A Sense of Doubt blog post #2826 - Another New Fantastic Four #1 (sigh) COMIC BOOK SUNDAY FOR 2211.13

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2826 - Another New Fantastic Four #1 (sigh) COMIC BOOK SUNDAY FOR 2211.13

I am finishing this post on 11/22/22.

So, I am behind, obviously.

I am a bit tired of Marvel's incessant need to boost sales by frequently re-starting key titles with new number ones.

Thankfully, the company keeps a LEGACY count of many of these long standing titles, like The Fantastic Four, who celebrate their 60th anniversary this year.

Still, it's annoying.

I saw a negative comment about this issue's story in which Ben and Alicia Grimm solve a time-loop conundrum during a holiday away from the Big Apple. There are allusions to something "bad" that has happened, a cataclysm revealed at the end of the comic. The negative comment had to do with this "a day in the life" type story not being significant enough for an issue #001. But that "critic" misses how the Groundhog Day takeoff sets up the revelation at the end of the comic about the horror for which Reed Richards is responsible.

The story is fun and the hints that things are bad "back home" are subtle. The final revelation is strong enough to inspire readers to move on for the next issue. It's a smart deflection. The Fantastic Four is about these family times, like the one shared by the second married couple of the family on a long overdue honeymoon or just a romantic getaway that is not interrupted by Skrulls of Galactus.

Many of the reviews were wholly positive, like the one I share here.

And of course, The Fantastic Four is arguably my favorite Marvel comic.

Thanks for tuning in.

https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/marvel-comics/fantastic-four-(2022)/1

8.5 Critic rating

7.4 user rating 

https://www.comicon.com/2022/11/09/review-fantastic-four-1-proves-to-be-the-worlds-greatest/

Review: ‘Fantastic Four’ #1 Proves To Be The World’s Greatest

by Tony Thornley

The Fantastic Four have had a rough few years. The franchise’s latest #1 show that the way is still pretty rough, but it’s also an exciting new path for the Four.

Ryan North, Iban Coello, Jesus Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna start a road trip unlike any other we’ve seen before.

Ben and Alicia Grimm are on the road, trying to get away from a mysterious disaster in New York. The couple quickly find themselves in a strange town, where every day is July 12, 1947. Now the Thing and his wife are their only hope to break a timeloop that’s lasted nearly eighty years.

This is the smartest and most thoughtful Fantastic Four story I’ve read in years. North creates a Twilight Zone-like situation that’s instantly engrossing. It’s a familiar trope, but by inserting Ben and Alicia we get to see it from a different perspective. We get to see how intelligent the two are, even if it isn’t Reed’s level of scientific know-how. It also makes for some great comedy as well- once the duo figure out the source of the timeloop, we get to see increasingly silly solutions until Alicia appeals to the heart of the man responsible.

Alicia in particular is another major highlight of the issue. First of all, it’s fantastic (pardon the pun) to see her get billed with the team on the title page. But North is very conscious of the fact that his no-lead has a disability and writes her with that in mind on a level many don’t. Alicia’s blindness is a fact of her life, so the way she describes people is different- “your voice was kind”- and her technology works different- her phone uses a screen reader. It’s smart, and conscious of how capable but different the character is.

Coello is absolutely a superstar in the making. His Ben Grimm is the most expressive and warm version of the character I’ve seen in a long time. He depicts Alicia and Ben as loving newlyweds who still can’t keep their hands off each other. His layouts are inventive, and creates the sense of the time loop visually by breaking panel borders and running over page breaks.

Aburtov uses bright colors, which gives a sense that the volume is going to be fun, and lighter. It sets a tone that keeps the story light, but works into the emotional payoff of the resolution. It’s a great example of how color art can drive a story. Caramagna does the same with the letters, conveying rhythm, cadence and tone through how he places and spaces out the captions and dialogue. 

I absolutely adored this first issue. It’s not just a great example of a good first issue of a comic, it’s a love letter to its leads, a textbook example of stellar F4 storytelling, and an intelligent use of every aspect of its characters. A lot of comics can learn from it.

Fantastic Four #1 is available today from Marvel Comics.

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2211.13 - 10:10

- Days ago = 2690 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.