Monday, July 22, 2013

365 Comics...202: FF Vol 1: Fantastic Faux (2013)

Okay, I get it.  FF is the companion series to Fantastic Four and not the other way around.  But still, after reading the fist issue of FF for free all those months back, I was sold on this series and more than happy to leave Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben to their own devices.  It certainly didn't seem like one was essential reading for the other. 

With the first issue ingested I knew kind of what I would be getting and was firm on buying the series in trade.  I eagerly awaited this first volume.  So imagine my surprise to crack open Volume 1: Fantastic Faux (sharing the same cover - as issue 1, I might add) only to find it beginning with issue 4.  What the...?

I double checked the spine of the book.  Yep it still had a "1" on the side.  Typo?  Did  Marvel release 1-3 as a cheap squarebound floppy? And inside the front and back covers there was no sign of a previous trade, just ads for Hawkeye Vol. 1, Avengers Assemble Vol 1, and Fantastic Four Volume 1.  What is going on here.

I got a little flustered and started poking about the internet before noticing the names on that Fantastic Four volume included Allred.... Focusing my something search, I discovered that Marvel combined the first 3 issues of both series into that one collection.  Tricksy Disney.

It's okay though, I found the 2nd and 3rd issues in the bins for cheap, so, you know, whatever dudes.  I got mine.  And now that I have it I'm having a hard time deciding if I like it or not.  Fractions scripts are kind of choppy and Allred's figures seem clunkier than usual (oddly posed and unnatural movement).  There seems to be a missing focal point here, and while Fraction and Allred know how to make a fun book it seems to be unclear on purpose.  By the end of the trade I'm wondering what the point is and whether I'll be back for more.

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