FANTASTIC FOUR #558 ADVANCE REVIEW

[Blake Petit]

Review by: Blake M. Petit Blake@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Poor
Title: The New Defenders (Death of the Invisible Woman Part 1)
Rating: T+

Doctor Doom wants Reed Richards’ help?

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

Mark Millar’s lackluster Fantastic Four continues this issue as Victor Von Doom arrives at the Baxter building, chased by a trio of newcomers, begging for Reed Richards’ help. As this goes on, Johnny has a heart-to-heart with his new main squeeze.

You know how I keep saying I find Johnny Storm to be out-of-character in this book? Man, that’s nothing compared to Dr. Doom. There’s barely a trace of the menace and danger that makes Victor Von Doom the greatest villain in comics, and there’s even less of the air of nobility he carries with him. And while we’re on the subject, why would Ben take a swing at somebody chasing Doom after he just broke into the Baxter Building? There’s no build-up, no reason for him to fight these three. Instead, he sees three newcomers chasing his worst enemy and, based solely on Doom’s word, attacks them.

Johnny, meanwhile, starts to notice something that people who know what his character should be like have been saying for four issues now. Maybe he’s actually coming to his senses (although he still handles it poorly), but that doesn’t explain where his senses have been since Millar took over this book.

There’s also an out-of-the-blue revelation about Valeria that I’m kind of ambivalent about. I’m not terribly excited, mainly because there’s nothing else in the book that has me excited. It’s something that could be interesting with proper execution, but I don’t really have faith in that at the moment.

Bryan Hitch’s artwork still isn’t as sharp as he’s been in the past, and I don’t really care for the way he draws Ben’s face. Not really much else to say there.

This issue just makes me long for the days when this really was the World’s Greatest Comics Magazine.

Rating:


Buy Fantastic Four products from X-World and save!

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Millar and Hitch have put this title back on the map. They've made me interested in the FF once again, which is something I haven't been able to say for their own monthly since Waid's run. They've kept the family first aspects intact while making the scope more epic and imagination more broad.

[WhereIsTony]

I really have high hopes for this arc.

the last one was bad.

[Blake Petit]

Originally Posted by WhereIsTony

I really have high hopes for this arc.

the last one was bad.

Sadly, the first issue of this one is no better.

[Phantomrenegade]

This issue just makes me long for the days when this really was the World’s Greatest Comics Magazine.

When did that happen?

[Blade X]

Originally Posted by Phantomrenegade

When did that happen?

During the Lee/Kirby run,Byrne's run,Lobdel/Davis run,Claremont/Laroca run, Waid/Weiringo run,Pacheco's run,Mcduffie/Peliter run,and any fill in issues written by Karl Kessel (sp).

[Blake Petit]

Originally Posted by Blade X

During the Lee/Kirby run,Byrne's run,Lobdel/Davis run,Claremont/Laroca run, Waid/Weiringo run,Pacheco's run,Mcduffie/Peliter run,and any fill in issues written by Karl Kessel (sp).

I would disagree with Claremont, Lobdel and Pacheco -- nothing particularly memorable came out of those (except Valeria). But otherwise -- yep.

[Adam Chapman]

Read Secret Invasion: FF- now that has a great depiction of Thing and Human Torch.

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Or you could read this.

[Blake Petit]

Originally Posted by Ben Lehnsherr

Or you could read this.

I think your av needs to clean its glasses, Ben -- he said a great depiction.

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

I think your av needs to clean its glasses, Ben -- he said a great depiction.

Which this is IMO.

[Ammar Al Subahi]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

There’s barely a trace of the menace and danger that makes Victor Von Doom the greatest villain in comics, and there’s even less of the air of nobility he carries with him.

There's absolutely nothing noble in a man who skins his first love and wears her as leather.

[Blake Petit]

Originally Posted by Ammar Al Subahi

There's absolutely nothing noble in a man who skins his first love and wears her as leather.

Allow me to rephrase -- I'm not saying that Doom is a noble person, I'm saying that he carries himself with an air of nobilty (in the sense of royalty). But that's absent here.

[Ryan Broussard]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

Allow me to rephrase -- I'm not saying that Doom is a noble person, I'm saying that he carries himself with an air of nobilty (in the sense of royalty). But that's absent here.

well his mind was being completely manipulated....once again....I think some people are just reaching and being too picky just to be.

Why was Doom out of character?.....his mind was pretty much taken over....that's gonna change a character's actions you know.

This was the first issue in the right direction. I liked this issue. I thought the Johnny scene was very good and I am very interested as to the ending of this. Plus there is the revelation with Valeria. I mean consider my interest extremely peaked....putting fighting robots behind us, I really enjoyed this and look forward to the next issue....

The art is still dirty and just seems off to me, but it didn't bother me as much as it has in the past because the story was really working for me....But for gods sake the side ways panels have to stop.....

pretty good stuff

[Blade X]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

I would disagree with Claremont, Lobdel and Pacheco -- nothing particularly memorable came out of those (except Valeria). But otherwise -- yep.

What I really liked about the Lobdel,Claremont,and Pacheco runs on the book is that they did everything that Millar is claiming he is trying to do do, except they did it without (a) crapping on the characters and (b) without nearly a fraction of the hype and gimmicks that Millar's run has been given.

[gregorv]

Id like to see anyone be noble and menacing after they've just taken such a beating...

I enjoyed the first arc, it wasnt as good as Id hoped, but in its own rights it was good...this issue is definatelly a step-up tho...really enjoyed it...

[Mark Blicharz]

Originally Posted by Ryan Broussard

well his mind was being completely manipulated....once again....I think some people are just reaching and being too picky just to be.

Why was Doom out of character?.....his mind was pretty much taken over....that's gonna change a character's actions you know.

This was the first issue in the right direction. I liked this issue. I thought the Johnny scene was very good and I am very interested as to the ending of this. Plus there is the revelation with Valeria. I mean consider my interest extremely peaked....putting fighting robots behind us, I really enjoyed this and look forward to the next issue....

The art is still dirty and just seems off to me, but it didn't bother me as much as it has in the past because the story was really working for me....But for gods sake the side ways panels have to stop.....

pretty good stuff

Doom being mentally controlled just doesn't happen. He's stared in the face of the Purple Man without tech and just made Purple Man cringe at the amount of willpower Doom had. His armor has built in psi-blockers. It's horribly out of character. This book isn't starring the FF, it's starring people who look like them who don't act anything like them.