Ultimate Fantastic Four #56 (Marvel – Carey / Kirkham)
The Ultimate Salem’s Seven saga continues! Invisible Woman’s research into this new team sensation leads her to a major revelation –- too bad she’s trapped at the bottom of the ocean! Meanwhile, Agatha Harkness reveals her true nature!
Mike Carey has really turned my feelings around on this book (UFF). It’s been fresh and entertaining, almost as good as the first year that the Ultimate line came out. And in this story arc, he has taken a very interesting and positive spin on both Namor and the uber-hottie Agatha Harkness. This run has been way better than I would have expected, but this issue is mostly filler. Nothing really happens that can’t be summarized in a few sentences.
In case there were any doubts, Agatha is not really human, in fact her and the seven are actually some sort of symbiotic hydra-ish creature that took out Atlantis centuries ago. Sue is still all emotion about Reed’s misguided actions and she in a very weak moment gets comforted by Namor. There you go, now the only reason to read this issue would be the outstanding art by Tyler Kirkham. But if that’s all you are buying it for, wait for the trade.
While I expect more out of Mike Carey and this issue lacked, I do have faith though that Carey will pull it out next month.
Issue Grade: C+
