The Official Fantastic Four Thread

[Dread]

I'm unsure about his powers. He has the power to effect reality to a degree, but he also has had high level psychic powers in past incarnations. More often than not he just is a normal kid, while his little sister Val gets to be the "special" one with super-intelligence.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Franklin had telekinesis and telepathy as Psi-Lord, but they were only a fraction of his full powers, which appear to be full-blown reality manipulation. He's God, basically.

 

[Franklin Richards]

...and of course he had Precog Dreams and an Astral Self as Tattletale.


What were those X-Men issues where he was grown up and had long hair. It was him and Rachael together and....


I can't remember. Any XFans know the issues off hand?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

No idea. He was a celebrity dream-hunk in the MC2 universe, though. Really not powerful at all, but whatever.

 

[Dread]

Having Franklin be "god" may be a bit overpowered, but having him have zero powers and playing the older sidekick to Val's "kewl" is getting quite old. The kid's been around since 1968, he deserves better than to be Val's Ron Stoppable. Surely there is a safe middle-ground of Franklin having potent psychic powers, but not being a cosmic being yet.

Considering he is one of few mutants left on the planet to retain his powers, you would think some of the problems the X-Men still face would intertwine a bit with the Four. After the 80's, I doubt they did. While the X-Franchise isn't exactly healthy, either, UNCANNY X-MEN still sells aces above FF.

Ideally, the Fantastic Four should be involved with most of the universe they are in, whether aiding in "ANNIHILATION 4" at some point, or interacting with mutant elements that the X-Men are more used to handling, and Dark Reign and everything in between. Just keeping them on the sidelines for whatever stories a creative team has is limiting. The Four were often front-and-center during their heyday during the Lee & Kirby era, and even some of the eras after that. While I doubt that will happen again with Marvel behind the Avengers now, they surely don't have to be a niche franchise yet.

 

[K.B.]

I'm all caught up on the book and I'm still so in love with what Millar is doing with the title.

and to add to the Franklin/Val convo, I'm actually a fan of him not having powers at all and being the only normal person in an otherwise super family.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'd prefer to see him with some powers. Minor telepathy/telekinesis, at least.

 

[Ahura Mazda]

I don't quite get it with him having always dormant powers which only get awakenned for a very brief period where as Val gets quite a few powers often. It makes no sense.

In one incarnation, he basically replaced Galactus and now he is a sidekick .

 

[moraldeficiency]

Damn Hickman writes a good FF. The kids were dead on, they seemed like kids but without being annoying or stupid, which is hard for a lot of writers. Some of the time travel stuff seemed a waste of space, although "Ma' Lady, Tis the clobbering hour" was priceless. The hammer resolution seemed a bit weak.

Note to Millar: These are the type of inventions reed would make. Smart, small things with big impacts, not gianormous ****ing gobots.

 

[K.B.]

I can see Reed making either. It all depends on the situation.

 

[moraldeficiency]

pah, reed wouldn't need a monsterously big robot, he'd make a small gun like thing which would just shunt you into another dimension or lose you in the fabric of time. Reed richards would have no need to overcompensate that much. Plus the robot was stupid, and reed isn't.

 

[Manic]

Truth be told, I would've loved that scene even more if Reed had shouted "GIAANNNTT FANTASTIIIIC ROBOOO!! GO!" I love giant robots.

 

[K.B.]

Reed richards would have no need to overcompensate that much.

He runs around calling himself "Mr. Fantastic". If that isn't overcompensating.......t:

 

[moraldeficiency]

Truth be told, I would've loved that scene even more if Reed had shouted "GIAANNNTT FANTASTIIIIC ROBOOO!! GO!" I love giant robots.

Touche, sir, that would have rocked indeed. Or if he took out a can opener and said transform and that became a giant gobot.

He runs around calling himself "Mr. Fantastic". If that isn't overcompensating.......t:

That's just what the ladies call him. He's the smartest man in the world and can become brad pitt with 16". Again, the man doesn't need a giant robot.

 

[Franklin Richards]

So we saw Alicia and her old boyfriend in Amazing. The FF timeline better fix itself when Hickman comes onboard.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Really dug that last arc. I was really hoping Franklin would use a tiny bit of his old powers in the end. That would have been fantastic.


Time to get back to Doom's masters though

 

[Dread]

I would prefer Franklin to have super-powers too. He's been around far longer than Val has. He deserves more than to just be her funny sidekick. THE INCREDIBLES wasn't afraid to have two super-powered kids, much less three. Don't tell me the FF's editors are more scared of the paranormal than Disney's troupe?

As for Reed inventions, they can range from subtle to blunt. I remember one story where Franklin was an infant and his powers were raging out of control, and Reed decides the best way to save the world is to render his son inert. He could invent something small and tact; instead he builds a GIANT CABLE-SIZED GUN to BLAST his son into a vegetable state. This was back when Millar was probably in jammies in Scotland somewhere. Reed's inventions all just require pulling a plot contrived answer from his rectum; whether they be tablets or Megazords, that's all they require.

That said, while I like how Hickman writes the Four overall, methinks that the time-travel bits with Ben, Sue, and Johnny are just to pad out the story an extra issue or so. Got to make sure DARK REIGN: FF is five issues instead of four or three, especially as Marvel is kind/bright enough to sell it at $3.

 

[Franklin Richards]

FANTASTIC FOUR #569
Written by MARK MILLAR & JOE AHEARNE
Pencils by STUART IMMONEN
Wraparound Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Double-Sized Finale to “The Masters of Doom!” featuring the last stand of the ragged FF before the triumphant Marquis of Death, as only the mind of Mark Millar could conceive it! And should Marvel’s first family survive that, they’ve got the wedding of the Thing to look forward to!
48 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

Ok. Where to start?


Cover art.

What the hell is wrong with Sue? Is she a little boy? Oh wait. There's the ponytail. Sorta. I guess Hitch did some damage before he stopped drawing. Now this other guy is working with it, I suppose. If it's all Hitch then ewww.


Thing's Woman


Ok. In Amazing Spider-Man 590-591, Alicia and her boyfriend are brought back from the dead to babysit. Then at the end Ben mentions calling What'shername. So she is seemingly alive after those events. Of course last issue had the letter that was written to Sue about the tragic mysterious thing that happened to Ben's fiancee. Not his wife. So the Wedding doesn't sound like it's going to be very happy. Are they ever?



...and the Wonky Timeline.

I suppose somewhere after the Christmas trip, the Secret Invasion stuff happens. Making the Millar run precede the Secret Invasion. The events from Secret Invasion : FF happen. Then Cosmic Sized FF. Then Spiderman Adventure. Then the Posers of Doom stuff will happen. Then Dark Reign happens.

I'm confused too.


But my birthday present this August will be a brand new team on the FF and what a team indeed.

 

[K.B.]

Its Hickman and who?

 

[Watchman]

Its Hickman and who?

Hickman and Dale Eaglesham

 

[K.B.]

Oh right, Dale...thats why he signed Marvel exclusive in the first place..

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I just wish he could've brought long sleeves back to the FF.

 

[Franklin Richards]

From the look of his art, it won't be long before they are back in the 70's togs.

I hope he puts the little pic bubbles back in the cover title.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I don't think it's up to the artist if speech bubbles are on the covers, but I'd like to see them make a comeback too.

I don't need the FF back in their classic costumes, either. I like seeing new artists try new things with their uniforms. But I just don't think short sleeves work on Reed or Sue. Johnny, maybe, but Reed and Sue? Meh.

 

[Franklin Richards]

Yeah. Johnny was kinda workin' the short sleeves. I wonder what his red version of the short sleeve uni would look like?

The gloves work since he's a racecar driver.