FANTASTIC FOUR #1: The Family Before Time

Fantastic Four #1: Marvel’s first family is back with an all-new run! They are battling Emperor Doom, and things go catastrophically wrong with the four of them being sent to different times in Earth’s history! The family is up for the fight of their lives as they must fight their way back on their own in search of the Forever Stone.

Teaming up for this review are Thomas (N.I. Bullpen) and Yours Truly (Matt – Hops Geek News/NI Streaming)

Creative Team:

Ryan North: WRITER

Humberto Ramos: ARTIST and COVER

Victor Olazaba: COLORS

VC’s Travis Lanham: LETTERS

Edgard Delgado: COVER

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Story:

Matt: It is rare for the family to be split up however, I love the direction that Ryan is taking us in this first, but also not first (read the afterword at the end of the book!) Each place in time seems to play to a weakness that they have.

Seeing Johnny in a lack of oxygen, Ben against dinosaurs that can bite through his rock hard skin, Reed has no tech, and Sue is the worst off of them all. This sets up a lot of intrigue and how each member has their own strengths at the same time!

Thomas: Lately, I’ve been diving deep into Fantastic Four comics. Probably hundreds—yes, HUNDREDS peppering for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. If you’ve read one origin story for this team, you’ve read them all. This issue smartly introduces each member without retelling everything from scratch. New readers get the context, while longtime fans skip the repetition.

We’re thrown right into a battle with Doctor Doom and his Doombots. Each hero’s powers shine, especially Sue’s force field constructs. At first, it looks like the team has the upper hand. But as always, Doom finds a way to turn the tide. How they escape their individual predicaments, I have no idea. But I’m strapped in for the ride!

The Art:

Matt: Humberto and Victor take us to some fascinating places in time with each having their own uniqueness to them. I love the detail that they put into the variations of heat and flame coming off of Johnny, for example. When it comes to dinosaur time, the anger and carnivorous spirit is alive with these dinosaurs. The color palette is a lot of fun and stands out to me.

Thomas: This style of art is definitely made for me. Everything is extremely detailed, with incredible shading. The action pops off the page and plays like a movie in my mind. Each panel highlights the team’s abilities perfectly.

A few standout moments that I loved: Sue using her construct as a mech. Mr. Fantastic rubber-banding around the Doombots. And Johnny blazing (*wink wink) over lava pits in the Cambrian era. Each of the different time periods and environments feels distinct and dangerous. Showcasing the dire situations each member faces.

OVERALL GRADE: 9.8

Thomas: 9.5 Ryan North continues to be one of my favorite FF writers. He packs in emotion, real science, and language to match. For new readers, this is a perfect place to jump in. Longtime fans will also enjoy seeing the team in this challenging situation. Each member must rely on their strengths and wits to survive. Count me in for adding this run to my weekly pull list.