Fantastic Four #583: Writer: Jonathan Hickman. Art: Steve Epting(!).
Review: Oh boy, here we go... This issue starts off with the Fantastic Four battling citizens of the Forever City who were trying to march onto US territory. While the FF have their hands full with the High Evolutionary's goons, Valeria is sneaking around her father's laboratory where she learns about his meeting with the Council, who seem to be a collection of several Reed Richardses throughout the multiverse who had banded together to try to solve all of life's problems. Valeria finishes going through her father's files and learns that Reed had turned down an invitation to join the Council since he didn't want to leave his family. From there we head to Latveria, where Dr. Doom is bemoaning the fact that he was brain damaged. Due to his diminished IQ, Doom decides he was unfit to rule over Latveria and resolves to abdicate his throne and concentrate on regaining his intelligence. Before he can make that move though, Valeria teleports to his throne room to speak to him about what she found in her father's lab. While this is occurring, the FF are mopping up the High Evolutionary's men, and are preparing to return to the Baxter Building. Back with Doom, Valeria tells the good Doctor that by choosing to stay with his family her father made a selfish decision, since going with the Council would have benefited way more than Reed's immediate family. Valeria asks Doom to help her father, and in return she promises to help him regain his intellect. After a moment of contemplation, Doom agrees and Valeria returns to the Baxter Building just ahead of her family. This issue concludes with the Silver Surfer standing deep inside the Earth looking upon the corpse of Galactus angrily.
What I Thought: Hmm, hmm, hmm... Where to begin... Well first off, I stopped reading the FF series after Mark Millar's horrendous run ended, and only started collecting the series again about two issues ago in preparation for this storyline. So going in I knew next to nothing about many of the plot threads Jonathan Hickman has been weaving. The High Evolutionary's Forever City? Dr. Doom having brain damage? The Council? Never heard of any of it! I was half hoping that this would have been a jumping on point for new(or in my case, returning)fans, but this was most definitely NOT a jumping on point. It was more like a “jumping into the deep end of the pool and trying to learn how to swim” point. I just didn't understand a good 75% of what was happening here. Hopefully before the next issue I can get my hands on some back issues or trades, because I was just in over my head here, which led to me just not enjoying this comic as much as I think I could have. Oh well, maybe next issue will make a bit more sense then this one did...
Score: 5 1/2 out of 10.I find super-intelligent children SO creepy...
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Lmao, I couldn't agree MORE about intelligent children. And yeah this wasn't a very good starting point for a new reader like me, it piqued my curiosity but I'm really lost.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know exactly what was going on either, but I enjoyed this issue anyway. I actually liked Valeria acting super-intelligent, that was a nice surprise. The last time I read a comic with her in it, she could barely even talk!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Come online, X!!
I'm glad we're in agreement concerning the supreme creepiness of super intelligent children, JT! :P It's just weird...
ReplyDeleteSince this is such a major FF story, I was hoping it would be easy to jump into the story... I guess not since all three of us had trouble figuring out what was happening.
I FINALLY got my copy in the mail, and you are totally right, X-Man. This issue is not inviting at all to new readers.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to put up a video review about it, but it will basically say everything you posted here.
I was hoping that you'd be able to shine some light onto the events of this issue, Kello. You are the resident FF expert! Feel free to drop me a link for your video so I can check it out(eventually!)
ReplyDeleteI'll also be awaiting that video Kello, I gotta know what was going on before the next issue drops.
ReplyDeleteI'll try my best to explain some of the backstory, but it would take an hour long video to try and recap Hickman's run so far. I'll post the video to Four Freedoms this weekend. I tried to make it on Monday and my cats kept interrupting, so I gave up and went to bed. At least the out takes are fun...
ReplyDeleteI'd pay good money to see those outtakes, Kello! Well, maybe I'm exaggerating about the whole, "good money" thing, but still... I shall make every effort to watch that review, even though I am notoriously vidaphobic.
ReplyDeleteI'll check them out, unlike X I'm a video-fiend! And Norman and Pam sound like quite the pair of wildcats. And yes, that was a bad joke.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I am also intrigued by how exactly Kello's cats messed up his video. But cats or no cats, I will be looking forward to that video review!
ReplyDelete