2875

I'm going to admit, I avoided reading the new FF simply because of the cover image they used on this first book. Because the Thing looks absolutely ridiculous when you can see the musculature under the rocks.

Anyway, with nothing else to do last night while working at the comic shop, I decided, what the hell? Let's see how bad it gets.

The good news is, inside, the Thing still looks exactly like the Thing.

Slott takes his time getting the band back together, which is only fair. He gives us good introductions to all the main players, which are the four members of the FF, but also Franklin and Valeria, son and daughter to Reed and Sue, who also play significant roles.

Slott also gets that, as has been said eleventy-million times now, that the FF is about family, and he interjects—sometimes a touch heavy-handedly—that element when required. Overall, it works.

He can't quite seem to decide whether Reed is a bit of a prick, or just a misunderstood genius at times, but more on that in volume two.

Overall, though, a fun return to comics' first family. ( )

Dan Slott does a throwback reset on the Fantastic Four back to what old fanboys like me consider the glory days, especially after the last decade of harrowing stories we've been given where various characters have been dead, separated into other groups, or taking part in vast and convoluted conspiracies.

At the heart of the book are the four people I've enjoyed visiting with again and again over the years, actually being likable and happy to see each other. I'm sure it won't last, due to the nature of the beast, but I'm hoping Slott keeps up the lighter tone for a few volumes at least. ( )