Fantastic Four #565 (Marvel – Millar / Hitch)
A visit to Reed’s remotest relatives becomes a fight for survival as a creature beyond the confines of science targets the Richards’ offspring for consumption.
This 2-part arc closes down in a pretty predictable way. Millar steals a scene directly out of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. A small rural town who has been protected for centuries by an ancient evil (providing supernatural health, welfare and peace) in exchange for the sacrifice of an innocent once every so many years. The issue was well-paced and exciting but very predictable. And how a giant Cthulhu-like beast keeps everyone healthy? never touched.
In my last review I talked about this being a late Christmas story. Well, it turns out this is an early Christmas story for next year. The issue ends with a letter to Sue from a local gal, thanking her and the FF for driving the monster out of the village (sorry for the spoiler), and telling Sue that she was thinking and praying for her given what has happened with Dr. Doom, Doom’s teachers and tragedy of Ben’s fiance. I guess Ben is destined to be Marvel’s “King of Pain”
Issue grade: B
