0
Posted May 12, 2012 by Earl Maghirang in Comics
 
 

KILLAR MILLAR STORIES: Ultimate Fantastic Four

This series produced by the Flipgeeks Crew picks one Mark Millar story and dissect, nitpick it for all the comic book geeks in preparation for the arrival of the Scottish writer — the KILLAR MILLAR STORIES.

This chapter focuses on Mark Millar‘s run on “Ultimate Fantastic Four” which he co-wrote with Brian Michael Bendis and art by Adam Kubert.

Fresh off the release of the first volume of “The Ultimates” Marvel decided to follow it up with the Ultimate universe’s version of Marvel’s First Family – The Fantastic Four.

I was one of the kids that picked up the number one from my LCS. Truth be told it was an interesting take on the origin of the FF. The first story arc focused on the varying relationships between the would be Fantastic Four. Millar wrote Richards as the stereotypical nerd with a lot of ideas with a big bruiser for a best friend.

Unlike the original run by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, most of the main cast have grown up together. Heck even the first arc’s main baddie The Moleman was seen early on.

Millar and Bendis also made something from the first run; a thoroughly enjoyable Fantastic Four origin that most definitely fits the modern world. Speaking of modern, leave it to the writers to create a brand new story related to how the four got their powers. Rather than flying a rocket ship into space Millar and Bendis used teleportation as the reason for the acquisition of the team’s power.

But all of this good stuff pales in comparison to what Mark Millar’s run (available in trade paper back format in National Bookstore) has done for the Marvel Universe. Without Millar’s early push, we would not be able to read the cool Marvel Zombies stuff that gets published every once in a while. The very first Marvel Zombies came out in the story arc “Crossover”…

 

In this book, Ultimate Reed comes into contact with a Reed from another universe. He gets to contact this Reed only to find out that this is actually a zombified Reed Richards who plans on invading the Ultimate Universe and spread the infection together with the Zombie Four.

 

So while it was a really fun ride, Millar had to leave the book for other projects. But this isn’t the last time we get to see Mark Millar work on a Fantastic Four project as he returns to the First Family a few years later.

Overall, Millar’s run on UFF is one that will complete your Millar collection and at the same time provide you with widescreen entertainment.

All Ultimate Fantastic Four Tradepaperbacks are available in National Bookstore.

Check out other KILLAR MILLAR STORIES here.


Earl Maghirang