Fantastic Four - 40th Wedding Anniversary Special

[Supreme Convoy]

"The Life Fantastic"
Writer: Karl Kessel
Artist: Drew Johnson

Reed and Sue Richards head out to dinner for their wedding anniversary... only to end up at an annual event where they meet themselves at different point at their lives! There's an incarnation when they first started going out, engaged, married, pregnant and from the future. And there's even appearances from the Heroes Reborn and Ultimate Reed and Sue! That's right, this is the first real Ultimate/616 crossover. And this book covers some great romantic moments such as the proposal and honeymoon (with a little help from the Watcher).

Kessel knows his Fantastic Four and if JMS wasn't writing, I'd like to see him write the book. And Johnson has some great art going on here.

"Bedlam at the Baxter Building" from FF Annual #3
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby

Practially all of the heroes and villains from the 60s are in a battle royale in the middle of Reed and Sue's wedding! What more can I say?

This is an extremely fun story that I've never read and I'm glad that this book comes with. I should really start picking up the old Lee/Kirby Fantastic Four stuff through Essentials or even the Ominbus.

Since I'm feeling blue and in need of some good romance stories, I think this was well worth my $5 especially for the Lee/Kirby story. If you have money to spare and are a Fantastic Four fan, definitely pick this up! I give it a B.

[Amoebas]

SPOILERS

1) Karl Kesel is the ONLY person who consistantly proves that he GETS the FF. Absolutley he should be the one writing the main book.

2) His story was a nice tribute to that wedding that happened 40 years ago. Other writers would have explored the first 22 pages of fighting - but Kesel wisely choose the last page of FF Annual #3 (page 23 - the actual wedding cerimony).

3) The plot revolves around Reed and Sue going to dinner and meeting up with thier temporal counterparts and exploring various aspects of their life together. It end with their future selves saying that thier (lieteral) 40 years being married was worth every moment. Aw.

4) As mentioned, we meet various couples (all Reed and Sues) from key moments throughout thier lives. There's college Reed and Sue, there's just prior to FF #1's rocket launch Reed and Sue, 1st time pregnant Sue and Reed, about to file for divorce Sue and Reed, Byrne's S&R (signifigance unknown), DeFalco's slut Sue (sans a dead Reed), the present day couple, future Reed (sans Sue) and of course the married 40 years S&R. It's neat to see and explore them altogether.

5)One downside to Kesel's story tho is that (like the Adult Legion stories from the 60's) he's written in a definitive timeline for these two. We have seen aspects of thier future that includes Sue being gone for awhile, really dorky costumes, Johnny Storm becoming a master chef, thier daughter being uber smart like Reed and of course grandchildren. This is all cannon now. The mechanics of this temporal visit are explained that this is all real so Kesel has shoehorned in futures that MUST be followed. Hopefully this is a setup for him to explore (and correct) in the future.

6) And then there's the art. Drew Johnson is pretty good. But there are just TOO many distractions in his stuff that kept dragging the book down for me.

When we first meet all the S&R's there are other S&R's than mentioned above. Thru the story we find out that they are all temporal counterparts of OUR Reed and Sue. Then what the ??? are Ultimate Reed and Sue doing there?

Johnson didn't do any research into Sue's hair. He draws her with the same style over and aover with only slight variations - nothing at all like her actual hair in the books.

He went and 'updated' past events (either he didn't do any research or just winged it). In the wedding kiss page he drew characters in updated costumes, he put Ben and Johnny into tuxes when they weren't wearing them in the original, changed wedding gowns, hair styles, etc etc etc.

What's wrong with the original? Sure it's 40 years old but the whole point of this book is to CELEBRATE that it's 40 years old. Gene Ha got it right for the cover, why couldn't Johnson follow his example?

And then the reprint of FF Annual #3. I own a copy of FF Annual #3. I also have FF Annual #10 (a reprint), also the Archives version of it - and it amazes me that they left this reprint out. It's like they copies it from a xerox of a xerox of a xerox, etc. Very low quality.

[Jack Burton]

I thought this was a great story. Kessel really knows what makes the FF tick and it shows again. I loved his idea for a honeymoon for Reed and Sue. That was pure genius. Also maybe it's just me but the idea of Valeria being an incredibly brillant person is cool with me. Why not take after her Dad.

[PUCK]

Originally posted by Amoebas
SPOILERS

1) Karl Kesel is the ONLY person who consistantly proves that he GETS the FF. Absolutley he should be the one writing the main book.

2) His story was a nice tribute to that wedding that happened 40 years ago. Other writers would have explored the first 22 pages of fighting - but Kesel wisely choose the last page of FF Annual #3 (page 23 - the actual wedding cerimony).

3) The plot revolves around Reed and Sue going to dinner and meeting up with thier temporal counterparts and exploring various aspects of their life together. It end with their future selves saying that thier (lieteral) 40 years being married was worth every moment. Aw.

4) As mentioned, we meet various couples (all Reed and Sues) from key moments throughout thier lives. There's college Reed and Sue, there's just prior to FF #1's rocket launch Reed and Sue, 1st time pregnant Sue and Reed, about to file for divorce Sue and Reed, Byrne's S&R (signifigance unknown), DeFalco's slut Sue (sans a dead Reed), the present day couple, future Reed (sans Sue) and of course the married 40 years S&R. It's neat to see and explore them altogether.

5)One downside to Kesel's story tho is that (like the Adult Legion stories from the 60's) he's written in a definitive timeline for these two. We have seen aspects of thier future that includes Sue being gone for awhile, really dorky costumes, Johnny Storm becoming a master chef, thier daughter being uber smart like Reed and of course grandchildren. This is all cannon now. The mechanics of this temporal visit are explained that this is all real so Kesel has shoehorned in futures that MUST be followed. Hopefully this is a setup for him to explore (and correct) in the future.

6) And then there's the art. Drew Johnson is pretty good. But there are just TOO many distractions in his stuff that kept dragging the book down for me.

When we first meet all the S&R's there are other S&R's than mentioned above. Thru the story we find out that they are all temporal counterparts of OUR Reed and Sue. Then what the ??? are Ultimate Reed and Sue doing there?

Johnson didn't do any research into Sue's hair. He draws her with the same style over and aover with only slight variations - nothing at all like her actual hair in the books.

He went and 'updated' past events (either he didn't do any research or just winged it). In the wedding kiss page he drew characters in updated costumes, he put Ben and Johnny into tuxes when they weren't wearing them in the original, changed wedding gowns, hair styles, etc etc etc.

What's wrong with the original? Sure it's 40 years old but the whole point of this book is to CELEBRATE that it's 40 years old. Gene Ha got it right for the cover, why couldn't Johnson follow his example?

And then the reprint of FF Annual #3. I own a copy of FF Annual #3. I also have FF Annual #10 (a reprint), also the Archives version of it - and it amazes me that they left this reprint out. It's like they copies it from a xerox of a xerox of a xerox, etc. Very low quality.

I THINK YOURE JUST PISSED OFF BECAUSE REED IS MARRIED TO THE INVISIBLE WOMAN AND YOU ARENT

[Hank]

If I'm not mistaken, Kesel did those 2 issues between Waid and JMS's runs. It was enjoyable, although there's not a whole lot you can do with a 2 issue filler arc.

I skipped on this one because it struck me as a nostalgic Marvel cash grab, but maybe I'll check it out after these glowing reviews. I do love the FF.