FF:The End by Alan Davis

[Malus]

Fantastic Four:The End by Alan Davis
After much resistance, I finally picked up the first chapter of this mini-series.
I loved Alan Davis' all-too-brief run on FF in 1998 at the start of "Heroes Return" (Only Three issues! Anybody know why he left??) so it wasn't his writing or art that was keeping me away...I just generally find stories like this depressing and pointless and I'm generally resenting the fact that the regular FF book has been so late all year...

Anyway, despite a very depressing beginning...

(spoiler space)















(Franklin & Valeria are killed in the first few pages) I found myself enjoying this a lot, particularly the way Davis is writing Reed Richards.
It was great to see Thundra and Wyatt Wingfoot. And a happy Ben Grimm, married to Alicia -with kids- and living among the Inhumans...

Anybody else reading this? Do the subsequent chapters hold up? (I think #4 just came out.)

 

[Orko Is King]

I might pick up the TPB when it's out. I really liked Davis's art when he was doing the Heroes Return thing.

 

[The Bruce]

I have all the issues but have not read them yet...

 

[Malus]

Based on the first one, I got the other three to date and I've been pretty impressed.
Sure wish Alan Davis would do at least the art for the regular FF comic.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

I was THINKING about getting it, but those "The End" stories are always so depressing. (did you read the Hulk's? Great story...excellent...but MAN, what a downer)...

But i may give in and pick up the FF's, if you really recommend it Malus.

 

[Malus]

I was THINKING about getting it, but those "The End" stories are always so depressing. (did you read the Hulk's? Great story...excellent...but MAN, what a downer)...

But i may give in and pick up the FF's, if you really recommend it Malus.

I know what you mean. I'm hoping the ending isn't a total downer too.
They fill off Franklin, Valeria and Doom in the opening sequence (no big spoiler here) so I'm hoping that the climax will involve the revelation that the Richards children are not dead.
Can't believe I'm wanting a "retcon"-but it is an "imaginary" story and I don't consider it a retcon if it happens within the same story.
It's been really intriguing seeing how their "deaths" affect Reed & Sue (and those other two characters) but I can't help but want to see a happy ending for one of these things.

Besides, "God" already promised them a happy ending in FF #511.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

I know what you mean. I'm hoping the ending isn't a total downer too.
They fill off Franklin, Valeria and Doom in the opening sequence (no big spoiler here) so I'm hoping that the climax will involve the revelation that the Richards children are not dead.
Can't believe I'm wanting a "retcon"-but it is an "imaginary" story and I don't consider it a retcon if it happens within the same story.
It's been really intriguing seeing how their "deaths" affect Reed & Sue (and those other two characters) but I can't help but want to see a happy ending for one of these things.

Besides, "God" already promised them a happy ending in FF #511.

Also; Reed & Sue had lived long happy lives together, acording to their future selves, in last year's FF Wedding Special.

Did you read THAT? If not, i highly reccomend it.

There were actually a bunch of cool FF related projects out last year; Books of Doom, The Wedding Special, The Franklin Richards one shots, The Things short-lived title....

 

[Caliber]

Fantastic Four:The End by Alan Davis
After much resistance, I finally picked up the first chapter of this mini-series.
I loved Alan Davis' all-too-brief run on FF in 1998 at the start of "Heroes Return" (Only Three issues! Anybody know why he left??) so it wasn't his writing or art that was keeping me away...I just generally find stories like this depressing and pointless and I'm generally resenting the fact that the regular FF book has been so late all year...

Anyway, despite a very depressing beginning...

(spoiler space)















(Franklin & Valeria are killed in the first few pages) I found myself enjoying this a lot, particularly the way Davis is writing Reed Richards.
It was great to see Thundra and Wyatt Wingfoot. And a happy Ben Grimm, married to Alicia -with kids- and living among the Inhumans...

Anybody else reading this? Do the subsequent chapters hold up? (I think #4 just came out.)

Sounds great, The end stories have always been good.

 

[Joker]

I was THINKING about getting it, but those "The End" stories are always so depressing. (did you read the Hulk's? Great story...excellent...but MAN, what a downer)...

But i may give in and pick up the FF's, if you really recommend it Malus.

if you think Hulk was depressing, read Punisher: The End...could have been called Human Race: The End (thanks to the Punisher)

 

[spidemanfan#1]

I've been thinking about picking up this title for awhile now. I think i'll go ahead and buy the TPB

 

[KingOfDreams]

I've been reading it and enjoying it...as I'm an FF junkie and the regular title isn't doing it for me...but some of the dialogue seems a bit...well, bad. Davis is more known for his art though. And on that subject, I do think he's a good artist but the coloring, which is probably not his fault, on a lot of his more recent work has been really stark and disconcerting. And since people have been talking about his Heroes Return issues, I liked all of that except his designs for The Torch. Giving him "flame hair" and having the "4" flame up looked kind of stupid in my opinion.

 

[Malus]

The final installment is out.
I was pleased that we got a fairly upbeat ending.
Anybody else read it...?

 

[Iron Maiden]

I got around to reading it tonight and I have to say I liked how he tied everything up in the end. I was wondering how in the world they were going to handle a full out attack by that Kree and Shi'ar armada and get the kids back all in one issue but I think it all ended rather well. I liked how Galactus ended up being a Guardian of the Galaxy, at least until he gets hungry I suppose. Seriously, I think he may have been defending the solar system because of his affection for us nutty little Earthlings, plus I think he respects Reed going back to the Trial of Galactus.

As for Doom, I had a feeling Davis would save him for the last chapter and it looks like even he got a happy ending of sorts. He refused the peaceful way out and I think he preferred ruling in his own Hellish Kingdom in the Negative Zone. But if I were Reed, I'd still watch by back because if anyone could figure out how to open a portal back to Earth, it would be Victor.

 

[Malus]

Davis' affection for the more classic look with Luke Cage, Vision, etc was much appreciated. Some of this visually reminded me of Neal Adams & Tom Palmer's work on the Kree/Skrull war. Very nice.
Makes me wish Alan Davis were Editor-in-Cheif at Marvel instead of that other guy.

Jeez, why isn't Davis drawing the regular FF title...?

 

[Iron Maiden]

I would love to see him do a monthly but I think he works at a slower pace, or at least I recall reading that somwhere. But they said the same about Wieringo and they sometimes replaced him with Howard Porter, for example on Authoritative Action, so that he could get ahead of schedule and work on the next arc.

 

[Malus]

I would love to see him do a monthly but I think he works at a slower pace, or at least I recall reading that somwhere. But they said the same about Wieringo and they sometimes replaced him with Howard Porter, for example on Authoritative Action, so that he could get ahead of schedule and work on the next arc.

Wieringo, exactly! They could certainly do the same for Alan Davis.
The collected arcs (in tpb form) will (I think) eventually replace the monthly "floppies" once printing costs and cover prices make the standard monthly comic an unsustainable business model. (For the most part, they already are; I understand most mid-selling Marvel and DC titles actually lose money.)
What matters is the arc. And to have Alan Davis drawing at least one solid 6-parter a year; wow. That would be great. I enjoy his take on the FF more than any other artist I've seen since Byrne. They need to keep this man drawing these characters!

 

[Iron Maiden]

I was a big fan of his very short run right after Heroes Reborn ended. It makes you wonder just want Marvel plans to do with Davis since they do have him exclusively, at least until his contract expires. Maybe it's just me but the ending to "The End" was very open-ended, if you can make sense out of that sentence. t: Almost like he could go back and pick up on it any time he chooses.

 

[Joe Rockhead]

I really think this is one of the better minis to come out in the last few years. It had it's sense of drama, but in the end, was an uplifting title rather than a doom and gloom title.

I think what it showed was a sense of optimism. Things started out bleak but the heroes were presented as heroes... and not some dark, twisted representation of one.

It's probably telling that the sort of utopia that they found in the solar system was at the cost of the X-men segment of the universe.