Will people buy the FF?

[Crimz]

If the return of a "Beloved mainstay" is in fact Reed and Sue returning to bring back the Fantastic Four/Future Foundation, as many speculate. Do you think the audience has grown? Will you get the book?
There's not much point in them returning just yet if they will be back to the numbers they were doing before.

Has enough time passed for interest to return?

[Anduinel]

I think it'll depend a lot on the pitch and creative team. The FF is one of those books it always felt comforting to have around, but in 20+ years of reading comics, I can't recall ever buying an issue for its own sake.

[Winter_fury]

Depends on the creative team. But will always try the first issue.

[Crimz]

I think it'll depend a lot on the pitch and creative team. The FF is one of those books it always felt comforting to have around, but in 20+ years of reading comics, I can't recall ever buying an issue for its own sake.

That's usually the consensus and what I'm worried about. People like them around because Marvel doesn't feel the same without them, but wouldn't actually buy the book.
I don't know how Marvel can get people to change that way of looking at the book and actually purchase it.

[Prof. Warren]

That's usually the consensus and what I'm worried about. People like them around because Marvel doesn't feel the same without them, but wouldn't actually buy the book.
I don't know how Marvel can get people to change that way of looking at the book and actually purchase it.

For most fans, I think it just depends on the creative team. To be fair to Marvel, they've tried creative teams that would suggest blockbuster sales, like Millar and Hitch, but that just didn't seem to click in a big way.

I think a lot of readers came to take the FF for granted, something that would always be there regardless of how well it sold. I think taking them off the board for awhile was probably a good move on Marvel's part just to let fans know that even the FF can't survive without sales. Marvel isn't a charity organization and they can't keep books alive just for sentimental reasons.

Also, I think it's probably good to have given the FF a break and wait for the right pitch and the right team to make the book seem fresh again.

Of course, all this talk is moot if the FF aren't really coming back at all but we'll find out soon enough!

[Goggindowner]

I'd be willing to try it, but honestly I don't think I have ever read a Marvel U Fantastic Four book outside of issue #554, which was the start of the Millar/Hitch run.

It's going to have to be the right creative team and the right story. I don't have any inherent interest in the book based on it just being the Fantastic Four.

[MarvelMaster616]

I think it depends on the creative team and the vision for the book. If the F4 returns and tries too hard to be new and different, then it's going to fail in the long run. We've seen what happens in recent years when Marvel tries to make something different for the sake of being different. It tends to end badly. Just look at the destruction of Ultimate for proof of that. For F4, they need to focus back on the family dynamics and cosmic adventures that made the series so great for so many years. That story still has plenty of appeal for new and older readers alike. And I really do hope that Marvel makes an effort to give the F4 another chance.

[Sutekh]

The last time I regularly bought the FF (as in monthly, and not just a scattered issue here and there that caught my eye) was when Byrne was drawing/writing it, so it's been awhile... I like three out of the four of them (Ben, Sue and Johnny), but just can't seem to get past where the first Civil War left Reed.

So, yeah, definitely depends on the creative team for me. And the line-up. I didn't really get into the 'Fantastic Four' book starring Scott Lang, Darla Deering, She-Hulk and Medusa. Swapping out She-Hulk for the Thing, temporarily, worked for me. Bigger changes, not so much.

[Zero Hunter]

So, yeah, definitely depends on the creative team for me. And the line-up. I didn't really get into the 'Fantastic Four' book starring Scott Lang, Darla Deering, She-Hulk and Medusa. Swapping out She-Hulk for the Thing, temporarily, worked for me. Bigger changes, not so much.

I agree with that. To me you can not call the book Fantastic Four unless you have at least 3 of the mainstays on it. I liked it when She Hulk took over for the Thing because she was still interacting with the main team. I didn't like it at all when Storm and Black Panther took over for Sue and Reed because then it just became all about the Panther and Storm and the Thing and Human Torch were almost guest stars in their own series.

I think a big thing they have to deal with is just how badly they have screwed up not only Reed but also the kids. All three have become walking plot devices that can fix any problem in the last 10 years. That got so boring to me and kinda drove me off the book. Franklin needs to be depowered once and for all and Reed and Val both need their intelligence brought down to a non god like level that can come up with any answer. Those things have become a crutch for lazy writing so often in the last decade.

The other big thing is Doom. DOCTOR DOOM IS NOT A GOOD GUY!!! He should not be on the team or even working with the team. Too many writers come onto FF because they really just want to write Doom and then they shoehorn him into every storyline if it makes sense or not. Doom should always be working for his own ends and not with the FF.

[Goggindowner]

The other big thing is Doom. DOCTOR DOOM IS NOT A GOOD GUY!!! He should not be on the team or even working with the team. Too many writers come onto FF because they really just want to write Doom and then they shoehorn him into every storyline if it makes sense or not. Doom should always be working for his own ends and not with the FF.

Yeah, I mean Doom is such a great villain for not just the F4, but for the entire Marvel Universe. He should be a villain!

[Smoov-E]

Won't buy no matter who the creative team is, I don't care about the F4 at all

[steeplejack2112]

I'll buy the shit out of a new Fantastic Four title! I agree that not having them around probably helped them, but it's time for them to return. I would love to see Doom go back to being a villain, kick the shit out of the Marvel U, and have the F4 return and kick the shit out of him. Perfect set up.

[Den]

I would love to say "Hey, sure no matter what" but Bleeding Cool is saying Bendis might be writing it and as soon as I saw that, I was.. 'ugh' and I realize it really does depend on the creative team. Sorry, I've learned my limits. There's no character I love so much that the 'wrong' (obviously opinions will vary on that) writer or artist can't drive me away.


Now Ewing on the FF would be fantastic

[steeplejack2112]

I would love to say "Hey, sure no matter what" but Bleeding Cool is saying Bendis might be writing it and as soon as I saw that, I was.. 'ugh' and I realize it really does depend on the creative team. Sorry, I've learned my limits. There's no character I love so much that the 'wrong' (obviously opinions will vary on that) writer or artist can't drive me away.


Now Ewing on the FF would be fantastic

I agree. I never thought about it until just now, but Bendis writing the Fantastic Four would not be fantastic at all.

[Crimz]

I would love to say "Hey, sure no matter what" but Bleeding Cool is saying Bendis might be writing it and as soon as I saw that, I was.. 'ugh' and I realize it really does depend on the creative team. Sorry, I've learned my limits. There's no character I love so much that the 'wrong' (obviously opinions will vary on that) writer or artist can't drive me away.


Now Ewing on the FF would be fantastic

I just remembered that was a possibility.... I couldn't blame anyone for passing on a Bendis written FF.

I pray it's not him. Ewing would be pretty cool and I'd be good with Aaron. Anyone but Bendis.