PULL THIS! *points to long box* -or- Bucky's picks for the week of 11/23/2011

Fantastic Four #600. Flashback to 2004... Pixar completely rips-off Marvel by making the best FF movie ever and calling it The Incredibles. It still amazes that Marvel hasn't done more movie-wise with their first superhero property. There were some things I really dug with the flicks (like the casting of the Human Torch and the Thing and their interaction), but at no point did it ever feel like they were a family.

Which brings me to the comic. Every now and then the perfect writer for a title lands on a book. This is currently happening with Hickman on the Fantastic Four. This is currently my favorite Marvel title on the shelf right now... and honestly if you aren't reading it you are not a comic fan and you probably love to punch nuns. I get the whole nun punching thing tho as I went to Catholic school. Seriously, you owe it to yourself to go back and start at the beginning of Hickman's run. It's like a reward for being a comic book reader for so many years as it has nothing to do with reboots or recreating the characters. He respects the history of this team and the history of the Marvel Universe while making it incredibly exciting and foreword thinking. Honestly, as a writer, Hickman intimidates me. He has an amazing amount of story lines running in this book and his grasp of science fiction big thinking that this book should have is amazing.

This team feels like a family that has been together their whole lives and I love it. He has added an incredible cast of characters with the Future Foundation and with the different clans that are fighting for power. Lots of space adventures, lots of science, lots of humor, and lots of love. I hope they keep this creative team on here for years to come.

And speaking of team, they have Epting doing the pencils and he is a perfect choice for this book. Prior to him, Eagleshaw handled the pencils and did an equally amazing job (altho I thought his Mr. Fantastic was a bit too hunky). I love when creative teams stay on books for extended amounts of times. I feel that it helps continuity.

This issue specifically was great per usual and it dealt with my biggest complaint of this current title... killing off main characters. It drives me nuts, but it was responsible for Spidey being on the team which has been... well... fantastic. I've really enjoyed his interaction with the Richard kids as they both lost Uncles (Ben and Johnny = Human Torch). Great emotional stuff to pull from. Really, read this book.

Secret Avengers #19. High octane avengers book with a great line-up. Surprised at how much I am digging this book. I mean where else can you read about Kung-Fu and Science wrapped up in a big action ball.

Captain America & Bucky #624. Currently covering the origin of Bucky/Winter Soldier. Still not sure why this series isn't called Bucky.

Kick Ass 2 #5. Shit just got dark... and exciting. This issue leads up ti the return of everyone's fav. 3 foot female psycho super heroine.

Invincible #85. Still one of the best books on the shelf.

See you next Comic Book Wednesday!

This post was written by:
mrbucky

Read the full story

if you don't know, now you know- FF = Future Foundation

Sure it's a reboot but props to Hickman, Epting and the rest of Marvel to go balls out on it by not only busting a makeover, adding Spidey (was that really a surprise?) but re-amping the concept of FF to the Future Foundation.  For those that haven't been reading on since Hickman's hostile takeover-- FF has been filled with ill moments like- Doom saving the day, Reed killing off Galactus, Sue beeyoch slapping Namor in front of all of Atlantis and most notably the death of Johnny Storm.

Hickman is a lover of symbols, weaves a multitude of complex inner-meanings to his stories-- whether it is with his rich love of using history, bombarding readers with a barrage of scientific methods/facts in juxtaposition to confuse/amaze-- or just use a simple concept like a hexagon as a re-brand for Marvel's first fam.  I like the clean application of white for the FF costumes as this hasn't ever been a team that was in the shadows or covert-ops like just about every other team out there.

Marko Djurdjevic's concept designs do signal to being a stormtrooper and Tron mash-up, but hey I love em both anyways.  Now lets get back to the hexagon-- which has been used as a subtle design aspect in the first page inlay summarizing every ish for awhile now.

The hexagon is the only shape that is seen in nature as it is the most efficient use of space and materials (a  beehive), it has obvious connections to science or the microscopic mapping of DNA.  Now isn't that what the FF has always been about?!  A bunch of dorky, genius imaginauts that are out to save the 

world!!  Yes!  Quit hating on those threads ya'll, you need to jyst sit back and enjoy the wrath of this math.  The Fantastic Four is no longer limited to a few but many, with the immediate inclusion of the original Future Foundation-- Valeria, Franklin and Alex Power, Artee and the other pre-pubescent super-genius’.  

Now having Peter Parker jump on, well he fills the comedic role that the Human Torch was known for-- but also we will get to see Spidey go more into his science-nerd, lab-rat ways to keep Reed company and similar to how Beast is used in Secret Avengers-- more for his brain and less for his brawn.  As more deets roll out we will bring it to you and until March-- maybe you can play catch up with some back issues/trades  ; P  Love where this is going yeah?!



This post was written by:
big O

Read the full story