It’s not every day that Ben Grimm wakes up in a house that’s falling endlessly into the core of the earth! Something weird is happening to the Fantastic Four as they’re trapped in a void, and the only one to help them escape is Ben. How is the ever-loving, blue-eyed Thing gonna get the FF out of this? And what is a little dog doing in the midst of this mystery?
There is something to be said about Ryan North’s ability to write the Fantastic Four in weird scenarios that are gargantuan yet simultaneously self-contained. It’s not often that readers get to have that within the modern landscape of mainstream superhero comics, let alone from the big two. This issue is massively focused on Ben Grimm as he tried to solve the weird occurrence that is occurring in his own home. It’s not often that readers get Ben Grimm stories where Ben displays his scientific knowledge as a pilot. Because of this, Hook does a fantastic job (yes, pun intended) at showing Ben’s intelligence that compliments his own skills beyond the fisticuffs as he navigates and attempts to problem-solve his predicament. In the midst of mystery, there is still charm as there are moments that will appeal to anyone that is a pet lover as Ben has to begrudgingly work with a dog to solve the problem that they’re in. It’s humorous, clever, sweet, and displays that there is much more these characters have to offer when written by creators that understand them.
Ivan Coello does a splendid job illustrating this issue, balancing the mundane and the grandiosity of events. Along with stylistic rendering and panel work, Aburtov’s beautifully cinematic color work and Joe Caramagna’s lettering make this a solid book to read. The entire team does a commendable job at making a Fantastic Four book that preserves the Kirby/Lee essence of the team while doing new things that feel true to the characters. This is a very fun issue and is worth picking up for New Comic Book Day.
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