MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY: New Fantastic Four (2022) #5 REVIEW

This series was a blast to read and follow. First of all, I am a huge fan of Peter David, as he is one of my favorite writers of all time. This is not an exaggeration. Secondly, I always take so much delight in reading adventures of Spider-Man teaming up with, or in this case, being a part of the Fantastic Four. I tremendously enjoy the chemistry that Spider-Man has with both the original and the new crew. Also, this epic adventure was an action-packed war between our world and hell… and it also served as a good look into human nature, against the backdrop of hell and its true meaning. All in all, the humor, the color, the mayhem and the group dynamics all made this short series a meaningful one, if not totally essential. One thing is for sure: this was one wild ride from start to finish.

MARVEL COMICS OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION:

Published:

October 05, 2022

Writer:

Peter David

Penciler:

Alan Robinson

Cover Artist:

Nick Bradshaw

It’s all been leading up to this – the New FF and the original FF team up for a final battle with a mega-sized monstrosity in this action-packed finale! Will anything be left of Vegas – or the world?!–once the dust settles? Plus, one last surprise cameo for the road!

PROS:

• Well, Spider-Man is definitely the main highlight of this issue. Not only was he the funniest and most entertaining, but he was also the genius who came up with the grand idea to defeat Hell. The problem was unique: technically, the villain was driving human beings to turn on themselves, and thus, become their own greatest enemy. A perfect plan for Sin City, it would appear. The more humans fall into despair and violence toward each other, the more Hell gets fed. But Spider-Man was able to devise a plan to turn this strategy against the sneaky devil. At the end of the day, this comic is living proof that the optimism, strength and hope of human beings can outwork any kind of temptation.
• The art in this series was masterclass, as it maintained a classic look and feel, honoring the older days, while still being so vibrant and lively in its modern depiction of the heroes, their expressions, and their larger-than-life fights with Mephisto, Hell and all its minions. It was a true joy seeing the original Fantastic Four once again working hand-in-hand with the newer reincarnation of the team.
• The deeper topic of human beings becoming their own worst enemy was a very intriguing and interesting take on the usual story of Hell versus Earth. It was an eye-opener, not only to the heroes in the book, but also to me. Until this day, Peter David is still able to play around with traditional superhero storytelling, while adding his own little spin to events, making for a completely new and fresh experience. You can also see the love that he has for Spider-Man as a main, highlight, and central character, which works well for us, Spider-Man fans.
• Any Spider-Man fan will react, for better or for worse, whenever Mephisto makes an appearance. Like it or not, Mephisto will forever be a very important figure in the history of Spider-Man. Bringing him into the action is definitely an effective tool by the creative team.

CONS:

• This was such a short series, and it would have been even more fun if they extended the story and climax to maybe an issue or two more. Yes, the ending felt a bit rushed, and I was left wanting for more dynamic chaos being experienced by both groups of Fantastic Four.

FINAL GRADE: A

Overall, every fan of the Fantastic Four will be pleased. And every fan of the Wolverine, Hulk, Ghost Rider, and most importantly Spider-Man will walk out of all this a winner, as well. I am really hoping Peter David takes time to pen even more adventures starring this crazy group of characters, simply because they naturally and automatically work so well together. Now I am really excited to see the Fantastic Four get their own new live-action film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where they can also hopefully work with the likes of Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine and Ghost Rider.