posted
The solicitation for Ultimate Fantastic Four # 1 and a sneak at the cover has been released by Diamond. Here's what they say:
quote:“The Ultimate Universe at long last gets the fourth corner of its foundation as the World’s Greatest Comic Magazine finally last makes its long-awaited Ultimate debut! Witness the birth of The Four - Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, Susan Storm & Ben Grimm – superhero icons for the new century! High school genius Reed Richards invites his friends to join him on the journey of a lifetime - and the Ultimate Universe will never be the same! It’s a series about science, high adventure, and above all else, family, set in the most dynamic and unpredictable Universe in the comic book world!”
posted
I love Ultimates and Ult X-Men... and was waiting with (almost) bated breath for this one. Until I saw the cover. And read that 'high school' bit.
And I'm amazed that I'm saying this (as I LOOOOVE Hitch's art), but the cover seems somewhat uninspired. The likenesses are... off somehow.
Ah hell... I'll probably be getting a copy anyway.
As usually happens with these Ultimate titles, it's a little odd to see characters we've known for so long getting their "start" in the modern age, but there are some interesting new twists on the old mythos.
Ben as Reed's protector from bullies is about as close to being war buddies as you can get for modern day teens I suppose -- highschool is war after all...
This is all about Reed the little brainiac and his transdimensional breakthrough. They do a good job of describing his home life and how much of an outcast he is. I imagine having the FF become his family will mean that much more to him considering what a bad father figure he grew up with.
We barely get a look at Johnny and Sue (and I expect Doom's lurking around that facility for gifted kids somewhere, but I guess we'll see...).
I wish we'd gotten more story, but that's the case with most comics these days. It's an interesting setup so far and I'll be around to see how they get their powers and what their status quo will be.
[ January 05, 2004, 04:57 PM: Message edited by: DrakeB3003 ]
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Was it worth the price of admission? I've gotten burned out on the Ultimate Universe except for X-Men and the Ultimates (when they decide to release a new issue). Spider-Man went down hill big time, Team-up never got it together and I'd just rather forget Daredevil/Elektra. So I decided to give this one a skip.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I liked it - damn those that complain with comments like "But the original only took four pages to give us an origin! You're padding the story!"... I like a story with exposition, and that's what we're getting here. It's definately a Reed tale (with sidebar on Ben), but I'm sure Johnny and Sue'll get plenty of airtime in the next couple of issues.
quote:Originally posted by Star Boy: I liked it - damn those that complain with comments like "But the original only took four pages to give us an origin! You're padding the story!"...
I hear what you're sayin', but sometimes it's not a case of a story being padded with characterization or meaningful details, but that not a lot actually happens in 22 pages. Something like "Supreme Power", whose story moves at a pretty slow pace is chock full of meaningful details. (it's also telling several origins concurrently)
Fantastic Four #1 isn't really such a bad offender of this though. While I do wish we had gotten more story, the stuff with Reed is all fairly meaningful to establish him since he's the crucial figure in the team and their origin.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: Was it worth the price of admission?
That's a tough one. I guess it depends on how much of an FF fan you are and how much you're willing to invest on something that will probably be good in the long run. The first issue didn't blow me away, but is a solid way to establish Reed as an alienated child genius with a bully for a father, an ineffective mother and Ben as his friend and protector.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Star Boy: I liked it - damn those that complain with comments like "But the original only took four pages to give us an origin! You're padding the story!"...
I hear what you're sayin', but sometimes it's not a case of a story being padded with characterization or meaningful details, but that not a lot actually happens in 22 pages.
Yeah - I agree. Sometimes stories are definately padded to 'make up the trade', but too often fanboys used to 22 pages of people getting smashed through walls tend to balk if they actually have to read some introspective conversation or interpersonal dialogue.
posted
I'm going to pick this up. I was really impressed with Ultimate X-Men where they reintroduced Warren Worthington III. That got me hooked.
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
So far Ultimate FF is very good. I'd like to see where this goes, I think the combination of Bendis and Millar writing it takes all of the bad qualities of both and puts them to the side (Bendis rattling on and on and Millar just being an asshole).
Hated to see Reed's head flushed in a toilet, but I was very pleased with this issue.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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