This second prelude to Empyre brings The Fantastic Four handily into the action and sets up the opening sequence for the first issue of the main miniseries. You may question the propriety of The Invisible Woman helping her kids cheat at gambling, but it gets them out of immediate trouble and helps The FF win the day in the end, and we must assume this sort of thing will not get to be a habit. The alien kids now in The FFs custody are a wait-and- see. And with that, on to the main story.

Empyre #0 does what you want a Marvel comic book to do. It makes sure you know where youre standing, story-wise, and who everyone is, and keeps all the characters in character and voice. Its accessible to new readers and attractively drawn, and handily sets up the story for the main miniseries to come. Now, on to The Fantastic Four and whatever other cosmic revelations await us.

All things considered, this is a pretty rousing start to the Empyre epic. I remember seeing stories of the Kree home planet as a place completely covered with technology, where nothing grows except machinerythe legacy of their ancient hatred and prejudice against the Cotati. Well, their botanical bigotry has come back to bite both them and the Skrulls this time, and it will be up to The Fantastic Four and The Avengerswhom both sides have long hatedto get them out of it. And it serves them right.

With a crackling script and art that moves everything along, the second issue of Empyre provides twists and complications and good action. This part of the story centers primarily on The Avengers, who have ample opportunity to show why theyre called Earths Mightiest Heroes. The nod to a bit of Fantastic Four history is also welcome. Our heroes seem to have the situation in space mostly in handbut plenty of trouble still awaits them back on Earth!

Empyre continues to move the story along briskly. It seems to be one of the better events with which Marvel has occupied its entire publishing line. While it will be a relief when this whole thing is over and we can get back to Marvel Comics just telling stories againat least until the next all-encompassing eventat least this saga is full of twists and turns that make us want to see what happens next.

Now that Wiccan has exposed the Skrulls chicanery, where is Hulkling, and can his husband find him and save him? How can She-Hulk be saved? Will Earth be overgrown with Cotatis, or will the Skrulls and Kree reduce our poor planet to ashes? These questions and many others will be answered in the next issue of Empyre!

Theres just one more issue of Empyre to go. After that, there will be a lot of one-shots and specials about the consequences of this epic for the Marvel Universe, including one that deals expressly with Reed Richards and The FF, and another celebrating the Wiccan/Hulkling marriage. For now, though, well have to wait until the beginning of September to see how Reed and Iron Man will rather literally pull us all out of the fire.

What more needs to be said here, with a story that is a winner in every way? The art of Valerio Schiti and Marte Gracia delivers the goods. The Fantastic Four, mighty Thor, The Black Panther, Tony Stark, and everyone all bring their best game. The conclusion of Empyre is Marvel storytelling in its most satisfying style.

Well, if you want to talk about characters growing and changing, it looks as if The Thing and Alicia becoming foster parents will set the stage for exactly that. With Jo-Venn and NKalla going from being mortal enemies to sworn friends and now living under the roof of The Fantastic Four (and the still-unexplained connection between NKalla and Alicia), things are bound to be interesting for our Fantastic family going forward. Are Jo-Venn and NKalla ready for Yancy Street? Is Yancy Street ready for them?

This issue, in which nothing happened but everything happened, played like the prologue to the real story still to come.

This ending of this issue also symbolizes what we most need to see right now: The Fantastic Four asleaders of the Marvel cast of characters.Not followers of trends, not a subordinate or secondary presence, not imitators of the sensationalistic things going on in other comics, not riders of the coattails of other characters. This is a disservice to the characters who started it all and are still the greatest. Let's never forget it again: They are still The Fantastic Four.

This issue represents the Fantastic Fourboth the book and its charactersgetting back on their feet after three years of separation and three years without a new issue every month. One more welcome sight is to be found on the cover of the main edition of this issue, with the Esad Ribic painting: the return of the Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine! banner over the title. Regardless of commercial considerations and the relative popularity of other characters who would not even exist if there had been no Fantastic Four, it is this book and only this book to which the designation of The Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine! rightfully belongs. With more appropriate art choices and the sure hand of Dan Slott on scripts, we may yet hope to see another renaissance for the firstand still the bestMarvel comic book.

So, to tally things up: The FF are back on regular Marvel Earth with a new home; someone else is living in their former digs; The Future Foundation has withdrawn into the subplot, making our team once again the Fantastic FOUR; and Ben and Alicia have moved up the wedding date. And coming up along with that, we have Dr. Doom and Galactus in what I surmise will bring new twists to familiar stories. If we can just keep up the quality of the artand have people draw the Human Torch and the Thing correctlythe current stories of Dan Slott just might make it a great time to be reading The Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine! again. Stay tuned, Four fans.

Tallying up Fantastic Four #5: These first five issues have been about getting Marvels founding heroes back on their feet after three years on hiatus. We now have the team back together and in a new headquarters, the Future Foundation gone, the Thing and Alicia married, and Dr. Doom and Galactus back in play. I for one look forward to Reed and Doom having a chance to catch up with each other in the wake of the last Secret Wars. With everything and everyone now in place, my wish for 2019 is to see this book truly become THE FANTASTIC FOUR again.

Victorious is a well-designed character and I hope Slott has some interesting twists in mind for the story that I suspect lies ahead for her. Aaron Kuder, please dont leave. Gracia and Arciniega, keep up the good work. This issue of The FF leaves us eager to see more.

In spite of the aggravating postponement of its releasethe second time Marvel has done this to us since re-starting the FF series, and will they please knock it off?this is another winning issue. The art of Aaron Kuder continues to be impressive (Reeds damn beard notwithstanding); if Kuder continues as hes doing now, his work will be remembered as being entirely worthy of The Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine! And Dan Slotts stories are humming along, making us want to see what awaits us on the other side of this story that restores Dr. Doom to his role as the baddest of all the bad guys. We should hope not to have to wait until the end of March to see what happens next.

With this issue and the next, Dan Slott will have completed his re-set of The Fantastic Four. He has the team back together and up and running, in a new home, with the kids older and Ben and Alicia married. He has restored Dr. Doom to his place at the top of the super-villain food chain (and then some). Once we get past the War of the Realms crossover episode scheduled for FF #10, I have a feeling (assuming the art remains consistent) that things are going to start looking really fantastic.

In all of comics there is no greater enmity than that of the Fantastic Four and Dr. Doom and no more entertaining story than watching Marvels greatest heroes and greatest villain come to blows. For all of Marvels history, the most bitter enemies have been Doom and Mr. Fantasticbut now, with this new twist, Dooms wrath and vengeance will fall on Reeds wife as much as on Reed himself. Up to this point, Dooms attitude towards Sue has been, Beautiful, but married to my mortal enemy and must be destroyed. Now the Invisible Woman is as much Dooms bitter foe as her husband is, and that could get us into some very interesting situations in tales yet to come.

With our heroes and the kids now settled in to their new home, all the pieces are in place for renewed and continued Fantastic Four greatness. The next order of business, to be taken up next issue, is the honeymoon of Ben and Alicia. And what better time to bring back yet another FF tradition: An epic battle between the many-splendored Thing and the ever-incredible Hulk! Thats for next issue.

And so, another good Fantastic Four story, well-told, art problems aside, brings us nearly to the end of the first year of the revived FF book. All the characterizations are clicking, and Franklins power problems and their effect on his morale pose an interesting conflict, of which we are surely seeing only the beginning. Dan Slott continues to lay the groundwork for what may prove to be one of The FFs most creatively fertile periods.

Dan Slott once again turns in a good story that leaves you wanting more. The backup feature jacked up the price of this issue by a dollar, and its a dollar I would rather not have spent for that artwork. And Im really anxious to see the outcome of this latest, and possibly most fateful, battle between The Thing and The Hulk. Come on, August 14, 2019!

In these thirteen issues so far, Dan Slott has reunited The Fantastic Four, brought them home, given them a new place to live, married Alicia and The Thing, restored the villainy of Dr. Doom, and now given us another memorable round of comics greatest grudge match. Its time to open this book up to some new territory, some new things to explore, and some new things to discover, in the best Fantastic Four tradition. And it looks as if in the issues ahead, we may see just that. Onward to FF #14 and whatever may await us, and our heroes, there.

There was a time when The Fantastic Four was a book of universe-expanding and universe-shaping discoveries, which introduced new characters and new ideas that made the Marvel Universe a richer and more wonder-filled place. Of course, that was with Jack Kirby at the helm, and no one expects current storytellers to operate on Kirbys level. But this book should always have that kind of ambition, and with the new voyage of discovery on which The FF are embarking, we at least see a hint of that kind of spirit coming back. May this be as awesome a time as The Fantastic Four deserves.

Where does the prophecy about The Fantastic Four come from, and will The FF become a part of the world of Spyre forever? Will The Thing be overrun by the monsters of the planets underworld? Why does Sky think The Human Torch is her soulmate, and what will Citadel have to say about that? These questions and many others will be answered in the next issue of The Fantastic Four!

The senses-shattering saga of Spyre plays a number of familiar Fantastic Four riffs and comes up with some new and entertaining things to do with them. This is stuff weve seen before in ways that we havent seen it. Coming up with material that is true to the FF tradition but isnt a mere retread of old stories isnt easy, but Dan Slott seems to be on top of things. I look forward to seeing the full effects of the visit of The Fantastic Four to planet Spyre, and what it will mean to the future.

Why is there a Fantastic Four? Why and how did The FF really happen? By visiting the planet that they were trying to reach in their origin story, The FF has shed a new light on its very existence. Its The Origin of the Origin of The Fantastic Four!

This saga has been an exploration of what happens when a prophecy fulfills itself. It will have lasting repercussions for the worlds greatest heroes; for one of them, look ahead at the cover of FF #20 and see who has been drawn with Johnny and Wyatt Wingfoot. And judging by the cover of our next issue, now weve seen The Thing lash outnext time it will be Reeds turn. We dont see the rational Mr. Fantastic get really angry that often, but when he doeslook out!

As The Grateful Dead sang, this past six issues has been a long, strange trip in which weve seen the foundations of Four lore shaken and transformed. And I think this has been only the intro story for Spyre and The Unparalleled. Speaking as a storyteller myself, I would not have created all this just to spend six issues on it, and I dont think thats what Slott had in mind either. From the looks of things, The Unparalleled are the new Inhumans, and well be returning to this story in months yet to come.

This issue was a welcome opportunity to catch our collective breath after the epic space adventure of the previous five issues. It was mostly smartly written, with just the right mix of characterization, humor, and action. And Wyatt Wingfoot is welcome around these parts any time. Starting next issue, though, the Richards kids and a couple of guest stars take center stage while The FF go back to space for the latest cross-continuity event, Empyre!

As Empyre moves into full swing, Marvel does one of the things that it loves to do best and throws Spider-Man and Wolverine out to get people to pay attention. With the Cotati, the Priests of Pama, and this so-called Dark Harvest we seem to be seeing a new spin on an old story. These cross-continuity events are mostly a marketing stunt to be endured, but at least The FF are taking a central role in this one instead of being treated as secondary characters in their own universe. And what is it with NKalla?

Well, we have one more FF issue to tie in with Empyre, and from the looks of things its going to be very eventful. How will the Priests of Pama use Jo-Venn to get their hands on the technology of the Omni-Wave Projector, and how will Franklin and Valeria, with an assist from Spider-Man and Wolverine, shut them down? And how will it play into the finale of the Empyre saga? One things for sure: the Richards kids, after this, will have a new reason for not liking their vegetables.

Well, its all over but the fallout, and for that we have an epilogue issue of Empyre centering on The FF next week. All things considered, this issue was a briskly paced and skillful wrap-up of The Fantastic Fours part in this latest Marvel event. Next ish, its back to business as usual for a whileat least until Marvel calls another event and the regularly scheduled adventures of our force-some foursome are interrupted yet again.

Whatever may occur between The Fantastic Four and The X-Men in the future, this issue gives us a pleasing break from all the cosmic goings-on that have embroiled our heroes for the last few months. And it shows The FF doing what families always dogrowing and changing. It took a couple of years to get to the explanation, finally, of Icemans presence in the battle against The Griever, but it proved to be worth the wait. Next issue: Dr. Doom, Victorious, more surprising fallout from Empyre, and a new cosmic villain!

So what is The Helmsman looking for anyway, and when he finds it, what will he do with it? And if neither Reed nor Dr. Doom has it, who does? And what will The FF do about the Forever Gate? These questions and many others might be answered in the next issue of The Fantastic Four.

Good art (except for the size problem with the Thing), good plot, good subplots, good characterizationbig continuity problem with Franklin. The only thing this issue leaves to be desired is a good, close shave for Mr. Fantastic, whose jawline continues to be devoured by that unsightly beard. The follow-up on Valerias alien boyfriend is another good callback to the beginning of the current series, and who would have thought it was possible for the Torchs love life to be more messed up than ever? Though the Franklin thing is highly suspect, its another well-done issue.

As heroes, the Fantastic Four specialize in dire cosmic situations, but it has seldom looked as dire as it does right now. Their homesboth of themhave been destroyed and the wrath of the Griever makes it look as if the universe may be next. Of course we know it wont come to thatbut will the FF actually dare to do what they seem to be about to do (something theyve done once before) to stop the Griever? For January it will be a high-stakes situation to start the 60th Anniversary year of The Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine!

When things are dire in the world of the Fantastic Four, they are dire at a magnitude you dont see anywhere else. And when things end happily in an FF saga, they end more happily than youd see elsewhere in comics. Except that this happy ending has left Earths greatest heroes homeless, its as happy as it can get. After this business with Venom Symbiotes is over (mercifully), it will be the start of a new cosmic chapter for the worlds greatest heroes.

Marvel Comics, at its best, is about stories and characters. A couple of times every year, it seems, Marvel is about sprawling Events that take over the whole output of the company. This is the latest and will doubtless not be the last. But for now, at least, the Fantastic Four are up to their armpits in the black slime of Symbiotes.

Can Victorious marry Dr. Doom in spite of her attraction to the Human Torch? Can Johnny ever atone for breaking Skys heart? And what evil, heinous thing is Dr. Doom really up to this time? The 60th Anniversary of The FF promises to be fun in the months ahead!

The next issue of The Fantastic Four will be titled The Sacred Vow of Victor Von Doom. Ill bet I can guess what that vow will be, just as I guessed what the story for this issue would be. Come back in a month and well see if Im rightand then, its on to the awesome 60th Anniversary Issue of The FF!

How long will the Human Torch stay changed forever? Will Dr. Doom and Victorious keep their wedding presents or send them back? And what will Spider-Man say when he finds out whats happened to his buddy Johnny? These questions and many others (yes, Spider-Man will be dropping in presently) will be answered in the next several issues of The Fantastic Four!

This issue is a love letter to Marvels first and best creation. It would be impossible to encapsulate everything that is great about The Fantastic Four in one 60-page story, but FF #35 captures the spirit of it. Its a fun read and great to look at, and may be the best thing Marvel will do in 2021.

The present fate of the Human Torch is one of the cruelest things that Dr. Doom has ever done, and no doubt were only beginning to see the harm that it will do to Johnny Storms life. And while Sky was naive about her seemingly ordained relationship with Johnny, she didnt deserve any of this, either. The fallout from Dooms actions will be far-reaching this time. Meanwhile, what was it about that woman on Yancy Street?

What more can there be for the Fantastic Four to face? During the holidays we will see the return of both the Wizard and She-Hulk (restored to her best form, thank goodness) and some new developments for Franklin. And that isnt even mentioning whatever may be awaiting Sue Richards. The Invisible Woman may have her hands full, getting her family through things yet to come!

We know, of course, that the Wizard is neither the law-abiding citizen that he claims to be, nor is his interest in Bentley one of mere paternal concern. Bentley has already begun to catch on that his father has somehow been spying on him, and we can be pretty sure that what the Wizard really wants is not a son but a protege in evil. Of course, this being a courtroom story, knowing this and proving it are two different things, and it looks like the FF are going to have their hands full just keeping their own family intact! This will all have to be sorted out somehow next issue.

We take our leave, for now, of Dragon Man and Bentley 23, though it appears that the next time Bentley shows up, he will have taken on a new guise. The Wizard weve known up to now was an evil genius and a would-be murderer. Theres no basis for that kind of evil in young Bentley, so what role he will play in the future of the Fantastic Four remains to be seen. However, it will be good to have our stories focusing on only the immediate Richards family during these next months with The Reckoning War.

The Reckoning War qualifies as a Marvel Event, but it is one that is concentrated primarily on this one book instead of spilling out into every other book in the line, which is a welcome thing, considering that the price of a regular Marvel comic book is now basically four bucks! The really big concerns at the moment are the fate of the Torch and whatever is going to make the Thing turn on Reed in a couple of issues. The FF is going to some extreme and dire places, and it leaves us to wonder what the lasting effects of all this will be on the future of Marvels First Family.

Well, next issue, the Thing is supposed to turn on Reed and try to murder him, and were still not seeing the motive for this shocking action. Additionally, the Invisible Woman is not in this issue at all, or if she is, shes so undercover and thoroughly cloaked that we cant know it. This is one of those times when the Fantastic Four are divided by dire circumstances, and that never leads to anything goodbut Im waiting to see if there might be some trick to what were allegedly going to see in FF #42.

Sue Richards is still incognito this issue, though she will be on board for the grand finale of this yarn in FF #44. What role will our ineluctable Invisible Woman play in saving the universe from the Reckoning? And will anyone be happy with Reed when this is all over? Two more issues of this to go

As we noted earlier, next issue is going to be mighty crowded. In addition to seeing how Dan Slott will get Reed out of this mess, well also see all sides of The Reckoning War converge on the planet of the Watchers, and learn the ultimate fate of all the Watchers and the forces of Wrath. We can pretty well expect that Doom wont end up with all the marbles as hes planned, but his part in it should be fun to watch. And that will be the start of another Fantastic Four summer.

This issue contains everything and everyone but the kitchen sink and destroys it all. Next issue is about how its all put back together. (And maybe well get the real deal on the Ultimate Nullifier?) One can only hope it finally comes out looking better than it does in this issue.

Just about everything is now in place except for the Things bachelor party, which I surmise well be seeing in Fantastic Four #5 along with the nuptials themselves. Much as Im looking forward to the wedding and everything surrounding it (a bachelor party thrown by the Human Torchwhat could possibly go wrong there?), Im even more intrigued with what will immediately follow: the return of Dr. Doom and a battle between the Monarch of Evil andGalactus! Im very interested to know what thats all about and whats going to come of it!

Can the universe survive the wrath of Wrath? Is the cosmically aware Reed really, finally about to shave off that damn beard, as the cover of Fantastic Four #40 seems to suggest? Will the Silver Surfer really use the Ultimate Nullifier? These questions and many others will apparently be answered in this years issues of the regular Fantastic Four comic!

This first issue is mainly about setup. It establishes the situation and lays the groundwork for an adventure in the biggest, most cosmic Fantastic Four tradition. Mark Waid in the past has shown that he knows and understands The FF and what makes a good story for them, and his work here is more of what we enjoyed when he wrote the regular FF book. As for Neal Adamsone of the truly landmark artists in comics adapts better to The FF in some ways than in others, but he makes a valiant effort.

Except for some glitches in art and history/continuity, this is a basically entertaining second issue of Antithesis. Reed and Johnny look great, Sue is as strong and beautiful as we want her, and The Thing still looks a bit too anthropoid. Neal Adams draws a cool Silver Surfer, except for the visible pupils in the eyes in that one panel. And it remains to be seen whether the alien menace gets any more original from here on.

Well, this whole Antithesis thing just goes to show that you shouldnt believe all of Marvels hype. They used the art of Neal Adams as a big draw for a story that doesnt really take us anywhere we havent previously been and doesnt really show us anything we havent already seen, and the precedents for the whole thing are really a lot more entertaining. The only thing really new here is that Neal Adams is drawing a full-length Fantastic Four story for the first time, and the novelty doesnt quite cover the price of admission.

It took forty years to happen, but there is at last a graphic novel based on The Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine! And more, it is a breathtaking work of one of the greatest artists working in comics. Alex Ross channels the style of Jack Kirby as he did in the Marvels Miniseries, while working in a style unlike any other comic book project, and it is the visual treat of 2022.

This book is full of pointless, gratuitous, and in some cases inexcusable things that neednt have been so. An homage to the history of The Fantastic Four should be done with love and care. What I see here is someone being allowed to treat it all in a cavalier fashion, in a style that is adolescent at best and juvenile at worst. I dont know whether its more maddening or saddening.

Its gratifying to see Marvel doing things to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of its original comic book. Read this book; enjoy the different spins on history and the attractive-looking art. I expect the remaining issues will offer us some intriguing surprisesbut I still want to know about the Silver Surfer and I still want to see Dr. Doom!

If Sue actually does consummate her extramarital attraction to the Sub-Mariner as this story implies, I dont think I want to know about it. What I do want to know is what happens when Galactus finally comes--and where in the heck the Silver Surfer is! But well have to wait for the answers to all this, as this peculiar rewrite of the history of Marvels founding heroes passes into the 1980s next issue.

This first issue is mostly set-up, laying out the conflicts that The Invisible Woman will have to navigate and negotiate in the rest of the miniseries. If Id been commissioned to do a miniseries about Sue, I would have put her in some super-cosmic, Earth-shaking Fantastic Four-type situation which she would have to face with no Reed, Torch, and Thing to help her. What Waid is doing here is to take Sue completely out of her usual element. However, being the heroine she is, Sue will doubtless come through like a champion.

Id still have preferred to see how The Invisible Woman would handle herself if she were on her own in the kind of adventure that we normally associate with The Fantastic Four. But this miniseries shows us how truly resourceful and fearless she is. Not for nothing is Susan Richards the second in command of Earths greatest adventuring team. Reed would be proud of her.

Well, halfway through The Invisible Womans spy adventure, what can we look forward to seeing next? I rather wish Id paid better attention to James Bond movies all these years; I might have a better idea of whats coming. Anyone know where I can watch some Man From UNCLE reruns, at least? What do you want to bet Aidan is double agent or something?

If you were writing a blurb for the back cover of this mini, you might describe it as "a taut, complex espionage thriller with super-powers." On that score, it delivers. It's intriguing to think of The Invisible Woman taking the power-skill set that she demonstrates in this story back into the regular adventures of The Fantastic Four.

In these five issues of her miniseries, we have seen Susan Richards do things with her powers that weve never seen her do before, and very clever things at that. Weve also seen her do something that a heroine of her kind and her stature is not meant to do. All things considered, it was a good story, well put together. But it also serves as a reminder of who The Fantastic Four really are and what their real place is in the scheme of thingsa place much loftier than the world of espionage.

This is one of the most dismal experiences I have ever had reading any comic book. A world that I didn't like visiting, characters I didn't like meeting and didn't care about, and an overall dark and nihilistic worldview combined to make me wish I hadn't taken on the task of reviewing this thing. I will make every effort to forget that I ever saw it. But it won't be easy.

This first issue is a skillfully written and beautifully drawn entry that makes you want to see more. The only remaining criticism is that Jim Cheung will not be aboard as regular artist, which will cost the book something in visual consistency. The challenge for other pencilers will be to keep the art at the level established in this issue. That's another thing that will bear watching.

There is everything to love about this issue. I haven't much to add to the high marks I've already given it. But if and when we have a monthly Fantastic Four book again, I would nominate Zdarsky to write it. He clearly knows what he's doing with this property.

All things considered, Marvel 2-in-One is a book to be recommended, especially if you loved The Fantastic Four.

Marvel 2-in-One continues to show itself worthy of the Fantastic Four heritage.

The art of Valerio Schiti slips just a little bit this issue, getting a bit quirky in the sequence in which the Thing is losing his temper on alter-Reed. It makes one want to see what a John Byrne or an Alan Davis might have done with that scene. I guess the tableau of Benjy venting his wrath on an already mentally beaten-up Reed is enough to make anyone's drawing style go a little wonky. The rest of this issue's story and art makes up for this.

Before we take our leave of Marvel 2-in-One until the Annual, it bears mentioning how good it is to have Jim Cheung back as penciler. Not that Valerio Schiti wasn't doing a good job, and not that Schiti wasn't developing well as the artist of this mag, but this great saga started with Cheung's art and it's good to have him on board for the wrap-up.

Now that the introductory story for the new Marvel 2-in-One is over (as of last issue), this universe-hopping business is diverting, but it will be much more interesting when Ben and Johnny return to the prime Marvel Earth and catch up with what's going on over there, especially the Mad Thinker's all-new Fantastic Four.

Where did they find artist Ramon Perez, how long can they keep him on this book, and is there any possibility that they can get him on the actual Fantastic Four book? His work looked promising last issue and it's looking better this issue. I'm almost beginning to think this is an artist we should be keeping our eyes on.

The Mad Thinker is madder than ever and seems truly bent on trying to become Reed Richards. With the characters in this issue and some others who are soon to appear in the main FF book, Marvel seems to be having a bit of fun playing with our notions of what a "Fantastic Four" is. We should all be looking forward to Reed and companylet it be known in no uncertain terms that there is only one foursome to whom that title truly, rightfully belongs.

It's been a long, strange trip with Ben and Johnny since Ben decided to take Johnny "on the road" across universes to buck up his morale after the apparent loss of Sue and Reed. Marvel 2-in-One has so far shown us some really good comic books in the Fantastic Four tradition, especially in the opening story that concluded with the showdown with the Galactus-powered Dr. Doom.

This issue was about tying up loose ends, not only in Marvel 2-in-One but in the main Fantastic Four book. It remains to be seen how Reeds actions, as explained in this issue, will be addressed in The FF. In fact it remains to be seen how our Fantastic Four, with a lot of help from their friends, got out of the situation in which we left them back in September. I still look forward to seeing the Fantastic Four return to doing what they do best: Challenging the Unknown and righteously clobbering the evils that they find along the way.

Theres not much more to say about Marvel 2-in-One. Writer Chip Zdarsky is to be commended for his understanding of the Fantastic Four and the way its characters work. Of the artists who have worked with him on these twelves issues, Jim Cheung did the most stellar job and its regrettable that we didnt get to see more of it. Last year at this time, this book held out the tantalizing promise of the return of the Fantastic Four, and its gratifying to see that Marvel has delivered on that promise.

I wanted to like the Marvel 2-in-One Annual as much as I've liked the six "Fate of the Four" issues that just wrapped up. Sadly, I found the whole thing quite unsatisfying.

Dan Slott really shows his love of the Fantastic Four and its brilliant history with this very inventive tale. Every hit that the members of the FF take to save the world is a personal blow to those of us who love them, and the Watchers agony over his recreational viewing of other histories being used against him is well portrayed. This is a unique instance of a What If?, which is usually no more than a storytelling exercise with no consequences on regular story, actually making a dent in continuity. Very entertaining indeed.