FANTASTIC FOUR #556 ADVANCE REVIEW

[Blake Petit]

Review by: Blake M. Petit Blake@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Poor
Title: World’s Greatest Part Three
Rating: T+

The Captain America robot runs amok!

Writer: Mark Millar
Pencils: Bryan Hitch
Inks: Bryan Hitch & Andrew Currie
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Rus Wooton
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: Marvel Comics

In the midst of explaining to the world’s most brilliant mind that he never noticed the world was about to come to an end, last issue we found out that the braintrust working on a New Earth has also built a giant robot killing machine and painted it to look like Captain America. Evidently, only Reed Richards can possibly defeat the robot (why, exactly, only Reed can defeat a giant robot in a world populated by the likes of Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Hercules and Thor is never adequately explained), but it doesn’t matter, since Reed is off-planet.

Aside from a ludicrous plot, the details of this book are getting more and more painful to read. Johnny’s big mistake from last issue? Well, this issue, he makes it even worse, while simultaneously embodying every “loser celebrity” cliché you can imagine, up to and including an embarrassing stereotype of a personal manager. I fully expect this run to end with him as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars. Mark Millar is also up to his usual trick of convincing us how nasty the bad guy is by having him beat up an obscene number of high-powered superheroes off-panel, including about a dozen unregistered fugitives who evidently were able to bury the hatchet with SHIELD long enough to hitch a ride to Alaska to fight a Voltron reject.

Bryan Hitch’s art is okay – better than the first two issues of this arc, anyway. Maybe he had a little more help from Currie and Mounts this time out.

This book continues to fail to live up to its name. Someone wake me when the real Fantastic Four gets back.

Rating:


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[Mark Blicharz]

Chuck Austen like bad.

[Gabriel Diaz]

Originally Posted by Mark Blicharz

Chuck Austen like bad.

Now THAT Is bad.

Where is Austen now?

[Blake Petit]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Diaz

Now THAT Is bad.

Where is Austen now?

Last I heard, writing some baseball comic for Tokyopop.

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Diaz

Now THAT Is bad.

Where is Austen now?

My running theory is that he currently runs by the name Daniel Way. And this book is not only not nearly that bad....I can't really remember a time when I enjoyed the Fantastic Four more in their own monthly. I haven't read this particular issue yet, but that's been the case for me so far.

Now, take that with a grain of salt, of course. I'm never been a big FF guy in general. But I do like them now....and that's what this is all about, right? As long as you like the books you buy, that's what is important.

[Gabriel Diaz]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

Last I heard, writing some baseball comic for Tokyopop.

Wow isn't that like working for Topps back when they were making comics bad?

[Mark Blicharz]

Originally Posted by Ben Lehnsherr

My running theory is that he currently runs by the name Daniel Way. And this book is not only not nearly that bad....I can't really remember a time when I enjoyed the Fantastic Four more in their own monthly. I haven't read this particular issue yet, but that's been the case for me so far.

Now, take that with a grain of salt, of course. I'm never been a big FF guy in general. But I do like them now....and that's what this is all about, right? As long as you like the books you buy, that's what is important.

Yeah but the irresponsible FF is already there, it's called Ultimate FF. :P Between Amazing and FF, they are just blurring the lines between the Ultimate and 616 lines. This issue is by far the absolute worst issue of Fantastic Four that's ever been printed. If it wasn't for Austen's Superman and X-men run, this might be the worst single issue of any mainstream comic ever printed.

[WhereIsTony]

I dont read ult FF anymore but ult spider-man has not really been much like amazing other than they both use spider-man.

[Mark Blicharz]

Originally Posted by WhereIsTony

I dont read ult FF anymore but ult spider-man has not really been much like amazing other than they both use spider-man.

Single, young Spider-man who lives in his aunt's basement.

[WhereIsTony]

well if we wanted to be over simplistic about it then you could do that with any two titles featuring alternat characters.

while they are both "young" it turns out there is a whole range.

616 parker is stigmatized for living at his aunt's

ult parker is not.

616 is single

ult is in a relationship

[Zap Rowsdower]

This review makes this comic sound exactly like I expected.

Also, I expect Millar's upcoming run on Wolverine to make this look like Tolstoy's War and Peace by comparison.

[Ryan Broussard]

Originally Posted by Zap Rowsdower

This review makes this comic sound exactly like I expected.

Also, I expect Millar's upcoming run on Wolverine to make this look like Tolstoy's War and Peace by comparison.

man you guys are harsh....

as a fan of alot of Millar's work I can say this has not been too impressive, but to start saying that things that have yet to come out will be awful based on this book is kinda wrong dont ya think?

[Zap Rowsdower]

Originally Posted by Ryan Broussard

as a fan of alot of Millar's work I can say this has not been too impressive, but to start saying that things that have yet to come out will be awful based on this book is kinda wrong dont ya think?

No, I think anything written by Millar is going to be awful because it's written by Millar. But we've talked about my feelings about the man's talent (or lack therof) a lot lately so consider this a drive by.

[Wolverace]

Originally Posted by Zap Rowsdower

This review makes this comic sound exactly like I expected.

Also, I expect Millar's upcoming run on Wolverine to make this look like Tolstoy's War and Peace by comparison.

I haven't read War and Peace. But I'm amazed you're comparing Millar to Tolstoy. I'll take that as a compliment.

Originally Posted by Ben Lehnsherr

Now, take that with a grain of salt, of course. I'm never been a big FF guy in general. But I do like them now....and that's what this is all about, right? As long as you like the books you buy, that's what is important.

I have to agree here. Haven't read it yet, but previous issues were no so bad imo. It's Millar writing...you have his fans and you have his haters.

[Justin Byrd]

Originally Posted by WhereIsTony

well if we wanted to be over simplistic about it then you could do that with any two titles featuring alternat characters.

while they are both "young" it turns out there is a whole range.

616 parker is stigmatized for living at his aunt's

ult parker is not.

616 is single

ult is in a relationship

Which ironically makes ultimate Spidey more responsible and less a loser...

Huh.

[WhereIsTony]

Originally Posted by Justin Byrd

Which ironically makes ultimate Spidey more responsible and less a loser...

Huh.

Well thats the thing spidey only seems like a loser.

He baiscally lives at his aunt, doesn't have a girlfriend, and can't hold a decent job because he spends too much time and money saving lives.

[Dirge]

You can't really compare Ult Spider-man to 616 Spiderman for living with his aunt. Ult Spidey is a teenager, thus required to live with his guardian.

[Zap Rowsdower]

Originally Posted by Wolverace

I have to agree here. Haven't read it yet, but previous issues were no so bad imo. It's Millar writing...you have his fans and you have his haters.

Well just from looking around the net and hearing things around my store, people seem to not be enjoying this FF or Kick A$$ much.

My theory is that like every entertainer who gets by on shock value, eventually people get bored and say, "What do you have for a second act?"

I'm not sure Millar's got one.

[Ben Lehnsherr]

We all have our preferences. For some here, its the best of times for Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, but for others here......its some of the worst stuff out now. I find the sheer amounts of contrast highly intriguing.

[Zap Rowsdower]

Originally Posted by Ben Lehnsherr

We all have our preferences. For some here, its the best of times for Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, but for others here......its some of the worst stuff out now. I find the sheer amounts of contrast highly intriguing.

After all these years it seems like the portion of the fandom that considers Milla's work to be pointless shock value is finally speaking up.

Until recently, I thought I was the only one who even noticed his limitations and he seemed to garner universal praise.

I used to feel like Frank "Grimy" Grimes.

I'm glad there's now a contrast in opinions. Two years ago if you said "Millar sucks" people would think you were deliberately being contrary to get attention. Post Civil War, "Millar sucks" is now a respectable opinion to hold.