Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Ultimate Fantastic Four

The solicitation for Ultimate Fantastic Four # 1 and a sneak at the cover has been released by Diamond . Here's what they say:

And here's the cover:

Sorry think I'll pass!!!!

not interested.

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.

That's one unattractive cover.

Anyone read this?

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.

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.

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.

I give it 4/5...

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 else else 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.

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.

Sounds interesting. Maybe I'll get it as a TPB...

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.

Anyone reading the regular FF title it is so rockin' good right now!!!!

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.

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.

Might have to check this out!!!!

NO!

Like most modern comics in general, and the Ultimate line specifically, there is not nearly enough actual plot in any one issue to justify the cover price.

If the story at all intrigues you, this is one you'd be better off to wait for the eventual trade paperback on.

I would have to disagree most veheminatly. I am not sure if it is Howard Porter's art, or is Waid's story is showing the mark of upper editorial meddling that was rumored to be happending just before his departure, but IMHO the entire Latveria arc has blown chunks!

I would have dropped the book but for Waid & Ringo being "re-hired."

Okay, the first two issues were not enough for me to want to add this to my hold list. But this news may just change that. From Newsarama :

Wow.

Looks like they improved the cover a bit.

Sue, at least, looks less oddly drawn.

Agreed...

Lovers of the INHUMANS will want to check this out...

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... after reading the Ultimate version of THE DEFENDERS, I was afraid to see how THE INHUMANS would be 'ultimized'. That fear turns out to be unwarranted, as this issue provides an interesting... though chilly... variation on the characters.

Crystal's fun-- a genuine teen-age girl who comes across as girlish, powerful, vapid yet wise and silly at once, instincually rebellious but ultimately apparently conformist. A lot to accomplish in a debut.

I loved her.

And her dog, too.

The rest of the Inhumans don't make as vivid an impression as characters, despite very strong visualizations.

Ultimate Medusa doesn't bear the living mass of red hair, but instead has a colony of snakes growing out of her head, like her mythological namesake. She's commanding, and a bit petulant. Like in the 'real' Marvel universe, I miss the Medusa who ran away and had adventures.

Ultimate Gorgon is female... as the character always should've been, given the name. We never see her feet, so I don't know if she has the hooves and leg-strength of the 'real' version. She's plenty strong, though. And she wears a full-face mask. Interesting. Turn-to-stone vision/facade?

Ultimate Karnak appears an Asian sage, complete with flowing white goatee. He apparently shoots out some sort of lightning that seeks out his target's weakness and strikes it.

Ultimate Triton's barely in it... he seems to be reduced to the role of a guard along with a new Inhuman. He's ugly, like Lee's Triton in the 12 issue miniseries of a few years ago. (Boo! Bring back 'pretty' Triton! Maybe he just needs to spend some time in the sea... that lunar atmosphere can't be good for an amphibian.)

Ultimate Lockjaw's no different than the 'real' version. What if they were the same beast??!!! That'd be fun.

Ultimate Black Bolt didn't work for me. Why mess with one of comics' perfect looks? The half-white or light blue or silver cowl just looked odd. And though I think a skirt-wearing Inhuman would be fine... I don't think it should be Black Bolt.

Ultimate Maximus is prissy rather than drooling. Still Mad, I'm sure. This time, Crystal is expected to marry him (a fate worse than death)-- Ugh! This Maximus is worth a reappearance. First, I'd like to see *several* Inhuman stories not centered around this character in either universe, however.

The fate of Attilan was... unexpected. Should lead to something interesting.

I'm eager to read this group's next appearances.

I haven't read much of the Ultimate FF, so I'm not really familiar with them. LOVED Land's Johnny Storm on the cover, though. That might be enough to convince me to buy this regularly. Make Crystal a frequently appearing character and I know I will.

The inhumans were all very weird, quite rightly so I guess. I dont know what they were like in their early MU appearances but I guess you've got to start them as real outsiders so you can develop them slowly.

Pretty good issue, as all the Ultimate Annuals have been. Certainly a lot better than those stupid theme years that caused the demise of annual tradition. And from what I've seen on the shelves of the shops, commercially successful too. Maybe we'll get a new tradition.

I dunno, I didn't really like it that much. Like the Ultimates 2 Annual, I felt like it was too much filler, not enough making me care. Unlike the Ultimates 2 Annual, which was redeemed because Nick Fury rocks so hardcore, I felt like the Inhumans just fell flat. Crystal was very contradicting and the fact that I don't really like her that much didn't help matters.

What can I say? Just wasn't my cup of tea.