Ryan North’s Fantastic Four Vol. 4: Fortune Favors the Fantastic follows a group of superpowered geniuses going to extreme lengths to stop a potentially world-destroying threat: an asteroid, a cosmic cube, and a vampire. Although this is a story that makes an effort, the book is strangely dominated by limitations.
Throughout this volume’s five issues, members of the Fantastic family push the limits of their abilities, discover their limits, and find ways to work within those limits. As with much of the recent Fantastic Four, the solution mostly comes in the form of collaboration, but also through understanding that there is strength in limitations.
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As I read through the final two issues presented here, Blood Hunt and related issues, I found that Reed Richards, regardless of his level of scientific genius, was able to understand the illogical nature of vampires and the occult. realized that the nature was outside his area of expertise. After all, the problem of immortality cannot be solved.
This does not mean that the lead is powerless. He stretches himself to the limit (literally) to help people, hurting himself in the process. But while Alicia may be able to provide shelter to a few survivors, she is unable to think as big as she usually does to provide world-saving solutions, something she always does in moments of global catastrophe. points out that it is impossible. Since curing vampirism is outside of his purview, his genius is best applied to something more urgent: inventing a vampiric device.
This book seems to say that knowing your limitations is just as important as knowing your strengths. The first issue of this volume reveals that Franklin is still in full possession of his god-like powers. Still, understanding that he can’t control them means he keeps them away from him, except for one night a year (when he does a little prophetic world-salvation). means. Due to the same problem, the FF finds itself unable to stop the wave of invisible asteroids that are coming towards them. Once again, Alicia suggests a solution. It’s about leveraging their power in ways they’ve never done before and inventing new ways to collaborate.
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The book also contains the trademark absurdity of this volume. The world turns noir as we follow classic Alicia, Private Eye, and then there’s a nice aside where Ben and Johnny get jobs at the local supermarket. These stories provide as much insight into the characters and explore their unique personalities and relationships as any other “big threat” story. Perhaps they will make that exploration even more possible.
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Fortune Favors the Fantastic continues the impeccably entertaining quality that made Fantastic Four so great under the pen of Ryan North. This book features 22 books of near-perfect fun and adventure. His artistic collaborators Carlos Gómez and Ivan Fiorelli (colored by Jesús Aburtov and Fer Sifuentes-Sujo) understand their task. Even in the darkness of Brad Hunt, these books are filled with lightness of character, consideration for humanity, and frankness. The joy of absurdity.
“Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 4: Fortune supports the Fantastic Four and the joy of overcoming a character’s limitations.”
Ryan North’s Fantastic Four Vol. 4: Luck favors great things
Pushing characters to their limits, Fortune Favors the Fantastic believes in working together to achieve your ambitions, rather than saving the world solo.
It continues to develop FF’s stable of characters into fun, more recognizable figures.
It creates a constant struggle that puts a strain on the heroes (even though they know they will win in the end).
It provides fun even in the most dire situations (and row-wide events).
Limit the universe-defining heroes to little potatoes (but that seems to be the point).
