The Revolution has been enjoying Ultimate Fantastic Four. It isn’t the best title, but it has solid writing and some of the nicest artwork of any comic book. Ultimate Fantastic Four is definitely a better comic book than the regular Fantastic Four title. I’m confident that Ultimate Fantastic Four #30 will be a pretty entertaining read.
Creative Team
Writer: Mark Millar
Penciler: Greg Land
Inker: Matt Ryan
Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: The issue starts with Johnny and the Thing on a double date with Alicia Masters and one of Alicia’s friends. Alicia’s friend goes to the rest room and Johnny comments that he isn’t that impressed with her. Alicia points out that her friend, Tara, is extremely smart and had her first book published at the age of 12. Johnny retorts that if he wants intelligent conversation then he’ll listen to Reed and Sue. (That’s my boy! Gotta love Johnny’s attitude.) Alicia then comments that if Johnny valued brains over bust size then his relationships might last longer than 12 hours. Johnny responds that Alicia says it like it is a bad thing.
Suddenly, a runaway Porsche comes screaming by the restaurant almost hitting everyone seated at the outside tables. Johnny takes off after the out of control Porsche. The Porsche heads straight for a large gas tanker truck. The Porsche slams into it and there is a big explosion. Johnny flies out of the explosion with the driver of the Porsche in his arms. The drive is a smoking hot rubia. The driver is a total bimbo who tells Johnny that she forgot how to work the brakes on her new car. Suddenly, Johnny crumples over in pain and asks the girl to call his dad.
We shift to Professor Storm talking to Reed. Reed is telling Professor Storm that he is working on a way to send the Zombie Fantastic Four back to their dimension and seal them there so they can spread their virus to any other worlds. Professor Storm asks Reed about the zombie Reed claiming they can escape whenever they want to. Reed says that the zombie Reed is bluffing. Suddenly, an ambulance arrives with Johnny. They wheel Johnny into the labs of the Baxter Building.
Reed conducts extensive testing on Johnny and determines that he is infected with an extraterrestrial organism from the N-Zone. Basically, Johnny is pregnant with this organism that is growing inside of him. Professor X is there having been called by Reed to help out. Prof. X mentally probes the organism. Prof. X says that the creature eats organic material and is completely unintelligent but potentially devastating to every living thing on Earth. Professor X then says that they have seven days before the organism hatches.
We shift to the Himalayas where Sue Storm is meeting with Crystal, Johnny’s old girlfriend. Sue asks Crystal for help from the Inhumans and their superior technology to deal with Johnny’s condition. Crystal tells Sue that Black Bolt has forbidden any contact with the human race. Therefore, Crystal cannot help Johnny. Sue tells Crystal that this organism is a threat to every living creature on Earth which means the Inhumans are in danger, too. Crystal responds “Not where we’re living now.”
We hop back to the Baxter Building where Johnny is calling up an old girlfriend and apologizing for the way he broke up with her. We then see Reed asking Zombie Reed for help with curing Johnny. Zombie Reed says he will not help Reed and continues playing Sudoku. (Dude! The Revolution has many family members who are totally addicted to Sudoku!) Reed angrily instructs the guards to take away all their pens and paper and anything thing else that keeps the zombies sane, including their cross word puzzles and Sudoku. (No! Anything but the Sudoku!) Reed then tells the Thing that he is all out of ideas. Ben then tells Reed that there is one other guy that Reed hasn’t called that may be able to help.
And with that we cut over to the Fantasti-Car landing in Latveria. Reed and Sue are greeted by a Latverian official who hails the greatness of Doom. That in a mere six months, Doom has transformed Latveria from a poor peasant nation into the ninth richest country in the world.
We then shift to inside Doom’s lab where Mrs. Storm tells Doom that her daughter and Reed have arrived four full minutes later than he had calculated. Doom responds “Then I recommend you reset your watch, Mrs. Storm. Doctor Doom doesn’t make mistakes.” (Aww, yeah! You gotta love Doom!) End of issue.
Comments:
The Good: This was a pretty solid issue. I liked the opening scene with Johnny and Ben on a double date with Alicia and her friend. It is nice to see Ben finally happy and enjoying the company of his lady friend. It also contrasted Ben’s personality with Johnny’s more carefree and shallow outlook on life and women.
I don’t know how thrilled I am with this “Alien” style storyline of an extraterrestrial organism growing inside Johnny and about to be born. But it should provide Johnny with some growth in his character. I don’t want Johnny to lose that carefree personality, but some growth in his personality would be good for him.
It was cool to see Crystal from the Inhumans. I’m hoping that Millar mixes the Inhumans back into the Ultimate Fantastic Four at some point in the future. They are a great cast of characters and would make for an interesting story arc.
But, the big bomb of this story was the end with Reed and Sue visiting Victor Von Doom for help in curing Johnny. That was a great ending shot of Doom with all his attitude and pride on full display. Next issue should be great!
I am enjoying Millar’s writing on Ultimate Fantastic Four. He has kept the storylines at a nice pace. His dialogue is strong and Millar has a very good feel for each of the characters. I like Millar’s Fantastic Four much more than the regular Fantastic Four.
As much as I’m enjoying the writing, I’m enjoying the artwork even more. Greg Land and Matt Ryan are one hell of a combination! Land and Ryan’s artwork is flat out gorgeous. The art on Ultimate Fantastic Four is by far and away my favorite art on any comic book. I can stare at their panels forever. Their art is so beautiful and detailed. It looks like the characters are stepping off the page of the comic book. I love the way they draw Johnny. Plus, Land and Ryan can draw some insanely hot chicas! The artwork is so incredible that it can make an average storyline interesting.
The Bad: I have no complaints with Ultimate Fantastic Four #30. It has a solid story and it hooks the reader at the end. Plus, it has fantastic artwork. Right now, I would place Millar’s Ultimates and Ultimate Fantastic Four ahead of Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men.