Comic Book Review: Fantastic Four #572

Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham has impressed the gang at the Revolution with their first 2 issues. Since they took over the book, Reed has discovered the Council. It consists of alternate versions of himself. Their goal is to solve every problem. The Council showed Reed their best and their worst. He choose to join them. Then they are betrayed by one of their members. Now the Council is under attack by the Celestials.

Will the H/E team give us a conclusion that continues the quality shown in the first 2 issues?

Creative Team
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Dale Eaglesham
Colorist: Paul Mounts

Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: The 616 Reed is standing beside a Reed with a large head. The other Reed uses his mental powers to read the minds of the Celestials. They sense him and cause his head to explode. They want the Council to bow before them.

A bearded Reed says they have no masters. The Celestials blast the bearded Reed and one of the others. One of the Council flies up and starts blasting the Celestials. The Council tries for the armory but the Celestials keep mowing them down.

One of the Council opens a portal to another Reed’s universe so he can access the power of his Infinity Gauntlet. The effort kills the Portal Reed. The Infinity Gauntlet is used to stop 3 of the Celestials. He orders the others to return to their homes and bring back whatever they can find that can help stop the Celestials.

Our Reed makes it through the portal as one of the Celestials reaches for him. It cuts the Celestial’s hand off when the gateway closes.

Five minutes earlier, in Reed’s primary lab…Franklin and Val are packing backpacks for a trip.

Johnny and Ben say goodbye to Susan. They take the Fantasticar and go off for a vacation on Nu-World.

Franklin and Val are on a mechanical horse/flying machine. They use a grappling device to hook onto the Fantasticar.

Susan goes to Reed’s lab. The door is closed. She apologizes for what she said in the previous issue. If Reed needs to work alone, it must be important. She will be waiting for him when he is done.

Reed returns to the Council with a Universal Entropy Gun. The weaponry takes out all but 5 of the Celestials. They escape. A hunting party is organized. 616 Reed is told to stay behind and care for the wounded.

The Reed who betrayed them is left behind. The Celestials tore his mind apart when they were looking for information about the Council. His mind does not work like it did before.

616 Reed tells him that since he is no longer a genius, he will have more time for family and friends. The other Reed replies that they all give it up for the greater good. He says all of the Reeds are alone.

616 Reed says he will never give up his family. The other Reed says that he will make the same choices and return to the Council. 616 Reed leaves.

Flashback to Reed working on his car…his father tells him he will be gone for a while. He will be around if Reed really needs him. Reed is now a man capable of making his own decisions.

Back in the present…Reed commands the computer to delete the room that gives him access to the Council.

As he remembers various things from his life, Reed remembers his father saying that he expects Reed to be better than him. He should be a better friend, husband, and father. Reed should be a better man.

Reed opens the door to find Susan.

Commentary
The Good: “Solve Everything” was a great opening storyline by the new creative team. Hickman has hooked me with this debut story arc and I will definitely be along for the ride.

I enjoyed seeing the different Reeds. Over the years, various alternate versions of Reed have appeared. One of my favorites was the Brute on Counter-Earth. He could turn into a Hulk like creature.  The multiple Reeds in this issue are an interesting group. I particularly liked the one with the portal in his chest.

Hickman’s characterization of Susan was great. Sue realizes that she was in the wrong. Susan might loose her temper with Reed at times, but she knows him better than anyone else. I was happy to see that Hickman was not going to use this conflict to break up Reed and Sue.

Reed made the logical choice when he choose to leave the Council and return home. Once before, Reed had done the “right” thing by using a device on Franklin that rendered him comatose. It pretty much destroyed his family. I am sure that Reed would remember this and that is why he did not hesitate to leave the Council. Reed could not reconcile the loss of his family and friends with the good deeds that would be accomplished. The good deeds would be meaningless without his family.

Eaglesham continues to turn in great art. I like the way he has combined his style with hints of Jack Kirby. One of the complaints some people have made is that he draws Reed too muscular. This is actually a return to the way Kirby drew him. Take a look at the size of Reed’s body in this Kirby cover.

I am eager to read the storylines that Hickman talked about in the letters page. Secret Atlantean cities, spaceship planets, and a Moloid Civil War.  It all sounds fantastic.

Hickman also takes the time to start a plotline (Franklin and Val’s adventure) that will occur next issue. I like it when an author sets up a future storyline while still telling a story in the current issue versus giving the reader a pure set-up issue.

The Bad: There was nothing really bad in this issue.

Overall: Fantastic Four #572 was a good read.  This opening story arc was a good first story by Hickman and Eaglesham. I look forward to a long run by Hickman and Eaglesham on the Fantastic Four. Highly recommended.
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Jim