Fantastic Four #1 Review
I thoroughly admit to being much more of a DC guy than a Marvel guy, with the New 52 getting me into comics and Marvel's $3.99 and double shipping policies turning me off of their product. However, with Marvel Now!, I felt like this was a great time to try out some comics that I normally wouldn't read. Last week I checked out Deadpool #1 and enjoyed it, and now it's my turn to check out Fantastic Four #1. Other than knowing who the Fantastic Four are, I'm a complete noob to them and their universe, so I picked this up with a combination of interest and apprehension. Anyways, onto the review.
There's a lot of individually small moments that are great in this issue, such as Reed's "Uh-Oh" moment and the family dynamic that the Fantastic Four have with their kids and the rest of the Future Foundation gang. There's also quite a bit of humor to be found within the pages of this comic (most of the scenes with the Thing are worth a few good chuckles, if not full on laughter). We also get strong characterization, with good peaks all four members of the Fantastic Four and what is going on with their lives. All these small moments blend well together to create an interesting family sci-fi adventure series with a dash of intrigue thrown in (just what is Richard Reed up to)?
My biggest complaint about the issue is the art; it seemed too variable, with some panels looking great and others look less detailed and rushed. This reminded me of Rag Morales' art on Action Comics; when Bagley's art is on, it's quite good, but it just doesn't seem to be consistent from panel to panel, page to page.
Was this new reader friendly? Yes and no. As someone who's never read Fantastic Four or FF, I wasn't always sure what was going on all the time. Who are all these kids? What's the deal with the Thing and the Yancy Street Gang? Who is this woman Johnny Storm is dating? With a series like this that isn't necessarily new reader friendly, the quality of the series is what compels me to go back and learn what is going on to get a better idea on what is going on. Luckily for Fantastic Four, there is quality here, and I most certainly will take the time to go back and answer my questions. I'll be back for Issue #2 for sure!
