Fantastic Four (1961 Series) #546

May 22, 2007

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Reconstruction Chapter Three: Aw, That’s Just Crude (an Initiative tie-in)
Rating: A

The Fantastic Four and Gravity face the Heralds of Galactus!

Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Pencils: Paul Pelletier
Inks: Rick Magyar & Scott Hanna
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Rus Wooton
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Michael Turner
Publisher: Marvel Comics

In deep space, the Fantastic Four stands poised to save the cosmic being called Epoch from the hunger of Galactus. But the FF is a man down – the Black Panther has bolted! Not to fear, though, they have a fourth – the newly-resurrected Protector of the Universe… Gravity!

This fourth issue of Dwayne McDuffie’s run is actually the first one I feel is a little bit of a letdown. I’ve very much enjoyed everything he’s done so far, and enjoyed most of this issue as well. He uses the Black Panther’s connections very logically, very well (c’mon, you guys didn’t actually think he was just running away last issue, did you?), and the banter between Ben and Johnny is spot-on. I also really like what he’s doing with Reed and Sue, who – even while on an extended vacation to rebuild their marriage—can’t seem to get away from danger. Much of what we’re reading here seems to be a distant tie-in to Annihilation, which is just fine with me. I’ve enjoyed most of Annihilation so far, and I think crossing it over into books like this one that already have clear links with Marvel’s cosmic corners is a smart move.

The only thing that kind of disappoints me is the ending. I thought McDuffie was setting up a big status quo shift (not for this title, but for the Marvel Universe in general), but at the end, he seemed to hit a reset button. Again, I’m forced to wonder if this wasn’t something that was done with Annihilation in mind, but taken on its own, I wish he had gone in another direction.

Paul Pelletier is one of my favorite sci-fi superhero artists, and he proves why this issue. He does fantastic outer space scenes and his weird tech is second to none. There’s an apparatus used by one of the characters in this book that looks like it leapt right off Jack Kirby’s sketchboard.

I’m still enjoying this book and I think McDuffie was the right choice to take over. I’m going to assume the things that bummed me here were just a bump in the road.

Rating: 7/10

Annihilation #5

December 26, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Ascension
Rating: T+

With Thanos dead, can anyone free Galactus?

Writer: Keith Giffen
Art: Andrea DiVito
Colors: Laura Villari
Letters:Cory Petit
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Cover Art: Gabrielle Dell’otto
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Drax has killed Thanos, supposedly the one being with the power to free Galactus – and only Galactus has the power to stop Annihilus on his path of destruction through the universe. As Drax and Moondragon seek a new way to free the devourer of worlds, Nova’s team plans a last stand and Ronan and the Super-Skrull go to war with the Kree Empire.

Keith Giffen really has done a masterful job with this storyline, weaving the sort of war story combined with action combined with an air of last-stand desperation that really makes for an exciting cosmic event. What’s more, in the process he’s refined characters like Ronan the Accuser, who in the past have been little more than plot devices to make things a little more difficult on the Avengers, and turned them into people to root for. The same goes for the likes of the Super-Skrull and Blastaar. Meanwhile, we see a real evolution of Nova – he’s become much more than the teen superhero he used to be – now he’s a genuine general, and it’s a role that suits him in this book.

Mixed in with a strong story is some truly wonderful artwork. Andrea DiVito has long been one of the best traditional artists in Marvel’s stable, but his style is particularly well suited for this sort of space opera. There’s a lot of superhero style in here, but he mixes it with the sort of aliens and sci-fi energy effects (no doubt aided by Laura Villari’s fantastic colors) to give the book just the right look.

Ronan’s final scene is perhaps what puts this book over the top for me. It’s one of those final moments that really tugs at you, which is something that a character like Ronan never would have been able to pull off prior to this story. That’s a pretty good summation, in fact, as to what makes this issue good.

Rating: 8/10

(2010 Note: I later went back and got the hardcover Annihilation collections. They were well worth the money.)