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Posted by Don MacPherson on February 6th, 2011
Fantastic Four #587 (Marvel Comics)
by Jonathan Hickman, Steve Epting, Rick Magyar & Mike Perkins
I’m a fan of writer Jonathan Hickman’s work, and his and his editors’ development for a new direction for the Fantastic Four seemed like an opportunity to revisit his work with Marvel’s first family of super-heroes. As I waded into this highly promoted issue of death (dah-dah-duhhhnnn), I was intrigued by a number of the elements I found in the story, but I was more surprised at how inaccessible this comic book is. Now, there’s always going to be a learning curve when a new reader comes into a story arc in the middle or the end, but with episodic fiction such as this, I’ve always felt that creators and editors need to acknowledge the potential that every issue is someone’s first. And with this issue in particular, those involved knew ahead of time that there would be thousands of new readers checking it out for the heavily marketed character death. I was quite interested in the school for the gifted that the FF seemed to be operating, but I didn’t know who several of the characters were. And the script provides little information about Ben Grimm’s reversion to human form or why that status changes later in the issue. Furthermore, I wasn’t terribly interested in the Nu-World plotline or the undersea politics of war, and I’ve always found the Namor/Invisible Woman dynamic to be forced and boring.
Steve Epting’s dark style was an excellent choice for this story arc, given the tragic elements that make up the story. It makes for an interesting contrast with the colors; Paul Mounts really makes the energy of the super-hero genre pop against the noir visuals that Epting provides. The art is quite consistent throughout the comic, which is impressive since three inkers (including Epting himself) contributed to the finished product. His designs for the wild sci-fi concepts — which are numerous, given the three separate plotlines running through this comic — look great as well, save for the “Annihilation Wave” that serves as the threat in the central storyline. 5/10
Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever #1 (Dark Horse Comics)
by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi & John Severin
These Witchfinder series, featuring the adventures of a gentleman monster killer in Victorian times, stand out as the strongest of the Mignola-verse comics, and given how good they can be, that’s really saying something. Mike Mignola and John Arcudi take the title character out of his element with this latest limited series, and it really makes this new story stand apart from previous Witchfinder tales. Grey’s exceptional qualities, civility and superior intellect actually seem like liabilities in the Wild West setting, and that fish-out-of-water approach brings a fresh quality to the core concept. Also drawing the reader deeper into the story is the mystery surrounding a bizarre event that transformed a burgeoning frontier town into a pit of misery, but the writers wisely connect that transformation not only to something dark and supernatural but to grounded economic factors as well. That smart writing adds to the fun of the monster mash.
Not only does this series place Sir Edward Grey in an unexpected and unusual setting, it also looks unlike previous Witchfinder comics. Of course, that’s because the creators tapped the perfect artist to handle a story set in the Old West: John Severin. As usual, he handles the material incredibly well. He makes the rough, raw backdrop look as untamed and dirty as it should. The meticulous detail in his realistic artwork is something to behold. that he continues to produce top-notch work at the age of 89 just adds to the impressiveness of his performance. 9/10
Soldier Zero #5 (Boom! Studios/POW! Entertainment)
by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning & Javier Pina
I’m surprised to find that this series has changed writers with the beginning of the second story arc, but fortunately, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning maintain a consistent tone with what Paul Cornell did with the first four issues. The central theme of the book remains the ways in which people contend with disability, and I’m fascinated by the number of different ways in which the writers manage to explore that concept. The different ways in which the hero and his brother contend with life-altering injuries ring true and add another interesting conflict to the ongoing narrative. Honestly, the super-hero/science-fiction elements in the series, though handled well, are actually the least interesting elements. Mind you, the new “app” villain’s premise and abilities are terribly cool and entertaining.
One of the reasons for that is the artwork, and more specifically due to the computer coloring/enhancement effects. The line art from Javier Pina conveys the action effectively. I noted that his backgrounds throughout this issue are rather lacking, but the bulk of the story takes place in a hospital, so the lack of adornment in the background actually works when it comes to capturing the antiseptic, utilitarian environment. I also remain pleased with the simple design of the title character, though over the course of the series, I find I’m less taken with it when it shares space with the other similar designs of the various alien antagonists that appear in the story from time to time. 8/10
Note: This comic book is slated for release Feb. 16.
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February 7th, 2011 at 12:10 am
Funny one of the only things I ever liked about the F4 was the Namor/Invisible Woman dynamic. In fact, of the few stories I ever read I only cared for stories with Dr. Doom or Namor.
February 7th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
I find it unfair to say the FF issue is to complicated, especially since its the last issue of the arc. Most people who come into buy it are the speculators who are not planning to read it anyways. Not every comic can or should be accessible on its own, If you were really interested you grab the 5 issues of the arc which were all available as new pritings the same day.
I checked out the first issue of Witchfinder without any prior knowledge of the title and found myself pretty confused, not to say it wasn’t interesting but it wasn’t new reader friendly, even though it was a first issue. I didn’t read Soldier Zero #5 but I would wager its just as confusing to a new reader.
I remember as a kid grabbing old Claremont X-Men and not necessarily knowing what was happening, but all that did was make me hunt down other issues.
February 7th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Ray wrote:
I find it unfair to say the FF issue is to complicated, especially since its the last issue of the arc. Most people who come into buy it are the speculators who are not planning to read it anyways.
That’s an assumption, and even if it were true, it doesn’t invalidate my point. Some people would be interested in the story — I know, because I’m one of them.
Not every comic can or should be accessible on its own
Well, we disagree on that point.
If you were really interested you grab the 5 issues of the arc which were all available as new pritings the same day.
So I should plunk down almost $20 to determine if FF is a book I want to follow again? Might as well wait for the trade in that case.
As for your experience with the most recent Witchfinder comic, it’s unfortunate you found it inaccessible. I just thumbed through my copy again, and it seems to me that the story’s fairly clear, but you felt differently. Not a problem. Different views.
As for Soldier Zero #5, you couldn’t have read it yet; as noted at the bottom of the review, it’s not scheduled for release until Feb. 16. And as for its accessibility, again, you’re making an assumption based on… well, no information, since you haven’t read it.
Ray, your comments clearly boast a defensive tone. I think you mistake my criticism of FF #587 as criticism of you for enjoying it. That’s not the case. My view is a subjective one, just as yours is. There’s room for varying opinions (save for those based on assumption rather than actual information).
February 8th, 2011 at 3:17 am
I agree with Ray on this one. Don’t know why a review was made on the last issue of the arc. It’s seems like FF #587 was only reviewed because of all the attention and hype of a character’s death. Having not read previous issues of FF then it’s no wonder you were asking questions. But still you went through with the review and gave a mediocre score due to not understanding certain parts that you would have known if you read previous issues. With all due respect, this review seems like attention-seeking in attempt to draw traffic than a thoughtful review that are usually on this site.
February 8th, 2011 at 9:29 am
Dave wrote:
Having not read previous issues of FF then it’s no wonder you were asking questions.
Quoting from my review:
With all due respect, this review seems like attention-seeking in attempt to draw traffic than a thoughtful review that are usually on this site.
Wow, it’s amazing that you think it’s respectful to suggest I had some kind of bizarre ulterior motive in writing a review of a comic book for a site about comic books. [sacrasm mode on] Sure, nothing generates site traffic like a review of a key issue a couple of weeks after its release. [sarcasm mode off]
I’m not saying you have to agree with my opinion, but the emotional reactions to a couple of paragraphs about a comic or speculation about my reasons for writing them aren’t called for.
February 8th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Honestly, I don’t feel the need to defend my choice in reading, as I’m sure you don’t feel the need to either, especially not over the internet. My point was simply that I think you knocked FF down a few more points then you would normally have because of it was inaccessible. Having checked out your site regualarly over the last few years, this score seemed a bit lower than your thoughts on it would suggest.
The whole everything accessible is a whole other argument, but simply put even watching TV on the big networks (we’ll exclude HBO and the like because those are more of the Vertigo of comics), you couldn’t have jumped midway into Lost, Heroes or even Glee for that matter and not felt confused. But if you were to start with the beginning of any season or arc then I think you would be able to appreciate and enjoy it to a higher degree. This is not to say Marvel couldn’t have done a better recap page, or even included a link to their website with the recap page for several of the previous issues, but to have made the issue both a recap and a death of story would have been a greater disservice in my opinion.
To finish, my Soldier Zero comment was more to suggest I didn’t read it, and had no intention to. Also having read the only first two issues of Hickman’s FF run prior to the death issue, I went through the whole run Hickman the Tuesday before FF #587 came out, which obviously made me enjoy the issue to much more.
February 8th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Up front, I want to admit that I haven’t read Fantastic Four #587. As a result, I don’t really have an opinion on your review, or the score you gave it.
I’m writing because I disagree with your statement that “creators and editors need to acknowledge the potential that every issue is someone’s first.” Don, you’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but I respectfully disagree.
In today’s comic world, a single issue isn’t stand-alone any longer. It’s part of an arc, one complete story. Because comics are so limited in space, I don’t want a creator or an editor to waste time and space explaining what happened previously. Like other posters have said, if you’re coming into an arc in the last issue, regardless of your reason, it’s natural for you to be confused. Good writing can mitigate this a little, but it is an unrealistic expectation for a new reader to understand and follow everything in the last chapter of a story arc.
Other mediums: books, movies, TV, have the luxury of being longer in format, and can have a recap, but even then, it’s limited. If I’m reading book 7 of Harry Potter, just to pick a random example, I don’t want J.K. Rowling to spend time and space explaining everything that happened in the previous six books to me. The assumption is that if I’m reading book 7, I’ve read the other ones.
Why should comics be any different? This is maybe a topic for another time, but maybe comics should be numbered in a different way, to avoid any confusion. Maybe instead of being completely sequential, comics should be numbered strictly by mini-series, the way Dark Horse does with Hellboy and BPRD. Instead of being FF # 587, it would be part 6 of 6.
Didn’t comics use to do this in the past anyway, at least on the covers? If the decision to do away with mini-series numbering was made because it cuts down on sales, then the decision-makers at Marvel have only themselves to blame for any confusion on the part readers.
All that said, #587 of Fantastic Four is different. I agree with you that some people who don’t normally read FF will buy it because of the “hype.” Should the creators and editors make a big profile book like that more accessible to new readers? Probably. Should that philosophy extend to all comics? No.
February 8th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Hey Don,
Would it be better if they had a better recap page like the ones they used to have in Gotham Central, or better yet like the ones in the new Jeff Parker Hulk book?
I don’t think the narrative should be hindered by the “every book is someone’s first” theory, but I think that a really good recap page should give you the gist of what’s going on.
February 8th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Jon wrote:
I’m writing because I disagree with your statement that “creators and editors need to acknowledge the potential that every issue is someone’s first.” Don, you’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but I respectfully disagree.
In today’s comic world, a single issue isn’t stand-alone any longer. It’s part of an arc, one complete story. Because comics are so limited in space, I don’t want a creator or an editor to waste time and space explaining what happened previously.
I understand your thinking, but consider this: comics readership is dwindling and it’s become more and more difficult to attract and keep younger readers. Could inaccessible storytelling be a factor?
All that said, #587 of Fantastic Four is different. I agree with you that some people who don’t normally read FF will buy it because of the “hype.”
Exactly. If a publisher heavily promotes a comic — especially to an audience outside of the regular readership — shouldn’t an effort be made to ensure the newbie has all the info s/he needs to follow the story.
February 8th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Steven wrote:
Would it be better if they had a better recap page like the ones they used to have in Gotham Central, or better yet like the ones in the new Jeff Parker Hulk book?
Yes, a more informative recap page would’ve been better. The information to make the story accessible needn’t be incorporated into the script (though I’m always more impressed when relevant exposition is woven seamlessly into a script). The recap page for this particular issue of FF was certainly lacking.
February 9th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Don wrote:
I understand your thinking, but consider this: comics readership is dwindling and it’s become more and more difficult to attract and keep younger readers. Could inaccessible storytelling be a factor?
I think inaccessible storytelling is just one factor among many, and probably isn’t the most significant one. Younger readers would enjoy longer story arcs just as much as an adult reader if the content, price, and other factors made buying comics an attractive option.
Making comics more standalone-ish won’t, by itself, attract more readers. The very fact that comics are numbered at all might put off a potential new reader. If I’m at the book store and want to check out a series, I’m not going to start at the middle or the end, even if the book claims it can be read as a stand-alone novel. I’m going to find the first book in the series and start from there.
February 24th, 2011 at 6:26 am
Read Soldier Zero #5 because of a strong recommendation with your review, but I didn’t find the issue accessible at all. I have no idea what’s going on and I didn’t know who those several characters were. The writers should have done a better job making it more accessible to those who never read previous issues of Soldier Zero, especially if issue 5 is their first issue.