July 2019's Pull List: Fantastic Four #12

So, as I mentioned while reviewing Lazarus Risen #2, my pull list has been greatly diminished in recent months/years. However, July's quota was doubled in size (albeit to a measly two) and so I got the privilege of rambling over two different titles.

However, while I had planned to post them as one large post, I was asked to break that down.

And so, here is part two about my Pull List comics for July.

Fantastic Four #12

Comic number two is Fantastic Four #12, which continues the Dan Slott/Ben Grimm love affair as the ever loving blue eyed Thing takes to his honeymoon with new wife Alicia Masters, having put it off to coincide with his annual week long reversion to his human form. However, his time away from the FF (in every single way as he left his communicator behind) isn't going to be the relaxing holiday he might have been hoping for when the Immortal Hulk appears at the very same island with only one thing on his mind; to kill Ben Grimm.

Now, I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit... annoyed (I guess) at the amount of focus Ben Grimm is getting in this new run. I mean, I get it, Slott knows the character inside and out (having written his solo series way back when). However, I do feel like he's getting a lot of play at the expense of the rest of the four.

It's the Vitruvian Thing!!

Anyway, now the negatives are out of the way, I going to come right out and say that I absolutely loved this issue! While I have just admitted that the Thing is getting a severely biased amount of page time (in my opinion) on this new run, I can't deny that Slott writes him so fantastically, almost like he is imbuing the spirit of Kirby (who everyone knows the Thing is practically based on). This issue, however, is just so adorable and light hearted in how it opens right up until the midway point and Alicia makes her own romantic gesture that it's easy to forgive any problems with reading it (not that there are any) and then we get to the big ol' knockdown which isn't so much a fight as a prelude to something more.

Of course, that doesn't make this battle any more fun to watch/read, especially as I found myself actually really get engrossed (despite knowing how this will end, with the two amicably parting ways) because we know that Ben's 'Thing Time' is counting down. But then we get to, by far the best part of the issue, the end, and truly the greatest moment in comics for this year (I'm not going to spoil it though ;-)). It was this which had me truly pumped for the next issue and the resolution.



I just love Isaakse and Robson's art
and use of shading in this issue.

As such, I have to confess that Sean Izaakse and Will Robson are yet another terrific art team to grace this title. I love their deep inks and rich colours and the night/fight scenes look spectacular here as they nicely capture the Immortal Hulk's horror-esque vibe from his own book but without letting it overtake the tone here. Also, that final scene (which I think I'm in love with) is just gorgeous and is so wonderfully rendered that I'm certain that it is just etched into my brain.

Contender for the best moment in
Comics, right here!!

Since their return, I'm certain that Fantastic Four just continues to get better in my eyes and I'm totally psyched for issue (unlucky for some) 13. While I'm hoping that the creative won't 'stick the landing' (is that the right term?) I nevertheless want to see just how quickly Ben Grimm can take down a Hulk.

So, there you have it, my Pull List is done and two awesome comics have been fully read. For both I'm eager to see what comes next, but sadly only one of them is back in 30 days while the other will be a bit longer.

Fortunately, I've got plenty of reviews to do while I wait both both of them to come out.

Of which, my thoughts for July's will be posted next week.