FANTASTIC FOUR #545

review by

Mike Nappa

FANTASTIC FOUR #545: Don't Make Me Embarrass You in Front of Your Friends

by Dwayne McDuffie and Paul Pelletier

(Marvel Comics)

Reader Appeal: All Ages

Genre: Comic Books / Superhero

The first thing you notice about Fantastic Four 545 is that it's not really the Fantastic Four. As everyone knows, the Fantastic Four is the stretchable Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, his wife Sue Richards/Invisible Woman, her hotheaded brother, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and the muscle-bound rock- man, Ben Grimm/The Thing.

HOWEVER, this issue begins by telling us (in a rather tiresome, page-long summary) that Reed and Sue have taken time off to go on a second honeymoon, and so another superhero couple has taken there place - temporarily - on the team. The king and queen of Wakanda, Black Panther and Storm. (No mention of how Wakanda is managing without the presence of their king and queen, but one assumes there are no problems back home for the new team members.) Although no one can really replace Reed and Sue, our Wakandan royals fill in admirably, and once you accept the premise of this "new" Fantastic Four, the rest of the story does a nice job of careening you from one page to the next.

As this issue reveals, it seems that an unfortunate hero in the Marvel Universe - a guy named Gravity - sacrificed his life to save others from some cataclysm, and was laid to rest until...his body was stolen! and spirited off to space! where a grotesque, god-like creature named Epoch is working feverishly to bring him back to life! Into the fray flies the Fantastic Four, intent on recovering the body of their fallen friend, no matter where it takes them.

Then (movie tie-in alert!) who should show up in deep space to complete the party? None other than the Silver Surfer and Galactus the world-eater...

OK, I admit it sounds cheesy and contrived so far. But honestly, Dwayne McDuffie pulls it off, planting seeds and unexpected events into what appears to be a story arc that will cover several issues of Fantastic Four. The humor woven into the "family" relationships of this team is light and entertaining. Paul Pelletier's action scenes are exciting and filled with the kind of verve you'd normally expect from the legendary Jack Kirby, and colorist Paul Mounts has filled each panel with bright whites, deep blues, and rich purples that communicate both a warmth and otherworldly-ness that's perfect for the storyline.

No, it's not the most literary of stories. But regardless, the art, dialogue, and plot fit together into an entertaining whole that should easily be enjoyed by comic book fans of all ages.

FAMILYFANS RATING: B

AFTER THE STORY

If your family members are interested in this comic, then encourage discussion about it afterward. You can use these questions to get started:

• What was your initial reaction after you finished reading this story? Explain.

• What do you think of the editorial decision to replace Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman with Black Panther and Storm? Defend your answer.

• The central element of this storyline is on that of the resurrection of a heroic personality. Do you think that hero resurrections happen too often in comics? Why or why not?

• Why do you suppose that the idea of a resurrection is so attractive in comic book mythology? Explain

Note: All comics-related graphics in this column are standard publicity/promotional shots and are owned by their respective publisher.