In response, Marvel decides to use an idea that brought huge success to DC Comics in the 70s when they faced a similar economic crisis during the Implosion of 1977-78. The House of Ideas will offer a slightly larger page count (36 full color) slew of monthly titles at a discount price. The main difference is that these books will be comprised of 100% all new material. NO reprints!
The first such title in this line would be based on Marvel's First Family: The Fantastic Four. Titled Fantastic Four Unplugged, each issue would be a stand alone story starring a member of the FF family in a solo adventure. Every issue could act as an entry point to the regular Fantastic Four series. Potentially, it might also inspire fans to investigate a character's solo regular series as was the plan for the forthcoming Avenger Unplugged series.
Issue #1 stars the blue-eyed ever loving Ben Grimm, AKA The Thing. If you're wondering why the debut issue doesn't start the Fantastic Four's leader Reed Richard's, it is because at this point in time Mister Fantastic and his arch enemy Doctor Doom have been declared dead from a recent conflict.
On a dreary rainy night, everything seems to be going wrong for poor Ben. All of a sudden, a fiery #4 appears overhead in the night sky. Johnny Storm is summoning the team for the next Earth saving emergency! Or so it seems.
Having commandeered a taxi cab occupied by a really crabby concert musician already late for her next recital, the Thing makes it to a crowded bridge where the Human Torch's summons seemingly appeared from. The police report that a fiery monster is running amok at the center of the causeway. That doesn't sound like Johnny Storm. And it isn't. Instead it's one of the Mad Thinker's Super-Adaptoids and it's attacking everyone and everything in sight. But how is this android functioning with the Thinker supposedly away in a maximum security cell? The Thing will have to figure that out later. Right now he's got lives to save, including that 'screwy blonde musician ' who appears to be next on the Super-Adaptoid's list of victims!
Illustrated by Heltor Oliveira, the art work is definitely a product of the times. Those with powers have a muscular structure that seems impossible even amongst the most built of bodybuilders. The women are impressively stacked and rather ridiculous looking. I've been to my fair share of recitals. Never have I encountered a member of the orchestra wearing a low cut scarlet dress with super high slit!
As for the writing and plotting, it's pretty darn good. Ben Grimm's dialogue and vernacular are perfect. A little wordy but hey, Stan the Man was known to make the Thing a blabbermouth. Excellent level of Ben Grimm crankiness. Plus writer Mark Lackey along with Oliveira really got me with one scene where the Super-Adaptoid confronts a citizen and seemingly decapitates him off screen. We later find out that the guy was just really badly maimed, but survived. Yet the creative team behind this issue had me visioning the worse . It's a textbook example of how much worse things are envisioned by the reader when it's done off-panel.
A decent issue that also comes with a sort of family tree of the Fantastic Four, along with a file card look at Ben Grimm. Both were really cool. But I must do a bit of investigation. There's a mysterious broken line connecting Doctor Doom with Reed Richard's father. Are they related? Is Victor Von Doom the half brother of Mister Fantastic? Dude, that would be such a freaking awesome plot twist! And I really gotta check this out.
A fair book that is saved by the writing, plotting and its extras. Plus, I must give serious kudos to Jim Calafiore's cover. It really fooled me as I thought it was embossed and 3-dimensional!
Completing this review completes Task #7 (Fantastic Four Comic from the 1990s) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.
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