Marvel Knights 4 #1-4 (2004): Wolf at the Door

The Fantastic Four get their shot at a series under the MK banner.  The FF have a long history of struggling.  Their flagship series varies greatly depending on who is at the helm, and it has rarely been consistently great for more than a few years.  Their spin-offs pretty much universally suck.  Let’s see how this one is…

It starts with the team’s accountant telling them, at Franklin Richards’ 8th birthday party, that they’re bankrupt (again). 

The government has cut their budget.  So they all get jobs. Johnny becomes an actor, fails, then gets a job with the Fire Department.  Thing works construction.  Susan thinks she can’t get work because she became Invisible Girl at age 21 and doesn’t know how to do anything.  Or no major corporation or defense contractor wants to hire the team just to have them on payroll?!?

Come on. 

You mean to tell me that a brilliant guy like Reed f-in’ Richards can’t create something with a patent and make a bajillion dollars?  Or Thing and Johnny can’t get endorsement deals?  Susan can’t get paid millions for personal appearances speaking on empowerment? 

Come on.  

Not loving this premise at ALL.

(Note that mobster Hammerhead does offer Reed a job, but Reed declines.  So at least criminals understand how valuable the FF are.)

Then issue #4 has a long reverie about “John Richards,” who was Reed’s grandpa, and his days as a solider during World War II.

The team gets evicted and has to rent rooms in a lower Manhattan hotel.  Lots of family drama.  Minor action scenes (like an accident at Thing’s construction site, muggers, etc.).  Very low stakes.

Yawn.  What a waste of Steve McNiven’s art.