Ultimate FF #21
Written by Mark Millar
Art by Greg Land
Published by Marvel
Released July 2005
If I had to pick one word to describe this issue, it’d be…“Cool!”
Now, bear in mind, I’m something of a fanboy at heart. It’s a curse, it’s true. I’ve always loved a good Spider-Man orX-Men story and I’ve never been one to really analyse my entertainment. As long as it’s not a right royal stinker I’m reading or watching, I can sit back and be entertained.
I am one of those people who did not figure out the ending to Sixth Sense before the big reveal.
But from the depths of my fanboy-ish soul, on reading this issue the first reaction I had was…“Cool!” (Note the increasing emphasis. Yes, it’s even cooler when you stop and think about it.) Millar whips out one of the most inventive uses of the Ultimate Universe since its inception with this storyline, and he does it with exactly the right characters. This isn’t an Ultimate Spider-Man, X-Men or Ultimates story. This could only work with Ultimate Fantastic Four – and it does. It will, I assure you, warm the cockles of any fanboy’s heart, and quite likely impress even the most discerning reader. Of course, I can’t really tell you what I’m talking about. This is an advance review after all, and I hate spoilers more than most. So instead, I’ll just have to tease you. I’m sorry. Forgive me. But trust me when I tell you, you’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it. And you’ll like it. Maybe even love it.
Millar throws a couple of twists at us this issue. One is this little thing I’ve been going on about. The other takes that twist and bends it beyond recognition. He also gives us one of the better examples of a time travel story that I’ve seen and continues the disillusionment of Reed Richards begun by Warren Ellis. If I have anything to complain about it’s that Reed’s confrontation with Dr Storm has an aura of “been there, done that”. I read the latest UFF trade (containing Ellis’ ‘N-Zone’ arc) the day before I read this issue and some of the Reed/Storm argument echoes what happened in ‘N-Zone’ a little too closely for my liking. Still, for those of you with more distance between readings, it’s likely to reinforce the issues the two of them have been having if you’ve begun to forget, which I’m sure is just what Millar intended. My other complaint relates to the twist of the twist. To be perfectly honest, I’d really have enjoyed seeing where the original twist might have taken us and I’m sure many of you will agree. Still, that’s the fanboy in me speaking. When you look at it objectively, Millar’s exploring a new and interesting direction with this storyline – and that’s just what his job is. Any problems with the issue are minor ones.
Now, don’t think I’m forgetting about the art. I’m a writer, so you can probably guess where my focus lies when I read a story, but a comic is not a comic without art, and Greg Land seems to be providing the perfect foil to Millar’s story. I have to wonder if, like Brett Booth once did, he’s showing the early signs of an unhealthy fixation on dinosaurs – but on consideration, that’s probably all Millar. Land nails the few action scenes in the issue and his people are their typically beautiful selves – or not. Tease, tease.
The only question Land’s work leaves you with is…what’s up with Reed’s hair??
This issue of Ultimate Fantastic Four gets…two fingers up!
Or should that be thumbs?
Note from the Ed.: Yes, I know the image above has nothing to do with issue 21. Don’t want to spoil the surprise