Customer Reviews

Fantastic Four Vs. the X-Men

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This mini-serie is as close to perfect storystelling as you can get . The 'Reed's diary plot' is incredible . It seems to me the FF were created only to have this one story told . The Ben Grimm/Thing pages are terrific ,highly emotional . Claremont at his very best . Plus Jon Bogdanove pencils and Terry Austin inks !

I have long been a fan of Chris Claremont's stories, and books like this are the reason why. The book provides a beautiful transition for both X-Men fans wishing to learn about the Fantastic Four and FF fans trying to start a knowledge of mutants. This reprints the four issue limited series of the same name and is a tribute to Claremont's excellent ability to capture humanity in the most unlikely characters. Although well-known for his work on X-Men and other mutant books, Claremont has also wonderfully characterized the Fantastic Four showing both their great strength as a group and family as well as their weaknesses of self-doubt and uncertainty

For anyone dissatisfied with Chris Claremont's current work on FF, or thirsting to see some classic Claremont work on both X-Men and the Fantastic Four, read this series. The characterization of both teams is excellent, and Claremont excels at telling an intriguing tale involving the very origin of the Fantastic Four and a vital turning point in the life of Kitty Pryde. Franklin Richards is the focus of this book, and his take on his family and on the plight of Kitty Pryde is fantastic. Read it.

The storyline in this book is more a psychological profile than it is a battle of superheroes against the forces of evil. Furthermore, two of the most powerful foes of the Fantastic Four, Magneto and Doctor Doom are now collaborating with the FF and the X-Men.
There are two primary obstacles to overcome; the first is Reed Richards' severe crisis of confidence and a growing rift between the members of the FF. The journal that Reed kept in his college days supposedly reappears and the entries indicate that Reed was aware of the potential danger of cosmic rays yet deliberately put all four of them at risk in their memorable flight.
The second obstacle is that X-Man Kitty Pryde is locked into her ghost form and if she does not return to solid form, her essence will dissipate. The FF, along with She-Hulk, travel to the X-Men compound to help but Reed's confidence problems make him unable to carry out the task of attempting to save Kitty. This leads to a brief fight between the FF and X-Men that is inconclusive and the FF leave. When the Human Torch accidentally burns Storm in the fight he also goes into a confidence funk and Sue Storm plays the role of an ignored wife. Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue has dreams where his astral body travels to visit Kitty and he dreams of destructive battles between the FF and the X-Men where many are killed.
Magneto appears to have come back from the dark side and is now aiding the FF and with Reed's failure the X-Men have accepted an offer of aid for Kitty from Dr. Doom. With old enemies now comrades, old friends now at odds and the FF fighting among themselves, this is a volatile mix that is always on the edge of exploding. Yet, the FF overcome their problems, Reed comes back from the brink of despair and the animosities between friends and foes are kept bottled up long enough for the tasks to be completed.
If your interests are exclusively in rock-em sock-em actions between super beings, then this is a comic that you will probably dislike. However, if you appreciate or can tolerate emotional angst in your superheroes, then you will love it, for it shows them as human beings beset with occasional self-doubt and uncertainty. Finally, there are a few scenes where female characters have their clothing blown or burned off, specifically Sue Storm and She-Hulk. That will of course titillate the young male reader.