Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Stuart Immonen (p), Wade von Grawbadger (i)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
[Collecting Ultimate Fantastic Four issues #7 - #12]
This trade paperback collects the second arc of the adventures of the Ultimate Fantastic Four - a complete departure from the first, as the series changes its writer, artist and plot, in order to move the characters towards their first confrontation with their classic arch-enemy: Doctor Doom.
Fresh from the experiment which changed their lives, Reed and his bizarrely altered family unit continue to explore their new bodies and mull over the reason why they were so radically transformed from young scientists into freaks of nature, and they soon realize that it has a lot to do with the interference of a certain fellow student. From here, they are launched into action with a sudden attack from the hitherto missing Victor Van Damme, who is amassing a small republic of dedicated followers of his own in central Europe. However, surprisingly, the most compelling parts of this arc aren’t the sections which deal with this classic character and new threat to the group. Rather, it’s the slower character moments which dominate the opening few issues of the story, showing the various characters coming to terms with their individual predicaments. Reed’s constant fearless and unrestrained enthusiasm is tempered by Sue’s lovingly concerned scientific interest and maternal attitude towards the rest of the group; Johnny sees his new situation as a chance to live the life of a rock star, and the scenes which show off his teasing, childishly antagonistic but respectful relationship with The Thing are classic FF moments; and Ben’s melancholy situation even manages to raise a few laughs, notably through a brilliantly drawn, subtle piece of character comedy which sees Reed interview Ben about his various physical faculties.
In fact, Stuart Immonen’s assumption of artistic duties is the perhaps the most marked departure from the first arc, showing a more simplified, cartoonish style for the Four, albeit one which can tone itself down enough to portray the more down-to-earth scenes. Immonen offers up a regretful Reed standing on top of the Baxter building or making out with Sue as happily as an attack of killer robot mosquitoes or a ridiculous flying car, and manages to make each feel a part of the other without drastically having to change his style. However, his redesign of the classic villain Dr. Doom leaves something to be desired. Both Immonen and writer Ellis conspire to turn what was once a regal, proud and grand comic-book antagonist into a bizarre shrieking cloven-hooved poison-gas-breathing metal-man, who may be a descendant of Dracula, but doesn’t carry an ounce of the presence of the original Doom - and just isn’t as interesting a character. The alteration from the original Doom as self-appointed monarch and dictator of a European state to the new Doom as the leader of a ragtag hippie commune is an interesting twist on the old idea, but just doesn’t provide as much dramatic weight or tension as many old-Doom stories managed to achieve. What’s more, the final confrontation is a long time coming, and when it does arrive it feels severely truncated by the arrival of the military and the complete lack of consequence of the battle. All of these elements combine to make the first Ultimate appearance of Dr. Doom a bit of a letdown, and when you’re basing your entire arc around one character, you should really make sure he’s up to higher standards than this.
It feels like a shame to give this arc such an average write-up, because it starts so well. Writer Warren Ellis clearly has a gift for explaining comic-book science in a remarkably convincing way, and has an equal eye for characterization and very readable dialogue scenes. The art is also very well suited to the subject matter, with a dose of realism injected into some very colourful and larger-than-life scenes. However, the arc descends into a murky, unfocused and inconclusive finale which throws away the potential of such a classic villain character and ends on a whimper rather than a bang. A missed opportunity.
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