Fantastic Four #8
Written by: Matt Fraction
Art by: Mark Bagley
Fantastic Four #8 arrived just in time for the a year that gave us Gangster Squad and The Great Gatsby. We got a one-off period piece starring Ben Grimm – and with it’s trilbies and gun totting trench coat wearing thugs, it’s a lot of fun.
I’m a sucker for one-shot stories like this, but this issue offers a glimpse at the origins of the Yancy Street gang, and in a Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne fashion, explains their almost religious dedication to The Thing. The issue featured a human-looking Ben Grimm for much of the issue, and didn’t bother to slow things down with a “why can’t I always look like this” message.
The Valeria and Franklin subplot felt a little distracting, as I wish this story was completely standalone. However, I’m sure within the context of a collected edition, it will thematically tie in the story with previous instalments well.
Bagley captures the time period well with his visuals, keeping the story visually clean yet vintage at the same time.
Fantastic Four #8 is that classic time travel, space trotting story that takes you back to a familiar time, where even though the setting that is explored is old, we discover new things about Ben Grimm.
