I did a piece some time ago about how I enjoyed what was happening in Johnathan Hickman's run on the Fantastic Four... even pegging it as back to being Fantastic (albeit with w question mark at the end of the sentence as a teaser - but still serious about the statement.
From there, Johnathan continued his fantastic stories, leading up to what I thought would be the War of Four Cities as his ultimate goal. It seems I was wrong, and Johnathan started teasing us with the potential death of a member - heck Marvel started bringing out teasers about this as well. For a while, it seemed that Marvel was creating a guessing game - teasing readers with different posters of only three members - but always showing three different members, so it was really up to the reader to separate hogwash from truth. So here I thought, someone will die in the Four Cities war... ah, wrong again it seems.
Personally, I normally hate it when I'm wrong - but not in this case. It simply means that I have yet to crack the mind of Johnathan Hickman (and what a seemingly convoluted mind this writer has, if you also consider his other works concurrent with Fantastic Four, namely SHIELD and Secret Warriors) - in other words, Hickman surprises me - proves me wrong when I thought I already had a handle on his style, and its this unpredictability that keeps me as a constant follower and true believer of his work in Marvel.
So what did he do? Well he 'killed' the Human Torch - but of course, jaded Marvel fans like me will say 'This isn't the first time' and "Well, he'll be back - its just a matter of when.', meanwhile the title will go on - right? Wrong again... from Fantastic Four, Johnathan then introduces the Future Foundation, introduces new uniforms, a new mission for the team and expands the line-up by adding Spider-man. Whoa...!
Here's a link to see an article about this event: Future Foundation c/o CBR
and here's a Wikipedia page about the team too...
Wikipedia on Future Foundation
These two articles will surely give anyone an idea of what I'm talking about.
So how do I like this new direction? To say the least - I was once again surprised. I definitely checked issue one out - heck, I'm sure a lot of armchair fans did (as they did with the death issue), and I had to make suer I had a copy of the issue. Next: Hickman and Guice? Wow! I mean, I was sort of sad to realize that Guice was leaving Captain America (another favorite of mine) to move to FF - and I can honestly say I don't begrudge his choice. This was a one-two punch of great writing and great art - complementary to each other. This was a very different change in the concept of the FF - a change in the team's mission statement - and definitely worthy of a change of look and feel. But apparently, it doesn't stop there, either.
Here we see Val taking center stage as she (sort of) lets Reed in on a problem that needs fixing - and apparently, he;s one of the last ones to know about it. She also takes in the help of Reed's nemesis - Victor Von Doom into her plans. Whew... I can definitely see Sue's courage in this little one. But wait, there's more... as Sue, Ben and Peter help recruit a who's who of FF villains, all with the goal to stop Reed Richards - confused? You won't be if you read FF.
But Val aside, its how we saw the FF react (and continue reacting) to their perceived loss of Johnny - and how this brings in Peter. Great stuff this first issue - even if some people complained that nothing much happens as it feels like a setting up issue... well, isn't the first issue supposed to be a set up? I saw not problem with this, so I definitely enjoyed it. I'm sorely tempted to review each issue here, but I know I may not have enough time for that - hence my running review of the title instead.
If I had any complaint about FF (the Future Foundation), any such complaint at all, I'd say it was the latest two issues back, wherein we are witness to how Black Bolt got back from the void of space - in time to be part fo the War of Four Cities (yes... its finally about to proceed). Now those two issues were like extended setting up issue - one that distracted from the momentum leading ot this War of Four Cities that I've been plugging since the start of this write-up.
I've just gotten the latest issue - and will read it in a while, but for those who've yet to experience the FF (be it the Fantastic Four - or Future Foundation) you could always get back issues... or you can get the trade paperback compilations to enjoy Hickman's romp with the FF.
I'm definitely seeing a Fantastic Future for this title.
Note: Images from CBR, Marvel. Fantasctic Four and Future Foundation are properties of Marvel Comics.
Personally, I normally hate it when I'm wrong - but not in this case. It simply means that I have yet to crack the mind of Johnathan Hickman (and what a seemingly convoluted mind this writer has, if you also consider his other works concurrent with Fantastic Four, namely SHIELD and Secret Warriors) - in other words, Hickman surprises me - proves me wrong when I thought I already had a handle on his style, and its this unpredictability that keeps me as a constant follower and true believer of his work in Marvel.
Here's a link to see an article about this event: Future Foundation c/o CBR
and here's a Wikipedia page about the team too...
Wikipedia on Future Foundation
These two articles will surely give anyone an idea of what I'm talking about.
So how do I like this new direction? To say the least - I was once again surprised. I definitely checked issue one out - heck, I'm sure a lot of armchair fans did (as they did with the death issue), and I had to make suer I had a copy of the issue. Next: Hickman and Guice? Wow! I mean, I was sort of sad to realize that Guice was leaving Captain America (another favorite of mine) to move to FF - and I can honestly say I don't begrudge his choice. This was a one-two punch of great writing and great art - complementary to each other. This was a very different change in the concept of the FF - a change in the team's mission statement - and definitely worthy of a change of look and feel. But apparently, it doesn't stop there, either.
But Val aside, its how we saw the FF react (and continue reacting) to their perceived loss of Johnny - and how this brings in Peter. Great stuff this first issue - even if some people complained that nothing much happens as it feels like a setting up issue... well, isn't the first issue supposed to be a set up? I saw not problem with this, so I definitely enjoyed it. I'm sorely tempted to review each issue here, but I know I may not have enough time for that - hence my running review of the title instead.
If I had any complaint about FF (the Future Foundation), any such complaint at all, I'd say it was the latest two issues back, wherein we are witness to how Black Bolt got back from the void of space - in time to be part fo the War of Four Cities (yes... its finally about to proceed). Now those two issues were like extended setting up issue - one that distracted from the momentum leading ot this War of Four Cities that I've been plugging since the start of this write-up.
I've just gotten the latest issue - and will read it in a while, but for those who've yet to experience the FF (be it the Fantastic Four - or Future Foundation) you could always get back issues... or you can get the trade paperback compilations to enjoy Hickman's romp with the FF.
I'm definitely seeing a Fantastic Future for this title.
Note: Images from CBR, Marvel. Fantasctic Four and Future Foundation are properties of Marvel Comics.
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