SPOILERS: Fantastic Four #26

[Billy Maximoff]

The Good:
1. #26 was another good (not great) issue with potential.
2. I'm really excited to see what happens next.
3. Slott is actually a better than I thought writer when it comes to the storyline and the handling of multiple plots at the same time.
4. I'm really enjoying that the book is focusing on multiple characters at once (Franklin, Val, Johnny, ect.)
5. I'm really enjoying Ben and Alicia's new kids.

The Bad:
1. The Franklin retcon is just beyond stupid and unnecessary. I'm still hoping Xavier is lying since it makes no sense that Frank's x-gene disappeared along with his powers but everything else he made/helped-made is still intact.
2. Sue is still irrelevant in a FF book where Lyja, Alicia and Sky isn't.
3. The Valeria stuff ain't working for me.
4. There are too much supporting characters in the book atm with more on their way.
5. If Frank truly isn't a mutant we should get an in-depth explanation of how his powers work now (post-retcon) if he gets them back and does he still have his psionic (TK/TP) powers?

[CaptCleghorn]

Apparently Slott's been deluged by reactions to his Franklin retcon:

https://twitter.com/DanSlott/status/1329466086060945408

https://twitter.com/DanSlott/status/1329466920266051584

Slott was also aware of the reaction to his unpopular (for us anyway) handling of Dr Doom. I don't take this as a "oops, guess I was wrong" conclusion, just that "I heard your complaints". The historic context of Slott's plans for Franklin seem to invalidate the relative importance of FF/X-Men. It's very possible that the talks about Franklin might very well have been true (God, am i being cynical here) as having a huge tie between the FF and the X-universe could be awkward to whatever Hickman's plans for the mutant island are.

As has been said, Xavier could be pulling some crap of his own. I'm not sure where this is going, but there is no way Franklin's not getting repowered at some point. His mutant status was only really important to the X-franchise. As far as the FF are concerned, mutated human/mutant really doesn't matter. Having connected with the X-franchise since Secret wars (2015) makes this development kind of weak sauce, but for personal growth/development for Franklin, it can work. The weakest part of this development is the turning off of Franklin's X-gene when his powers gave out. That would make it a constant masking as opposed to a permanent change. After all, the universes Franklin created all still exist and certainly creating a universe is far harder than changing your own genetic patter. But there is probaly some comic-book science explanation for this.

[CaptCleghorn]

5. If Frank truly isn't a mutant we should get an in-depth explanation of how his powers work now (post-retcon) if he gets them back and does he still have his psionic (TK/TP) powers?

I don't think an explanation is really needed. Powers have never really been defined by the source of them. There are strictly mutant powers or strictly radiation, or strictly gamma radiation powers (except for the green).

[Triniking1234]

Why does Dan Slott need to explain how Franklin's powers work when everyone before him got away with it?

Just no.

[Marvelman]

I'm not sure why someone called Franklin obnoxious. I only remember him from his Power Pack days when he was a cute little boy. Also, he is a teenager so maybe give him a break, huh?

That said, I have big problems with how Professor X and Krakoa treated Franklin in this issue. Would Kitty really be okay with this? It would be nice to see a scene in which she and some of Franklin's friends react to this news.

[Billy Maximoff]

Why does Dan Slott need to explain how Franklin's powers work when everyone before him got away with it?

Just no.

Before yesterday Franklin was a mutant with the ability to manipulate reality, space and time on a universal scale among other powers.

Wanda was a mutant with the ability to manipulate probability and after she was retconed it was explained that High-Evolutionary was responsible for her and Quicksilver's original powers and Wanda's mother used magic, and Chthon was also involved...

What I mean to say is that when Wanda was retconed writers explained how her powers work or they tried to because Wanda's powers are directly responsible for some pretty important stuff (Disassembled, HoM, ect) and Franklin's powers are equally important to the MU. I personally would like Slott to explain his powers or just state somewhere Franklin is no longer a telepath or telekinetic but he now simply uses the Power Cosmic to warp reality or something like that.

I didn't mean to aggressively demand that Slott has to explain Franklin's powers, I would like Slott to go into Franklin's powers just like I want a writer to explain Sue's force fields since Slott was bold enough to retcon his mutant heritage. If Slott just leaves Franklin's powers unexplained the next writer may come along and do his/her own retcons because he didn't understand his powers.

[scribbleMind]

Is the whole godpower thing, chosen avatar of the One Above All destined to be the sole survivor of the universe (along with Mr. Immortal and presumably Hulk now), not explanation enough?

[GenericUsername]

Before yesterday Franklin was a mutant with the ability to manipulate reality, space and time on a universal scale among other powers.

Wanda was a mutant with the ability to manipulate probability and after she was retconed it was explained that High-Evolutionary was responsible for her and Quicksilver's original powers and Wanda's mother used magic, and Chthon was also involved...

What I mean to say is that when Wanda was retconed writers explained how her powers work or they tried to because Wanda's powers are directly responsible for some pretty important stuff (Disassembled, HoM, ect) and Franklin's powers are equally important to the MU. I personally would like Slott to explain his powers or just state somewhere Franklin is no longer a telepath or telekinetic but he now simply uses the Power Cosmic to warp reality or something like that.

I didn't mean to aggressively demand that Slott has to explain Franklin's powers, I would like Slott to go into Franklin's powers just like I want a writer to explain Sue's force fields since Slott was bold enough to retcon his mutant heritage. If Slott just leaves Franklin's powers unexplained the next writer may come along and do his/her own retcons because he didn't understand his powers.

TBH the more times they go into how Wanda's powers work, the more confusing they become. Maybe they are sparing Franklin.

[Billy Maximoff]

Is the whole godpower thing, chosen avatar of the One Above All destined to be the sole survivor of the universe (along with Mr. Immortal and presumably Hulk now), not explanation enough?

Yeah, but that was when he was still a mutant, at the end of time Galactus even called adult Franklin the strongest mutant ever, so I don't think anything before yesterday that depicts Franklin as a mutant in the future is still canon and I don't think Slott even knows about the Godpower theory.

[Billy Maximoff]

TBH the more times they go into how Wanda's powers work, the more confusing they become. Maybe they are sparing Franklin.

Lol, probably.

[Marvel Forever]

I was wondering the same thing....

[jackolover]

Redemption can only happens when the wrongdoing has been acknowledged and made up for. Marvel has refused to acknowledge what she's done therefore she does not deserve forgiveness or redemption. And even in the case where she does receive them, a romantic relationship with Johnny should be out of the question. Even a friendship is pushing it. Having the victim of sexual assault be in a relationship with abuser is frankly sickening and should never happen. It sends such a disgusting message.

Also, I don't have to forgive a character. Especially when their crime was raping a character I like.

I don’t see Johnny Storm taking the same attitude to Lyja raping him as you are. Johnny doesn’t see Lyja as an abuser, and just gets on with the relationship. Maybe Johnny is an idiot, or just a dill, because he sure doesn't have the same definition of rapist as you have. The rest of the FF should be ostracising Lyja, more for Secret Invasion FF, for sending the kids to the Negative Zone.

If you want to categorise Lyja, I’d say she has a mental health issue, because she doesn’t have the moral compass of a human. She manipulates a lover, (using Skrull morality by the way, by shape changing - think about that), and, Lyja attacks who she should consider allies in the FF. She shouldn’t be trusted from that standpoint.

[jackolover]

I finished reading FF 671. While admitting that the Xavier/Franklin revelation was a hiuge pile of smelly animal waste (AKA pile of $#!+), I like the rest of the book, except for Val's hissy fit. But I've mentioned that.

Sue taking a more active role in being a public spokesperson for the team is something that should have happened a long time ago.
Jo-Venn and N'Kalla (Jo and Nikki) were great.
So Lyja (who replaced a kidnapped blind woman) and seduced a member of the team into potentially breaking up a friendship isn't treated as a friendly guest star? Sounds good to me.
The Griever coming back sounds good as well. I liked the relative logical simplicity with which she was thwarted in her first appearance, but that ploy doesn't exist now. It's been said that the FF needs new villains and the Griever certainly is one of those. Hopefully Slott finally handles a big villain story well.
The parents of other Foundation members fit in well. Seeing as they were/are kids, the time differences experienced by them would be something hopefully noticed by their families.
And Franklin and Rikki.

My assessment is 18 very good pages and two piles of $#!+.

Nice assessment Capt.

As a stand-alone issue, (if you picked this up as your first Dan Slott FF book), it would have been a shocking issue. Everything was thrown at you in this big bucket of ice cold water, and we had to internationalise too much information in one go. (Having read all Dan Slotts FF my initial impression about this issue 26 was, this was 10 issues forced into one). But if I were to be critical about this issue, it would be that this issue appears to be the start of a series. Imagine, Hickman was just taken off FF, and Dan Slott wrote this as his first issue. That’s what this issue feels like, (except, you know, it’s issue 26/671).

It would be hard to install Griever as the next Dr Doom. How do you justify why Griever is consumed by the FF? (Doom at least went to school with Reed Richards). I do have one question about her though. Why is she called Griever? What does she have to be aggrieved about?

[jackolover]

Slott was also aware of the reaction to his unpopular (for us anyway) handling of Dr Doom. I don't take this as a "oops, guess I was wrong" conclusion, just that "I heard your complaints". The historic context of Slott's plans for Franklin seem to invalidate the relative importance of FF/X-Men. It's very possible that the talks about Franklin might very well have been true (God, am i being cynical here) as having a huge tie between the FF and the X-universe could be awkward to whatever Hickman's plans for the mutant island are.

As has been said, Xavier could be pulling some crap of his own. I'm not sure where this is going, but there is no way Franklin's not getting repowered at some point. His mutant status was only really important to the X-franchise. As far as the FF are concerned, mutated human/mutant really doesn't matter. Having connected with the X-franchise since Secret wars (2015) makes this development kind of weak sauce, but for personal growth/development for Franklin, it can work. The weakest part of this development is the turning off of Franklin's X-gene when his powers gave out. That would make it a constant masking as opposed to a permanent change. After all, the universes Franklin created all still exist and certainly creating a universe is far harder than changing your own genetic patter. But there is probaly some comic-book science explanation for this.

You may have point here. Turning off all Franklins powers recently may have weakened his created universes, because they look like they have all been destroyed - only survivors exist now. From this denuded power-set of Franklin’s, it may be possible to scan Franklyn without Franklins defences up, and that’s why Xavier could identify Franky wasn’t a mutant?

[jackolover]

I'm not sure why someone called Franklin obnoxious. I only remember him from his Power Pack days when he was a cute little boy. Also, he is a teenager so maybe give him a break, huh?

That said, I have big problems with how Professor X and Krakoa treated Franklin in this issue. Would Kitty really be okay with this? It would be nice to see a scene in which she and some of Franklin's friends react to this news.

Time will tell, but my feeling is the X-Men don’t want any complications when it comes to dealing with the FF. Simply disown Franklin and that pushes the problem away. Remember, the X-Men and the FF came to blows over this. I would think if the FF became your enemy, they could prepare some very nasty surprises for the mutants, if push came to shove.