Ultimate Fantastic Four #17 Review

Archive

Reviewer : Tim Byrne
Story Title : N-Zone (Part 5)

Writer : Warren Ellis
Penciler : Adam Kubert
Inks : Scott Hanna
Colors : Dave Stewart
Letters : Chris Eliopoulos
Editor : Ralph Macchio
Publisher : Marvel Comics

The fun and fighting continue from the last issue as Reed and Ben attempt to escape the lair of those nasty, creepy N-Zone aliens.

By now on Ultimate Fantastic Four, you know what you’re getting, and the team deliver on that expectation this time out in spades. Sure the story won’t progress all that far (this entire issue was Reed and Ben escaping, boarding the ship, and attempting to make it out of the N-Zone unscathed and uncaptured), but you will get wonderful snarky comments from the whole team (especially Ben) and absolutely gorgeous art, typified by the frequent half-page,full-page and double-page spreads scattered throughout the book.

Ben, in particular, shines in this issue. Whether complaining to Reed, noting his special abilities, or using a stone pillar as a crude baseball bat, his prickly demeanour is beautifully and humorously captured by Ellis.

Sue and (obviously) Johnny take a back seat in this issue, and it really is a ‘Boys’ story, with fights, witty comebacks and edge-of-the-seat thrills.

The art, as mentioned, is wonderfully splashy and fun, capturing huge space opera moments of which Spielberg would be proud.

If you want 100 Bullets, forget it, but if you want a comic that captures a goofy joy in adventure, this is your surprise of the week.

Best quote : And I got to tell you. If you’re begging me not to hurt you? Tough.’