Today I read Dan Slott’s Fantastic Four vol. 1: Fourever, which collects Fantastic Four (2018) #1-4. In this story, the Fantastic Four return after a three-year absence from comics (one year in comic-book continuity).
Dan Slott begins his Fantastic Four run with the grand return of the Fantastic Four, and the lead up is almost as good as the actual event. Look, I’ll be honest. I’m not a fan of the Fantastic Four. In fact, before reading this book, I had only read two issues of the in-canon FF (the first issue and the Civil War prelude issue). I had read Ultimate Fantastic Four, but that is a much different interpretation of the characters. So, coming into this book, I had no idea what to expect.
I collected these issues in a trade paperback, but you can also read them online through Marvel Unlimited.
The Fantastic Four Return
The beginning of the book mirrors the original Fantastic Four #1, as the sky is engulfed with the words “FANTASTIC FOUR”. This sign heralds the return of the team, and captures the attention of the entire city of New York. Reading this first issue, I found myself enchanted by the idea of the team’s return, even rooting for it! I found it incredible (or, dare I say… fantastic) how Slott managed to pull me into the story in just a couple of panels.
Unfortunately, this was not the return of the FF, but just a prank by the Yancy Street Gang. The disappointment is channeled by a frustrated Johnny Storm, who longs for the return of his family. You see, after an event called Secret Wars, part of the Fantastic Four left to help restore the multiverse. The remaining two members, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, stayed behind on Earth to live their lives. And while Ben has attempted to move on, Johnny refuses to do so.
Despite this false flag, all hope is not lost, as a bright number 4 shines in the sky. As Johnny and Ben gaze upon the marvelous sight, a light engulfs them and they disappear…
Where were the Richards?
The next issues show us what Reed Richards and his family were up to during their absence. They had been traveling with the Future Foundation on a creative and exploratory mission. First, Franklin Richards would create new universes, then the Molecule Man would ground those universes into reality, and finally the Richards and the Future Foundation would travel into those worlds to study and aid its inhabitants. It’s a very sci-fi concept, and I can see now why I’ve heard people say that Rick and Morty borrows a lot of its sci-fi from the FF.
Along their travels, the group encounters Entropy, the Griever of All Things. This embodiment of entropy seeks to destroy all the worlds that the Future Foundation created, and does so quickly, leading Reed Richards to call for reinforcements.
All in the Family
After a light engulfs Johnny and Ben, they find themselves in another dimension, having been transported there by Reed. They quickly realize that they were not the only ones transported by Reed, but he brought the “extended” family as well: Every single member of the Fantastic Four. This means that we got to see Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Wolverine, Ant-Man, and so many other heroes in the same panels, fighting the forces of Entropy. In the end, the power of family prevails, as Reed and his daughter Valeria come up with a clever way of defeating Entropy.
Slott’s Fantastic Four has made a fan out of me
A few things I didn’t like were the embodiment of Entropy as a standard villainess (although this is common with Marvel Comics). I did feel that giving Entropy physical anthropomorphic limitations reduced the stakes of the story. At the same time, this allowed for more fights and battles to be inserted into the story.
Overall, this book was incredible. I went into it not knowing what to expect, but left a fan, not only of this run, but of the Fantastic Four. The tone is light. The sci-fi is mind-blowing; and the emphasis on family brings a set of values to this book that elevate it beyond a simple space adventure. I can’t wait to read future issues.
Score: 9/10
This book drew me into the Fantastic Four. Though there were some minor issues I disliked, most of the writing is captivating and left me wanting to read more.
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