Writer: Dan Slott

Art: Paco Medina, Kevin Libranda, Jesus Aburtov, and VC’s Joe Caramagna

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 29th, 2019

Moon Girl, Devil Dinosaur, Frost Giants, and all while Franklin and Val find a new place to call home in this week’s FANTASTIC FOUR #10 by Dan Slott. Just remember; no one messes with Yancy Street, including Malekith!

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

SUMMARY

Dan Slott opens the issues with Val trying to communicate with the Future Foundation through a multiversal transmitter she created in addition to a family meeting whose purpose is to ground Franklin and Val for sneaking out and saving the team from Doctor Doom. As a punishment, Ben sends Franklin to work at the Ben Grimm Youth Center on Yancy Street where Ben finally realizes that the disconnect between Franklin and Val is probably because they haven’t been around since they’ve moved to Yancy. So, Ben decides to throw a block party!

Suddenly, the Frost Giants emerge on Yancy Street and the FF begin to fight them back along with the Yancy Block Party. Eventually, Valeria realizes that the Frost Giants came to Yancy Street to take down her multiversal transmitter so that all communication will be down while Malekith attacks. Therefore, Franklin decides to destroy the transmitter so the Frost Giants leave and the Fantastic Four head out to fight the war in New York City leaving Moon Girl, Devil Dinosaur, Franklin, and Valeria to watch over Yancy while they’re gone.

FOCUS AND DIRECTION

Slott uses this one shot to focus on Franklin losing his powers and how he’s dealing with gradually becoming normal. Franklin feels like he doesn’t fit in with the Fantastic Four anymore and is searching for his place with a family filled with superpowers and super brains. Meanwhile, Valeria and Moon Girl seem to be comparing the size of their brains against each other, which could lead to Moon Girl joining the Future Foundation in the up and coming series. (fingers crossed) This is a big hope for this FF fan.

What this reviewer liked the most in the issue was that Slott needed to deal with Franklin at some point. His powers needed to be addressed because let’s face it; Jonathan Hickman did an amazing job with FF but he made Franklin WAY too overpowered. So, Slott has been gradually bringing his power level down but also needs to address the elephant in the room. How can someone who was basically a God no longer be a God? How does someone who basically created life deal with it no longer existing AND not being able to create it anymore? Will he retain any powers? What will the rules be of his powers if he keeps them? And, how does Franklin deal with this transformation as well as his family? (sounds like a job for Tom King…jk) Slott decided to use this tie-in to WotR to bring this idea to light and hopefully give some guidance and direction for the Fantastic Four in the future. Originally, Reed and Sue seemed ok with Franklin simply losing his powers. But after his breakdown, I think Reed may attempt to find a way for Franklin to have his powers … just not as powerful as he was before.

CHARMING BONDS

The connection Franklin begins to make at the end of the issue with the kids from Yancy Street was endearing and charming. However, the side panels showing Reed and Sue’s reaction to what Franklin was saying showed the pain and heartbreak for their son; the same pain every parent feels when their child is sick, heartbroken, bullied, or upset. No parent wants to see their kids in pain, especially knowing how much his powers mean to him. This reviewer doesn’t think Reed or Sue realized how important Franklin’s powers were to him until he basically vented to the Frost Giants while kicking their $&@$. In addition, the bond that begins to form between Valeria and Moon Girl is going to be epic. Imagine these two outstanding minds saving the universe together as the two smartest people in the Marvel Comic Universe. This just screams Future Foundation!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Slott takes an event tie-in and finds a way to progress his story, his characters, and possibly set up a Future Foundation book in the process. The issue was mainly about the kids finding a place and transitioning to Yancy Street while fitting into the community and eventually fighting a few Frost Giants. However, this is not a necessary tie-in to WotR and could easily be skipped. That said, this issue was a great FANTASTIC FOUR issue and a great one shot to set up a connection with Moon Girl, Devil Dinosaur, and the Yancy Street crew. What it lacked in action, the issue made up for with fun, sympathy, and charm while shedding some light on the kids, their emotional transition after returning, and hopefully setting up Moon Girl transversing the Multiverse with Val!!!! If you’re a Future Foundation or Fantastic Four fan, this is a great pick up! Otherwise, it’s not necessary for the WotR. That said, this reviewer loved it!

8.5/10