We Now Return to Our Regularly Scheduled Program
The Universal Inhumans make a play to take the Forever City as the FF and their newest villainous members enter the fray.
The Good
Many weren't too thrilled with the last two issues that reintroduced Blackbolt and The Inhumans. As a huge fan of those characters, longtime reader of Hickman's Four, and appreciator of all things cosmic in the Marvel U I loved them. But I can be objective and totally understand other's feelings about them. Here Hickman returns to the war of Four Cities and in grand fashion!
Daniel Acuna's back on this cover and I'm thrilled to have him. The last two issues covers were ridiculously bland.
My least favorite thing about the past two issues was Greg Tocchini's art, It was just too unwieldy for my tastes. Steve Epting makes his return to this issue and once again proves why he's the premiere FF artists in my view. He has such a gift for visual storytelling. The way he has his figures emote with subtle body language and facial expressions is top notch and really brings Hickman's dialog to life. During the action sequences of this issue Epting manages to cram the scenes with characters without his work suffering from losing clarity and detail. And the image of Dr. Doom laying the almighty pimp hand down on one of the Reeds is absolutely the Panel of the year.
Hickman writers the perfect Sue Richards. Her confrontation with Nathaniel was wonderful to read and showed why I love both characters so much. Nathaniel was mostly an idea, a specter if you will, before Hickman began writing him at Marvel. I love the way that he's fleshed him out during his Four/FF run and seeing the subtle ties between The Nathaniel of the future and Nathaniel of S.H.I.E.L.D. adds another intriguing angle to this book.
One of my favorite things about this arc is the villains. There presence in the Baxter building really is the perfect wild card and adds infinite humor to the series. Seeing them suited up in FF uniforms was awesome and The Wizard's outfit having a priest motif works on so many wonderful levels. Did I mention Doom pimp slapping a Reed? Cuz yeah, that totally happens, folk.
Val's time out scene was really cute and funny and featured excellent use of Bentley.
I don't know what Blackbolt has to say to Reed but I definitely look forward to seeing that conversation in the next issue as well as what Reed was about to mention about "Grey" Reed. I'm really curious as to what makes him so much more dangerous than the other Reed's.
Fun as they've been to read it shouldn't be forgotten how dangerous this group of villains are. Something happens towards the end of this issue which puts that all into perspective and leaves the issue with quite a cliff hanger.
The Bad
waiting for the next issue, always hate that. Wish I had a personal TAC II to solve that problem.
The Veridict
BUY THIS COMIC!!!
Future Foundation get's back on track as the War of the Four Cities explodes. Hickman hits all the right notes on this issue and Epting's art is tight and spectacular from start to finish. This issue severs as a great jumping on point and succinctly delivers background info on why everything in this issue's going on. There's never been a better time to be reading the Fantastic Four. So hop on board and enjoy the heaping helpings of goodness that Hickman's been serving up every month.
