FF, Vol. 3

Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman #8

by Jonathan Hickman, Juan Bobillo (Writer), Nick Dragotta (Illustrator)

We've teased it for years, now find out exactly how Doctor Doom and the Future Foundation will save us all. The battle between the Council of Reeds and the Future Foundation extends through the Bridge and into the world now controlled by the Mad Celestials.

Collecting: FF 12-16

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Comic Book, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

120 pages, Hardcover

First published July 11, 2012

About the author

Jonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transcript of short interview with Dr. Victor Von Doom

Doom: You have been granted an audience with Doom, Ruler of Latveria. Kneel before Doom.

Jeff: I’m not kneeling. How do I know it’s really you and not a Doombot?

(Sound of electrical blast) (Screaming)

Doom: Face down on the floor. Good! Doom approves.

Jeff: Whahs thash really neshashary? (Getting up) Mind if I ask you a few questions?

Doom: Doom, Destroyer of Worlds grants you an audience.

Jeff: First, how do you fit Destroyer of Worlds on a vanity plate: DST F WLDS 1

Doom: SILENCE!!

Jeff: That’s pretty neat.

Doom: What is?

Jeff: Speaking in all capital letters. Kudos.

Doom: Doom will not broker such insolence. (Sound of flames)

Jeff: GAAAHH! (sounds of screaming, person rolling on floor and patting down clothes) Please stop, your immenseness.

Doom: Buffoon, Doom urges you to bide your tongue.

Jeff: In this particular graphic novel, you have a collar on courtesy of an evil, alternate universe Reed Richards. How did this happen?

Doom: Imbecile! Doom suggests you read Volume 2. Still, it was all part of Doom’s plan to destroy more worlds.

Jeff: I guess being outwitted by a five year old girl was part of the plan as well.

Doom: ENOUGH!!!

(sounds of a thundering roar, more screaming, and eventually an ambulance)

Check out this and other reviews at:

[Artemy · Rating 2 out of 5]

At this point, I can hardly follow what’s going on in the main series, and I absolutely do not understand what’s happening in FF. It’s all a load of needlessly convoluted pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo, as far as I’m concerned. This volume was also severely lacking in the art department — only the final few pages drawn by Steve Epting were good, the rest of the art just looked like shit. Fortunately, the final issue was pretty cool, and thankfully brought back the family dynamic and the lighthearted tone, something that was entirely absent from the series for the past few volumes. Oh, and the last few pages set up the true endgame for Hickman’s run, which at the very least looks promising.

[Jesse A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took a bit longer to get going. Still good, still fun but not the best of the bunch.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: couldn't have done better if I sacrificed a baby Galactus to do it.

This is (a) a simultaneous read of FF volume 3 and Fantastic Four volume 5, and (b) a late BuddyRead of Foursome Week with my pleasingly weird Shallow Comics Readers.

So I'm trying to read the Hickman from start to finish, because God help me the last time I tried to get through his run on the FF-verse, I lost interest - despite Doom, evil Reed Richardses, super-intelligent kids and lots of major courtly...courtliness. Yeah, I think it's that last part (along with the cosmic mumbo-jumbo that always challenges my adrenal glands to keep me from falling asleep) that finally broke me.

Never been a big fan of Inhumans and their hand-wringing, hunched/hushed tones while bitching about some meta that just isn't behaving correctly. REALLY could give a shit about the Glory Of The Kree Empire either - I don't fucking care how long they've been around or how intolerant they are of any other race/Galaxy, I just care when one of them poses a fresh challenge to one of our earth-born heroes.

And yet the MCU is giving me incentive to be interested in both - especially now that Inhumans have shown up in Agents of SHIELD on TV! Plus Hickman is clearly building off these earlier stories in his run on Avengers. So here I am, head hung in shame, working to get through these tales.

Surprising even myself, I feel weirdly that Hickman actually *gets* how to write dialogue that sounds different from group to group. Medusa and Black Bolt, the Richards' kids, Spidey and his pal - I would've said the varying tones of dialogue escaped Hickman (his "work" on Spider-Man in the preceding FF volumes especially so). And yet here we are, Hickman poking me in the eyes Three Stooges style. How'd he do it? Did he finally get laid/have a drink/run a marathon? Something loosened him up, and I couldn't be happier for the guy.

The re-emergence of our surprise guest is pretty awesome - all growed up and solidly confident not arrogant. (I'm only 80% sure they're going to take this away from him someday soon. The other 20% is reserved for "they'll forget about him entirely".) But shit, for now I just don't care. Cool, calm, and deadly with even better powers - what's not to like about him? He's My Hero for today. (*googly eyes and drools emerge*)

However...

What. A. Climax. Holy shit Hickman, you pulled off another one. This makes nearly all of the inexplicable diversions and cryptic fragmented stories worth slogging through. I did *not* see a finale like that coming (and this from a guy who just recently finished Infinity).

Damned if I won't forget the details and the importance of what's happened in this storyline, so be a dear and remind me every once in a while?

I could ramble on about this pair of books - where Hickman got his groove back - but I'm just gonna give this a good rating, mention the art and head on up to the next one.

As for the art - one complaint I usually make that doesn't arise here: the rotating crew of artists. Actually I don't mind it this time around. Yes there's a different feel every issue or so, but they're all good and I think I'm getting used to the notion of a writer with a stable of artists.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually damn fun. Better than last volume but not as good as volume 1. So almost great!

This is basically running along the main fantastic four series. While Reed and co are facing off against gods and Johnny returns, Val and her brother together work with their uncle doom to move everything forward. It'll be confusing if haven't read fantastic four volume 5 but if you did, it was pretty great lead up. I also really enjoyed the last issue which was Johnny and Peter living together. It's nice to see Hickman go full comedy for a bit.

The art...wasn't for me. Felt like a weird romita knockoff but not as good. It was a major issue for me overall.

I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 but I'll bump it to a 4.

[Subham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more like a companion piece and here we follow the future foundation as they team up with Doom and evil Reed, go to stop the dark celestials but fail and their motive is revealed and all sorts of things happen and it ties into the celestial war too, the aftermath and Valeria getting a lecture from her parents but tells the fate of Doom and a parliament maybe? Its just epic the way it ends and sets some stage for great things coming down the pipeline.

I love the simplicity of this volume from children's perspective and it expands on the main FF Vol 5 things and makes them make all the more sense and epic and shows the aftermath which I like and has some heartful moments between brother and sister. The art is iffy but barring that its alright!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd love to give this more stars, because the story is fantastic, but I really wasn't keen on the artwork for the first couple of issues. Ruined what would have been a great story with the kids of the Future Foundation.

This book will be enjoyed more if read alongside, or as a companion too, the Fantastic Four: Forever volume, also by Jonathan Hickman. As I said early, it follows the kids of the Future Foundation, along with Doctor Doom and Nathaniel Richards. If you want the whole story of what Hickman is doing with the Fantastic Four, it's actually required reading.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

FF really shouldn't be read on its own, as it almost seems to be a place for Hickman to tell the "side-stories" in his Fantastic Four epic.
Marvel really screwed up the way they packaged and released his run. If you read this volume without having read Fantastic Four Volume 5 (as I did), you feel like you're coming into the middle of a story...because you are. Why did Valeria transport everyone to Latveria? How did Johnny come back? I actually had to go back to the end of Volume 2 just to make sure I didn't forget something. It all felt terribly confusing. At least the previous two volumes felt somewhat self-contained but still, they should've just included the FF run in with the regular Fantastic Four run, in chronological order. Hopefully if they ever do an omnibus edition of Hickman's run, this will be the case.

Also, the art on this arc was the weakest of the entire run. Juan Bobillo's art is fine enough on its own (it's reminiscent of Giuseppe Camuncoli's, who actually did some variant covers) but when stacked up against Dale Eaglesham,Steve Epting and Barry Kitson, it stands out and suffers by comparison.

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Score: 2.50 out of 5
Grade: 50% (D-) | Snoozefest

Between the art and how annoying some of the kids are, I just wasn't into this one. Zero investment and a disappointing conclusion with the celestials, at least the ending once again ends on a high. That last issue sets up some fun ideas for the next one!

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I made a mistake reading this before Fantastic Four Vol. 5, since this essentially acts as a supplement to the more "important" events in that story (though, arguably each book's events are just as important as the others). While I was a little lost a couple of times when they would allude to things that were clearly happening in the main Fantastic Four series, overall this story is just too fun and well-written to really let that drag anything down.

Ever since Hickman started his stellar FF run, I've loved the way he writes the kids. He can get so bogged down in the massive, universe-shattering stuff Reed, Sue, and the other adults have to deal with that sometimes their characterizations can suffer a little bit. Not so with the children. He's always given them a ton of character in the face of insurmountable odds and dangers. Now, instead of the occasional check-in with the kids of the Future Foundation, we get an entire volume devoted to them, and I couldn't be happier about it.

This book is a full-throttle blast that somehow manages to juggle impossibly massive ideas with a wonderful sense of humor and wonder. This is really what FF is meant to feel like, in my opinion. A team of heroes fighting the biggest fights, adventuring the biggest adventures, time-traveling the biggest time-travels, and always managing to keep a cool head even when entire universes are being torn apart or created right in front of them. It's so, so much fun to read, and Hickman is just nailing it with this series. If you haven't read any of this, just start with Dark Reign: Fantastic Four and keep going. It's all great, and you will thank me.

[Alex Sarll]

This book interlocks with Hickman's Fantastic Four volume 5, and reads best alternated issue-by-issue, with the other started first, and this one finished last. Hence the review being here rather than there, though why the collections couldn't reflect that I don't know - they've mashed the two together for the first collection of Matt Fraction's subsequent run, where the links are much looser. Anyway. This is where Hickman's grand vision for the team comes to a head, and it's ludicrously OTT. Annihilus on a lead! Space armadas at war! Galactus versus mad Celestials! Moloids learning about indoor plumbing! Plenty of comics try to do big like this, and produce hollow bluster, but Hickman has the smarts to make it work, and the art to help convince you of the sheer scale of the events depicted (even if I did find some of the FF stuff too cartoony in tone for the story). Possibly the best extended Fantastic Four run ever, and it may even give Grant Morrison's brief stay with the family competition.

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't thrilled with the artist for this volume. I wasn't sure who I was looking at. The story was ok, but needlessly complicated.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art for the first few issues was weird looking. The dragon guy didn’t even look like himself. As far as the story? The more volumes I read, the more lost I get.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slogging through volumes 1 and 2 of "FF" by Jonathan Hickman was worth it, to get to this volume. I feel like I shouldn't like this story -- it has a lot of elements I don't like, including time travel weirdness, arbitrary use of cosmic power, and child protagonists, but it somehow managed to keep me entertained throughout.

Mind you, a lot of the story is, well, missing -- it's over in Fantastic Four, the other series running concurrently. Fortunately, a few re-caps here and there keep the reader up to date on what's happening. And, frankly, it's refreshing to have some stories without Reed, Sue, and Ben. The kid geniuses of the Future Foundation finally get a chance to shine, and they run with it. This volume really made me respect the character of Valeria Richards, Reed and Sue's manipulative, borderline amoral daughter. She's no passive observer nor distracted genius; here we see that she's been the chessmaster of this series all along, adjusting events and getting everyone into the right place at the right time to avoid a multiversal disaster.

There are only two things that bugged me about this volume. First, the art shift in the opening stories is dramatic -- from comic book art to a more story-book look, and many of the characters look, as they say, "off model." I was willing to go with it, since it fits the change in focus, but it's a bit jarring. Second, while it's not out of character for anyone, it bothers me that the story-line ends with Valeria getting a VERY stern rebuke from pretty much *everyone*. Meanwhile, her brother Franklin allows himself to be manipulated and randomly uses his cosmic potential and gets a free pass. Valeria is a great character with a lot of potential and a fun streak of moral ambiguity, and anything that threatens to rein her in just seems like a waste.

[Note: I read the equivalent issues, 12 to 16, via the "Marvel Unlimited" service rather than the physical volume.]

[Tomás Sendarrubias García · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y mientras en Nueva York tenía una de las mayores batallas que se ha visto en la historia del cómic (bueno, una más, que lo que no haya visto ya esa ciudad...), en los números de Cuatro Fantásticos relacionados con el final de la etapa de Hickman habíamos visto que Valeria activaba un teleportador que hacía desaparecer tres de los pisos del Edificio Baxter. Así que ahora, en este volumen de Fundación Futuro, vamos a saber qué pasó con esas tres plantas y con los estudiantes de la Fundación, que se encuentran de pronto en Latveria, muy cerca del castillo de Muerte, convertido en cautivo por uno de Richards de los universos alternativos del Puente, y que parece tan enredado en los manejos de Nathaniel Richards como Krystof, Valeria o Franklin.

Y es que los chicos de la Fundación (recordemos, El Hombre Dragón, Valeria y Franklin, Álex Power, Artie y Sangui, dos atlantes y unos minitopoides evolucionados, además de Bentley, el clon juvenil de El Mago), tienen la misión de conseguir tiempo para que el mundo no sea aplastado por una sucesión de acontecimientos catastróficos, y para ello tienen que retener a los Celestiales Locos en el Puente... Y quizá el destino del propio universo recaiga en manos de Muerte...

Y que decir de este tomo salvo que es otra gozada, y si no se lleva las cinco estrellas no es por el guion de Hickman, sino por el dibujo de Juan Bobillo, que no me gusta demasiado, la verdad, y que creo que más que sumar, resta.

Pero la historia... es un pedazo de historia.

[RG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the artwork initially was alot to take in being such a striking difference to previous artists. However the story was great. It really was a balancing act to what was occurring in the previous fantastic four volume.

[don’t sweat the little things · Rating 2 out of 5]

The. Artwork changed and I feel like I missed something

[Timo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too much pseudo science talk and way too much crappy ugly art. Lost interest totally.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is good and bad in this volume, and enough good for me to hopeful that the final volume (which I started the other night) will be enjoyable. The good is that Hickman offers a good deal of finality to the story arc about the alternate Reeds and the rogue celestials. There is enough 'plode (yes Warren Ellis forums reference there) to keep those who are along for the only for the action happy enough.

Valeria and Franklin get a little characterization and hints at their future, a plot line that was dropped pretty much after volume 1 until now. By the TPB's final chapter the reader is back at what the first volume hooked me on. The Future Foundation and the training of the next generation of heroes/scientists.

The bad? Apparently some of this volume crossed over int he regular Fantastic Four title. That was frustrating, and by my standards a combination of bad storytelling and business decision by Marvel. A point to DC is that currently with its trade collections if story lines cross between titles the relevant issue form the other title is included in the collection (and no DC hasn't got that perfect either but it is a step forward).

[Zack! Empire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Does this book following volume 2? I think it’s supposed to, but it feels like I missed something in between the collections. Didn’t the last one end with a big fight or something? I guess I waited too long to read this book because I can’t quite remember what happen before.
The book is still good though. I like following the kids around and seeing them on their adventures. The way the story keeps going back and forth between now and the past is usual something I find very annoying, but it was done rather well here.
I didn’t care for Juan Bobillio’s art at all. I kept on waiting for the issue where a new artist would take over. I wish Steve Epting had continued to draw this book, but sadly he only does a few pages at the end. Those few pages are freaking awesome though.
I can’t decide if I like this book, or I don’t.

[Dan Still · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's seriously like Jonathan Hickman picked my brain and said, "What would it take for you to actually care about what happens in a Fantastic Four book?"

I said something like, "Well, I've always loved Doom and Galactus and all of the FF villains, and Franklin Richards is an enigma that I'd like to see explored a WHOLE lot more, but I just don't trust Reed Richards, and Johnny Storm I could live without."

And then he said, "Alrighty, then," and commenced to write this series of mind-bending, jaw-dropping, dimension-hopping, time-travelling tales that intertwine to form a tapestry of impending destruction... and, of course, DOOM!!!

I would tell you what happens, but literally every other page is a spoiler. Pick it up. Be amazed.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought much of this volume was actually better than the Fantastic Four Vol. 5 story that it interweaves with. It did a great job of offering a standalone story of my favorite character (the younger FF) that still related to the major story in interesting and surprising ways. The only downside was the artwork in the first four issues which was generally atrocious (Dragon Man looked like an ugly ogre and Franklin and Alex were almost indistinguishable).

The last couple of issues weren't quite as good, mainly because they were more dependent on the Fantastic Four rather than standing on their own ... but they still did a great job of highlighting some of the most interesting characters in the series.

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great mirror to the events of Fantastic Four vol. 5. While it doesn't carry the same emotional weight, it does well to fill in some of the blanks leftover from the main series, and explores the Val/Doom relationship in a neat way that leads to an excellent ending. Bobillo's and Dragotta's art is awesome, and perfectly suited to this bizarre and fun title. Shifting the focus to the kids was a great idea, that pays off in a meaningful way that expands the Fantastic Four mythos. In the context of Hickman's two-title, multi-volume epic, this is a welcome addition and a solid read.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is basically a companion piece to the Fantastic Four story, showing how all the little twists and turns match up. It doesn't really work on its own, and the art is the opposite of great, but it makes the Fantastic Four arc makes sense which I'm thankful for. And while the Fantastic Four story is all doom and gloom there's a bit more goofballs and clowning around here so reading them together provides a bit of levity to an otherwise stressful intense arc.

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad per se, but most of the issues collected here are merely asides to stories in the parallel-running Fantastic Four title, also penned by Hickman.
But after all the build-up in the previous volumes it is thorougly dissatisfying not to get any payoff on those earlier stories and having to buy yet another book for the main events...

[Henry Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tidy companion piece to the conclusion of the last arc which fills in the gaps of story that were left in the regular fantastic four issues.

I enjoyed this for the most part. The art at times was suspect but other than that it’s some tidy stories that would’ve been paced perfectly issue by issue beside the story and probably how ill read it next time.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art is a bit variable from one issue to the next. Story isn't quite so pleasing as in previous volumes (it's almost a bit, dare I say it, simpleminded). Still, this is a comic that is well worth reading.

[David Turko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the story, except this book, has a new illustrator. I'm not a fan of the art style, some of the drawings of the children look really strange and creepy. Still the story was excellent and I'm excited to read the next book.

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was very entertaining! Unfortunately for myself this was the end of a story arc so now I have to find the earlier volumes to read.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collects FF issues #12-16

This is one of the best modern Marvel stories I've ever read, but be warned that you can't start with this volume. There is a lot to read before you can appreciate what happens in this book. In fact, I don't believe you could read this book, and fully understand all the intricacies of what is happening. Before reading this, you need to read the following collected editions:

Dark Reign: Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (by Hickman) volumes 1-4
FF (by Hickman) volumes 1-2

Then, when you start reading here, you have to take turns between Fantastic Four Volume 5 and FF Volume 3. For example, you will read the issues like this: Fantastic Four #600, FF #12, Fantastic Four #601, FF #13, and so on and so on...

Now that you know all that, I definitely recommend reading this legendary run by a remarkable writer, Jonathan Hickman.

Spoilers (from both Fantastic Four and FF for continuity's sake):

Fantastic Four #600:

-This issue was super-sized. It picks up right from where FF #11 left off, with the coalition of heroes preparing for the Kree attack and the Council’s negative actions.

-Johnny comes back. It turns out he was alive the whole time. Sort of. Annihilus has a way to bring people back to life, so he’s actually died multiple times and been resurrected…a lot. He leads a revolution against Annihilus, using multiple other prisoners on his side during the revolt.

-It turns out that Annihilus is super powerful. Johnny couldn’t kill him, but I don’t know why.

-We also learn more about how powerful Franklin is. He has been traveling to a universe that he created, and there is a mysterious (secret) person communicating with him about his powers. I think the mystery person is Future Franklin, or someone that Franklin inadvertently created. When Franklin and Leech act as heroes, they call themselves Hyperstorm and Kid Incredible.

-I learned more about Galactus in this book. It turns out that he is so powerful because he is a survivor of the last universe that has since died and been recreated with the Big Bang. He didn’t come from a different parallel universe, but from a universe that existed in the 616 space before the current universe. Also, under his purple and blue suit, he just looks like a giant human.

FF #12:

-You have to read back and forth from now on between Hickman’s run on Fantastic Four and FF. I found a reading order online, but make sure you read Issue #600 of Fantastic Four before starting this volume. This volume starts where that issue picked up. From what I understand, the reader now has to read every other book to keep things straight. So, to clarify, after you finish Issue #12 of FF, you should read on to Issue #601 of Fantastic Four, and then back and forth and back and forth.

-The art style changes completely, and it is for the worse.

-I like the fact that Nathaniel seems to know what is going to happen in the future, but Marvel has a long history of characters coming back from alternate futures. Nathaniel says things about Bentley becoming useful in the future, and he instructs Val to bring the FF to Latveria months before these events take place in this issue. However, technically speaking, he is not necessarily from this present-day’s future. Just him being there could be changing things.

-At the end of the issue, Val gets the Bridge working again, and Jerk Reed plans to go home.

Fantastic Four #601:

-Everybody finds out that Johnny is back.

-Ronan gave the Supremor its life back, but he doesn’t want to obey its instructions to attack Earth and Attilan because he is married to Crystal. The Supreme Intelligence shows him mercy and allows him not to partake in the violence because Ronan helped him come back to life.

-Johnny now commands the Annihilation Wave, which seems to be an armada. He has his own ship, and along with the Inhumans, they attack the Kree assault.

-Bad news, though…debris from their space battle is breaking through Earth’s atmosphere and doing severe damage to the planet.

FF #13:

-The FF, the Dooms, Nathaniel, and Evil Reed cross the Bridge, and come face to face with the Celestials.

-Franklin puts up a good fight, but the Celestials are going to breach the Bridge. The FF decides to destroy the Bridge from their side, but someone needs to fight the Celestials. Evil Reed volunteers to do it saying that he only ever wanted to help everyone. He asks for Val’s Ultimate Nullifier, and seeks out his own Infinity Gauntlet. Dr. Doom calls this Reed a poor shadow of the 616 Reed and decides to stay and help him stop the Celestials. He does this because the world needs him, and to me, Doom really comes off as a hero.

Fantastic Four #602:

-The Kree are attacking Earth because they want to dispose of the Inhumans.

-The assault is causing extreme damage to Earth and its inhabitants.

-In a moment of desperation, Sue tells Reed that it is time for them to call Galactus, using the Arc that he gave them.

-Galactus arrives and says it is too soon…this isn’t the coming death that he has foreseen. He helps them fight the Kree anyway

-Shortly after, the unstoppable Celestials appear, and Galactus confirms that these are the bringers of death that he predicted would arrive.

FF #14:

-Nathaniel claims that Doom will never return once he goes through the door (universe portal).

-Nathaniel tells Val that he is from all possible futures, and that there are universal constants (things that can’t be changed in time).

-This issue, in a scene that takes place in the past, shows Val and Nathaniel outlining a space battle that is currently happening in Fantastic Four #602. It just goes to show how much the two titles have to be read concurrently.

-In a past scene, the Council of Reeds discuss the Ultimate Nullifier, and how it is a key that unlocks all other doors. However, there is a long time understanding that the user of the Nullifier will die after using it. One of the Reeds tells his brothers that it can be used without causing death to the user if the user has enough focus. They agree that most of the Reeds would be able to display this much focus.

-Unfortunately, back in present day, the Jerk Reed uses the Ultimate Nullifier, tries to focus, but ends up exploding himself.

-I don’t know why Val calls Doom, “Uncle Doom.”

-It doesn’t seem like it, but Val and Nathaniel’s mission was successful. They only needed to delay events by 27 minutes, and the made it all the way to 28.

-I take it back, the artwork has grown on me, and fits with a story focused on children.

Fantastic Four #603:

-Galactus vs. the Celestials. Awesome.

-The Celestials are sort of like Transformers. And like Power Ranger robots.

-Reed uses Sol’s Anvil to attack the Celestials.

-The Celestials take Galactus out of the picture and turn their attention to killing the last Reed, the 616 Reed, to close the loop. All hope looks lost when Future Franklin and Future Val show up.

FF #15:

-Doom is lost in the multiverse. Kristoff is sad.

-This is the first time I’ve ever seen the Power Pack in comics.

-The invisible man is talking to Franklin again, but it seems to be just in his head. Or Franklin is the only one that can hear him.

-As I suspected, the invisible man ends up being Future Franklin, who comes back to the past with Future Val.

Fantastic Four #604:

-It sounds like the changes they are making to the past is working because Future Val and Franklin tell Nathaniel that the Revision Wave, combined with Franklin’s power, is fixing the timeline.

-The children from the future do a quick catch up with their present-day family, and then the Celestials attack again.

-Luckily, young Franklin has been storing his power, and gives it all to Future Franklin.

-Nathaniel tells Reed that he has seen this day multiple times, and they always lose. In fact, this is the day that Reed’s sins catch up to him, as this is always the day that Reed dies. They are trying to prevent that from happening.

-According to Nathaniel, here are some universal constants…Reed always walks through the Bridge…he always meets the Council of Reeds…he always helps them build suns and save universes…the Council always wakes up the mad space gods (the Celestials), and they always destroy the Council.

-Future Franklin wouldn’t stand for his father dying, so they devised a plan to save him. Nathaniel says that Galactus has had many heralds, but Franklin has had only one. Then, using his immense power, Future Franklin sends an energy orb at the fallen Galactus, and shouts, “Rise…To me, my Galactus.” It looks like Franklin controls him or something.

-Through further explanation, Nathaniel goes over the fact that all the other Reeds sacrificed being a father and husband for the greater good, but they were all wrong because it was important for Reed to raise Franklin. 616 Reed is the only one that chose correctly, so his son was able to grow up and sacrifice himself for the greater good. It looks like Future Franklin is killed destroying the Celestials.

-Nope, he lives. There is hope…forever.

-Is Reed trying to teach young Franklin to fly?

FF #16:

-Young Val doesn’t like Future Val, and Future Val feels the same.

-Kid Franklin and Mister Franklin get along great.

-Galactus mentions to Mister Franklin that he always thought he would see the death of the universe by himself, but now he knows he won’t be alone. Mister Franklin will be there with him. Mister Franklin reassures him that it will be billions of years until they have to worry about that. Future Franklin tells Galactus (who he calls Galen) that he has to wait a little because Union occurs further down the road.

-The whole Future Foundation get new numbering on their costumes.

-Young Val likes Bentley like that. I think that is a bad thing. Maybe it means that she is a little evil.

-Johnny and Peter decide to be roommates.

-Val promises her parents no more secrets, but fails to tell them that she knows Doom (trapped in a parallel universe) has access to an Infinity Gauntlet. And all of the lobotomized Dooms from the multiverse. He becomes their king.

-“Here I can build.” – Doom, after forming the Parliament of Doom