What do you think?
Rate this book
Fantastic Four (1961) #258-267
Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne, Vol. 4
Not since the days of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the trailblazers of the Marvel Universe, had someone so perfectly captured the intense mood, cosmic style and classic sense of adventure of Marvel's first family of super heroes. Writer/artist John Byrne launched the Fantastic Four into realms where few creators before had dared to go. Now, the collection of his classic run continues! Featuring the trial of Reed Richards - and introducing the newest member of the Fantastic Four! Plus, Reed and Sue place the fate of their unborn child in the arms of...Doctor Octopus?!
280 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2005
3 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
John Byrne
2,960 books360 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.
Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.
Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 15, 2016
Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne, Vol. 4 contains Fantastic Four 258-267, Alpha Flight #4, and The Thing #10, all concocted by John Byrne.
The Fantastic Four battle Doctor Doom and Terrax, Reed goes on trial for saving the life of Galactus, Reed and Sue move to Connecticut, Thing and Torch battle the Messiah, The Thing leaves and is replaced by She Hulk, and Sue Richards has a miscarriage.
With the fourth volume, John Byrne shows no signs of slowing down. The best story by far was the Trial of Reed Richards, when the Shi'Ar and survivors from worlds destroyed by Galactus put Reed Richards on trial for saving Galactus' life.
The biggest thing to come out of this volume is She Hulk taking The Thing's spot. Honestly, that's pretty much the only significant deviation from ground already trod upon multiple times by Lee and Kirby. I think Byrne does a great job on the Fantastic Four but it would be nice if he broke some new ground. From the time and characters, it doesn't get much better than this, however. Four out of five fantastic stars.
The Fantastic Four battle Doctor Doom and Terrax, Reed goes on trial for saving the life of Galactus, Reed and Sue move to Connecticut, Thing and Torch battle the Messiah, The Thing leaves and is replaced by She Hulk, and Sue Richards has a miscarriage.
With the fourth volume, John Byrne shows no signs of slowing down. The best story by far was the Trial of Reed Richards, when the Shi'Ar and survivors from worlds destroyed by Galactus put Reed Richards on trial for saving Galactus' life.
The biggest thing to come out of this volume is She Hulk taking The Thing's spot. Honestly, that's pretty much the only significant deviation from ground already trod upon multiple times by Lee and Kirby. I think Byrne does a great job on the Fantastic Four but it would be nice if he broke some new ground. From the time and characters, it doesn't get much better than this, however. Four out of five fantastic stars.
January 5, 2021
De vez em quando, a vida dá errado.
Acontece.
Não é culpa de ninguém, não faz diferença o esforço, a dedicação, o amor, a inteligência, a força, a vontade; a vida dá errado.
Esse volume é o ápice de tudo que o Byrnezão da massa vem fazendo com o Quarteto desde o início e acontece tanta coisa, mas tudo é eclipsado, porque, de vez em quando, a vida dá errado.
Eu podia escrever sobre o cotidiano de Doomstadt, apresentado pelo próprio Dr Destino, ou sobre o insidioso plano de empoderar Terrax - o ex-arauto de Galactus - com uma variação de coach neo-quântico e jogá-lo contra seu maior inimigo, o Quarteto Fantástico. Calma, com a ajuda do Surfista Prateado, eles triunfam.
Eu podia escrever sobre a morte do Dr Destino; um daqueles casos de morreu, mas passa bem da Marvel; afinal quem nunca transferiu a mente para o corpo de um Zé Mané qualquer - se ele olhasse pras esquerdas pegava na Tia May.
Eu podia escrever sobre como dói assistir o Coisa estraçalhando o coração da Alícia Masters, apenas porque ele não aceita que ela o aceite, afinal todos dizem que ele é um monstro, talvez ele seja apenas um monstro mesmo.
Eu podia escrever sobre o Pete Pote de Pasta, até ele aparece por aqui.
Eu podia escrever sobre a divertida história em que o Coisa e o Tocha se unem ao Toupeira para deter um milionário maluco.
Eu podia escrever sobre o Namor passando o xalalá na Sue, enquanto enfrenta, com a ajuda da Tropa Alfa, o Mestre do Mundo.
Eu podia escrever sobre as Guerras Secretas e a nova integrante do Quarteto, a Mulher-Hulk.
Eu podia escrever sobre o julgamento do Reed Richards por uma corte espacial composta por sobreviventes dos mundos devorados por Galactus, no que deveria ser o ápice da edição.
Eu podia escrever sobre tudo isso, mas eu não consigo escrever sobre quando a vida dá errado.
A última página da edição 267, que fecha esse volume, é, provavelmente, a página mais triste que a Marvel já publicou.
Eu só consigo pensar numa expressão do Livro do Desassossego do Fernando Pessoa; a saudade do que nunca aconteceu.
Essa saudade tão imaginária e, ao mesmo tempo, tão real é o que se sente quando a vida, irremediavelmente, dá errado.
Acontece.
Não é culpa de ninguém, não faz diferença o esforço, a dedicação, o amor, a inteligência, a força, a vontade; a vida dá errado.
Esse volume é o ápice de tudo que o Byrnezão da massa vem fazendo com o Quarteto desde o início e acontece tanta coisa, mas tudo é eclipsado, porque, de vez em quando, a vida dá errado.
Eu podia escrever sobre o cotidiano de Doomstadt, apresentado pelo próprio Dr Destino, ou sobre o insidioso plano de empoderar Terrax - o ex-arauto de Galactus - com uma variação de coach neo-quântico e jogá-lo contra seu maior inimigo, o Quarteto Fantástico. Calma, com a ajuda do Surfista Prateado, eles triunfam.
Eu podia escrever sobre a morte do Dr Destino; um daqueles casos de morreu, mas passa bem da Marvel; afinal quem nunca transferiu a mente para o corpo de um Zé Mané qualquer - se ele olhasse pras esquerdas pegava na Tia May.
Eu podia escrever sobre como dói assistir o Coisa estraçalhando o coração da Alícia Masters, apenas porque ele não aceita que ela o aceite, afinal todos dizem que ele é um monstro, talvez ele seja apenas um monstro mesmo.
Eu podia escrever sobre o Pete Pote de Pasta, até ele aparece por aqui.
Eu podia escrever sobre a divertida história em que o Coisa e o Tocha se unem ao Toupeira para deter um milionário maluco.
Eu podia escrever sobre o Namor passando o xalalá na Sue, enquanto enfrenta, com a ajuda da Tropa Alfa, o Mestre do Mundo.
Eu podia escrever sobre as Guerras Secretas e a nova integrante do Quarteto, a Mulher-Hulk.
Eu podia escrever sobre o julgamento do Reed Richards por uma corte espacial composta por sobreviventes dos mundos devorados por Galactus, no que deveria ser o ápice da edição.
Eu podia escrever sobre tudo isso, mas eu não consigo escrever sobre quando a vida dá errado.
A última página da edição 267, que fecha esse volume, é, provavelmente, a página mais triste que a Marvel já publicou.
Eu só consigo pensar numa expressão do Livro do Desassossego do Fernando Pessoa; a saudade do que nunca aconteceu.
Essa saudade tão imaginária e, ao mesmo tempo, tão real é o que se sente quando a vida, irremediavelmente, dá errado.
Read
October 13, 2025As I read this, I was thinking how strange it was that Byrne became so strongly associated – through his own later work and outright statements, but still – with 'the illusion of change', the position that you're never going to do Marvel characters better than they were done first time out, so really the job was to turn out a passable tribute but make sure you left the toybox as you found it. Firstly, it feels crazy because I'd so much rather read Byrne's FF than Stan and Jack's. But also because, sure, there's a lot of stuff happening here that was clearly never going to last – Reed and Sue's attempts at a suburban secret identity, the Thing being replaced by She-Hulk*, another apparent death for Doctor Doom which is being undone before the dust has settled. But the spine of this volume is the Invisible Woman's second pregnancy! Valeria is still a firm fixture! That's a big, lasting change, surely?
Well, it turns out my own knowledge of what was to come, but also its bittiness, particularly as regards things like the FF between this run and the noughties, meant that even a reader from the future could unwittingly collude with the story's misdirection, something that's paid off in the last page here, and is more heartbreaking than any issue has a right to be when it began with three pages of clunking expositional recap, and thereafter was mainly Byrne going wild with one of his own challenges to himself as artist: Mister Fantastic versus Doctor Octopus in the ultimate battle of the wiggly twisty guys.
But even if the conclusion was a simultaneous sucker-punch to my theories and emotions, there's still a lot of good stuff here. Not so much the cover story (I'm not sure I've ever been convinced by any of Galactus' post-Surfer heralds, and retooling Terrax does nothing to change that), but certainly the issues in which Johnny is kidnapped by a messianic tycoon with a half-cocked and incredibly dangerous plan to make the world a better place with or without anyone else's permission. In fact, the only bit that doesn't feel weirdly prescient there is that back before the age of mergermania, a Marvel comic has to depict his theme park as Definitely Not Disney, Why Would You Think That. And then there's the cosmic epic when Reed is put on trial for saving Galactus' life, a case with ramifications so vast that those in attendance include Odin; Eternity, the living embodiment of everything that is; and...John Byrne.
*Ben having opted to remain behind after Secret Wars wrapped up, on a world where he's not a freak. This was something I did remember from the time, but his relationship with Alicia has been played so tenderly to that point that his failure to return, and how lost she seems after that, still hit. And this despite the stories bookending his departure being fairly dud: the FF menfolk are abducted to Battleworld in an issue of the Thing's solo title which, though written by Byrne, appears to have been drawn by someone who has never seen a human being. And then once Johnny and Reed return with Jen instead of Ben, they promptly sideline her for an issue-long flashback to Ben's run-in with mercifully forgotten villainess Karisma – magic make-up gives her the power of super-heteronormativity!
Well, it turns out my own knowledge of what was to come, but also its bittiness, particularly as regards things like the FF between this run and the noughties, meant that even a reader from the future could unwittingly collude with the story's misdirection, something that's paid off in the last page here, and is more heartbreaking than any issue has a right to be when it began with three pages of clunking expositional recap, and thereafter was mainly Byrne going wild with one of his own challenges to himself as artist: Mister Fantastic versus Doctor Octopus in the ultimate battle of the wiggly twisty guys.
But even if the conclusion was a simultaneous sucker-punch to my theories and emotions, there's still a lot of good stuff here. Not so much the cover story (I'm not sure I've ever been convinced by any of Galactus' post-Surfer heralds, and retooling Terrax does nothing to change that), but certainly the issues in which Johnny is kidnapped by a messianic tycoon with a half-cocked and incredibly dangerous plan to make the world a better place with or without anyone else's permission. In fact, the only bit that doesn't feel weirdly prescient there is that back before the age of mergermania, a Marvel comic has to depict his theme park as Definitely Not Disney, Why Would You Think That. And then there's the cosmic epic when Reed is put on trial for saving Galactus' life, a case with ramifications so vast that those in attendance include Odin; Eternity, the living embodiment of everything that is; and...John Byrne.
*Ben having opted to remain behind after Secret Wars wrapped up, on a world where he's not a freak. This was something I did remember from the time, but his relationship with Alicia has been played so tenderly to that point that his failure to return, and how lost she seems after that, still hit. And this despite the stories bookending his departure being fairly dud: the FF menfolk are abducted to Battleworld in an issue of the Thing's solo title which, though written by Byrne, appears to have been drawn by someone who has never seen a human being. And then once Johnny and Reed return with Jen instead of Ben, they promptly sideline her for an issue-long flashback to Ben's run-in with mercifully forgotten villainess Karisma – magic make-up gives her the power of super-heteronormativity!
March 27, 2017
The descent of Byrne's FF run continues. Like the last bunch, there's some interesting ideas here but none are executed fantastically. And the ideas get less interesting and execution gets worse. Still, there's few fun issues (258, half of 265 and 267).
258 is an all Doom issue. Byrne writes a great Doom, so this is very fun despite the story not being that much to speak of. 259 & 260 are the payoff for 258 with FF (minus Reed and plus the Silver Surfer) batting a re-powered Terrax and Doom. Doom """dies""" and Namor shows up to set up a crossover with Alpha Flight in issue 4 of that series. It's mostly a snooze and has a terrible generic villain named the Master.
261 is just filler to set up 262, the Trial of Reed Richards for saving Galactus. This is a great concept and has echoed down through decades of Cosmic Marvel. But the actually issue is sadly part of Assistant Editor's Month, so "John Byrne" is part of the story which really punctures the gravity of the issue. 263 & 264 have Ben & Johnny team up with the Mole Man to defeat an evil Walt Disney analogue. They literally fight robotic cartoon characters.
The first half of 265 is a first-person view of the Trapster sneaking into the Baxter Building but getting foiled by the defenses. Even though it's a bit of a retread of issue 218 when the Trapster dresses as Spider-Man to sneak into the Baxter Building, it's some of the most inventive art I've seen Byrne do and it's a funny story, to boot. I always love the Trapster. The second half is just some set-up for Secret Wars and it's fine. 266 is a flashback issue with a terrible villain named Karisma. It reads like a bad Silver Age story from Tales of Suspense or something like that.
267 was very good, though. This might be Byrne's most well thought out issue. I loved how everyone talking about how Reed was getting everything right and being so smart and generally playing to the 'Reed makes no mistakes' trope, but then it turns out he was totally wrong about Doc Ock and in the end he gets to the hospital too late to be able to help Sue.
258 is an all Doom issue. Byrne writes a great Doom, so this is very fun despite the story not being that much to speak of. 259 & 260 are the payoff for 258 with FF (minus Reed and plus the Silver Surfer) batting a re-powered Terrax and Doom. Doom """dies""" and Namor shows up to set up a crossover with Alpha Flight in issue 4 of that series. It's mostly a snooze and has a terrible generic villain named the Master.
261 is just filler to set up 262, the Trial of Reed Richards for saving Galactus. This is a great concept and has echoed down through decades of Cosmic Marvel. But the actually issue is sadly part of Assistant Editor's Month, so "John Byrne" is part of the story which really punctures the gravity of the issue. 263 & 264 have Ben & Johnny team up with the Mole Man to defeat an evil Walt Disney analogue. They literally fight robotic cartoon characters.
The first half of 265 is a first-person view of the Trapster sneaking into the Baxter Building but getting foiled by the defenses. Even though it's a bit of a retread of issue 218 when the Trapster dresses as Spider-Man to sneak into the Baxter Building, it's some of the most inventive art I've seen Byrne do and it's a funny story, to boot. I always love the Trapster. The second half is just some set-up for Secret Wars and it's fine. 266 is a flashback issue with a terrible villain named Karisma. It reads like a bad Silver Age story from Tales of Suspense or something like that.
267 was very good, though. This might be Byrne's most well thought out issue. I loved how everyone talking about how Reed was getting everything right and being so smart and generally playing to the 'Reed makes no mistakes' trope, but then it turns out he was totally wrong about Doc Ock and in the end he gets to the hospital too late to be able to help Sue.
August 26, 2019
***I'm reading this, not as a read-through of Fantastic Four books, but as a way to follow the adventures of Jennifer Walters, She-Hulk. So reviews of this book will be slightly tainted, as I look at it through the lens of what type of She-Hulk book it is, caring a little bit less about the other characters involved.***
This particular review is only for the last four issues collected in the trade. I'll come back and read the rest later.
Picking up after Marvel's first massive crossover, The Secret Wars, this book gives us a new status quo for The Fantastic Four. Starting with a focus on The Invisible Woman (I don't care that Byrne still calls her Girl here, she has a kid, with a second on the way, and she is a certified badass. She Woman.) and Alicia Masters (maaaaaaaaaybe) are pondering their place in a world with a diminishing amount of heroes (because Secret Wars) when most of the heros come back.
Jennifer Walters is new to the team, replacing The Thing, who stayed behind to explore the galaxy. As a result, we get to see a major change for a fmaily team, through the eyes of a new member. It's a blast. In this volume, the threats are minor, but important. There are no planet sized-enemies or interstellar wars, there are just criminals that the FF have to keep in check.
This is a fun intro to the new status quo, and I recommend it for Fantastic Four fans, She-Hulk appreciators, anyone who likes one and done comic books that have a long arc in the background, and fans of over-prosed comics, because there is a Claremont level of text here, though it's not quite as thesaurus-heavy.
This particular review is only for the last four issues collected in the trade. I'll come back and read the rest later.
Picking up after Marvel's first massive crossover, The Secret Wars, this book gives us a new status quo for The Fantastic Four. Starting with a focus on The Invisible Woman (I don't care that Byrne still calls her Girl here, she has a kid, with a second on the way, and she is a certified badass. She Woman.) and Alicia Masters (maaaaaaaaaybe) are pondering their place in a world with a diminishing amount of heroes (because Secret Wars) when most of the heros come back.
Jennifer Walters is new to the team, replacing The Thing, who stayed behind to explore the galaxy. As a result, we get to see a major change for a fmaily team, through the eyes of a new member. It's a blast. In this volume, the threats are minor, but important. There are no planet sized-enemies or interstellar wars, there are just criminals that the FF have to keep in check.
This is a fun intro to the new status quo, and I recommend it for Fantastic Four fans, She-Hulk appreciators, anyone who likes one and done comic books that have a long arc in the background, and fans of over-prosed comics, because there is a Claremont level of text here, though it's not quite as thesaurus-heavy.
April 1, 2024
Collecting issues #258-267, Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 4 also includes Alpha Flight #4 and Thing #10 (the first being a pointless crossover to help sell Alpha, the second actually where the FF are whisked off to the Secret Wars). We're starting to get into peak John Byrne FF here, with spectacular battles (the roughness of the previous volume is gone) and key storylines. Doctor Doom gets blasted into atoms(?), Reed Richards is on trial for saving Galactus' life, She-Hulk joins the team (at the tail end there), and the book ends on a family tragedy. Reading these in quick succession, I do get a sense that Byrne was improvising a lot of his storylines. Johnny's love triangle is upended when 4 months suddenly go by and we're TOLD what happened there. Sue's pregnancy motivates a move to the suburbs and secret identities, but it's all going to be walked back by the next volume. And of course, editorially-mandated events (Secret Wars, Assistant Editors' Month) no doubt threw some spanners in the works, and one wonders how much lead time he had to make changes and how thought-through these were. But despite being too quick to cut off dangling plot threads, he's doing a good job of keeping things exciting and looking cool.
May 14, 2017
Este tomo, en particular, es clave en la vida de de Susan y Reed. La ausencia de Mister Fantastic en gran parte de la historia debido a un juicio galáctico al que es sometido y, posteriormente, durante el evento de Secret Wars deja a Sue como el personaje que toma las riendas de situaciones bastante complicadas (luchar contra Doctor Doom, ir en busca de Reed al otro extremo de la galaxia) mientras avanza el embarazo de su segundo hijo, un tema que traerá consecuencias en la Primera Familia de Marvel.
July 3, 2020
Incluye la ya clásica historia en que una corte intergaláctica juzga a Reed Richards por haber salvado la vida de Galactus en el pasado, así como algunas otras aventuras que ocurren antes y después de Secret Wars, con la adición de She-Hulk al equipo. Algunas historias se sienten medio de relleno, pero concluye de gran manera con un terrible golpe emocional a la primera familia en los comics. Esa última página está llena de impotencia y frustración, me pregunto de qué experiencias personales echó mano Byrne para poder cargar esa página de tantas emociones crudas.
April 14, 2019
More amazing comics from John Byrne. This collection is interesting, as the team never fights as a whole throughout this run, being separated through multiple means, but the stories are no less interesting. Plus, the last issue in the collection, #267, is one of my favorite comic stories of all time. Not only does it use Reed Richards and Otto Octavius incredibly well, but it never fails to make me cry, no matter who many times I read it.
August 27, 2020
Some very fun pages from the Byrne, what can I say? When people talk about this run being great, this is what they mean: classic sci fi draped over Marvel properties. Byrne is his at his salty best and thinking about him penciling, writing, and inking all of the issues he was at the time is absolutely absurd. What a madman. Occasionally the seams show, and a few things have "aged poorly". In any case if you're going to read Fantastic Four you could do much worse.
February 11, 2025
Everything is top notch here. Things are progressing organically between the members of the Fantastic Four, and it really feels like a strong continuity is built from when Byrne first started the run. This volume also featured my single favorite FF issue I've read so far, with Reed on trial for reviving Galactus.
October 24, 2018
Byrne was the best!
John Byrne was the best writer and artist for the Fantastic Four! He advanced each character forward and you would care for them and want to get the next issue. He had a way of grabbing your attention for the next issue!
John Byrne was the best writer and artist for the Fantastic Four! He advanced each character forward and you would care for them and want to get the next issue. He had a way of grabbing your attention for the next issue!
August 31, 2021
The beginning half is a bit rough. However once Reed comes back in and She Hulk becomes a member, that's when it becomes interesting. The shake up to the line up is excellent and makes this a fun read
September 18, 2024
She-Hulk shows up after Secret Wars
Classic Byrne hits with She-Hulk after The Thing leaves (after Secret Wars). Great stories and emotional depth with Alicia Masters and the 2nd pregnancy of Sue Richards/Storm.
Classic Byrne hits with She-Hulk after The Thing leaves (after Secret Wars). Great stories and emotional depth with Alicia Masters and the 2nd pregnancy of Sue Richards/Storm.
February 2, 2019
Some good stuff but I find myself skimming the overwraught writing. The Trial of Reed Richards was pretty cool but almost ruined by Byrne's annoying intrusion into the narrative. Damn what an ego!
September 15, 2021
Doom never dies. He just finds a new way to strike back.
March 8, 2024
More invested than I was in the last issue, but it's still feeling a little chunky to me. I'm ready for more She-Hulk. Also, do I need to read Secret Wars now?
May 6, 2025
it's crazy seeing how much Byrne has grown as a writer. his first 10 issues of the FF were laughable and a slog to get through but now he's got me on the edge of my seat
April 6, 2025
da fase em que o john byrne comandava o quarteto fantástico, li o volume um do omnibus e o volume quatro de "fantastic four visionaries: john byrne".
gostaria, sim, de ler a segunda metade da run; principalmente para me inteirar de evoluções nos personagens como, por exemplo, o empoderamento da garota invisível. pelo que sei, ela passará a usar o alter-ego de mulher invisível e seus poderes serão (ainda mais) explorados. decidi, entretanto, parar por aqui: não sou louco de gastar mais de 400 reais no volume dois do omnibus. além disso, ouvi de fontes confiáveis que a qualidade da run começa a decair imediatamente após o momento em que parei.
de qualquer forma, recomendo a leitura dessa fase do quarteto: o doutor destino, com seu orgulho, código de honra e ideais absolutistas brilha nas histórias em que aparece; susan richards ganha um destaque inédito até então: não é uma simples donzela em perigo, ela salva o dia em mais de uma ocasião -além de ter seus poderes bem trabalhados; o coisa, melhor personagem dos quatro, é pintado como o personagem tragicômico que ele tem que ser: se mostra tão melancólico quanto espirituoso.
byrne é ótimo lidando com ficção científica. seus desenhos retratam com primor raças alienígenas, objetos estranhos e planetas impossíveis -o fantástico, no geral. nesse sentido, destaque total deve ser dado ao "julgamento de reed richards". o próprio autor se insere como um personagem nessa célebre história que detalha uma saga cósmica. nela, a origem de galactus e seu papel no universo marvel são lapidados.
falando em galactus, a entidade cósmica protagoniza excelentes histórias. seja na obra-prima que é "o julgamento de reed richards", seja em momentos menores da run, john byrne dá toques de horror cósmico ao vilão. o insondável devorador de mundos revela à humanidade o papel ínfimo que ela ocupa num vasto cosmos e, também, inspira medo e admiração universo afora.
gostaria, sim, de ler a segunda metade da run; principalmente para me inteirar de evoluções nos personagens como, por exemplo, o empoderamento da garota invisível. pelo que sei, ela passará a usar o alter-ego de mulher invisível e seus poderes serão (ainda mais) explorados. decidi, entretanto, parar por aqui: não sou louco de gastar mais de 400 reais no volume dois do omnibus. além disso, ouvi de fontes confiáveis que a qualidade da run começa a decair imediatamente após o momento em que parei.
de qualquer forma, recomendo a leitura dessa fase do quarteto: o doutor destino, com seu orgulho, código de honra e ideais absolutistas brilha nas histórias em que aparece; susan richards ganha um destaque inédito até então: não é uma simples donzela em perigo, ela salva o dia em mais de uma ocasião -além de ter seus poderes bem trabalhados; o coisa, melhor personagem dos quatro, é pintado como o personagem tragicômico que ele tem que ser: se mostra tão melancólico quanto espirituoso.
byrne é ótimo lidando com ficção científica. seus desenhos retratam com primor raças alienígenas, objetos estranhos e planetas impossíveis -o fantástico, no geral. nesse sentido, destaque total deve ser dado ao "julgamento de reed richards". o próprio autor se insere como um personagem nessa célebre história que detalha uma saga cósmica. nela, a origem de galactus e seu papel no universo marvel são lapidados.
falando em galactus, a entidade cósmica protagoniza excelentes histórias. seja na obra-prima que é "o julgamento de reed richards", seja em momentos menores da run, john byrne dá toques de horror cósmico ao vilão. o insondável devorador de mundos revela à humanidade o papel ínfimo que ela ocupa num vasto cosmos e, também, inspira medo e admiração universo afora.
July 2, 2015
I found this collection to be a bit uneven, augmented perhaps by the fact the Fantastic Four aren't really together for most of it, and are all off doing their own thing. I hold especial dislike for the whimpering Alpha Flight issue, which seems most definitely included only to spike sales, but I also didn't much care for the lame way Doctor Doom met his end this turn around (a Dues Ex Machina Silver Surfer literally runs into him). And while I mostly enjoyed the idea behind the trial of Reed Richards, I didn't find Galactus' revealed secret origin to be that inspired, and if I were made prosecutor I could've made more reasonable arguments for the death of the both of them that would have opposed the Watcher's predestination dogmatic bullshit.
Nonetheless I enjoyed the day-in-the-life-of-Doom issue, and the Thing and Torch's adventures in a parody of Disneyland. It was still enjoyable reading, even if the Four were sadly spread out from each other for most of it.
Epilogue:
And now my reading of Byrne's run should come to an end, as this is the last collection my state's public library system has in circulation. But wait! I am so impatient and have so many of the ensuing issues in my own personal collection already, I have decided to go on a scavenger hunt to comic book stores and waste loads of money to grab all the issues I'm missing! So be sure to check back here in the ensuing months for my reviews of volumes 5-8, true believers! 'Nuf Said!
Nonetheless I enjoyed the day-in-the-life-of-Doom issue, and the Thing and Torch's adventures in a parody of Disneyland. It was still enjoyable reading, even if the Four were sadly spread out from each other for most of it.
Epilogue:
And now my reading of Byrne's run should come to an end, as this is the last collection my state's public library system has in circulation. But wait! I am so impatient and have so many of the ensuing issues in my own personal collection already, I have decided to go on a scavenger hunt to comic book stores and waste loads of money to grab all the issues I'm missing! So be sure to check back here in the ensuing months for my reviews of volumes 5-8, true believers! 'Nuf Said!
July 28, 2008
John Byrne is right after Stan Lee and Jack Kirby on my list of top FF stories. He was able to hit the right balance of the family vibe, big sci-fi ideas and some super hero stuff.
This volume is a prime example: The FF travel into space in a big grand epic involving Galactus, see Doctor Doom die yet again, Mr. Fantastic fights Doctor Octopus ( how come no one ever thought to do that fight before?) and all the while deal with Invisible girl's pregnancy.
Byrne was also able to turn She-Hulk from yet another female clone of a male hero to an interesting ( and pretty babe-ish looking) character in her own right.
This volume is a prime example: The FF travel into space in a big grand epic involving Galactus, see Doctor Doom die yet again, Mr. Fantastic fights Doctor Octopus ( how come no one ever thought to do that fight before?) and all the while deal with Invisible girl's pregnancy.
Byrne was also able to turn She-Hulk from yet another female clone of a male hero to an interesting ( and pretty babe-ish looking) character in her own right.
February 6, 2018
This volume covers a pitched battle with Tyros the Terrible, the mystery behind Reed Richards' disappearance, a confrontation with a Shi'ar led alien consortium pissed off at Reed for saving Galactus, a few days in the life (including one with Dr. Doom), Reed, Johnny and Ben leaving for the Secret War and Sue's high-risk pregnancy coming to its conclusion.
This was a good combination of action and behind the scenes stories, with interesting guest stars ranging from the Sub-Mariner, the Silver Surfer and the Watcher to Julie D'Angelo, Kristoff and Aunt May. Oh, and the She-Hulk came back from the Secret Wars with Reed and Johnny- apparently they plan to keep her.
This was a good combination of action and behind the scenes stories, with interesting guest stars ranging from the Sub-Mariner, the Silver Surfer and the Watcher to Julie D'Angelo, Kristoff and Aunt May. Oh, and the She-Hulk came back from the Secret Wars with Reed and Johnny- apparently they plan to keep her.
January 29, 2015
Breezed through this one pretty quickly. It wasnt quite as spectacular as fhe prior FF Byrne Visionary volumes in this long run, but it is still way better than anything else that was out there at that time. Adding issues from "The Thing" title into these volumes kind of slows the momentum, as the stories & art are somewhat sub-standard to what byrne was doing in FF at that moment. I still will give 5 stars though, if nothing else for the first few issues in this TPB, the quality is white-hot. And highly memorable.
November 4, 2012
The Doctor Doom solo issue, Tyros returns, the Trial of Reed Richards - all good stuff. Though John Byrne writing himself into the story is a bit goofy of course, but otherwise this is excellent storytelling. The second half of this edition has some weaker stories, therefore I can only give 4 stars instead of the 5 this would otherwise have deserved.
August 5, 2011
Some very clever stories in this volume. The Trial, the dy off and the last story are the most memorable. The last story is quite shocking emotionally, and it seems brave for a comic to approach this subject. A decent read.
August 5, 2007
See my short note on it:
[http://gypsylibrarian.blogspot.com/20...]
[http://gypsylibrarian.blogspot.com/20...]
May 19, 2008
wanted to learn about the "Trial of Reed Richards" . . . and now I know.
July 15, 2009
For me, a fun rereading of comics I read when they first came out. Byrne's art is good if simplistic.
August 10, 2011
This one is excellent!
June 28, 2013
The Trial of Reed Richards is quite good and the ending is heartbreaking (in Byrne's typically misogynistic way), but in between there's a lot that isn't memorable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews