Anghus Houvouras reviews the latest issue of Marvel NOW!’s FF…
FF by Matt Fraction and Mike Allred has become my favorite ongoing comic title for a number of reasons. If you indulge me for a moment, I’ll share them with you.
1. It’s fun
I realize how obvious of a statement that seems. But the truth is so many comics aren’t. So many modern comics are so mired in melodrama and thin characterization that they can’t even bother to try and entertain the reader. FF crams so many fun moments into every issue. There’s a silver age style of storytelling going in FF that reminds me of why I started reading comics in the first place.
2. It’s funny
I’ve compared past issues to episodes of The Venture Brothers and Futurama. The fourth issue continues that style of hilarity with a plot involving She-Hulk on a date with her ex Wyatt Wingfoot. Normally, this wouldn’t seem like a concept that could be mined for a lot of laughs. However, it seems some of the kids from the Future Foundation have a crush on She-Hulk and try to use their superior intellect to ruin their evening. With the help of Wizard clone Bentley 23, they attempt mind control on unsuspecting waiters and rile Leviathan’s in Central Park. FF is generally crazy. I wish more comics were willing to go there.
3. Mike Allred
The art just pops on every panel. Allred is so well suited for this book which is filled with one implausible scneario after the next. The book moves back and forth between small moments and epic insanity at a pace that i think would cause other artists’ hands to cramp.
4. The “Second Rate” cast
Ant-Man is a less than spectacular leader. Medusa has some rather questionable motives. She-Hulk is dealing with relationship problems. I’m not sure why I find the B-List superhero characters so much more entertaining than their A-List counterparts. Maybe because their stories aren’t told as often and there is more of a sense of discovery with them.
FF #4 continues to entertain and is finally moving towards some more sinister plotting as Ant Man declares his plans to take on Doom. A group of misfit heroes and some super intelligent children taking on Marvel’s greatest villain? Consider me on board.
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the graphic novel EXE: Executable File, is available from Lulu.com.
Originally published February 28, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
