Fantastic Four: Fourever (Comics) | Review

A revival of the Fantastic Four by writer Dan Slott (Spider-Island, The Clone Conspiracy) arrives three years after Secret Wars tore the team apart. Reed and Sue spent that time rebuilding the multiverse with their kids while Ben and Johnny mourned on Earth. Now the family reunites to face threats demanding all four together again.

This isn't just another reunion story where heroes hug and move on. Slott uses separation as foundation for examining what these characters mean when cosmic responsibility forces impossible choices. Emotional weight bleeds through every panel, making reunion earn impact.

Dan Slott handles scripting duties throughout this arc, bringing his signature balance between character-driven storytelling and massive spectacle. His experience with ensemble casts shows how naturally he juggles four distinct personalities without reducing anyone to their generic catchphrase or making the dialogue feel forced.

Artist Sara Pichelli (Spider-Man: Bloodline, Spider-Men: Worlds Collide) delivers artwork for the opening issues, with Simone Bianchi (Thor: For Asgard, Wolverine: Evolution) and Skottie Young contributing to later chapters. Her expressive character work captures raw emotion during reunion scenes while maintaining cosmic scale.

The opening establishes Reed and Sue traveling through reconstructed realities with Franklin and Valeria. Their mission involves verifying dimensional stability after Secret Wars destroyed everything. Ben and Johnny remained on Earth, processing grief and living separate lives.

A cosmic threat emerges that forces the Richards family back home to Earth immediately. Slott builds tension through Reed's calculations showing something powerful enough that even his vastly expanded knowledge can't solve alone. The threat requires all four members of the team operating together as one single cohesive unit.

The reunion doesn't happen instantly. Slott structures the first issue around anticipation, showing each member's perspective as they converge. Ben's reaction to seeing Reed again carries weight. Johnny's relief at having Sue back feels genuine rather than manufactured.

When the threat materializes, Slott pulls from deep Marvel mythology without making it inaccessible. The villain connects to cosmic forces threatening dimensional stability Reed just finished repairing. Every victory could undo years of reconstruction, making stakes personal.

Supporting cast integration shows Slott's understanding of FF history. Spider-Man represents the broader Marvel community welcoming them back. She-Hulk brings legal expertise when bureaucratic complications arise. Black Panther and Namor appear as allies with their own agendas beyond simple team-up plot dynamics.

Franklin and Valeria receive proper characterization rather than getting sidelined. Both aged up during the time skip. Franklin goes by Powerhouse while Val uses Brainstorm. Their powers evolved significantly, reflecting years spent dimension-hopping with focused parents.

Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters' wedding serves as emotional centerpiece for the volume. After decades of on-again-off-again romance, Slott delivers the ceremony fans wanted. The guest list includes virtually every past FF member and ally, balancing humor with genuine sentiment.

Doctor Doom's presence at the wedding creates tension without derailing celebrations. Slott plays his attendance as inevitable rather than shocking. They have too much history for simple hero-villain dynamics. Doom's complicated relationship with the family adds layers to what could be generic villain-crashes-wedding trope.

Galactus also attends the wedding, which sounds absurd until you remember their history. Slott treats this as natural extension of their relationship. When you've saved each other across cosmic threats, traditional enemy dynamics don't apply. The scene acknowledges absurdity.

The Fantastix sub-plot introduces a new knockoff team currently occupying the Baxter Building in their absence. Ms. America leads this Philadelphia-based group with members including 2-D, Hope and Iceberg. Their existence forces questions about FF legacy and whether others can actually fill that role without the originals present.

The pacing moves quickly through reunion logistics to get the team functioning together. Slott trusts readers care more about seeing the FF operate as a unit than extended separation angst. By issue four, major reunion beats have landed and story shifts toward new threats.

Sara Pichelli's character work emphasizes subtle emotional beats through facial expressions and body language. When Ben sees Reed for the first time in years, you read relief, joy and residual pain without dialogue spelling everything out for readers who might miss visual storytelling.

Simone Bianchi handles wedding issue artwork with painterly style giving the ceremony appropriate gravitas. His rendering of guests adds texture making the event feel genuinely populated. Individual characters receive distinct attention even in background panels, making every frame feel intentional rather than rushed.

Marte Gracia's colors shift palettes based on emotional tone. Early issues featuring cosmic travel use vibrant, saturated hues emphasizing alien dimensions. Earth-based scenes employ warmer colors. The wedding issue uses celebratory brightness that shifts when tension rises.

Dan Slott's dialogue captures each character's distinct voice without repetitive catchphrases. Reed speaks with scientific precision missing emotional context. Sue balances warmth with authority. Johnny cracks jokes. Ben's gruffness hides vulnerability revealed through subtext.

Fantastic Four: Fourever succeeds at reuniting fan-favorite characters after years apart without making the reunion feel cheap or unearned. Slott understands these characters need room to breathe and reconnect before facing a new threat. The emotional foundation supports everything following throughout his current run.

The storyline works best for readers familiar with FF history and Secret Wars. New readers can follow through context, but emotional weight hits harder when you understand what these characters sacrificed. Still, Slott provides enough information that newcomers won't feel lost.

If you want traditional FF adventures focused on cosmic exploration without much character development, this might feel too emotionally focused but if you're interested in seeing Marvel's first family reconnect after trauma while facing threats, Slott delivers with intelligence.

Fantastic Four: Fourever is available in collected paperback edition from Marvel Comics, often listed under its original trade name. Physical copies are easiest to find through Amazon, local comic-book shops and online retailers. You can also read it digitally via ComiXology, Kindle, Marvel Unlimited and major e-Book storefronts.