Customer Reviews

Ultimate Fantastic Four, Vol. 3

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I hold myself to only reading a few comic book titles, lest I fall into the collection craze that consumed my time (and money) back in the 80s when I was a kid. Ultimate Fantastic Four is one of them.

So Ultimate Fantastic Four vol. 3 came out and, having vol. 1 and 2, I just naturally ordered it off of Amazon without reading about it or even looking at the cover. Needless to say, I was disappointed when I saw it. It looked... really gross. I read the back, and it talked about the birth of the "Marvel Zombies". Now, I had seen some Marvel Zombie stuff when I visited the comic book store with my kids, and I always thought it looked gross and stupid. I hate horror/blood and guts stuff in general. Now I was going to read about how Marvel super heroes I really liked became flesh eating monsters. Not cool. I wished I had read more about it before I ordered it, and even wondered if I could return it. But I was already committed to the title, so I gave it a shot.

And all I can say is... Marvel Zombies rock.

I mean, seriously. They are very cool. It sounds stupid saying it, but this was the best comic book I've read in a long time. It was brilliantly written and incredibly well drawn. I read it a few times, in fact. And when I wasn't reading it, I've been thinking about it. Color me surprised.

I was never much of a Fantastic Four fan, but was impressed enough by the first two (hardcover) installments of the Ultimate Fantastic Four series to take a chance on volume 3, especially once I heard Mark Millar and Greg Land were at the helm. I had no idea that when I was done reading it, I would rank it just below the Ultimates volumes 1 and 2 as the best Ultimate Marvel storyline ever.

In this volume, Reed Richards open a gateway to a parallel universe, this one populated entirely by Marvel heroes turned zombies! The zombified (and highly contagious) version of the Fantastic Four (rightly termed the Frightful Four) follow Reed back home in order to set up the Ultimate Earth as a buffet for the rest of their undead cohorts. Along the way, we're introduced to Sue and Johnny's long lost mother and the Ultimate version of Namor the Sub-Mariner, who instantly claims the title of biggest jerk in the Ultimate Universe. In the second half of the book, the Frightful Four break loose, Reed makes a deal with the devil (in this case, Dr. Doom), and the Ultimate Super-Skrull nearly annihilates the entire planet.

Millar's incredible run on this series is the stuff of legend, combing innovative storylines with clever dialogue in a manner that fans of his Ultimates series will find very familiar. His Frightful Four are absolutely terrifying, and he makes the Ultimate Dr. Doom far more compelling a character than his predecessors did. It doesn't hurt that his storytelling is so ably augmented by Greg Land's gorgeous artwork. If Millar ever comes back to the Ultimates and Bryan Hitch is busy, he definitely needs to bring in Land. The Fantastic Four haven't been this fascinating, or looked this good, in a long long time.

This is easily the best Ultimate Fantastic Four storyline, and one of the very best Ultimate storylines as well (and we already know how much better the Ultimate line is than the plain old Marvel Universe). If you loved the Ultimates, you must buy this book. I just feel sorry for the creative team who has to follow this run. Talk about an uphill battle!

The pace really picks up in this collection of twelve issues, each with words by Mark Millar and art by Greg Land. There is a lot of action in almost every issue, but Millar still throws in significant and emotional character developments, and this book is a real treat to any fan of these characters. Greg Land's art is also amazing. Yes, at times it looks like he just barely photoshops photos from racy magazines and airbrushes on some clothing, but the effect of his work is stunningly realistic, whether he is presenting a rock monster dressed as Carmen Miranda, a dinosaur tromping through a jungle, a young woman engaging in a tense reunion with the mother who abandoned her, or, yes, dozens of zombies running wild in the Marvel Universe. There is a brief time travel story that really takes advantage of the possibilities in the genre, and it's the most forgettable of the four arcs in this book, if that helps accredit the other three stories. Any Fantastic Four fan should make time to indulge in a chance to read this impressive project from a talented and audacious creative team.

Mark Millar pulls out all the stops on his return to the Ultimate Fantastic Four. This hardcover version contains the 12-issue run that Millar did on the book. I was fascinated at the beginning when our young Reed Richards keeps secret the fact that he's managed to contact an alternate version of himself in another dimension. And Millar is sly about his story, spinning a hanging curveball over the plate while I was watching in wide-eyed amazement.

I've heard of the Marvel zombies, but I haven't read any of their books despite wide acclaim from readers and friends. I just didn't care for the idea. However, when Millar delivers the story, I couldn't help but be fascinated by the zombies. Now it looks like I'm going to have to go out and pick up more graphic novels. But it's a small price to pay for the wonderful story.

The scenes where Reed wandered around a desolated world were great. I kept waiting for things to jump out at him, and I wasn't disappointed, but I was surprised. There's something just inherently gross about the idea of heroes turned into zombies. But the juxtaposition of young, innocent Reed Richards facing them while bereft of his companions was striking. Even though I knew he would be rescued or save himself, I couldn't help but anxiously turn the pages as the story developed.

I had to laugh when I saw Ultimate Thing take on Zombie Hulk, then take out the undead green giant with a single punch. It was perfect, a good way to lighten the overall somber story line. Millar continues showing this young Fantastic Four still breaking rules laid out by the adults. Just as any teenagers and twentysomethings would do, Reed keeps on challenging himself and those rules. He's drawn into the science and the unknown like a moth to a flame.

Even though the zombie Fantastic Four get locked up at the end of this arc, one knows they're not going to just fade away. Zombie Reed is cunning and malicious, and Millar shows some of his best dialogue when writing the confrontations between Ultimate Reed and his undead adult version.

The second arc really pulls rabbit out of the hat when Johnny and Sue's mother puts in an appearance. They believed their mother has been dead for the last 15 years. Not only is she alive, but she's also discovered the lost remains of Atlantis. And she needs the help of the Fantastic Four to help her explore those remains.

The fact that they find Namor the Submariner there isn't a really great surprise. What is a surprise is how he is so much different than longtime readers expect him to be. The story is tense and there's a lot a conflict between Sue and Reed in this one. One of the funniest bits that occurs is when Reed imagines Sue's mother nearly nude at a very inopportune moment.

Greg Land pencils all of these 12 issues. I've loved his art on other things, but it looks almost too finished here. Maybe it was all those years of looking at Jack Kirby's artwork, and the fact that Andy Kubert draws with a savage looseness of his own, but I didn't feel comfortable with what I saw. I think Land did a fantastic job on the zombies and on Sue's mother's Victoria's Secret cameo.

The next part deals with the return of Dr. Doom and the zombie Fantastic Four breaking out of their prison. I have to admit that I knew how they were going to break out from the minute zombie Reed started in on his tirade. I couldn't believe the security teams weren't trained any better than that. But that's a small flaw in an otherwise wonderful story packed with action and suspense.

In the final story contained within the volume, the Ultimate Super Skrull puts in his first appearance and we get a story about time travel as Reed tries to go back and change the event that altered himself and his friends. I knew how the story had to end, with them being unable to change the events. Instead, Millar goes even further by allowing them to change them. I really liked what he did with the potential future world he dreamed up, as well as how he resolved the whole time travel conundrum.

In my opinion, this hardcover collection is the best so far and will be very hard to beat. These stories offer all the cutting-edge technology, relationship issues, and nostalgic feels that any longtime fan could wish for, and it covers a lot of interesting and fun territory for the newcomer.

After reading all six hardcovers of Ultimate Fantastic Four, which are also collected into eleven trade paperbacks, the Mark Millar run is without a doubt my favorite. Clever ideas and witty dialogue, supported by Greg Land's hyperrealistic art, helped elevate Millar's Ultimate Fantastic Four run to some of the best the Ultimate Marvel imprint has to offer. This deluxe hardcover collects issues 21-32, Millar's entire one year run, of Ultimate Fantastic Four. This hardcover is oversized, which is perfect for showing off Land's photorealism and lush coloring. Prepare to encounter zombies, Skrulls, and explore the depths of Atlantis.
Mark Millar introduces the Ultimate universe to zombies in his first arc, entitled 'Frightful' (Issues 21-23). After Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben stop some "chrono-terorrists", Reed attempts to travel to an alternate reality where presumably the 616 (mainstream) Fantastic Four await to greet him. Reed steps through the teleporter... right into the hands of flesh hungry zombies. While this may sounds like a b-list horror film storyline, Millar manages to weave an interesting and engaging tale that ties into the Marvel Zombies miniseries. The rest of the Fantastic Four devise a plan to rescue Reed from the Frightful Four (zombified versions of the Fantastic Four). As a fan of Kirkman's The Walking Dead series, it was cool to see zombies be introduced in a serious manner to the Marvel universe. Land's art is extraordinary in this arc.
The second arc, 'Tomb of Namor', introduces us to the Ultimate version of Namor. Sue and Johnny's mother appears, not dead, and talks the Fantastic Four into helping her explore Atlantis. They end up awakening Namor, the "King of Atlantis." Little do they know how much trouble they've unleashed upon the world. I won't say more for fear of spoiling some very awesome things about this arc. Once again Greg Land's photorealistic style looks exquisite. Millar's has some new ideas introduced in these two arcs. There's a real sense of technological advancement that permeates his entire run. His dialogue is great. Witty and sometimes self-explanatory. Greg Land's art is fantastic. There's a lot of criticism due to his tracing and recycling, there is a little of that here. A majority of Land's work in these issues is nothing short of perfect though.
Issues 27-29, titled 'President Thor', take place mostly in an altered reality. After Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben stop the teleportation experiment from ever happening, they eventually make contact with the Skrulls. Millar explains that the Chitauri were a radical faction group of the Skrulls. After the Skrulls give "super-pills" to the newly elected President Thor, the Earth overnight becomes hope to 6 billion superhumans. This is a radical idea, one which Millar uses effectively. My favorite scene from this arc is of six kids playing baseball, and the world is their field. The Skrulls have a sinister plan in place, and only one man can stop them. Millar once again delivers a highly entertaining story. Land's art is magnificent.
The final arc in Millar's run is 'Frightful', and features the Frightful Four and Doctor Doom teaming up to exact revenge on the Fantastic Four. I don't want to say more for fear of spoiling a very good story. Millar does a fantastic job of bringing all his threads together, ending his run in an intensely satisfying conclusion,
Overall, Millar's run is a stellar example of the best comics have to offer. Combine this was Greg Land's photorealistic art and they're the perfect combination. 4.5/5. Do yourself a favor and buy this, whether you're a Fantastic Four fan or not.

After the slight letdown of Volume Two, the Ultimate FF line comes roaring back to "awesome" with this third tome. The combination of "light" FF stuff...space/science fun, the interpersonal jibber-jabber...with the dark "zombie" stuff, makes this a classic read.
This arc also does some time travel mind bending with the reader, but if you barrel through, all the pieces click satisfyingly into place and you'll immediately want to start reading it all over again. I haven't felt his giddy about a comic story since back in the Claremont/Byrne X-men days, when I'd read each issue over and over until those eternal four weeks passed and the new issue came out. And "barrel through" you will, as rarely have I so anxiously wanted to see how a story ended. This is locomotive.
The artwork by Greg Land is eye-popping. Loaded with detail, full of expression, exquisite dramatic framing...THIS is how it should be, my friends.

If you want to know where the Marvel Zombies got their start, this is your answer. Mark Millar tales an incredible story here about betrayal and cosmic destruction. The art by Grag Land is top notch and every page just leaps at you with such incredible detail. The hardcover edition is larger in page format size than the paperback, and the quality of the paper and binding is quality stuff. This is a must read!

It was a Christmas present for my boyfriend - he's already through it and loved it! 5 stars!