When you think of Marvel’s most iconic and memorable characters, there isn’t a very long list that comes to mind before you think of the Fantastic Four. So when a new series featuring the van-favorite characters and a classic style, you can bet Marvel fans are going to be excited.
“Fantastic Four: Antithesis” is touted as “a new story from a classic era,” and that’s a perfect way to describe it. Writer Mark Waid and artist Neal Adams have transported fans back to the classic years of the Fantastic Four while still telling an exciting new story.
In true Fantastic Four fashion, Marvel’s first family moves from one crisis to another while trying to balance normal lives. The comic opens with the team dealing with the escape of the menacing ruler of the Negative Zone – Annihilus. While this is a major villain who has sent some major shockwaves throughout the Marvel Universe in the past, if a villain shows up in the first page of a Fantastic Four comic, you can bet he’s not the primary villain of the story.
After dispatching Annihilus, the story reintroduces the villain who has most plagued the Fantastic Four over the years – Reed Richards’ scientific curiosity. The distracted husband and father returns to his lab to tinker before Susan persuades him to step away from his work. For more evidence of this story taking place in a “classic era,” we see very young versions of Franklin and Valeria Richards.
The story truly begins in the final act of the first issue, when an alarm warns the family of an object falling from space. After combining their powers, they learn just what the object is and receive a grave message regarding yet another coming threat.
If you’re a fan of the Fantastic Four or even just a fan of Marvel Comics in general, there is almost no way you won’t enjoy this comic. “Fantastic Four: Antithesis #1” combine nostalgia with modern humor and beloved characters to create fantastic new-yet-familiar story.
It’s also a great introductory story. Without retelling their origin story, this first issue introduces the Fantastic Four right in their element and immediately gives readers a very good idea of what they’re all about. Sure, it’s very unlikely anyone who reads this isn’t already at least a little familiar with these characters, but just in case, this would be a great first comic to pick up.
This first issue does use a classic comic trope of revealing the death of a villain previously thought to be unbeatable at the hands of a mysterious new threat. While it’s overused these days, it feels very natural in the old school storytelling of this first issue and leaves readers wanting to know what’s coming next.
Overall, this is just an incredibly fun comic that perfectly presents some of Marvel’s most beloved characters. It’s a great look at some of Marvel’s history while still getting a brand new story with some exciting new elements.
“Fantastic Four: Antithesis #1” is available now.