Marvel just made one small, but vital change toFantastic Fourlore, and it immediately made me so much more excited for them to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The legendary Stan Lee and Jack Kirby designed the iconic four to complement each other, butMister Fantastic and The Human Torch have always been the team members who don’t quite mesh – that is until now.
InFantastic Four#26, the story “Blood Brothers” – written by Ryan North, with art by Ivan Fiorelli – follows the events ofDoctor Doom seizing Doctor Strange’s title as Sorcerer Supreme, Reed Richards invents a device capable of detecting Doom should he emerge. With the device, Reed and Johnny brashly unearth a magic ghost portal under their house and hijinks ensue as they try to plug the ghostly portal using a demonic skull that constantly spews blood.
This latest issue showcases Reed and Johnny’s chaotic yet surprisingly delightful dynamic, and it’s finally ignited my excitement for The MCU Fantastic Four film.
I Like How Reed Richards and Johnny Storm’s Polar Opposite Personalities Make Them The Perfect Duo
Fantastic Four #26, “Blood Brothers” – Written By Ryan North; Art by Ivan Fiorelli; Color By Brian Reber; Lettering By Joe Caramagna
Reed Richards is one of the smartest heroes in The Marvel Universe,pulling off feats such as creating a Quantum Flux Acceleratorto alter the universe or developing a portal to the negative zone, but often this causes him to come off as cold and calculating. He greatly contrasts Johnny’s fun party-animal personality, leading Richards to become the voice of reason to Johnny when his sporadic nature gets the best of him.Fantastic Four #26flips this dynamic on its head, showing how their unique pairing heightens each of their most dangerous qualities.
I think Marvel’s currentFantastic Fourseries does an amazing job illustrating the Fantastic Four as a family, allowing Reed and Johnny to show their relationship as brothers-in-law.
The issue demonstrates Reed’s intelligence and Johnny’s helpful attitude, but it also shows their flaws with Reed getting absorbed for the sake of science and Johnny recklessly looking for a good time, leading to the destruction of the house. I think Marvel’s currentFantastic Fourseries does an amazing job illustrating the Fantastic Four as a family, allowing Reed and Johnny to show their relationship as brothers-in-law. Reed and Johnny play off each other in a uniquely destructive way, and it drives me to want more of their duo, not just in future issues but in other Fantastic Four media.
Marvel’s Fantastic Four Shows How Reed & Johnny Bring Out The Most Destructive Aspects of Each Other
Fantastic Four#26 – Available Now From Marvel Comics
The unique dynamic of Reed and Johnny isn’t one I’d normally be keen on, mainly because Reed Richard’s logical personality often doesn’t mix well with Johnny’s brazen playboy attitude, butFantastic Four#26 has made me an instant fan of their messy duo.It was fun seeing Johnny convince Reed to explore the bizarre magic ghost pit in the basement for “science.” Their curiosity, and Johnny’s wacky solution to stop the ghosts from escaping the hole, results in the two wrecking the house and fighting a French cult for a skull that spews blood.
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In a heartbreaking moment, Johnny Storm has just revealed the truth about why he hasn’t found happiness the way his Fantastic Four teammates have.
It was pleasant to witness Johnny and Reed defending each other to Sue and the family when explaining the bloody disheveled state of their clothes. While Reed and Johnny are presented as having vastly different personalities, the story perfectly demonstrates their brotherly bond and that, despite their differences, both Reed and Johnny are incurably curious people.These well-written qualities make for compelling stories, which is exactly why I’m itching to see how the MCU will handle the Fantastic Four being reintroduced into The MCU.
The Current Fantastic Four Run Has Been Well Crafted - I’m Setting High Expectations For The MCU
With constant looming threats like Doctor Doom and Galactus, Reed Richards and Johnny Storm don’t often get to showcase their dynamic outside of missions, which is why I love moments likeFantastic Four #26.The “Blood Brothers” story subtly plays into their already iconic character quirks, a quality I hope gets carried over into the upcoming Fantastic Four film; with the Fantastic Four joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are unexplored opportunities for the film to expand upon the characters' unique family dynamic.
Fantastic Four: First Steps - Release Date, Trailer, Cast, Story, & Everything We Know
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The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis a highly anticipated film, but I was hesitant about getting my hopes up with the MCU’s mixed record of films in recent years. I’d like to thinkthe movie would avoid repeating the mistakes of past filmsand instead look to the various Fantastic Four comic runs for inspiration not only on how to portray a team, but how to portray a superhero family. After getting a hint of Johnny Storm and Reed Richards' fun but dangerous antics inFantastic Four#26, I’m eager to see how Marvel adapts their iconic first superhero family.
Fantastic Four #26is available now from Marvel Comics!
Fantastic Four (2022)
“WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE FANTASTIC FOUR?” It’s the start of a new era for the Fantastic Four…and they’re already in a ton of trouble. Something has gone terribly wrong in New York, and the Thing and Alicia are traveling across America to escape it! But when they stop in a small town for the night and wake up the morning before they arrived, they find themselves caught in a time loop that’s been going on since before they were born… That’s been going on since before they were born…
