Few things can make me feel old like a major comic book anniversary issue. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were all celebrating the arrival of Fantastic Four #500 and the continued success of Mark Waid's run. Eight years and 100 issues later, now the time has come to celebrate Jonathan Hickman's run.
Fantastic Four #600 is a bit more ambitious than many recent anniversary issues. There are no reprints or cover galleries to help pad out this oversized package. Instead, Jonathan Hickman writes every one of the 96 story pages. Split across five connected segments, Hickman both pushes his ongoing saga forward and sheds new light on recent developments.
Most of the actual story progression comes in the lead segment from Hickman and artist Steve Epting. This portion marks the first part of "Forever," as the FF, Avengers, and X-Men have banded together to fight back a Kree invasion force. Interspersed with this epic battle are scenes of a showdown in Latveria and turmoil in the Baxter Building. In some ways, this segment highlights the primary flaw of the series since the shift from Fantastic Four to FF. It lacks heart. There isn't much focus on characterization or team interplay. The battle itself is somewhat underwhelming, with the necessary sense of danger never really becoming apparent. Epting's art is generally solid and well-constructed, but thee are certain non-FF characters he seems to struggle with (particularly Iron Man).
The scenes focused on the ancillary characters are the most entertaining. Hickman's work with Doom, Kristoff, and the others in Latveria, as well as his scenes of the Future Foundation, suggest that FF may wind up being the more enjoyable of the two books going forward. But much remains to be seen. Things are definitely changing for the franchise, and there's enough solid material in this segment to suggest it should be for the better.
Luckily, the remaining story segments are generally more satisfying and character-focused. The first of these is set in the Negative Zone, exploring the progression of events on that side as well as what became of the Universal Inhumans who invaded Annihilus' city. Hickman's various stories are tired together not just by plot but also thematically. Nowhere is the theme of death and rebirth as an endless cycle more palpable or effective than it is here. Carmine Di Giandomenico's art is also a feast for the eyes. He brings an expressive, otherworldly look to his pages that, combined with the effective colors, suggests he really should find a long-term home in this franchise.
Other stories focus on side characters like the Inhumans, Galactus, and Franklin Richards. It's fun to see Hickman finally dive into Black Bolt's mindset since his return. It's equally enjoyable to read about Franklin's adventures inside his new pocket universe. The Galactus story, meanwhile, sets an ominous tone for the future and also does a good job of tying the series to the events of The Mighty Thor. Here, artists like Farel Dalrymple and Ming Doyle lend a more indie sensibility to the visuals. There isn't a ton of variety in this issue in terms of tone or writing style, but visually it remains diverse and interesting.
Again, the main story segment in Fantastic Four #600 isn't as cohesive or gripping as it should be, but as a complete package this issue delivers the goods. $8 is a lot to ask for one issue, yes. But for an issue that could just as easily qualify as a trade in its own right, it's not so bad.
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