Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A darker, but not bad, take on the first family of Marvel, November 1, 2004
I was skeptical of this book at first; did I really want to see my favourite cosmic adventurers strip and beaten down of all the fun and playfulness I usually relate the Fantastic Four to? After literally months of avoiding the book I finally gave it a chance. Just as I had feared it was gloomy and upsetting. But it was a fine piece of work as well.
Grant Morrison (Animal Man, We3, New X-Men) and artist Jae Lee (The Inhumans) shape a depressing, realistic view of the world that Reed and company live in. There is fighting, anger, and isolation, and almost a sense of helplessness as how to handle the world around them. Problems escalate when each member of the Four become ensnared in a type of chess match being played out by Dr. Doom, using not only the FF but Namor, Mole Man, and Alicia Masters as his pawns. With Reed seemingly too wrapped up in his own escapades to save his friends or marriage, hope for the survival of Marvel's First Family seem grim.
Should you buy this book? Tough question to answer. This is far from the first Fantastic Four book someone should read, but a veteran of the teams adventures would be wise not to ignore it. 1234 has the element hat has always driven the book, even if it is a darker one; the Fantastic Four are, and will always be, a family.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant, dystopian take on Marvel's first family, September 15, 2005
The bastard brainchild of comic god Alan Moore, Grant Morrison gives Marvel's first family a realistic, dark, and dystopian look as the Fantastic Four are slowly being pulled apart. Dr. Doom makes his ultimate attempt to destroy the team at their weakest: Reed "Mr. Fantastic" Richards has locked himself inside his "think tank", Sue "Invisible Woman" Richards feels neglected, Johnny "Human Torch" Storm thinks of nothing but himself, and Ben "The Thing" Grimm is tired of being a monster. One by one, they fall as Doom launches a plot with the Mole Man and Namor the Sub-Mariner, beginning with Ben finally getting his wish to be human again, and Namor seemingly getting Sue. Morrison, who re-energized the X-Men for a new era, and crafted a modern day classic with the Filth for Vertigo, is at his best here as he deconstructs the team, and in the end, weaves some of the most heroic acts to be seen in a Fantastic Four comic in years. Artist Jae Lee (Hulk/Thing: Hard Knocks, Inhumans, the Sentry) provides simply stunning work here that must be seen to be believed. All in all, this TPB is a must read for FF fans, and those who may have never liked Marvel's first family but like Morrison's stories should definitely check this out.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Confusing collection stretches minds (credibility, continuity), December 19, 2008
In this graphic novel (a collected miniseries) Grant Morrison proves, once again, that he's the king of the incomprehensible. High realities, prime movers and the elastic consciousness all intersect, as Doctor Doom does... something... that somehow brings... stuff... to... happen.
The Mole Man is involved (briefly) and Namor shows up to loom aristocratically and make out with the Invisible Woman. The Human Torch also has a cameo, and the Thing sort of lumbers around feeling sorry for himself (in both rocky and human form!).
Even after reading it twice, I have no idea what happened.
Still, there is a little bliss to be found in my ignorance - a lengthy conversation between Alicia Masters (blind) and Sue Storm (invisible) is actually a terrific scene.
Jae Lee's art is erratic. The Thing and the Invisible Woman both look terrific, while Mr. Fantastic looks like Ted Kaczynski. The layouts are all very ambitious, further adding to the confusion of the piece.
I hate to judge something I don't understand, but in this case, the complexity prevented me from enjoying the story.
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