The New Fantastic Four (Hard Cover)

The New Fantastic Four
Marvel Comics
$19.99

The Fantastic Four have been around a long time, they have been one the major titles in the Marvel Universe since 1961 and I know very little about them. I came across the hardcover of The New Fantastic Four on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble which reprints Fantastic Four #544-550 and saw the price tag of $6.95 and thought that this would be a great buy. You can't go wrong with hardcover comics right?

Well I flipped through it and quickly noticed that included were the original cover's to the issues as well as variants and they were all full size. I don't know why more collections do not do this. The original covers were drawn by the late Michael Turner an artist that I loved. Turner gets a hard time from some fans and critics but I like what he did my only complaint is that it seems that every woman he drew was the same woman . . . fortunately she was a beautiful woman and I can live with that. I also noticed that the colors were amazing, bright and wonderful (by Paul Mounts). I was no doubt buying this.

So why have I not really read much of the Fantastic Four? The answer is I don't really know. I don't really have anything against them I like The Human Torch, The Thing & The Invisible Woman (Sue Storm) and although I'm not a big fan of Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) I don't hate him. Something just has never made me pick up this comic book on a regular basis.

So this story takes place over seven issues of the regular series and a lot happens. Reed and Sue are taking a break from the team to go on a long overdue honeymoon. Storm (of X-Men Fame) and The Black Panther are here and invited to stay with the Fantastic Four. Almost instantly this new group finds themself in outer space looking for the exhumed body of their friend Gravity.

Before long the New Fantastic Four run into the alien being Epoch who had kidnapped Gravity to help save her from Galactus by giving him the Power Cosmic making him Protector Of The Universe. A battle ensues with the heralds of Galactus the Silver Surfer and Stardust and with the Black Panther and Storm's help Gravity uses his Power Cosmic to satiate Galactus' need to feed and Galactus promises to no long seek Epoch as a source to feed on.

You'd think I'd have spoiled the comic by now but that is only the half of it if you pick this up you will see a ton of Watchers, The Frightful Four, Eternity, Dr. Strange, TWO ALIEN RACES,  a crack in space that could mean big trouble for everyone, all six New Fantastic Four members, more Silver Surfer and a ton of Gravity.

I enjoyed this story and although I have not put the Fantastic Four on my monthly pull list I am considering looking for more collections especially if I can find them at a great deal like I did with this book.

- Kevin P. Johnson

Copyright © 2010 Kevin P. Johnson
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