Reviews

If this was suppose to be some big event issue then it failed. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying this issue was bad or that the overall storyline was bad. I’m just saying that once again the actual event failed to live up to Marvel’s hype.

SPOILER WARNING In case you didn’t know a member of the Fantastic Four was suppose to die in this storyline. Most of this issue doesn’t even deal with the events that were going to lead to a character dying. Two thirds of the issue dealt with events unrelated to the crisis Ben, Johnny and the kids were facing. The parts of the issue with Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman may become meaningful later on but right now only serve as a means to keep them away from the Baxter building. Their absence prevents them from providing an easy answer to the problem faced by the others and forces Johnny to sacrifice himself to save everyone else. This obvious plot device however is not the major failing of this issue. The major failing of this issue is that no one dies. Yes, we see Johnny trapped in the Negative Zone and over come by the Annihilation Wave but there is no indication at all that he is killed. Let’s be honest, even if we had witnessed the Human Torch being killed; even if we saw his body no one really believes he would remain dead. This is the age of the gimmick; characters are killed off and brought back with such regularity that no one cares anymore. END SPOILER WARNING

If you want to read a solid, run of the mill, Fantastic Four story then go ahead and read the whole “Three” storyline you’ll be satisfied. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a great Fantastic Four storyline, like Marvel promised, then you are going to have to keep looking.

Keith Forney