Comic Book / Fantastic Four (1998)

Fantastic Four is a 1998 comic book series from Marvel Comics. The series would return the Fantastic Four to Earth following the events of Heroes Return.

The series was originally written by Scott Lobdell for the first five issues. After that, the series was taken over by Chris Claremont until issue #32. Following a two-issue story by John Francis Moore, the series would be taken over by Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Marín until issue #54, with Jeph Loeb having a short run with issues #38-50. Karl Kesel would write the series from issues #51-56, and would be followed by Adam Warren for a three-issue run on issues #57-59. Mark Waid would take over the series for the remaining run from issues #60-70.

The series would then return to its legacy numbering, with Mark Waid and Karl Kesel continuing to write the series. The series would then be taken over by J. Michael Straczynski, who would than be followed up by Dwayne McDuffie and Mark Millar respectivly.

Following Mark Millar's run, Jonathan Hickman took over. Hickman's run also included the temporary end of the title, the story continuing in the new title of FF for near year, when Fantastic Four returned as issue #600. From there, Fantastic Four and FF continued simultaneously.

The series would be relaunched with Fantastic Four 2013, as part of the Marvel NOW! publishing initiative.

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Fantastic Four (1998) provides examples of:

Scott Lobdell's run

• Shout-Out: Tintin managed to have a cameo in volume 3, issue #1 of the series, drawn by Scott Lobdell and Alan Davis where Reed and Sue (in disguise) meet the reporter during a protest march, where he is addressed as French, but quickly points out: "For the record, I'm Belgian.". Later in the story he is seen again fleeing, while shouting Haddock's catchphrase: "Billions of blistering blue barnacles". [1]

Chris Claremont's run

• Character-Driven Strategy: After a "Freaky Friday" Flip courtesy of the Dreaming Celestial, Reed Richards's mind occupies Doctor Doom's body, and vice versa. During a tense standoff, Reed-in-Doom plays a game of chess with Ben Grimm. Normally, Reed plays a quiet game, mostly keeping his pawns and pieces in a tight formation to secure his half of the chessboard. During this game, however, Ben remarks that Reed is using an uncharacteristic ruthless strategy, more fitting for Doctor Doom, that aims to dominate as much of the board as possible. Though he hides it well, Ben is worried that Reed is becoming more like Doom the longer he remains in Doom's body and armor.
• Faith in the Foe: When the Dreaming Celestial has enacted a "Freaky Friday" Flip, namely housing Reed Richards's mind in Doctor Doom's body, and vice versa. The other Four members journey to Latveria, aiming to undo this process. Part of the ruse involves the Human Torch incinerating Reed's body in Doom's throne room. Though Johnny Storm could have ended the Four's mortal enemy then and there, he instead controlled the flames so precisely that Doom was only warmed by the heat. Doom actually spells this out to Reed as both men recover their rightful forms.
• Inside a Wall: In issue #31, Doctor Doom and Susan Richards travel through secret passages behind the walls of Doom's castle in Latveria. Their aim is to confront Reed Richards, who is acting as Latverian regent after a "Freaky Friday" Flip, and somehow reverse the process.

Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Marín's run

• Bachelor Auction: In issue #50, in the backup story "In The Eye Of The Beholder", the Thing is forcibly volunteered to take place in a charity auction where the wealthy of New York donate money to go on a date with celebrities including some in the super-hero community.

Mark Waid's run

• Deconstruction:
  • While the series as a whole, especially in the early days, has always lampshaded and subverted common superhero tropes like secret identities, team unity and family issues, and even a secret base, Mark Waid made the fact that the team was out and proud as superheroes a purposeful event in the team's creation: Reed made them celebrities to atone for the accident that robbed them of a normal life.
  • Mark Waid's run also throws a dark mirror on the Reed-Doom relationship. Both have always been shown with varying levels of similarities, but Waid accentuates it. Reed takes over Latveria and gets as obsessed with the then-dead Victor as Victor gets with him. Overall it's a fairly chilling look at how isolated and driven two intelligent men are, and how defined by each other they have become.
• Evil-Detecting Baby: In issue #67, Doctor Doom walks the streets of New York in civilian clothes (with a less ornate mask replacing his usual one). He passes a baby boy, who begins screaming and crying uncontrollably. Doom apologises to the boy's mother for frightening the child; the mother replies that the baby is blind.
• From Shame, Heroism: Reed Richards explains to his daughter Valeria that he founded the FF after the space mission that gave them their powers because it was his effort to make amends after ruining their lives, that by making them beloved celebrity heroes with public identities and fame, he might be forgiven for the damage his arrogance caused...someday.
• Put on a Bus to Hell: Doom is literally sent to Hell during the run.
• Reed Richards Is Useless: Invoked in Mark Waid's run, where it's revealed that companies pay Reed gobs and gobs of money to not commercialize his patents, because he'd put them out of business if he did.
• Rescued from the Underworld: During Mark Waid's run, the Fantastic Four rescued their fallen teammate Ben Grimm in this manner (albeit retrieving him from Heaven rather than Hell).
• Runs on Ignorance: During the "Unthinkable" arc, Reed Richards was helpless against Doctor Doom's magical prowess, so he had to learn magic from Doctor Strange, however he kept trying to analyze it scientifically and logically, making his results less than impressive. He only managed to use his magical skills to defeat Doom once he admitted that he had no idea what he was doing.
• Shrink Ray: In issue #65, using Doctor Doom's shrink ray device, Reed Richards shrinks the Thing down to half size so he can travel through the Baxter Building's ventilation ducts in search of intruders.
• Sudden Humility: In the "Rising Storm" arc, the Human Torch and the Invisible Woman have their powers swapped. Susan constantly loses control over he powers and "Flames On!" by accident whenever she gets excited or emotional. She's utterly amazed that a Hot-Blooded person like Johnny was able to keep this much power under control, and she gained a newfound respect and appreciation for her brother because of how difficult it was for her to remain in control at all times.
  • In the same power-switch story arc, Johnny becomes the herald of Galactus and gains the power cosmic. It alters his sister's invisibility powers (which he had at the time) to both make things disappear and reveal what is hidden even on the abstract level. When he sees his family he sees their pasts and the people they are underneath. This humbles him and he sheds a tear, exclaiming how amazing they all are.
    Cosmic Johnny Strom: I...I...Wow. I...saw you guys. Really saw you, in ways I never have before. I don't offer this up very often...but I am so proud to know you.
• Team Hand-Stack: Used on the cover of Issue #524.

J. Michael Straczynski's run

• The Bus Came Back: Mark Waid's run had Doom cast into Hell (well, a Hell. Marvel's got a lot of 'em.) He returns during Straczynski's run.
• Only the Chosen May Wield: In issues #536-537, just before Civil War, the FF have to deal with a newly returned Doom trying to lift Thor's hammer (Thor having lost it due to a temporary case of dead). Of course, Doom is not worthy. Neither is Ben (who figured he'd give it a try).

Mark Millar's run

• Bad Future: Mark Millar's run revolves around one. Some time in the late 21st century, after most of Earth's heroes were killed off, Earth goes to utter crap. All the powerful and rich run for it, leaving everyone else behind to starve and die.

Johnathan Hickman's Era

• Alternate Universe Reed Richards Is Awesome: A major part of Hickman's run is that while every other alternate Reed is awesome, it comes at the cost of being maladjusted, eventually leaving their families behind, something Reed is horrified by.
• Anyone Can Die: The focus of the Three storyline. It was Johnny — but of course he got better.
• Arc Words: "Solve everything" and "all hope lies in Doom"
• Back for the Dead: Psionics, Johnny's girlfriend of the week from Millar's arc, returns during Johnny and Ben's visit to Nu-Earth, where she's gone insane, and gets her brain splattered. Johnny is remarkably unperturbed about this.
• Back from the Dead: Black Bolt, who got supposedly blown up at the end of War of Kings, turns out to have just survived, and Lockjaw finds him.
• Best of All Possible Worlds: Jonathan Hickman's run shows that while Reed has made many a bad decision, and isn't necessarily the best person in the world, he's a severe step-up from all the other Reed Richards out there, who without a father turned into cold manipulators, willing to do all manner of things in the name of the greater good, and eventually left their families.
• Birthday Episode: Franklin's birthday, when he's... whatever age he is (Sue shushes Reed when he tries saying it out loud). Then the Baxter Building is visited by a mysterious stranger who bypasses all their defenses and seems hell-bent on getting to Franklin, before leaving. Because he's Franklin's future self, restoring his powers.
• Broken Record: The Dooms captured and lobotomized by the Council of Reeds are incapable of saying anything other than "Doom".
• Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu: During the Mad Celestials arc, the Future Foundation manages to fire off a super-weapon made by the Council of Reeds at them, killing one, but Reed notes if they fire it again, they'll crack the Earth like an egg.
• The Bus Came Back:
  • Kristoff, Doom's protégé / heir just sort of vanished after a while. Christos Gage explained his absence completely in-character in a 2010 Spider-Man/Fantastic Four miniseries, with the Mini ending with him about to confront Doom directly. Hickman's run paid homage to this miniseries by having Kristoff in the same armor he wore in the Gage miniseries. Hickman said in an interview that Kristoff failed, had his personality rebooted again and got booted off into exile.
  • Alicia, who'd been out of focus during Mark Millar's run in favor of a different girlfriend of the week, returns during the "Three" arc.
  • Hickman's run also explained why there had been so many different Nathaniel Richards running around over the years, being a "Great Hunt" instituted by Immortus.
• Darkest Hour: "Three" promised one of the FF would die, and the story has Reed stuck on a planet about to be eaten by an angry Galactus, Sue stuck at the bottom of the ocean between several warring Atlanteans, and Ben, Johnny and the kids facing down an attempt by Annihilus to invade via the Negative Zone portal. Ultimately, it's Johnny who dies, holding off Annihilus's troops. But he gets better.
• Didn't See That Coming: One of the Council of Reeds tries manipulating the Universal Inhumans as part of their plan. He didn't know they were capable of seeing he was lying, and gets killed for it.
• Dope Slap: Future Valeria delivers one to her younger self while finding her sketching out a way to conquer the Kree Empire.
• Dude, Not Funny!: Having been dragged along to a meeting with Reed and Black Bolt, Spidey makes a nervous quip about his now having five wives. Reed and Black Bolt glower at him.
• Enemy Mine: As part of FF, Doctor Doom is invited to stay with the team to help solve the problem of the Reeds in exchange for fixing the brain damage the Intellgencia gave him.
• "Fantastic Voyage" Plot: Issue #606 had the FF doing this to cure Willie Lumpkin of an inoperable brain tumor.
• Foreshadowing:
  • Valeria recounts what happened when she went through The Bridge, one of the alternate Reeds comments after their lucky escape from the Mad Celestials that it's lucky they didn't combine. Toward the end of the arc, guess what happens.
  • In the last issues, the time-travelling future version of Franklin drops some hints of future events that he's lived through, which would only be revealed in his Avengers run and Secret Wars (2015). First, Franklin stops the war between the Inhumans and the Kree by showing Black Bolt a glimpse of an upcoming future catastrophe, which he should focus on instead of waging war. We do not yet learn what the catastrophe is, but the words "everything dies" are dropped, their significance becoming clear in Hickman's New Avengers. And in the final issue of Hickman's Fantastic Four, future Franklin encourages his present day child version to use his imagination and populate the pocket universe he had created (in the beginning of Hickman's run) with all sorts of fantastic beings, hinting that his boundless imagination together with his reality-altering powers would one day be of utmost importance.
• Funny Background Event: In FF issue 14, Bentley is seen saying something to Katie Powers. Whatever it is he said, she slugs him for it.
• Future Me Scares Me: Mixed with I Hate Past Me. Neither Valeria likes the other. Young Valeria thinks her future self is cold and scary, Future Valeria thinks her younger self is an arrogant little twerp-hole.
• Giver of Lame Names: When Franklin and Leech start playing in Franklin's pocket universe, Franklin uses the names "Psi-Lord" and "Hyperstorm" for their alias. Future Franklin snarks about how terrible this is.
• Gondor Calls for Aid: After screw-ups with keeping things to himself or asking his villains for help, Reed finally decides to just call in his actual friends for help. Of course, being Reed, he forgot this one five minutes later.
• Good Wears White: The team switches to white costumes after the formation of the Future Foundation, mainly because of angst over Johnny.
• Guile Hero: Valeria Richards is this too, especially when written by Jonathan Hickman. She seems to have inherited her dad's smarts - and her mom's wits.
• Happy Ending Override: Millar's run had the inhabitants of a Bad Future escaping their time to go to Nu-Earth, a recreation of Earth made for the rich and powerful to run to if and when things got bad. Here, when Johnny and Ben go for a visit, things have gone extremely wrong for everyone there.
• Have You Told Anyone Else?: The flashback showing the origins of the Inhumans has the Supreme Intelligence see the future the project will begin, and asks the scientists, who are obliviously unconcerned about the fact their god-emperor has just screamed, if this is all the information they have. Once they say yes, he tells the Accusers to get to work... however, it turns out they hadn't actually given it all the information.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Johnny does this to save his niece and nephew. He succeeds, but dies in the process.
• Long-Lived:
  • Franklin's powers make him immortal. He stops aging as a young adult.
  • As a side-effect of the Future Foundation's serum, Ben only ages the one week a year he's in human form, meaning he will live to be thousands of years old before dying of old age.
• Never the Selves Shall Meet: Asked about by Sue in the final issue as to why Future Franklin has to leave. It isn't, and Franklin and Reed stare at her like she's an idiot.
• No-Dialogue Episode: Issue #588, which deals with the aftermath of the Human Torch's sacrifice.
• Not Now, Kiddo: On a visit to Nu-Earth, things go wrong. Val ends up with the planet's designer, who's trying to come up with a solution to their problem. Val tries to chime in, but he keeps brushing her off.
• Once More, with Clarity: The first issue of "Three" has Valeria recount what happened when she went through the Bridge, but with no speech bubbles, save ones with pictograms. It's not until FF issue #3 a few months later she gives the full details of what happened.
• Shrink Ray: In issue #606, the team shrunk down to microscopic size to remove an inoperable brain tumor brain tumor from their postman and very good friend Willie Lumpkin.
• The Thing That Would Not Leave: Johnny invites himself to live with Peter Parker. Peter gets increasingly irritated by Johnny's antics over the next few weeks, finally reaching his breaking point and kicking Johnny out when he finds Annihilus sitting on his toilet.
• Tonight, Someone Dies: Advertising for the "Three" storyline hyped up how one of the Four would die, permanently for reals. It was Johnny. He didn't, returning in a year.
• Turned Against Their Masters: Doom manages to create an entire universe using an Infinity Gauntlet. It takes about a week for them to turn on him.
• Unexpected Inheritance: Following Johnny's Comic Book Death at the hands of Annihulus, his holographic will revealed that he decided to give his spot of the FF to Spider-Man.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Played with in Valeria's case. She is insanely smart for her age, but has some massive gaps brought on by the fact she is still a child (if that), and a pronounced Lack of Empathy, not understanding why her dad would chose family over the "greater good".
• You Can't Fight Fate: A theme of Hickman's run. Despite everything Nathaniel and Valeria can think of, the Mad Celestials always end up killing the Fantastic Four. Much of the run is spent with Val trying to find a way to Screw Destiny.

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