The FF isn't an institution. It's four specific individuals who traverse creation in search of the unknown and unusual. You can't have roster changes. At least, not real ones. You can have "Ben goes away on vacation for a few weeks to Jennifer Walters stops by to help out a bit," but that's it.
I agree wholeheartedly. The Fantastic Four are Marvel's first family, and the team that essentially began their universe in 1961. The sheer fact that their formula has been ripped off by outside media so many times is proof of that. However, the current Marvel is not about honoring the past, but destroying it, or at least using destructive, soul-crushing mannerisms to bring about a status quo much like the late 60's, where everyone was a potential enemy, only with none of the levity and twice as much cynicism. The only time you hear a writer mentioning their rich history, it's usually to justify some new "shocking" change ("Hey, I, Lord Bendis, am perfectly justified to have Forbush Man get murdered by Red Skull, who joins the New Avengers. Just look at Stan putting in Black Widow..."). Unfortunately, having the Four be a family of explorers with 40 years of history behind them is not something Marvel wants anymore. It's more fun to destroy. Rich history to them only means it brings more weight to destroy it. And they are counting on their fans, and their devotion, to always return no matter what is destroyed, how many comics are late, or how many time the EIC and others provoke them with half truths and then snicker about it later. To Marvel, their fans are suckers. And they're right. We are. Hell, I can't even dump USM, and I hate it like a mugging.
Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing. I'd even allow Franklin to hit puberty. Valeria's fine. Written correctly, not as fascist weenies, out there going on adventures.
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