I am a tad bit disappointed in the first few issues of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's Fantastic Four. Let's face it, the Cap robot was a weak idea. It goes around dismantling nuclear stockpiles around the world and sooner or later it's going after all the Super Wal-Marts. With this concluding chapter, at least the silliness paves the way for widescreen fun from Bryan Hitch. The above is only half of a panel showing Sue and Ben bringing the Marvel heroes to help stop the Cap robot. Which is totally unnecessary, because Reed Richards has everything under control with his Anti-Galactus suit! Very silly, but Hitch's artwork and giant-size splash pages (I could scan and post everyone one of them but I'd get sued for piracy) make this comic well worth buying. I always wondered what the FF would look like if Neal Adams brought his powerful storytelling chops to the series. Even though Hitch is not an Adams clone, I feel like I've finally received that experience. I can't wait for an oversized hardcover that will showcase his work in full glory.
Story-wise, I think Millar is much stronger writing about the FF as characters with individual personalities. Johnny Storm seems more vibrant as a character than he has in years. I love this scene where Psionics is waiting for him in bed. It's inspired by that Demi Moore movie Indecent Proposal, but I don't care, this is the most outrageous scene in 40+ years of the FF. Johnny asks: "How can something so wrong feel so right?" I can't wait to see where this relationship goes.
Millar has a charming view of Reed and Sue's relationship as well. Reed rebuffs the advances of his first flame, Alyssa, and celebrates his anniversary with Sue with a sentimental dinner in the past. Millar hasn't hit the Thing yet, but I hope he will soon. The very last page is surprising, given Millar's comments on various sites that he would not be using old FF villains for a while. If you're a Marvel fan, you've got to read this book. Nuff said.
