Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1: The Fantastic [Paperback]

Brian Michael Bendis (Author), Mark Millar (Author), Adam Kubert (Illustrator), John Dell (Illustrator), Danny Miki (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 18, 2007 | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Ultimate Fantastic Four (Book 1)

The World's Greatest Comic Magazine - and subject of the upcoming blockbuster motion picture - at long last makes its long-awaited debut in the Ultimate Marvel Universe! Witness the beginnings of the Four - Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, Susan Storm and Ben Grimm - super-hero icons for the new century! When high-school genius Reed Richards enrolls at a secret government-sponsored school for the most gifted minds in the world, he unwittingly starts himself and his friends on the journey of a lifetime! A story about science, adventure, and above all else family, set in the most dynamic and unpredictable universe in the comic-book world! Collects Ultimate Fantastic Four #1-6.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Continuing Marvel's relaunching of classic characters minus the baggage of 40-plus years of continuity, this volume of the re-tooled Fantastic Four collects the first six issues of their "Ultimate" version, updating story elements that took only one issue to tell back in 1961. Drawn in Marvel's current style, the FF have been reimagined as teens and young 20-somethings and lack much of the dysfunctional charm that made them so fresh when first seen. The origin has been replaced-the clichéd radiation-as-magic catalyst that was common back in the day is gone. Their powers are now gained from a teleportation experiment gone awry, which also manages to link their abilities with the four ancient elements of earth, air, fire and water in an attempt at mythological resonance. Nemesis Victor Von Doom has also been updated as a snotty exchange student who picks on Nerd Reed Richards. While Millar and Bendis may seem to have a thankless task in reimagining the classic Stan Lee/Jack Kirby characters, they succeed in giving them a more modern sensibility. In particular, the scenes where they discover their powers are updated and have much more psychological punch.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Marvel (July 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785113932
• ISBN-13: 978-0785113935
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.2 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,431 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good New Retake of Marvel's Classic Characters, September 8, 2004

By 

B. Bukowski (Montana USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1: The Fantastic (Paperback)

"The Fantastic" storyline follows the events leading up to the classic family's transformation and their first adventure in this fun new addition to the Ultimate universe.

Bendis' and Millar's story here seems more forced and problematic than their corresponding Ultimate titles. Although the book collects the first six issues of the series, (and probably due to Marvel's decompressed style of storytelling these days) the origin story seems rushed and several plot elements aren't completely believable. While the writers should receive credit for trying to remain true to the original stories, the first villian and his monsters seem completely unbelievable given that the Ultimate universe is supposed to take place in the real world; and Ben Grimm's sudden appearance prior to the accident which transforms the characters also seems fake.

Adam Kubert's work here is very good as he captures the characters perfectly. The colors by Stewart are also good as they perfectly convey the different settings with appropriate realism.

Although not as strong as other Ultimate titles (Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimates), "Ultimate FF" is still good and wide open to a great variety of new stories (here's to Warren Ellis, the new writer who is better suited for these type of stories).

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Next to the Ultimates, this is the best Ultimate title, August 14, 2004

By 

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1: The Fantastic (Paperback)

Aside from the Ultimates, I'm not much of a fan of Marvel's Ultimate universe, but the recent, and for many eagerly awaited, Ultimate Fantastic Four greatly kicks off the Ultimate version of Marvel's first family courtesy of co-scribes and Ultimate vets Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man) and Mark Millar (Ultimates) and artist Adam Kubert. Collecting the first six issue arc called The Fantastic; young and misunderstood genius Reed Richards' discovery of another dimension leads him to the Baxter Building under the tutelage of Dr. Storm. Later, Reed, along with his childhood friend Ben Grimm, Dr. Storm's two children Sue and Johnny, and his newfound rival Victor Van Damme (yes, Bendis changed Doom's name), are seperated during an experiment with Victor missing, and the other four with extraordinary powers. Bendis' snappy dialogue suits the book well, and Kubert's art gives it a flashy, polished look. While this first collection is a solid work, the second storyarc, entitled Doom, is penned by Transmetropolitan scribe Warren Ellis, and is something really special.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I am not sure about the Fantastic Four as teenagers, March 23, 2005

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1: The Fantastic (Paperback)

As someone who embraced the idea but not necessarily the execution of Marvel's "New Universe" and have enjoyed many of DC's "Elsewhere" stories, I have applauded Marvel's Ultimate line of comic books. Once you have done over 500 issues of "The Amazing Spider-Man" or any other title I can certainly appreciate the impulse to start over and re-create Marvel's characters for the 21st century. One of the best things about these stories is that they work both ways. If you know nothing about a Marvel superhero beyond what you pick up from a movie, then you can get in on the ground floor (especially with Marvel committed to these tradepaperback collections). But if you were reading Marvel comics back in the 1960s, even as far back as the "Pop Art" period, then you can enjoy the way things are slightly different and how they play off of what "originally" happened. However, with the re-imagining of the Fantastic Four I think they went a bit too far.

"Ultimate Fantastic Four, Volume 1: The Fantastic" brings together the first six issues of the comic book as the "World's Greatest Comic Magazine" makes its long-awaited debut in the Ultimate Marvel universe, which is just a way of saying that while the "Ultimate Spider-Man," "Ultimate X-Men," and "The Ultimates" have been out there for a while, the FF are only just starting to get up to speed. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar, and illustrated by Adam Kubert, we start 21 years before the birth of the Fantastic Four with the birth of Reed Richards. We then jump ahead ten years when Reed is doing a project on teleportation for the Midtown Middle School science fair that succeeds well enough for Reed to be asked to join a government think tank in the Baxter Building. This means he leaves behind his family and his one friend, Ben Grimm, the star linebacker who makes a point of protecting young Reed from the school bullies.

While I liked the idea that Peter Parker is still 15 when he gets bite by a radioactive spider in the Ultimate universe, turning Reed Richards into Tom Swift bothers me. Reed was always the adult in the FF, and it was not just the gray at the temples. Besides, I do not want the Fantastic Four to be teenage superheroes. The X-Men are supposed to be Marvel's teenage superheroes. I do not have a problem with the idea that the unofficial space flight into the cosmic rays where you take along your fiancé and her kid brother has been replaced by a more terrestrial explanation for their transformations. But the think tank being nothing but kids smacks too much of Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game." Originally the future Mr. Fantastic and Doctor Doom meet in college, where the idea is that each is on the cusp of intellectual greatness. Making them smarter, earlier, just does not work for me and makes me thing this is all a marketing ploy to make the FF more kid-friendly. But I, despite persistent lapses, am not a kid and I like my Fantastic Four to be adults, except for Johnny Storm the (literally) hot-headed teenager.

That being said, one of the other great things about the Ultimate comic books is that they take, as in this case, six issues to tell a story. That means you do not have to come up with a new story and a new villain every single issue. What we have with "The Fantastic" is both the creation of the FF and their first encounter with the Mole Man (who, in a nice twist, is not unknown to them). I thought the best part of the story is how the four members come to terms with their new powers (best line is Johnny's, "Oh, man. I hope that's not Sue," because the Thing's first take on what time it is was too self-conscious). I also like the idea that unlike the Ultimates, the government's pet superheroes, there is initial fear and distrust of these four, especially Ben. Of course, Volume 2 of the "Ultimate Fantastic Four" will be devoted to their first encounter with Doctor Doom, so we at least have to go along for the ride that far to see if their creator can take this comic book to the next level. There is potential, of course, but they are not there yet.