FANTASTIC FOUR #583

Remember a few years ago when even writer Mark Millar couldn't make this book exciting? Yes, we all remember his mediocre run. So who will be the savior to finally sell some copies of this book and make it worth reading? I enjoyed this issue, although it's nothing revelatory, especially with writer Jonathan Hickman on board, the dude that's re-writing S.H.I.E.L.D pretty much from scratch. The reason I enjoyed this issue was mostly due to artist Steve Epting, who's sorely missed in the pages of Captain America. Sure, The Thing still looks silly, but Epting's pencils bring forth a maturity and a dynamic to the characters. The script is a little dark, and Epting does a terrific job making Reed's daughter look as cunning and villainous as she might actually be. Hell, Epting even makes the Silver Surfer look cool and not asinine, which is really difficult to do when you realize that the Silver Surfer is the stupidest popular character ever created. The art is top-notch, but the script has some good surprises that makes you want to read the next issue as well. Millar wrote a storyline titled “The Death of the Invisible Woman” which did not lead to the death of the Invisible Woman, but from the previews (this storyline is titled “Three”) it looks like Hickman might actually kill her off. And with Galactus back and Dr. Doom in the mix, this book is actually interesting for once. ***