Part IV: Other Stuff
Fantastic Four #563
Mark Millar and Bryan Hitchs run on Fantastic Four hits issue #10, with the focus being primarily on Bens impending marriage to Debbie Green, the teacher he met in the first issue of the run. This is one of weaker aspects of the run; Millars introduced some interesting concepts and minor stuff (Nu-World, the Fantastic Force), and one fairly significant character change that works really, really well (Valeria being a genius, which gives the character a real role in the Fantastic Fours world beyond being Richards Kid #2); Debbie, though, is potentially the biggest change to the status quo, but paradoxically one that weve seen the least of. Ben met her, were told theyve dated for a while, mainly off-panel, and now hes proposing. Debbies generically nice, but theres nothing particularly distinctive about her (indeed, her concept is partially that shes got no connections to the superhuman world at all, though this issue hints at a more real-world problem); at most, she might add a "normal" perspective to the group, though that sort of thing wears off eventually the more you get immersed in the world. Anyway, though, this arc is finally giving her a bit of focus, and Millar mines the idea of a normal person marrying into the worlds most famous family for some nice commentary (its like marrying into the Royal Family, except with the added bonus of supervillains). We also get a more extended look at the Masters of Doom, two mysterious figures who tutored Doom in the ways of evil at that monastery he stayed at in his origin story; theyre still seen only from a distance, so theres not much too them yet beyond being really, really powerful (similar to Ultimate Magneto, Millars writing something of a Pure Villain here, rather than someone with a more human motivation; they just like killing people). Hitchs art continues to be strong, though theyre using multiple inkers to solve the inking delay problem, which can be noticeable in places; hes apparently going to be sticking around, at least initially, with the next writer, Joe Ahearne, which should be a nice boost for him.
Northlanders #14
Brian Woods second major arc continues, and this is the second issue in a row that drives home that this book really should be read in trade-format. Most Vertigo titles are this way to some extent. Northlanders typically includes multiple pages that have no dialogue and are merely to establish the scene, generally towards the middle of the main arcs, and read in individual chunks it gives an impression that the reads want substance. That side, "The Cross and the Hammer" continues to be a reasonably good follow-up story, though I wouldnt put it in the same class as "Sven the Returned". The main characters here are Magnus and his preteen daughter Brigid, who are rebels engaged in a guerrilla campaign against the Viking occupiers of Ireland in the time of Brian Boru. The primary battle between the two is actually taking place contemporary to these events, and we get a rather lengthy depiction of that fight here, which, on the face of it, seems a bit unnecessary. Magnus goes around attacking occupational authorities, and has drawn the attention of a squad of the kings men, led by Ragnar, who basically acts like a Viking FBI profiler in his analysis of Magnus actions and his attempts to draw him out. To use a superhero analogy, Magnus is a lot like Wolverine; actually, aspects of this remind me of Millars current "Old Man Logan" arc; Magnus has a tendency to give himself over to unthinking psychotic rage, such as, upon thinking his daughter deceased, massacring an entire family (who, fortunately, as he daughter assures him, were connected with the Vikings, so its okay; actually, Brigids role as her fathers enabler in this issue is rather interesting; given how this chapter ends, with Magnus seemingly in the process of being hacked to pieces, whether the final parts will be about her more than him). The art is quite strong. Its a good story, overall, but I think Ill read the next arc of this in trade.
