Fantastic Four #543
Writer: Dwane McDuffie, Stan Lee, & Paul Pope
Artists: Mike McKone, Nick Dragotta, & Paul Pope
After all the crap that was the Civil War issues with the Thing in France we finally get a good issue of Fantastic Four. Dwayne McDuffie writes a good story here incorporating the anniversary theme and the fallout from Civil War, which is actually more interesting than the war ever tried to be. Ben and Johnny are watching the kids while Reed and Sue talk about the past events. Sue goes through the "I still love you, you're the best man I've ever known" motions as Reed continually apologizes and manages not to make a science reference. Ben and Johhny are watching a Fantastic Four retrospective on "Lateline" and the interviews of Hank Pym, their Mailman, Doctor Doom, Namor, Spider-Man, She-Hulk, She-Thing (wha huh?), and Black Panther. Despite sounding really boring, this portion of the book is actually entertaining, especially Doctor Doom's words that Reed with ruin the world and Doom "might" help when that time comes. This TV show shows the importance of the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Universe as Reed and Sue debate on what to do. This part of the story was good, but the back-ups were much better.
The first back-up tale is 10 pages by Stan Lee, Nick Dragotta, and Mike Allred on inks, which might be why it looks like Mike Allred art. The story is really fun and witty, Stan Lee has still got it when it comes to these characters. The Mole Man attacks New York and Reed says that after 45 years, he's tired of saving the world. He wants to retire even though the cosmic ray exposure have kept him from aging. Stan Lee walks in and tells the FF that there are other ways than fighting to defeat Mole Man. We get a glimpse of the Marvel offices with Breevort telling a quivering Quesada that the FF will not come out and save the city. It's a really fun and short story that anyone can enjoy. This was the second-best story of the book.
The best story of the book is the one written and drawn by Paul Pope. In 12 pages, Pope focuses on the rivalry between the Human Torch and Spider-Man. Torch is tired of Spider-Man getting all of the press and decides to enter a drag race to get some publicity. Meanwhile J Jonah Jameson is telling Peter Parker to get less pictures of Spider-Man and more of the Human Torch. So Peter goes to the drag race and decides to get Johnny all fired up to start a fight. Pope really captures a fun rivalry between the two characters as well as a dynamic art style. There is a lot of fun, humorous moments, that in any other medium with any other characters would have failed. Rather than spend your money on the Initiative one-shot go pick up this all-around good book. It's 44 pages for 3.99 and well worth your money for the back-up stories alone, along with the main story. B+
