Fantastic Four #3

By James Robinson and Leonard Kirk

James Robinson is really nailing the family dynamic of Fantastic Four. This guy really knows how to write these characters in a highly effective manner that will pay dividends later in the run. Some people may not be crazy about Robinson’s Fantastic Four. Those people would be wrong.

In issue 3, Johnny Storm’s downward spiral continues. Robinson has promised to put Johnny through hell and he sure is on the right track. The weird thing is that the character is becoming almost accepting of his current depowered situation. Hickman and Fraction both had runs with the book that tore away at the family and especially Johnny. It’s fitting that he would be less amped to fight and find a solution. After so long, you might lose the will to fight.

There are several subplots and loose threads from previous runs that also need to be addressed. Robinson handles them admirably, especially Valeria. Reed and Sue’s daughter is currently in Latveria with Uncle Victor (Doom). It’s pretty crazy, but further drives home the point of family. Even their greatest enemy can be considered blood.

Leonard Kirk’s work is still fitting for the series. His fantastic superhero style fits perfectly, so there really isn’t anything that Robinson can throw at him that he can’t accomplish. Not only is he great at the science fiction aspects of the story, but he can also deliver plenty of emotion. The expressions on our hero’s faces are sometimes painful to look at, not because they’re bad, though. There’s so much pain and suffering in his drawings that you can’t help but feel for the character.

This is a wonderful Fantastic Four run. The focus on relationships is going a long way towards making this long-form story much more exciting and appealing. We’re only three issues in, so this is a good time to catch up.