The Fantastic Four Appreciation 2021

[CaptCleghorn]

Fantastic Four 673. My, how things have changed in 50 years. On a simple binary thumbs up or down, the issue gets a thumbs up from me. It's the conclusion to the latest Griever story. Now the Griever being a cosmic being who doesn't quite fit into a typical comic book fight, even a "kosmik" one with ray blasts and stuff, needs something else. The FF end up fighting more personal battles from which Johnny saves them. It's a nice moment for the Torch with the sacrifice he made (or was willing to make) for his family and friends. I think that was the best part of the issue.

Not quite as good was the Surfer's role in the book. Reed calling in a favor from Norrin made sense and was a nice piece of world-building, but this particular favor seemed a bit much. Was Galactus in on this or not. I wonder.

The ending seemed OK starting to look like a homage to X-Men 59 ("Do or Die, Baby!") but it ended up a lot like finding someplace else for Galactus to get himself a planet to eat that wasn't Earth. Between this and his Surfer series, I've said Slott doesn't do heavy deep cosmic stuff well. He doesn't do them poorly, but I guess, adequately.

Was Sue even in this issue? I know there was a big cast but, come on, Sue needed something.

And WTF was up with the Lyja/Sky exchange? Maybe the Human Torch Revenge Squad was more of a reality than I thought.

[U.N. Owen]

I'm going to bet that Franklin's* hand is on the Ultimate Nullifier and he'll end up removing her from existence without destroying the cosmos or turning it into the cancerverse. This weak and pathetic arc is supposed to be some kind of "resolution" for Mutantface Manny's** arc which consists of him getting whiny and abusing a blind woman.

*As part of my running gag to lampoon Franklin and his false mutant status, I have complied a list of derisive nicknames for him from his internet: Mutantfacer, Mutantface Manny, Mutant Rachel Dolezal, the Pretender #2, Faking Franklin, the Pretender #3, the Faker, Blackface Franklin, Yellowface Franklin,
**This is by far my favorite one.

My bias steamroller is in full effect, but I totally called the Mr. Faker thing.

Anyone else feel like this ended abruptly? I certainly felt underwhelmed by how everything went. It just felt like it ended abruptly. I know I should expect underwhelming climaxes from Dan Slott's writing since that's his whole run, but I felt like I turned over two pages instead of one at times.

[Crimz]

Skimmed the issue. Looks like another issue that treats Sue as a side character and it also seems to be setting up future stories for all the members but Sue too.
Maybe I should be thankful that he ignores her?...

[Frontier]

Skimmed the issue. Looks like another issue that treats Sue as a side character and it also seems to be setting up future stories for all the members but Sue too.
Maybe I should be thankful that he ignores her?...

I'm still trying to wrap my head around when "Oh My Stars!" became her catchphrase.

[Crimz]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around when "Oh My Stars!" became her catchphrase.

I can't even name a time she's said it before this run.

I think out of all of the characters, it's Sue and Val that he has the weakest grasp on. The others have their defined personalities but Sue's is just a generic supportive mom stereotype and the way he barely does anything with her you can tell he doesn't have anything to say or interesting stories to tell with the character.

[TheCape]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around when "Oh My Stars!" became her catchphrase.

This is "Crazy Town, Banana Pants" all over again isn't it

[Frontier]

I can't even name a time she's said it before this run.

I think out of all of the characters, it's Sue and Val that he has the weakest grasp on. The others have their defined personalities but Sue's is just a generic supportive mom stereotype and the way he barely does anything with her you can tell he doesn't have anything to say or interesting stories to tell with the character.

I feel like the only stereotypical "mom" moments in this run are when she freaks out at Franklin acting like a rebellious teenager. Otherwise she's written per the usual standard in an FF book, just without a storyline or any major character development.

[Crimz]

I feel like the only stereotypical "mom" moments in this run are when she freaks out at Franklin acting like a rebellious teenager. Otherwise she's written per the usual standard in an FF book, just without a storyline or any major character development.

Probably, but to me it stands out more because she hasn't done anything. Her role has been reactive rather than proactive like lead roles should be. So her personality and presence has become even more like that of a supporting character. Plus a lot of the time the standard for Sue in most FF runs is "the wife/mom with cool moments sprinkled in" with this run not even having the cool moments. I just expected more than that when the team returned and she deserves to be more than that.

[Jwyatt]

My bias steamroller is in full effect, but I totally called the Mr. Faker thing.

Anyone else feel like this ended abruptly? I certainly felt underwhelmed by how everything went. It just felt like it ended abruptly. I know I should expect underwhelming climaxes from Dan Slott's writing since that's his whole run, but I felt like I turned over two pages instead of one at times.

I agree. Very underwhelming. For a cosmic conflict, there was way too much street level interaction. The embodiment of entropy should behave more abstractly and ominously.

I've been getting tired of shows and comics teasing us with glimpses of the future, so we can wait for intervening episodes to slowly catch up with the flash forward/nightmare and show where the tragic part was undone or misrepresented. I guess that will be the role of these 'likely death' nightmares. Slott bores me; get a kickass writer with big ideas instead.

[Crimz]

I agree. Very underwhelming. For a cosmic conflict, there was way too much street level interaction. The embodiment of entropy should behave more abstractly and ominously.

I've been getting tired of shows and comics teasing us with glimpses of the future, so we can wait for intervening episodes to slowly catch up with the flash forward/nightmare and show where the tragic part was undone or misrepresented. I guess that will be the role of these 'likely death' nightmares. Slott bores me; get a kickass writer with big ideas instead.

The futures also represent my issue with how he handles Sue. Both Reed and Ben's bleak future's promise future plot points and stories for them down the line while Sue's is a narrative dead-end. It's a future decades away (which means it will never happen due to comics not wanting to age their characters that much) and Doom wins killing all the FF.

[danielsan52]

Fantastic Four 673. My, how things have changed in 50 years. On a simple binary thumbs up or down, the issue gets a thumbs up from me. It's the conclusion to the latest Griever story. Now the Griever being a cosmic being who doesn't quite fit into a typical comic book fight, even a "kosmik" one with ray blasts and stuff, needs something else. The FF end up fighting more personal battles from which Johnny saves them. It's a nice moment for the Torch with the sacrifice he made (or was willing to make) for his family and friends. I think that was the best part of the issue.

Not quite as good was the Surfer's role in the book. Reed calling in a favor from Norrin made sense and was a nice piece of world-building, but this particular favor seemed a bit much. Was Galactus in on this or not. I wonder.

The ending seemed OK starting to look like a homage to X-Men 59 ("Do or Die, Baby!") but it ended up a lot like finding someplace else for Galactus to get himself a planet to eat that wasn't Earth. Between this and his Surfer series, I've said Slott doesn't do heavy deep cosmic stuff well. He doesn't do them poorly, but I guess, adequately.

Was Sue even in this issue? I know there was a big cast but, come on, Sue needed something.

And WTF was up with the Lyja/Sky exchange? Maybe the Human Torch Revenge Squad was more of a reality than I thought.

I was really hoping Psy-Lord was entering (from the gloved hand on the cover). Oh well.

I am totally interested where things are going with Sky/John/Lyja. I am hoping that a proper modern explanation is given for Lyja's past behavior and she gets some sort of redemption with the Grimms.

Will Slott bring in and fix Sharon finally? He is probably the only writer who will.

I am also hoping Sue will lead a sub team back home when Ben and Reed are away on their upcoming adventure.

[CaptCleghorn]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around when "Oh My Stars!" became her catchphrase.

A catchphrase isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, "Oh, My Stars" seems a little out there. Slott's done something with her, but Sue does need something other than Mommy and Wifely moments. Incidentally, what would all y'all like to see as Sue's catchphrase?

[Thundershot]

Anyone else feel like this ended abruptly? I certainly felt underwhelmed by how everything went. It just felt like it ended abruptly. I know I should expect underwhelming climaxes from Dan Slott's writing since that's his whole run, but I felt like I turned over two pages instead of one at times.

I agree. I still have no idea what happened at the end, because nothing was explained. This was the opportunity to let Reed technobabble on what his plan was.... Nothing. My other disappointment...

I was really hoping Psy-Lord was entering (from the gloved hand on the cover). Oh well.

Yeah, what the heck was the deal with that? I love any callbacks to DeFalco’s run and this was just disappointing.

I am totally interested where things are going with Sky/John/Lyja. I am hoping that a proper modern explanation is given for Lyja's past behavior and she gets some sort of redemption with the Grimms.

Me too. I’m a huge Lyja fan (I’ve always wanted her on the Thunderbolts) and I’d love to see her just sit down and talk to everyone without the mind games.

Will Slott bring in and fix Sharon finally? He is probably the only writer who will.

Walt Simonson is another favorite FF run of mine, and as much I loved DeFalco’s FF, he got rid of her abruptly because he knew Alicia was coming back and didn’t want a competing love interest for Ben. Then did her rotten by making her work for Doom...

I am also hoping Sue will lead a sub team back home when Ben and Reed are away on their upcoming adventure.

I would love that!

[Chainsaw Vigilante]

I was hoping Franklin would have just nullified the Griever, but I guess they have to save her for future stories. It's never been an automatic thing where the nullifier nullifies the user, that aspect has only been when the user loses concentration or cannot fully mentally grasp the target. Franklin being able to mentally grasp the target should have prevented his nullification.

Man Slott and Cates write the Surfer as more powerful than most high end cosmic entities. The Surfer being able to match/hold off the Griever for what was it 16 minutes and 4 seconds is pretty crazy. I love this minimal but impactful use of the Surfer.

I did think the ending to this felt a bit anticlimactic though, and I don't like seeing true villain Doom like in Sue's death bubble. I think that's one thing Slott has really faltered on.

[SJNeal]

A catchphrase isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, "Oh, My Stars" seems a little out there. Slott's done something with her, but Sue does need something other than Mommy and Wifely moments. Incidentally, what would all y'all like to see as Sue's catchphrase?

I'm partial to "What the f*ck, Reed?!", accompanied by a facepalm and/or eyeroll.