Comic Review: Fantastic Four (2018-) #5

Fantastic Four #5

Marvel Comics

Writer: Dan Slott

Artists: Aaron Kuder, Adam Hughes, Mike Allred

Comic book weddings haven’t had the best track record in 2018. Over at DC Comics, Batman got left at the altar by Catwoman. Here at Marvel, Kitty Pryde ended up leaving Colossus at the altar. But now, 56 (publication) years into their relationship, Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters are tying the knot in another Marvel wedding.

Fantastic Four #5 is a triple-sized issue that gives us three stories surrounding the wedding of Benjamin Grimm. “Change Partners” take place in the memories of Sue Storm, and her actions to get the couple together. “Guys Night Out” details the impromptu bachelor party Johnny Storm throws together. But it’s not without its own share of surprises for the group. “4 Minute Warning” is where the wedding takes place with plenty of drama to boot.

You may consider this a spoiler, but I’ve gotta say it: the wedding does happen. No Skrulls, no LMDs or anything like that. Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters do actually get married. With that out of the way, this is a nice issue, and a pretty happy one to have at the end of the year. But I haven’t read any of the other Marvel titles at the time I’m writing this, though. So the Earth may be destroyed or something in one of those, but this issue is very much on the lighter side of things.

Dan Slott writes all three stories, and they’re all good. “Change Partners” details the beginning of the relationship from Sue Storm’s point of view. How she basically pushed them together. But it’s sweet, and gives a nice recap of the early days of the relationship, and the FF. “Guys Night Out” is about the bachelor party and the shenanigans that ensue. Which, when the group is made up of all superheroes, it’s bound to happen. “4 Minute Warning” is where the wedding happens. It’s maybe my least favorite, if only because there’s some obvious set up for the next issue/story arc, but it still plays well into the story.

There’s a lot of good art in this issue. Aaron Kuder does the art for the “4 Minute Warning” story, the opening pages, and the pages between each story. Adam Hughes is behind the art for the “Guys Night Out” section. “Change Partners” is by Mike and Laura Allred. Aaron Kuder gives us a pretty sunset wedding, Adam Hughes really captures the “night on the town” feel of the bachelor party story. Going back to a classic FF time period, there’s no better team than the Allred’s and their style. There’s a couple of goofy looking faces I noticed, but it’s nothing that takes away from the quality.

The Thing shares a nice moment with the other three members of the Fantastic Four in each story. I think it really shows the familial bonds between them. I was on the train that something or other would stop this from happening, or someone would die. But nothing like that happens. The individual stories in this issue are good, and the art throughout is great. If you’re a fan of the team, you’ll definitely enjoy this issue.