Dan Slott’s reforming of The Fantastic Four in THE FANTASTIC FOUR #6 is blazing ahead at full speed. In the previous issue, Ben Grimm, a.k.a. “The Thing,” finally married Alicia Masters but was rudely interrupted by Doctor Doom. Now he plans to take out Galactus in Latveria. The Fantastic Four rush to join the fight but meet a mysterious “herald” in this action-packed adventure story fans will deem true to form.
Story
Slott seems to have found his calling in the first Marvel family, and this issue is proof of it. He’s gotten each character’s voice down pat, from Grimm’s bumbling and kind nature to Susan Storm’s dry wit. But what really makes this story shine is Slott’s ability to weave their personalities together in a wonderful tapestry.
Case in point: Grimm’s reaction to Doom’s announcement ruining his wedding night. We aren’t presented with a typical groom bemoaning his wedding mishap. Instead, we experience Grimm’s thought-process as he tries to decide if he’s madder at Doom for interrupting his wedding or Galactus for causing trouble in the first place.
While each character is entertaining in and of themselves, it’s great to see their interactions with one another. The conflicting personalities, as well as the family dynamics, are also complemented by the egomaniac Doom himself and his mysterious new herald.
Doom has always been one of the most compelling villains in Marvel comic history; he constantly strides the line between right and wrong while maintaining a huge ego. In this comic, his insistence that he is solely qualified to defeat Galactus showcases that ego. But it would have been great to see more of the discerning side of his character.
The story shows the Latverian residents’ and Doom’s herald’s admiration for their leader in a way that allows one to sympathize with their dependency. We’re able to see how people in desperate situations are often drawn to leaders who characterize themselves as powerful figures.
Art
Aron Kuder and Esad Ribić use their artistic talents to fuse the old and new in THE FANTASTIC FOUR #6. The cover art uses hazy lines on Doom’s face to present him in the style of comics from a decade ago. On the other hand, Kuder illustrates the story with wavy yet defined lines that allow for crisp images fitting of modern adventure comics like The Amazing Spider-Man.
Marte Gracia and Erick Arciniega add bright colors to the scenes featuring the Fantastic Four, as well as purple-infused backgrounds that add to the sci-fi/adventure feel. In addition, Joe Caramagna uses dynamic font choices that give each character tone in their voices, which includes an effective use of bold letters and capitalization.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of the Fantastic Four but wondering if this new series can live up to their former glory, fear not! Slott and the team have managed to capture the magic of Marvel’s First Family. The characterizations are almost enough to carry the story by themselves. We’ll have to wait and see if the series can keep the momentum going.
Are you a fan of Slott’s run on the Fantastic Fantastic so far? Let us know in the comments below!
