Fantastic Four #7
What started as an adventure to the beginning of the universe has taken the Fantastic Four to the end of the universe, survival probably isn’t an issue when you’re the smartest family to ever exist.
Writer: Matt Fraction | Artists: Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessey, & Paul Mounts
Cover: Bagley, Farmer, & Mounts | Publisher: Marvel
First of all the contrasting covers between issues six and seven, brilliant: white for the beginning of the universe and black for the end. It’s not entirely original, but it’s still pretty cool to see nonetheless, finally connecting multiple issues together to build a string of connectivity in the series, not simply each issue jumping to a different time or planet and the majority of the story staying strictly within the single issue. Here, while the Fantastic Four have managed to jump to a different time by this new issue, the story from the previous issue has carried over with the problem of Blastaar still needing to be dealt with.
This issue is quite intelligent, with a lot of musings on the end of the universe and maybe I read a little too quickly to let myself understand it all so sometimes it feels as if it goes over my head, but at least I can take enjoyment from everyone of the Richards family bloodline being incredibly smug intellectuals. For all the perils the group has been through lately, this was an issue that was a good rub in the face to every villainous being in existence—the Richards family can’t be stopped, not with Reed “nobody’s smarter than me” Richards, his brave wife, their limitless children (powers and brains), the fiery Johnny Storm, and the heart of it all, Ben Grimm. Basically this issue was to help re-instill any affections for the team that readers would be harbouring.
Of course it’s not all roses for the Fantastic Four, despite being nearly unstoppable, the fact remains that they came out under the premise of an adventure while Reed searched for his ailment, Susan has found out, and now Ben knows seeing as he’s affected as well. Perhaps they’re not as unstoppable as this issue makes them out to be. Fraction has managed to create this balance within the series though, while for every moment they remain triumphant, they’re also not invulnerable either.
This is a particularly indulgent issue where nearly everyone gets to show off just a little bit, an enjoying read for a Fantastic Four fan, but it does seem to be lacking. Perhaps not in story, Fraction has managed to keep the family dynamic, and hold everyone’s brilliance to character, take them all to extraordinary places, and still keep enough of a base obstacle that strings the story along and keeps it all mostly together. With issue seven and it’s connectivity to six, pacing certainly seems better—maybe not perfect, but certainly better. The art on the hand seems generic. It’s by no means not well done, but it seems to lack in reflection of the story, or being complimentary to the heart of the story. It’s without a doubt a series about family (not just between Reed, Sue, and their children)—we focus this time on Ben, and how he spends his time worrying about an important moment for him, and how Sue and Reed are and will be there for him.
Fantastic Four #7 certainly seems to be an improving direction for the series, and a particularly good read for those mainly interested in the characters for being incredibly ingenious.
Writer: Matt Fraction | Artists: Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessey, & Paul Mounts
Cover: Bagley, Farmer, & Mounts | Publisher: Marvel
First of all the contrasting covers between issues six and seven, brilliant: white for the beginning of the universe and black for the end. It’s not entirely original, but it’s still pretty cool to see nonetheless, finally connecting multiple issues together to build a string of connectivity in the series, not simply each issue jumping to a different time or planet and the majority of the story staying strictly within the single issue. Here, while the Fantastic Four have managed to jump to a different time by this new issue, the story from the previous issue has carried over with the problem of Blastaar still needing to be dealt with.
This issue is quite intelligent, with a lot of musings on the end of the universe and maybe I read a little too quickly to let myself understand it all so sometimes it feels as if it goes over my head, but at least I can take enjoyment from everyone of the Richards family bloodline being incredibly smug intellectuals. For all the perils the group has been through lately, this was an issue that was a good rub in the face to every villainous being in existence—the Richards family can’t be stopped, not with Reed “nobody’s smarter than me” Richards, his brave wife, their limitless children (powers and brains), the fiery Johnny Storm, and the heart of it all, Ben Grimm. Basically this issue was to help re-instill any affections for the team that readers would be harbouring.
Of course it’s not all roses for the Fantastic Four, despite being nearly unstoppable, the fact remains that they came out under the premise of an adventure while Reed searched for his ailment, Susan has found out, and now Ben knows seeing as he’s affected as well. Perhaps they’re not as unstoppable as this issue makes them out to be. Fraction has managed to create this balance within the series though, while for every moment they remain triumphant, they’re also not invulnerable either.
This is a particularly indulgent issue where nearly everyone gets to show off just a little bit, an enjoying read for a Fantastic Four fan, but it does seem to be lacking. Perhaps not in story, Fraction has managed to keep the family dynamic, and hold everyone’s brilliance to character, take them all to extraordinary places, and still keep enough of a base obstacle that strings the story along and keeps it all mostly together. With issue seven and it’s connectivity to six, pacing certainly seems better—maybe not perfect, but certainly better. The art on the hand seems generic. It’s by no means not well done, but it seems to lack in reflection of the story, or being complimentary to the heart of the story. It’s without a doubt a series about family (not just between Reed, Sue, and their children)—we focus this time on Ben, and how he spends his time worrying about an important moment for him, and how Sue and Reed are and will be there for him.
Fantastic Four #7 certainly seems to be an improving direction for the series, and a particularly good read for those mainly interested in the characters for being incredibly ingenious.
A Look Inside
