Today’s Number is 8 as in FF #8

History Note: Hickman’s run can get really confusing at times, so I’m going to do a little bit note each issue about a character. Today’s is on Nathaniel Richards.

Who is he: Nathaniel Richards is the father of Reed Richards, whom he left behind early in childhood, after gaining the ability to travel through time. He has return before, but usually to further his own goals.

Recent Events: After the death of Johnny Storm, Nathaniel Richards returned to join his son in the creation of the Future Foundation. He’s also been conspiring with Valeria and brought Doom to the team.

 Importance to the FF: He is the “Man from the Future who must return to save the past” that a future version of Franklin Richards prophesied would return to Valeria.

The Faculty

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Penciler: Steve Epting

Inker: Rick Magyar

Colorist: Paul Mounts

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover: Daniel Acuna/Stephanie Perger

Editor: Tom Breevort

Lesson Summary: This issue picks up after the events of Issue 5, with Sue, Alex, and Spider-Man returning from defeat as the alternate Reeds rose the Forever City to the surface and destroyed the Peak in the process. Susan decides to have a chat with Nathaniel about trust and what needs to be done. Nathaniel inquires why Valeria isn’t part of this conversation and Sue reveals she’s having a time out. Nathaniel gives a much needed summary of events explaining why this is a war and Reed gets involved, before Reed benches Sue, due to a concussion she got in issue 5. Spider-Man reveals the villains have suited up and are coming; Doom introduces Reed to the Future Foundation.

Upon arrival to the Forever City, the group splits up; Doom goes for the alternate Reeds with Wizard and Diablo, High Evolutionary goes to shut down the Forever Engine, and Nathaniel/Reed/Spider-Man stick close together, since the odds of one of the villains turning on them is high.

Valeria is trying to escape from her time out room, but each time she tries to hi jack the machines, more time is added to her time out session. However, Bentley blow torches through the wall and breaks her out.

Wizard is taken out and then Reed/Nathaniel/Spider-Man are summoned to Attilian, floating over the war torn Forever City, just as Doom manages to reach the alternate Reeds. He is about to take out one, when Diablo and High Evolutionary turn on him.

The Might of Doom: Susan Storm is by far the strongest point of this issue. Everyone else is pretty much following Reed, whose following Val and Nathaniel and she puts her foot down and lets Nathaniel know he’s not as untouchable as he may think he is. And while it’s stern lecture, she’s also gentle and that makes it almost more threatening, because if she unhinges, it would be a sight to behold. And she puts super genius Valeria in a time out, whose really been riding a high horse since the start of FF, that was great.

Also Doom introducing Reed to the new villain filled Future Foundation, which Reed started to make the future a better place, was a great moment.

Intangible: The second half of this issue is an action packed fiesta and Hickman occasionally forgets that he is writing a superhero comic and gets caught up in setting up his next piece of plot, so when we get a break to see some fighting, it’s always good. Plus, it gives Epting a chance to draw some cool stuff like Reed and Spidey using their powers. Still, since most of the issue is a fight, there’s not a ton of plot progression.

I rather enjoyed Reed’s train of thought during the battle, when he decided to keep the core FF members together, in case the villains turn on them. Likewise, I like how High Evolutionary uses his minions created by the Ascension Engine for aid in attempting to disable the Ascension Engine.

Stretched Too Thin: There was lazy writing writing in this issue, meant mainly to continue the story in a new thread. The first example of this is when Valeria is unable to escape her time out room, by a device Reed made. Valeria has been hyped numerous times to be smarter than her father, so being stumped by a machine of Reed’s making seems a little weird to me.The other example is less persistent and only made truly irrelevant with hindsight, but it’s when the villains turn on Doom at the end of the issue; it was supposed to be a twist ending, but it really doesn’t work, because it’s there only to make sure Black Bolt takes care of the Reeds next issue.

An Ultimate Webhead Moment: After Reed has his talk with Susan, Spider-Man just happens to be sitting on a wall, a Spider-Man pose I love, and asks Reed how it went. Reed asks him what his least favorite thing to do is and when Spider-Man replies with dentist, Reed says it was a root canal.

A Hickman Related Note: If you want to see a truly evil version on the Future Foundation, check out Hickman’s first two issues of Ultimates. It has an evil Reed Richards and his Future Foundation going to destroy the Gods and it has some great stuff like  Loki/Thor fighting together, a drinking bear, Captain Britain rejecting Thor’s offer of peace and beer, and some God level destruction…

Looking to the Future: This issue is a good read while you’re reading it, but I pretty much forgot the plot of this issue before I re-read it for this review. It’s fun and has a much needed family scene and action though, so I’m going to give it a 3/5