Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch’s run on Fantastic Four starts with a story arc titled, “World’s Greatest,” but there are not many comic book fans who would agree. The team from Marvel’s incredible side-universe, “Ultimates,” did not bring their A games here.
The team would only stay with the book for twelve issues–three arcs of four issues each–and this first arc is the best of the three. Some of the highlights include Reed Richards working on a secret project creating a “Nu Earth” that will serve as a bomb shelter for the rich and powerful. Meanwhile, his wife, Sue, starts up an all-girl charity team with Wasp and She-Hulk and Ben visits the old West and dates his old teacher, while Johnny busts up an attempted robbery and then kisses the super-villain responsible for it. Her name is Psionics.
Later, he literally has sex with her on a pile of stolen cash.
The Nu Earth story is the common thread here. Reed is hired to help this project by an ex-girlfriend and they have some relationship dynamics throughout the story that don’t really work for me. There’s also a giant robot built to protect Nu Earth, since it will exist without superheroes. It’s called “Conserve and Protect” or “C.A.P.”
Of course, C.A.P. goes crazy and breaks out and fights a bunch of assembled heroes. But Reed brings out his “Anti-Galactus” suit.
And fights hand-to-hand.
Anyone who tries to defend Mark Millar’s run will lose the argument because of this giant robot suit.
The fight is brief and very disappointing.
Then in the aftermath George and Condy appear and say they have to keep Nu Earth a secret.
Because you know the government is bad and all.
Oh, and that ex-GF Reed was working with? She and Reed flirt a bit but in the end Reed returns to Sue.
This whole story feels rushed and cramped. The ideas don’t feel original. (Didn’t Adam Warlock and High Evoutionary already do the new Earth thing and they called it…New Earth? And Spidey dated a hot villain chick already. And there have been all-girl teams before.). This is just not good comics.
At the end, Doctor Doom appears on the last page to try to keep all of us from running for the exists and dumping out of this series.