REVIEW: ‘Fantastic Four’ Issue 29

Fantastic Four Issue 29 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Ryan North, with pencils by Cory Smith, inks by Oren Junior, colors by Jesus Aburtov and letters by Joe Caramagna.

Fantastic Four Issue 29 is part of the One World Under Doom event. While meeting She-Hulk for lunch, Thing and Invisible Woman must protect a family who have become targets of Doctor Doom’s campaign of hatred.

This issue doesn’t directly feature the new dictator of the world but shows what the world is like in his shadow. Life under authoritarian leadership may not always seem too bad, but there are always consequences. Fantastic Four Issue 29 offers an example of that, with a particular race being used as the scapegoat. There are vampires within society walking around in the daylight after the events of Blood Hunt. There are now targets painted on them by Doctor Doom, making them easy prey to be tormented and harmed by those in the streets.

Up until a certain point, the tone of Fantastic Four Issue 29 is actually hopeful and happy. Sue and Ben have lunch with She-Hulk, discussing their new glorious leader. Despite the dread, there is humor and love. New York still feels like New York. But then a family of vampires gets in trouble, and the team are forced to act. It is what the Fantastic Four do: protect the innocent. Doom may be absent, but his influence has spread to individuals. It leads to a drastic and shocking explosion of violence that leaves innocents traumatised. So much of this issue is about helping those who can’t help themselves, solving the problem through science and compassion.

The allegories of vampires and Doom make the world fantastical, but the themes are as timely as they come within the real world. It always will, and of course, this event was written and conceived of before the election, but it certainly feels eerily accurate. Every time Fantastic Four Issue 29 sees a glimmer of satisfaction from doing a good deed and supporting tolerance, the other shoe drops, and Doom tightens his fist without even being there.

North splits the core family in half for this issue, using the two most gentle and child-friendly figures of the Fantastic Four. Invisible Woman is the maternal member of the team, and The Thing is the one who would stop at nothing to keep children safe. Two kids are in danger, and Ben naturally takes them under his wing. And through this, North shows how subtly he can change the tone of the dialogue. The vampire kids have a really sad story. When adult vampires talk about their hunger, it’s scary. But it’s downright terrifying when a child vampire talks about their hunger.

The presence of She-Hulk is very welcome in Fantastic Four Issue 29. Jen Walters is an honorary member of the family, and her voice is refreshing and positive. The mood is glum in the opening scene, which is why Invisible Woman is taken out by Thing in the first place. She-Hulk starts talking about dark matters, with laws being flagrantly broken by Doom without a care for the consequences. But she has a resolve that makes it seem like everything is going to be alright. The narration also has that feeling. It’s trying to push back against the darkness but struggling to do so when the boot pressing down is so heavy and all-encompassing.

The art is spectacular, tapping into the comic’s familial element. So much of the world looks normal. Sue and Ben live in a suburban area away from the city. It’s friendly and safe. Even New York looks normal, with not much detail showing Doom’s control. The most abnormal part of the comic is the Thing and She-Hulk, which have become well-known to even the civilians around them. The characters look fantastic. Their smiles are a relief and a red herring for what is to come.

This makes Fantastic Four Issue 29 more interesting when creepier elements set in. The vampires look close to normal, with only the fangs that reveal their true nature. The kids are adorable and gentle, but Smith and Junior can make them look unsettling when they choose to. It’s hard to ignore the sharp teeth after that. As the issue progresses, the world changes, showing that Doom’s influence may not be undone.

The colors are warm and inviting. New York is sunny, but the safety of the daylight is put in jeopardy now that the vampires can exist without burning. The shades may not be vibrant, but they are bright and cheerful. And as times get more turbulent, the tones get darker and more uncomfortable, but only slightly. This suggests that things can get much worse. The lettering is largely fine and easy to read, with the only exception being the captions. Spoken through the voice of Invisible Woman, the text is very faint on a grey background, and it could be difficult for some to read.

Fantastic Four Issue 29 uses fiction to look outward. There are sci-fi elements within the pages of this comic. Doctor Doom uses magic to take over the world, and there are vampires in cities that are being tormented and murdered. But at the core of the comic is a story about the rich and powerful fascist governments scapegoating vulnerable minorities.

Every part of the social commentary inside Fantastic Four 29 rings true to a depressing, heartbreaking level. The issue has more charm and superhero antics than real life, making it much more gripping to read.

Fantastic Four Issue 29 is available where comics are sold.