- Written by: Ryan North
- Art by: Carlos Gómez
- Colors by: Jesus Aburtov
- Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover art by: Alex Ross (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: February 7, 2024
Fantastic Four #17 sends Sue and Reed Richards on a Bill And Ted’s Most Excellent Adventure to stop their future from being annihilated by the Conquering Master of Time.
Is Fantastic Four #17 Good?
How?!? How does Ryan North get so close to telling a fun, exciting Fantastic Four adventure, and yet, keep missing the mark on one ingredient that sends the whole thing crashing down? Why won’t anyone in Marvel Editorial help Ryan North nail one script? Ahh, well. Fantastic Four #17 almost makes the grade, but one plot hole is all it takes to stumble.
When last we left the Fantastic Four, the Fantastic offspring took their school science project a step too far and made a universal solvent that almost created a catastrophe. Luckily, quick thinking by Reed saved the day and taught the kids a lesson about responsible science.
Now, Sue Richards calls the FF to an archaeological dig where she explains a 16,000-year-old set of human remains are actually… hers?!? What follows is a time-traveling adventure to explain how Sue “died” in the past at a moment when the first settlers to cross over from the Bering Land Mass were almost wiped out by longtime FF villain, Rama-Tut aka Kang.
“That sounds like fun. What’s the problem, Mr. Grumpy Reviewer?” you’d rightly ask. Well, time travel stories can go right or very wrong if you’re not careful. This time, North concocts a scenario where Kang goes back in time to wipe out the FF’s ancestry to prevent the FF from ever being born (Yes, just like in The Terminator (1980)). During the fight and subsequent “death” of Sue Richards, two things needed to be taken into account but weren’t.
First, Sue and Reed go back in time four years from now as part of an anniversary getaway, perfectly suited for science nerds like Reed and Sue. If the departure happens four years after Sue’s discovery of her own remains, why doesn’t she realize/remember/understand she’s headed for the very spot where she knows she’s going to die? Why doesn’t the parental half of the FF come prepared? Why aren’t they the least bit concerned that they’re intentionally traveling to their deaths as part of an anniversary holiday?
Second, once Kang “wins” the fight, why doesn’t he proceed with his plan to wipe out the FF’s ancestors? He simply leaves as if he’s victorious, but all the troubles he has experienced up to that point will still come to pass. Kang doesn’t follow through with this plan, and the FF does nothing to stop him from carrying it out. In short, the conflict just ends.
What’s great about about Fantastic Four #17? Gómez’s art looks fantastic (no pun intended), the time-traveling aspects of this adventure are at least fun, and North does dream up a clever method of communication for Sue and Reed to fool Kang.
What’s not so great about Fantastic Four #17? See all the specifics mentioned above. Further, North is insistent on using this series as a vehicle to teach academic lessons, first on science and now on history, but at the expense of thorough storytelling. North does not use page space judicially, so when the comic prioritizes the academic lesson over the story, gaps form, and plot holes grow as they do in this issue. If North would prioritize the story, weaving the academics in for support, he may eventually get one of these issues right.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces
Fantastic Four #17 takes Reed and Sue on a time-traveling adventure to solve the mystery of Sue’s “death” in the ancient past. The time travel aspects, a clever invention of non-verbal communication, and the art are all on point, but Ryan North keeps forgetting to shore up plot holes that sabotage his writing.
Weird Science Marvel Comics 
For you’re review of issue #16 AND this one:
I’m guessing “YA” is Young Adult? I think this is being marketed to Young Adults. As you said, last issue was bad science, this issue is bad archaeology.
I liked issue 16. I thought it was entertaining. Although, I liked it better when Rick and Morty did it with a lightsaber.
Plus, being able to look at a skull and determine it is the “wrong type” as if you were looking at a monkey skull vs a human skull, must be a new eighth cosmos thing. Whether “European skull” or “Asian skull,” they are all human. There is too much diversity and overlap to be able to make a definitive ‘racial’ statement based on a bone look. Because they’re all HUMAN. But I guess they want to give a different message to the YA crowd.
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