Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Battlefield 6 Classes - Support trailer image

    Battlefield 6 Really Wants You To Play Support (But Knows You Won’t)

    07/31/2025
    Battlefield 6 Multiplayer Reveal promotional image

    Battlefield 6 Classes, Maps, And More: Everything You Need To Know

    07/31/2025
    A glimpse at all the upcoming Star Wars stories coming to the galaxy

    Star Wars Stories: What We Learned At SDCC 2025

    07/25/2025
    Blindspot episode still

    It’s been 5 years since ‘Blindspot’ ended. Why haven’t you watched it yet?

    07/24/2025
    Strange Scaffold

    Strange Scaffold Summer Showcase Delivers Bizarre And Brilliant Games

    07/22/2025
  • Fantasia Festival
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2 Games
But Why Tho?
Home » Marvel Comics » REVIEW: ‘Fantastic Four,’ Issue #1

REVIEW: ‘Fantastic Four,’ Issue #1

Collier "CJ" JenningsBy Collier "CJ" Jennings11/09/20223 Mins Read
Fantastic Four #1
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Fantastic Four #1

Fantastic Four #1 is written by Ryan North, illustrated by Iban Coello, colored by Jesus Aburtov, and lettered by VC’s Joe Caramagna. It’s published by Marvel Comics. “The Last Town On The Left” finds Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, attempting to take a vacation with his wife, Alicia Masters-Grimm. They end up in the small town of Cedar, but strange happenings put a crimp in their hotel plans. A mysterious event happened on July 12, 1947, that keeps the town in a time loop – forced to relive the same day over and over. Ben and Alicia attempt to solve the mystery behind the time loop while also staying alive, as people obviously don’t take too kindly to his rocky visage.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Every Fantastic Four story, in this writer’s humble opinion, should have two elements. The first is the “Fantastic” part, as the First Family’s adventures have pitted them against all manner of threats while often testing the boundaries of time and space. The second is the “Four” part. More than anything else, the Fantastic Four are a family first and superheroes second. North perfectly captures both of those elements in his script, putting a sci-fi twist on the classic “road trip” story while also using it as a vehicle for Ben & Alicia to work out their grief over their missing children. North also pens a passionate letter at the end of the issue that more or less convinced me he’s the right man for the job; he GETS the Four in a way few other writers do.

And he’s paired with a great artist in the form of Coello. The same sense of frenetic kineticism that powered Coello’s work on Venom and Dark Ages is present throughout the issue, especially in a sequence where the Cedar residents try and ram Ben with their truck. Slight spoiler alert: it doesn’t turn out too well for the truck. Coello also has a great grasp of proportions, especially when it comes to drawing Ben and Alicia. Ben looks every bit like the walking, talking mountain of stone that fans have come to know and love, while Alicia looks positively tiny in comparison. And since this story deals with a time loop, Coello has plenty of chances to depict the flow of time, with one sequence that will shatter hearts near the end.

Aburtov brings a wide array of colors to the mix, depending on the setting. Nighttime brings a cool blue sky, with the moon glowing in the distance. The daytime is warm and sunny, with golden rays shining down upon Cedar. Even Ben and Alicia have different colored wardrobes; he wears mostly gray hoodies that offset his rocky orange skin, while she wears a variety of bright yellows and pinks. The color also seeps into Caramagna’s lettering. When a boy sees Ben in all his rocky glory, his high-pitched scream turns blood red, leaving a chilling effect.

Fantastic Four #1 begins a new era for the First Family by tapping into the elements that make them an iconic team. With future issues set to focus on the other members of the Four, and a jaw-dropper of a final page, it’s safe to say that the creative team isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to their approach to the title.

Fantastic Four #1 is available wherever comics are sold.

Fantastic Four #1
5

TL;DR

Fantastic Four #1 begins a new era for the First Family by tapping into the elements that make them an iconic team. With future issues set to focus on the other members of the Four, and a jaw-dropper of a final page, it’s safe to say that the creative team isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to their approach to the title.

  • Read Now on ComiXology with Our Affiliate Link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Black Panther: Unconquered,’ Issue #1
Next Article REVIEW: ‘The Fifth Force,’ Volume 1
Collier "CJ" Jennings
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.

Related Posts

Cover art for Ultimates Issue 14

REVIEW: ‘Ultimates’ Issue 14

07/30/2025
Cover art for Uncanny X-Men Issue 18

REVIEW: ‘Uncanny X-Men’ Issue 18

07/23/2025
Cover of Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe Issue 1

REVIEW: ‘Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe’ Issue 1

07/16/2025
Cover of Imperial Issue 2

REVIEW: ‘Imperial’ Issue 2

07/16/2025
Fantastic Four Issue 1 (2025) cover

REVIEW: ‘Fantastic Four’ Issue 1

07/09/2025
Ultimate Spider-Man Incursion Issue 2 cover

REVIEW: ‘Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion’ Issue 2

07/09/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Wildgate promotional key art
9.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Wildgate’ Is Co-Op Space Mayhem Done Right

By Adrian Ruiz07/25/2025Updated:07/30/2025

Built for friends and tuned for competition, Wildgate is messy in the best way: smart, surprising, and bursting with room to grow.

Glass Heart
7.0
TV

REVIEW: ‘Glass Heart’ Offers Messy, Musical Catharsis

By Allyson Johnson07/22/2025

The musical drama series ‘Glass Heart’ soars when it focuses on the epic performances of it’s fictional band, TENBLANK.

Simon in An Honest Life But Why Tho
3.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘An Honest Life’ Is Terribly Dishonest About Its Own Politics

By Jason Flatt08/02/2025

An Honest Life is an overly severe misfire about a law student who falls in with anarchist burglars that can’t decide who it resents more.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here