Quick Rating: Looking Forward to the Ultimate Lockjaw
Title: The Fantastic, Part 4

See Through Is Not What It’s Cracked Up To Be

Writers: Brian Michael Bendis/Mark Millar
Pencils: Adam Kubert
Inks: John Dell
Colors: Dave Stewart
Letters: Chris Eloipoulos
Editor: Ralph Macchio

If you read last issue, then you knew the Moleman would be back, but the person that you are awaiting is Dr. Doom. Well, I won’t tell you, even if this review is not hot on the heels of the issue’s appearance. What does happen is more character interaction and Moley pursues his wacky goals.

I will tell you that the pace remains glacial. I don’t normally believe in conspiracies, but I’m rethinking that. For instance, the residents of a certain Scottish town might just mess with foreign visitors’ sense of reality by telling tales of a large aquatic monstrosity. Also, it might not be a surprise to learn that a certain major comic book publisher decided to pad its hit new comic book series by inserting long, drawn-out sequences with minimal action.

Somewhere over the rainbow, you may have seen an ancient video called How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. It featured Stan Lee, in all his glory, and John Buscema, trying to go with the flow. The one thing you learn is that Marvel comics are about “action.” Oh, you learn this over and over. You learn a few other things, but they’re best experienced first-hand.

So, the folks overseeing the Ultimate line-up definitely got the message about character. They have a load of character. Somehow, the original stories of Reed and Sue and Peter and Matt and the Professor and Ginger and Mary Ann managed to convey character through action. To be honest, I’m not even certain this is a fair complaint. If they’d already fought and defeated Dr. Doom by this point, I’d probably be complaining that we didn’t know who they were. I wouldn’t mind feeling a bit more forward thrust though.

March, 2004