Saturday, January 3, 2009

Fantastic Four: The End TPB

Man, Alan Davis can really do no wrong with me. I had been kind of dreading this, even though he was the creator. The "End" series from Marvel can be kind of depressing, and I wasn't liking the idea of a depressing FF book. I should have known better. This book has everything. Taking place in a utopian future where our solar system has been colonized and then cut off by the rest of the Marvel cosmos, all our heroes are still around thanks to a life-extending treatment developed by Reed Richards. There are no mutants, thanks to a "Mutant War," but just about everyone is still around. John Storm leads the Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Vision, Captain Marvel, and the Silver Surfer). Ben Grimm is a family man on the Inhuman-settled Mars. Sue Storm is an archeologist trying to find a way to bring back her dead children. Reed Richards is a recluse on a one-man satellite. I don't want to ruin the wonderful cameos and villains featured in this book, so let me just list some of the guest stars: The Avengers, Thundra, Wyatt Wingfoot, Inhumans, Captain America, Black Panther, She-Hulk, Giant Man, Wasp, Spider-Man, Nick Fury, SHIELD, Daredevil, Galactus, Namor, I could go on and on. Well, that is quite the lineup of heroes, who do they fight? Mole Man, Annihilus, Super Skrull, Shiar Imperial Guard, Mad Thinker, El Diablo, again, I could go on and on. This book really has everything you could want. It is a bright vision of an awesome Marvel future. It revels in the best parts of comics, the mad stories, the heroes overcoming all odds, classic villains, and a great ending. Check this out.

The art is wonderful as Davis' work alwyas is. The future costumes of the entire cast look familiar but updated. The pseudo-science is great and comic-booky. The kirby influence comes through loud and clear (check out those negative zone flight packs).

Excellent

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