ʚ sam ɞ

The last couple of issues from Lee were a bit rough to read through, if I'm being honest, and I feel like many people share that sentiment from what I've seen online. I don't want to speculate about a possible reason for this, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a case of burnout. I mean, the man had been at it for quite a while! So, to keep things on a more positive note, I'll focus on Thomas and Buscema's run.

I was pleasantly surprised by those last 10-ish issues! Reminiscing on the beginnings of the four through Ben's own perspective (and thanks to Reed's invention) was quite a nice way to signal a change of pace or direction, even. From the get-go, I could notice a different approach towards the characters, and not only the FF, but also some of the villains and the supporting cast. The attempt at humanizing Mole Man, Johnny and Crystal's unexpected break-up, the introduction of Thundra, Medusa joining the gang, etc. They may not be perfect, and I have some grievances, but I appreciate that they weren't scared to move plots forward and allow the characters to grow.

Speaking of, my biggest surprise was definitely Sue! She has been much more active in both action scenes AND personal initiative. Ever since she got married and had Franklin, she became this minor character who sometimes would not even be in some chapters. I'm happy she's back in a more protagonistic role. She even confronts Reed about his awful attitude towards her and his negligence as a husband and father, which was shocking! I did not expect her to have this sort of development this early on. I'm interested to see when and how she decides to come back to the family; I hope it marks a before-and-after moment for her and Reed. Come on dude, get your shit together!