What If? #36 asks what would happen if the Fantastic Four acted like real scientists, with discipline, instead of launching an improperly shielded rocket. Of course, there’s been some retconning in some storylines where Victor Von Doom actually sabotaged the rocket prior to launch, so those make this What If? a moot question.
Anyway, you can predict what would happen: All the great things the FF did, would not happen, yodda yodda. Except no. The foursome use science to fight the same threats they conquered with powers, suggesting maybe the world doesn’t need super heroes after all.
Plus, it’s John Byrne. So, yes, it’s very good. Scattered throughout, he recreates scenes from Jack Kirby’s run on the comic. Like the bo-stick fight above…
…Lifted from Fantastic Four #1 (except that in the What If? Mole Man beats up Johnny instead of Reed).
The second feature has Richard Rider “coming out” to his family about being Nova. This is not a what if. It’s just a narrative about the character. But after telling the story to his family, Rider goes to bed and dreams a What If? story. Very slick way of making sure us readers don’t forget about Nova.