ADVANCED ISSUE: ‘Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha,’ Issue #1

Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Dan Slott, art by Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Fonteriz, and Carlos Magno, colors by Guru-FX, and letters by Joe Caramagna. This is the start of the Reckoning War event. Nick Fury and the Watcher have been investigating a mysterious figure traveling across space, giving technologically advanced weaponry to warfaring races. A shot rings out, destroying the Moon. The Fantastic Four and Earth’s heroes gather as an invasion reaches Earth. Heading into space, the Four discover a secret origin to the entire universe.

The pace and the scale of the storyline are certainly set early on. As inciting incidents to go, the events within Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1 is among the most dramatic. There are equal parts action and exposition. The mystery set up at the beginning of the issue is answered by the climax, but it will provide the motivation for the villains. The revelations inside this opening are dramatic and completely altering for the very fabric of the Marvel Universe. The action itself is intense and filled with guest stars. The different directions that the event will head towards are signposted in the epic beginning of the story.

There is a huge cast in this issue. What is appreciated is that Slott makes the event truly feel like a FF story. Those involved fit classically within their umbrella, from Silver Surfer to Doctor Doom to the Watcher. But that does not exclude others from making an appearance. There can’t be large amounts of development in a comic with this many heroes, yet some are granted with monologues and excellent dialogue. The deep storytelling regarding the Watchers is exciting, exploring one of the most obscure races of Marvel’s history. The Four themselves are too busy to speak, but the glimpses of their individual arcs are shown by the end of the book.

The art of this issue truly captures the grandeur of the occasion. All three artists can showcase the large landscapes on display as the chaos spans the cosmos. But close-ups can also allow for intimate, small moments. When a character rushes to a family member in the face of a cataclysm, the facial expressions are key. And that is achieved beautifully. The action shots as Earth’s heroes charge into battle look superb with each of the individual soldiers easily identified. The fight is laid out spectacularly as New York is an “all hands on deck situation”. Heroes will turn their heads to see another by their side, then they both move on. But then the scale can escalate to that of abstract entities with some stunning designs. Giant alien cities are also presented in stunning detail.

The colors of the comic are gorgeous. Guru-FX adapts to fit the line-art of the three artists so that there is variety yet consistency. The colors alter as the issue goes and the reader never gets bored seeing them. Each of the heroes looks amazing and has beautiful tones. Lighting within the panel changes the shade, adding realism. The glow from computer screens or the hue from a planet can deviate the colors of the area.

The lettering is very good for most of the comics. The text is easy to read and the layout of the word balloons is fine. However, there is one incident that may possibly be a mistake in a balloon being attributed to the wrong character.

Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1 is an epic beginning. Slott and the artists have taken the challenge of a universal-scale story and shouldered it admirably. The tale is exciting and investing, more than just a world-ending event. Every character shines in a cast full of stars, even some we may have forgotten. It feels great to have the Fantastic Four at the center of a big story again.

Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1 is available where comics are sold.