Fantastic Four #513
Posting this one in honor of the late, great Mike Wieringo...
Originally Presented at Comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Great
Title: Spider-Sense Part Two & Best Left Forgotten
The Human Torch and Spider-Man face off against Hydro-Man - and the Torch’s reputation is at stake!
Writer: Mark Waid
Pencils: Mike Wieringo & Paul Smith
Inks: Karl Kesel & Paul Smith
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Randy Gentile
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Mike Wieringo
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Review: The Human Torch/Spider-Man friendship is one of my favorite pairings in comic books, and Mark Waid does a great job of keeping the classic feel of the team-up. Last issue the Torch, concerned about his deteriorating public image, turned to Spidey to ask how he copes with being maligned in the public eye. Their little chat turned into a slugfest with Hyrdo-Man in the middle of the water park, and when we last left our heroes the Torch was wet, naked and about as embarrassed as a superhero can be.
This issue is a great flat-out comedy, with the two top heroes taking on the loser villain, the kids at the park freaking out over the naked guy on fire and a side-splitting one-panel cutaway with the Thing watching the whole thing on television.
Waid manages to work in a little plot progression as well, with the reappearance of an old FF villain in a one-panel silhouette (anyone who’s familiar with the history of the team should be able to pick the character out by his outline), but the whole thing is basically funny, and I love it for that. In a short back-up story, Sue winds up on a mission with Reed’s old Lara Croft-like ex-girlfriend. It’s a little bit of turnabout for her frequent flirtation with Namor but it also helps to flesh out both characters a bit.
Mike Wieringo has really make this book his own. He draws the best Fantastic Four I can ever remember seeing, and he does a pretty dandy job on Spider-Man as well. Paul Smith, who handles the back up, also does a good job with Reed and Sue, giving them more of a classic look.
Month in and month out, this is one of my favorite comic books. It has my favorite Marvel characters, a writer who knows the team like few ever have, and an art team that does a masterful job with the characters. If you’re not reading this comic book, you’re just plain wrong. There, I said it.
Rating: 9/10
An archive of all my reviews is online at Evertime Realms.
Originally Presented at Comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Great
Title: Spider-Sense Part Two & Best Left Forgotten
The Human Torch and Spider-Man face off against Hydro-Man - and the Torch’s reputation is at stake!
Writer: Mark Waid
Pencils: Mike Wieringo & Paul Smith
Inks: Karl Kesel & Paul Smith
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Randy Gentile
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Mike Wieringo
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Review: The Human Torch/Spider-Man friendship is one of my favorite pairings in comic books, and Mark Waid does a great job of keeping the classic feel of the team-up. Last issue the Torch, concerned about his deteriorating public image, turned to Spidey to ask how he copes with being maligned in the public eye. Their little chat turned into a slugfest with Hyrdo-Man in the middle of the water park, and when we last left our heroes the Torch was wet, naked and about as embarrassed as a superhero can be.
This issue is a great flat-out comedy, with the two top heroes taking on the loser villain, the kids at the park freaking out over the naked guy on fire and a side-splitting one-panel cutaway with the Thing watching the whole thing on television.
Waid manages to work in a little plot progression as well, with the reappearance of an old FF villain in a one-panel silhouette (anyone who’s familiar with the history of the team should be able to pick the character out by his outline), but the whole thing is basically funny, and I love it for that. In a short back-up story, Sue winds up on a mission with Reed’s old Lara Croft-like ex-girlfriend. It’s a little bit of turnabout for her frequent flirtation with Namor but it also helps to flesh out both characters a bit.
Mike Wieringo has really make this book his own. He draws the best Fantastic Four I can ever remember seeing, and he does a pretty dandy job on Spider-Man as well. Paul Smith, who handles the back up, also does a good job with Reed and Sue, giving them more of a classic look.
Month in and month out, this is one of my favorite comic books. It has my favorite Marvel characters, a writer who knows the team like few ever have, and an art team that does a masterful job with the characters. If you’re not reading this comic book, you’re just plain wrong. There, I said it.
Rating: 9/10
An archive of all my reviews is online at Evertime Realms.