Fantastic Four By Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo: Ultimate Collection - Book One (Fantastic Four (1998-2012))

Thank Marvel for finally bringing back Mark Waid's and Mike Weiringo's run on the Fantastic Four, starting with Fantastic Four #60 - 66. This includes "Inside Out," the original 99 cent comic that kicked off Waid and Weiringo's run.Mark Waid is probably the perfect choice for the Fantastic Four for one simple reason: he knows exactly what makes them work. They are not superheroes. As he had one character put in: "They don't fight crime. They don't go on patrol. They don't have a Bat-Signal. They're astronauts. They're envoys. Adventurers. Explorers. Sure, Galactus comes to town, they'll step up. Trouble finds them, they'll kick its ass. But that's not the job. It just comes with. Ask any frontiersman, any trailblazer. [...] My advice? You want to do a comic, you make it about people, not about costumes, and people will care."And that's what Waid and Weiringo have done: made the comic not about the costume, but about the characters. They're not treading new ground - there's no amazing deconstruction of superheroes, no Watchmen, no Dark Knight Returns. This is simply the story of a family. And like a family, they have their ups and downs, their arguments, but they all have to live together.And that's what makes Waid's and Weiringo's run pretty awesome.

I sort of expected this to go back into the realm of Lee/Kirby like adventures, since this run is highly praised... but most of this is just family stuff. That's great, it's totally Fantastic Four, buuuttt I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for more. Art is amazing though.

A good run by Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo. I am a huge Fantastic Four fan, which is not an easy thing to be these days, and this collection includes some fun FF stories. A good beginning for this fun run of stories. Recommended.

Waid and Ringo were a perfect team for the FF. So much fun to read.

The book itslef was fine, but it was jammed into a box that was too small for it, so the spine was cracked. That could've been avoided, I thought.

This book collects the start of Mark Waid and MikeJo Wieringo's run on Fantastic Four.The book kicks off with Issue 60, which is a one-shot overview of the Fantastic Four and the sort of things that they do and experience. They've hired a marketing guy to help promote the team and he's trying to figure them out. Given that Waid admitted a lack of interest in the characters coming in, this character feels a lot like self-insertion, like he's speaking for how Waid understands the group. It's still an interesting read.Issue 61 finds Ben murderously outraged about the latest Yancy Street prank and we learn who was really behind all the pranks we'd seen for 40 years prior. Sue sends Johnny to stop Ben and plans to make him more responses.Issues 62-64 is the ʃ£πt¡Σπ storyline in which a character made up of computer code emerges and starts going after the non-Reed Richards members of the Fantastic Four. This is a decent enough story with a solid conclusion that allows Reed to shine.Issues 65 and 66 is the two part, "The Small Stuff" story with Johnny in his new role managing the company's corporation deals with someone who wants to buy unstable molecules and Ben and Reed deal with an interdimensional insectile creature in the Baxter Building. The Ben and Reed plot is fine and some bit of B-plot comic relief, but it's the Johnny plot that ultimately makes this interesting and gives some needed character moments.The book also includes Avengers #400. I think the only reason I can think for for the inclusion is that it was written by Waid. It's an effective celebration of 400 issues of the Avengers that provides a satisfying end, though all we get of the Fantastic Four is a cameo.Overall, this was not bad. Waid brings a nice perspective to the Fantastic Four, appreciated them as a family and introduces some fun ideas. I look forward to reading more.

The writing is mediocre, the art is exaggerated and underwhelming in scope. If you loved Stan Lee's and Jack Kirby's FANTASTIC FOUR, you'll find little to like in this horrible reboot. Reading it, I found myself wondering who would buy it. The art in a comic can carry poor writing much of the time, but it can't change the fact that it's still a reboot, and reading the same old stuff is a chore. The drawing of the Torch is okay, but the Thing is ridiculous. And everyone in skin tight outfits? It's been around far too long. I mean, what's with Sue's outfit? Was it painted on? Who would go out in public looking like that? That's why the art is s stereotypical and dreadful.Also, reading the text is burdensome. Yeah, we've seen the bickering between Johnny and Ben for years, with Reed attempting to keep the peace while Sue plays big sister in between. It's all been done before...infinitum. So what are we paying for? More of the same?It's pathetic. Ben looks more like a balloon that's blown up too much. And what's with the teeth? I could go on, but see for yourself. I could write better stuff than that in my sleep! It's 21st Century. Astrophysicists like Reed know so much more now than twenty years ago. Let it be reflected in the writing. Not just giving us the same old. Writers need to ditch the skin tight outfits and make the characters more realistic.

I got this for my nephews birthday. He's a fan of Mark Waid but has never really been into the FF as much as me. After reading this he plans to read the rest of the run and maybe investigate more of the FF's long and rich history. It's easy to see why. Waid is a masterful writer. He always has a good grasp of the characters and their history while showing you an idea or aspect of a character that makes you slap your head thinking "why hasn't someone thought of that till now"! This is also a great example of why the late great Mike Wieringo is still missed. His art is fun and has a youthful energy that some might mistake for childish, his art grabs you and never lets go.I honestly can't recommend this highly enough.

Great

Growing up, Fantastic Four was one of my favourite comic books. It was the adventure, sure. But it was also the heart and the character that I loved - the family dynamic. It's an element that few super-teams have. It can also be tricky to find that balance between super hero adventuring and that family feeling (even more so without the family part feeling hokey).Over the years, I've felt like the FF has had some trouble finding that balance. Which is why the FF by Waid and Wieringo stands out.It's often cited as a fan favourite run and rightfully so. The very first issue in this volume is a perfect example of why. It's an exploration of who the Fantastic Four is, why they do what they do and - most importantly - how close they are. The ending with Reed Richards confessing his reasons for making sure the FF has such a public presence is brilliant and adds a new dimension to his character in a few short lines.And of course, there's the art. Bright and expressive yet still conveying the sense of danger when danger arises. It's masterful.Whether you're a long-time fan or someone new, there's no better starting point than this volume. This is exactly what the Fantastic Four should be.

Quando Waid era um bom escritor e não um maníaco de um SJW.E os desenho do Wieringo, RIP, estão um espetáculo, este talvez seja o seu melhor trabalho.

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