Tag The Human Torch

A Fantastic Four #4 Micro-Review – Too Formal For Family?

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TITLE: Fantastic Four #4
AUTHOR: Ryan North
ARTISTS: Iban Coello, Jesus Aburtov (Colorist), Joe Caramagna (Letterer). Cover by Alex Ross.
RELEASED: February 15, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

In this issue we find out why the public has turned on the Fantastic Four. Turns out they’ve got a pretty good reason, which by FF standards is pretty believable. If you guessed it was Reed Richards’ fault, you were dead on.

Speaking of: Does Reed usually refer to Johnny Storm as Jonathan? Or Ben Grimm as Benjamin? Seems a little too formal, considering these guys are supposed to be like family. I suppose it’s just supposed to be one of Reed’s quirks as a super genius. But somehow it doesn’t ring true.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Fantastic Four #3 Micro-Review – Pulling Punches

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TITLE: Fantastic Four #3
AUTHOR: Ryan North
ARTISTS: Iban Coello, Jesus Aburtov (Colorist), Joe Caramagna (Letter). Variant cover by Alex Ross.
RELEASED: January 4, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s a scene in this issue where a guy with no powers is punching the Human Torch, and Johnny is “turnin’ off your fire on impact.” In essence he’s making an effort to allow someone to beat him up by pulling back his fire powers. Because, you know, he’s the Human goddamn Torch.

I get not wanting to hurt people because you’re a good guy. But if you’re a bad guy, and you’re stupid enough to touch (much less punch) someone or something that’s on fire, you deserve what you get.

How’s that for wisdom?

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Epic Covers: Fantastic Four #1 by Alex Ross

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s an argument to be made that every cover Alex Ross does is epic just because he’s Alex Ross.

But what sticks out to me about the cover to today’s Fantastic Four #1, as opposed to the various other covers Ross has recently done for Marvel, is that it’s a blaze of color. The effect is borderline psychedelic. Thus, not only do we have Ross’ pitch perfect renderings of our four heroes, but he’s taken a step outside the box with them. The FF have, for my money, rarely looked this good.

Fantastic Four 1, cover, 2022, Alex Ross

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Toy Chest Theater: Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

In honor of Lightyear coming out this week, I couldn’t help but share these images from @marvelousactionfigurespose. With a little bit of head swapping, he was able to put a live action Chris Evans into the Buzz Lightyear costume we all know so well. His poses come off very lifelike. Or in the case of the middle pic, very evocative of a comic book cover.

Go ahead. Look at these pics and try to sell me that Chris Evans couldn’t be a live action Buzz Lightyear. I’ll wait…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Alex Ross on YouTube: Marvels 25th Anniversary

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I continue to be a frequent viewer of the Alex Ross YouTube channel. While many of the videos are only two or three minutes, I say the art by itself is worth the click.

Today however, they put out a longer one to note the 25th anniversary of Marvels. Ross dives into some of his inspirations while working on the book, and the emergence of painted comics in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Definitely a stand-out on the channel.

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An Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 1 Review – A Disney Channel Hero

Rob Siebert 2 Comments

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 1: The World According to Peter ParkerTITLE: Ultimate Comics Spider-man, Vol. 1: The World According To Peter Parker
AUTHOR: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILLER: David Lafuente
COLLECTS: Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1-6
FORMAT: Hardcover
PUBLISHER: Marvel
PRICE: $24.99
RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2010

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Last year, Marvel’s Ultimate line featured a massive crossover. In Ultimatum, Magneto attempted to destroy the Earth, New York City was hit with a massive flood, and numerous heroes were killed off. The Ultimate line was relaunched, presumably to once again draw in new readers.

Thus, Ultimate Spider-Man has become Ultimate Comics Spider-Man. And I’m not sure I’m happy about it.

When we open the book we find Peter Parker working at a fast food joint, Spider-Man is being hailed as a hero in New York City, displaced heroes like The Human Torch and Iceman (both teenagers) are showing up at the Parker house, plus Peter and Mary Jane Watson have broken up…again.

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Aunt May and familyMeanwhile, Mysterio, one of the few Spidey villains Brian Michael Bendis didn’t reinvent during his first run, emerges for the first time in the Ultimate universe. Throw in a new mystery hero that actually makes Peter’s life a bit easier, and there’s plenty of fodder for storytelling.

Bendis, who wrote every issue of Ultimate Spider-man, continues his run with this book. He delivers his usual clumsy wit, mixed in with solid suspenseful storytelling. It’s been said that the great thing about the Ultimate version of Spidey is that so much of the drama comes from Peter Parker’s personal life, as well as his superhero adventures. That thread definitely continues in this book, as awkwardness unfolds between Peter, his ex-girlfriend Mary Jane, his OTHER ex-girlfriend Kitty Pryde, and his CURRENT girlfriend. Did you get all that?

Aunt May, Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 1David Lafuente’s art is solid, and fits the book well, But like Stuart Immonen (who did the art for the last several issues of Ultimate Spider-man), he’s in the unfortunate position of having to follow Mark Bagley’s stellar 111 issue run on the book. When I think of these characters, I still think of Bagley’s art. If Lafuente stays with the title for an extended period of time, fans will probably grow more comfortable looking at his version of this world. But for now, it feels like we’re still breaking him in.

Wall to wall, this book is decent, but the consistent presence of The Human Torch, Iceman, Kitty, and the others makes it feel at times like a Disney Channel show about superheroes. That makes me worried about the direction the title is headed in. Ultimate Spider-Man certainly had its share of team-ups, but now it’s looking like The Human Torch and Iceman will be sticking around for awhile. I’m concerned that the book is turning into Ultimate Comics Spider-Man and Friends.

Marvel officially rates the book as T+, meaning it’s primarily aimed at teen readers. But Ultimate Spider-Man was a teen book too, and it didn’t need to be flooded with teen superheroes to make it interesting. I’d have preferred this Spider-Man book to have the burden of conflict placed solely on Spider-Man’s shoulders, especially since it represents the launching of a new title.

RATING: 6/10

Image 1 from mattfraction.com. Image 2 from dreamwidth.org.

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