The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Pulled in different directions
Incredibly powerful, Franklin Richards is wanted by two super groups in X-Men/Fantastic Four #1
Each and every week, new comics hit the stands. From dark knights to men of steel, we single out the best of the bunch. Join us as we give you a crash course in not only why it’s pick of the week, but also what you need to know going in.
We’ll also get you prepped for the week ahead and let you know what to keep an eye out for in the world of comics.
X-Men/Fantastic Four #1
Mutants by birth, drama kings and queens by nature, the X-Men are Marvel’s equivalent to “Days of our Lives.” Recently, differences were put aside by the X-Men and some of their greatest foes in pursuit of a shared goal: mutant sovereignty.
The Fantastic Four were regular humans until a space voyage bombarded them with radioactive waves giving them powers. Power couple Reed and Sue Richards are better known as Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, and
X-Men/Fantastic Four #1
they’re joined in the Fantastic Four by the Human Torch and the Thing. Unlike their origin, the Richards’ son, Franklin, was discovered as a mutant. This has sent the X-Men recruiting, a fact not sitting well with his parents.
Franklin Richards has powers that far exceed just about any character within Marvel comics. And, sure, having the power to create entire universes sounds interesting in a pitch meeting, but it’s proved difficult for writers to craft compelling storylines around such a powerful being. Because of this, Franklin has largely been a non-factor for many years.
That was, until the XMen came recruiting. Hitting their stride with their newly formed mutant-only nation of Krakoa, they’re now seeking to maintain that hold. And what better means than one of the most powerful beings in existence? This really offers new power dynamics and tensions between what should both be altruistic teams but that are now divided on principles.
For the Fantastic Four, Franklin’s more than an asset, he’s family. And they’re not exactly keen on just handing him over. Moreover, they’ve been through the superhero game for a while now, and having a son that’s removed from the frontlines doesn’t sound like a bad scenario to a pair of worried parents.
On the surface, X-Men/ Fantastic Four #1 offers a tantalizing appetizer to a forthcoming entree when the teams inevitably come to blows, but the conflict rages in different arenas, as well. The X-Men have their own island nation, which they call a utopia. For the Fantastic Four, it sounds a lot like segregation. And here we have the subtext for the series: Do we integrate with those who do not understand us and try to make it work like the Fantastic Four or do you pull back from the outside world and put up walls like the XMen have?
And what of those caught between the ideologies, as Franklin finds himself?
As the Invisible Woman explains, “We want our family to live in a modern society where they can learn and grow with people who have different experiences.”
For the X-Men’s Wolverine,
the issue is more pragmatic and one of survival
“You know as well as I do, you grow up fast once you realize you’re a mutant,” he says.
All that before we get to the Dodsons’ artwork. The married couple handles pencils and inks together and creates something larger than the sum of its parts. Crisp linework allows colorist Laura Martin’s hues to really jump off the page, giving the issue a buoyancy that matches Zdarsky’s breezy scripting.
Seriously, any chance to enjoy an issue crafted by the Dodsons’ is worth the cost on the cover alone.
Green Lantern: Season 2 #1
Essentially the
David
Nebula #1
Lynch of comics, writer Grant Morrison’s imagination is limited only by an artist’s ability to keep up with it. In this series, he’s paired with Liam Sharpe, and the duo craft an absolutely stunning and meticulously ornate space odyssey. This issue promises to set the tables for the upcoming story arc and should serve as a great entry for new readers.
Nebula #1
Nebula gained mainstream prominence thanks to her role as Gamora’s angsty cybernetic sister in Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, she’s taking center stage in a five-issue miniseries which explores the tortured daughter of Thanos as she makes a name for herself across the cosmos.