Fantastic Four #14

[Digifiend]

Not unlike his friend in red and blue...

[Snoop Dogg]

Not unlike his friend in red and blue...

FF topics are a safe place. He can't hurt us here.

[DragonsChi]

...I'm in the minority here but I think they should leave the past alone. There are way to many unnecessary retcons going on. Not everything needs to be explained or made more modern in a fictional comic book universe.

[Huntsman Spider]

Well I think you nailed it, of all the FF characters Johnny is the only one I still can't see grow up for real, even worse, when he was supposed to be a young man that was somewhat understable (at worse he was entitled, spoiled and a troublemaker) but as the years pass he becomes more and more into a manchild.

Not unlike his friend in red and blue...

Well, yeah. The problem with both of them is the writers refusing to let them grow beyond the teenagers they debuted as, because a lot of people within the industry and fandom seem to have the impression that comics characters should be frozen in amber as how they initially appeared and never seriously mature or evolve past that, or "they're ruined!"

[U.N. Owen]

Well, yeah. The problem with both of them is the writers refusing to let them grow beyond the teenagers they debuted as, because a lot of people within the industry and fandom seem to have the impression that comics characters should be frozen in amber as how they initially appeared and never seriously mature or evolve past that, or "they're ruined!"

That and comics run on long enough for the fans to become the writers. They're less interested in evolving the characters and more interested in their fanfics becoming canon. Sometimes, it can turn out real well like Ewing on Hulk. Other times, it's a bloody mess like Quesada on Spider-Man.

There's also the problem of playing stuff too safe. A company is willing to invest in a winning formula and not take risks because they fear the unknown. Comics seems to be immune to this effect every other week since we have had no shortage of character assassinations like Cassandra Cain, Wonder Woman, Booster Gold, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Scarlett Witch, and probably a million other Marvel and DC characters I haven't listed.

[Ravin' Ray]

Johnny has shown flashes of maturity, like after his ordeal in the Negative Zone and when he became involuntarily a dad-to-be in that FF annual… and then he reverts to type.

[Snoop Dogg]

John doesn't need a personality change to get a new purpose and a direction.

[DragonsChi]

It's interesting that some would champion "moving forward" every time a writer goes back to the past to screw with stuff that they themselves could never even hope to recreate with the same love or popularity. When in truth an actual "move forward" would be to create new stories and let the old ones be.

[Digifiend]

FF topics are a safe place. He can't hurt us here.

Huh? You do realise I was describing Spider-Man there, right?

[Snoop Dogg]

Huh? You do realise I was describing Spider-Man there, right?

aw god you said the forbidden one's name, he's coming, he's coming, this was supposed to be a safe place, HE'S COMIN--

[Hypestyle]

so assuming Johnny and Peter Parker are still the same age, how is it being justified that Johnny went along for the space flight? who are these other two people? was this a privately funded space trip, e.g., SpaceX or Virgin-Galactic?

[Coatl]

Not unlike his friend in red and blue...

Yes, I still can remember how 20 years ago Peter was a "adult", not longer living with his aunt, married after a fulfilling relationship, with a stable job, they they wanted to go back to the "safe" place and voila, we have a teen behaviour again. Producers doesn't seem to understand that issues like living with your old auntie, being unable to compromise in a relationship, and making excuses to go outside and fight like " I have to go to pee", or being totally broke and taking autie's money to buy clothes, are fun in a teen, but makes a middle age adult look very immature.

so assuming Johnny and Peter Parker are still the same age, how is it being justified that Johnny went along for the space flight? who are these other two people? was this a privately funded space trip, e.g., SpaceX or Virgin-Galactic?

I can't justify this. I mean, yes they want to give Johny some justification to be there, but a lazy teen suddenly taking a course designed for trained adults who had traiden all his live his mind and body, and just passing it, is too much, that would make Johny into a physical and mental prodigy who never was stated to be before. To be honest I was ok with the nepotism who made him being there just because he wanted and his sister is permissive.

I suppose that the other two people are actually trained astronauts, who were left behind for some reason, I suppose we should see the issue and verify.

[Crimz]

I really enjoyed this issue. It's a great jumping on point for new readers and I like how the origin was modernized from going to the moon to going to being the first to use a FTL drive the next solar system. Yet it didn't completely sacrifice the 60s feel to do so. I also like how Reed and Johnny were written and the relationship/interaction between the team was really good and showed how they were a family. It didn't beat you over the head with them talking about how much of a family they are, like the previous arcs in this run.
Plus I really love the art. Hope it stays consistent....

I'm looking forward to how this arc plays out, I hope it does something new and interesting for the team.

[Prof. Warren]

I really enjoyed this issue. It's a great jumping on point for new readers and I like how the origin was modernized from going to the moon to going to being the first to use a FTL drive the next solar system. Yet it didn't completely sacrifice the 60s feel to do so. I also like how Reed and Johnny were written and the relationship/interaction between the team was really good and showed how they were a family. It didn't beat you over the head with them talking about how much of a family they are, like the previous arcs in this run.
Plus I really love the art. Hope it stays consistent....

I'm looking forward to how this arc plays out, I hope it does something new and interesting for the team.

Yes, this was a terrific issue. Looking forward to seeing where it leads. And thumbs up for Medina on art. I hope he sticks around long term.

[Keyotheseasons]

I really enjoyed this issue. It's a great jumping on point for new readers and I like how the origin was modernized from going to the moon to going to being the first to use a FTL drive the next solar system. Yet it didn't completely sacrifice the 60s feel to do so. I also like how Reed and Johnny were written and the relationship/interaction between the team was really good and showed how they were a family. It didn't beat you over the head with them talking about how much of a family they are, like the previous arcs in this run.
Plus I really love the art. Hope it stays consistent....

I'm looking forward to how this arc plays out, I hope it does something new and interesting for the team.

Agreed on all counts! Especially the art. I hope we can keep this artist for a few issues at least.