Customer Reviews

Fantastic Four Legends Volume 1: Unstable Molecules

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FANTASTIC FOUR: UNSTABLE MOLECULES... how in the world to describe this story? First off, it's great - maybe the best FF story written in the last 15 years. However, you won't see the FF in costume, or even exhibiting their super-powers. Why? Simple - they don't have any! Writer James Sturm conceived this series on the premise that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby based the FF on 4 acquaintances of theirs who were anything but fantastic.

The setting is the 1950s. The life of Susan Sturm (spelled correctly) is devoted to her thankless caring for her bitter younger brother Johnny, while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy at their home. Her boyfriend, Reed Richards, is an unemotional research scientist who constantly puts her second. Their friend Ben Grimm is a sad-sack who, despite his many problems, provides the only cheer in Sue's humdrum life. If you though that the regular Fantastic Four had their share of problems, wait until you read this!

FF:UM is an overpowering story, full of emotion and heartache. It's also one of those rare and wonderful moments where comics and "reality" blur together, leaving the reader wondering if this is truly just a group of average joes, or if they will actually become the super-powered FF we know and love. Hopefully, Sturm and artist Guy Davis won't keep us waiting much longer.

This wasn't clear when I bought the book...it was stuffed in there with all the other FF trades. This book is the story of the people whom the FF were based on. These are the friends, neighbors etc. of the authors and artists who created the FF. And like normal people growing up in the repressive post-WWII 1950's they are very unheroic, prejudice, and quite boring. However, the author sifting through historic documents found them interesting enough to write a book about them. The center of the book focuses on Susan Sturm, a beauty, attached to the very cold scientist, trying to raise an unappreciated younger brother. Her life is textbook suburbia 50's....and if it wasn't for her warmth and beauty she would be "invisible." Having grown up in Los Alamos, (a scientific community) I found the portrayals spot on and anyone interested in the history of comics would appreciate this book.
But those of you, including myself...who want to delve into the drama of the fantasy world of a superhero... won't find it here.