COMIC REVIEWS!!!!
Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting's Fantastic Four continues on, albeit with a new #1 and title. Now under the name F.F. (Future Foundation for those of you who haven't been following the comic), Marvel's first family is back, with new costumes, new missions, and a new member: the one and only Amazing Spider-man!
Yes, Peter Parker is on too many teams now. Between splitting his time in his solo book, and being on TWO Avengers teams (the original and "New"), it is kind of a stretch to think that he could find time to pencil in some adventures with the F.F. However, Jonathan Hickman has such a good handle on the character that I can't really complain, and the opening moments of the issue should make most haters shut up and enjoy the book for what it is: a blast of an opening issue. Within the first few pages we are caught up to date on what has previously happened in the lives of the Fantastic Four, as well as the reasoning behind the new costumes. "The world seems more...black and white these days" Sue puts it, and when you look at what these characters have gone through, it makes complete sense. Soon after Spidey puts on the new duds, the new team heads off to their first mission, where the evil organization A.I.M. has freed classic villain The Wizard. Also, Reed Richards' father Nathaniel makes them all dinner, and a certain enemy arrives at the end of the issue to potentially join the group.
To say that I liked this issue is an understatement. Regardless of your thoughts of a new #1 or Spider-man joining the team, you will not get a better start to a new story arc this year. The recap for new readers is still entertaining for people who knew the story prior to this, and Hickman's script is so full of character and intelligence that I honestly think he may be one of the best writers in the industry today. Steve Epting's pencils are detailed without going overboard, and his quiet moments, like the giant "family" dinner that the team takes part in, are just as good as when he shows A.I.M. agents blowing up a door, or the Thing beating the crap out of enemies. F.F. is the start of something new and exciting, and is an absolute must-buy.
Uncanny X-Force continues Rick Remender's dominance over Marvel. The latest chapter in the "Deathlok Nation" storyline kicks up the action even more from last issue, as Fantomex's fellow teammates assist him in protecting "the world" from a new breed of Deathloks who have been fused with familiar heroes.
When we last left Fantomex, the new Deathloks had arrived at his home, killed his mother, and stolen "the world", a microscopic alternate dimension that, in the wrong hands, could destroy our world. At the end of the issue, Fantomex met up with our version of Deathlok, who is trying to help Fantomex. Esad Ribic's art jumps off the page, and the flow between his panels works almost like a blockbuster action movie.
Rick Remender's script not only contains some amazing action sequences, but also a great moment between Psylocke and her brother, Captain Britain. Psylocke is still coming to grips with Fantomex's decision to kill the child version of Apocalypse, and her brother's reaction is phenomenal, as is the scene directly after that. We also learn the origin of these particular Deathloks from (yet another) possible future, and my hope is that we may see this story fleshed out in a possible miniseries or future storyline. With this issue, Remender and Ribic continue the stellar run that is Uncanny X-Force, simply one of the best books from Marvel.
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