.

[kilderkin]

If someone's sole interest in this issue was in seeing all four characters together in panel, then oh well. Sorry that particular box wasn't checked.

But if you love the FF and are interested in all the characters and want an emotionally involving story that shows how much heart is invested in bringing their adventures back, this issue delivers.

I love all of the ff

Which is why the first issue of them, as described as their return, imo should have been just that

And given the pages available, there was no need to delay this once again

As I said, there was some nice characterisations, but we got all of that in 2 in 1

This book, whilst promising the reunion of the ff, simply does not deliver on that, unnecessarily delaying it again

none of the characters moments here are actually in and of themselves a story, it felt, to me, like a few parts of a normal story that fill it out

Even ben big moment, which sure could be a big deal, whilst nice, felt like a filler moment because it wasn't the main point of the issue, when it could have been, the main point was to indicate that the missing family members woukd eventually return

well we've had that promise for months elswhere

the publishers realise this, there's no way the one page story wasn't put in there without this realisation

it's not a bad comic by any means, but the first issue of the ff could have been a massive moment and for me all it did was tease

And I've seen an afoul lot of that from marvel, it rarely feels like they deliver these days imo

Sure we will get the ff back, but imo it should have been in the first issue,

this isn't an ff book, it's more 2 in 1 with a guest appearance by the missing members, like the kids did in 2 in 1

Imo this should have been the final issue of 2 in 1, or at least the final part of the search for the 4 arc

Not the first issue of the ff Which still isn't the ff

I feel

[kilderkin]

Double post sorry

[kilderkin]

I do wish they had gone bigger with the main story on this one. It was a very charming issue but lacked the excitement factor I felt it should have but I don't think that it is necessarily Dan Slott's fault. For some reason, I think Marvel has mishandled the conclusion to Hickman's Secret Wars. There's no good reason that everyone should be in the dark about Sue and Reed's whereabouts. With all the power transferred from Doom to Reed, and the Molecule Man and Franklin being part of the crew, I can't see why they just didn't get the word out the Avengers, Ben and Johnny that everything is fine and that they have some universe rebuilding to do. We already knew that Doom remembers being God Emperor Doom but I assume that very few others do. That's still pretty confusing as to who does and who doesn't.

That being said it did have some nice character moments in the issue and it is probably the calm before the storm (no pun intended) The FF comics of Stan and Jack's day always mixed in the family moments with the next big story. I think the story could have been punched up a bit to reveal a bit about the new menace that is due to arrive soon I guess. As it is, Slott's Doom story did the heavy lifting in providing some drama to the story. And I hope Ben and Alicia's upcoming nuptials turn out better than the last time when Alicia got married to Johnny. Maybe Ben's will turn human in time for the honeymoon. I guess that is still in effect from Hickman's run.

And I hope that they keep Doom's story separate for a while, and maybe Slott can also cover it in his Iron Man. I've said before how disappointed I was that at the end of Infamous Iron Man , he ended up with a scarred face again. But this one should be more fixable since it seems to have been caused by sorcery and that can be a story for another time and place. It looks like the people are ready for Doom to return to his usual role but I'm not sure that is the right path for him. I guess I will have to wait and see what Slott does with this. If he is playing the role of saviour as Zora expects and hopes for, then I hope Slott doesn't have him revert to the sins of the past. He says in the FF trailer that Doom things are "complicated" with Doom. I want him to stick to that promise.

All in all, I did enjoy the issue and l hope to see big story developments in the future.

Yes I agree

it was nice, but for the first issue, I feel it lacked impact

In a way I felt bens proposal was a bit tainted, it sort of felt like he had given up on his family and was just making do with what was left

I'm sue that wasn't the intention, but it sort of felt like a back up plan rather than his hearts desire for me