Fantastic Four, Volume 1: New Departure, New Arrivals Review

By Noel Thorne / May 31, 2013

Matt Fractions Fantastic Four and FF feel like a cross between a daytime soap opera, Lost in Space, and Arrested Development with superhero action thrown in in other words, its awesome!

The book opens with part of Point One #1 where we find out about Scott Lang/Ant-Mans recent loss (his daughter Cassie was killed by Victor Von Doom), how hes coping with it and even beginning to have his revenge. The ending of the short is surprisingly funny given the dark subject matter that preceded it and its drawn beautifully by Mike Allred. Maybe as a reaction to Jonathan Hickmans run on Fantastic Four and FF where both series infuriatingly overlapped so you needed to buy both series books separately to get the full story, this introductory volume collects the first three issues from both Fractions Fantastic Four and FF, which also overlap at first, so the reader can understand whats happening without having to buy another book. The main story concerns Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (does he even go by that moniker anymore?) discovering he and his family have a kind of space cancer the unstable molecules that gives them their powers are beginning to break down, killing them slowly. He confides in Ant-Man though keeps his diagnosis secret from the family, instead devising an extended educational family holiday through time and space where he can also work on and search for a cure. Scott Lang/Ant-Man is eventually convinced by Reed to lead the replacement FF team while the Fantastic Four go on their adventures off-world. The new team line-up is Ant-Man, Medusa (Black Bolts wife), She-Hulk, and the new Ms. Thing, Darla Deering a pop singer and Johnny Storms girlfriend. Though why the Four need replacements is strange as theyre based in New York, a city teeming with superheroes and home to the Avengers, a superhero team with practically everyone in the Marvel Universe as a member!

Anyway, the replacement FF are put in place, the Four head off and, as the Fantastic Four are travelling in a ship that bends space and time, they should theoretically only be gone for 4 minutes while to Reed and co. it would be far longer. Of course, things in theory dont always work out and the Four are gone for a much longer time. What happened to them next? And will the FF be able to stay together, let alone fill the Fours shoes as protectors of Earth? There isnt much to say about this first volume plot-wise it sets up the Four leaving and the FF replacing them on Earth. Theres a lot of great banter and character moments thats the thing with this first book, theres little plot but the book is never boring as the characters have great chemistry and the dialogue is snappy and funny. Its great for new readers especially, as Fraction spends the time establishing the characters and their relationships so you understand what theyre about and the kind of world they inhabit.

While the book incorporates time-travel, space sickness, superheroes, and aliens, compared to Jonathan Hickmans run previous to this, the series feels strangely unambitious but a far more enjoyable read for that. Hickmans approach felt less about the characters and more about the bigger and bigger storylines he was playing with whereas Fractions approach is all about the characters rather than the story some might prefer Hickmans Grant Morrison-esque style but I appreciated Fractions take far more. The characters in this book feel alive and actually possess personalities rather than behave like Hickmans 2-dimensional puppets. You can tell Fractions a family man as the book really feels like a family-friendly adventure with a lot of warmth between the parents and kids Im a single, childless guy (dont cry for me, Im not looking to get hitched/become a dad anytime soon!) who doesnt usually like this kind of stuff, but loved it in this book. Of the two series here, I much preferred FF to Fantastic Four, which surprised me. Fantastic Four isnt a bad series but I didnt like the way Fraction wrote Sue who seems less of an individual and more of a generic mom/wife character. Shes saying and doing the kind of things you would expect a wife and mom to do, and shes basically a background character in this book. I couldnt tell you what her storyline is because she really doesnt have one - shes just there. But if Sue is underwritten, Fraction nails Thing perfectly he is a joy to read. From his goings-on with the Yancy Street Gang to his back-and-forths with She-Hulk, and his all-round general demeanour, the Thing is easily the best part of this series. The artist Mark Bagley does a good job of drawing them all but I found his style to be quite generic to superhero comics competent, flashy, and he draws Thing really well, but not very distinct.

FF is the better of the two for being funny, kind of silly and having a different atmosphere to the other superhero comics Marvel publishes. Maybe its because FF is essentially an unnecessary team-up for a city filled with supes, but FF is more fun to read as the heroes are less sure of themselves, dont know each other, and the team feels like it could fall apart at a moments notice. There are lots of great little comedy moments in the book like Ant-Man holding a press conference to witness the 4 minutes the FF are meant to be in charge and then slowly noticing that the 4 minutes have passed and things have gone wrong. Or the talking heads section where the FF introduce themselves to Ant-Man/the reader, or the messy first encounter with Moleman in a scene reminiscent of the cover of the first Fantastic Four comic. Mike Allreds uniquely beautiful art style elevates the series giving it a very colourful and flowing sense to reading it, and lends his own comedic sense of timing to Fractions script, the two blending together perfectly. Fantastic Four/FF is not like Fractions other Marvel series, Hawkeye, which feels more like a James Bond-y type story with jokes; instead Fantastic Four/FF feels more like a laid-back family adventure thats smart, inventive and really enjoyable. Like many TV sitcoms, there isnt much going on in terms of plot, but like the best shows, the charming characters are the focus and each issue leaves you satisfied and looking to come back for more. Fantastic Four, Volume 1: New Departure, New Arrivals (collecting Fantastic Four #1-3, FF #1-3 and material from Marvel NOW! Point One #1) by Matt Fraction, Mark Bagley and Michael Allred is out now