August's Pull List: Fantastic Four - 4 Yancy Street

Despite my attempts to be disciplined and remain controlled when it comes to my comic budgeting and buying, the truth is that I'm actually not very good at not buying comics books on a whim.

 

But, with my pull list, that's a whole different story. While comics in general (on Comixology) can have me swayed by the merest appearance of a sale, my pull list is a completely different beast as the level of planning I put into it allows me a greater degree of willpower. For this reason, this post might not exist were it not for can unusual last minute change to my pull list.

 

Fantastic Four: 4 Yancy
Street, although I do like
the variant cover better.

Fantastic Four: 4 Yancy Street is a one-shot (presumably the first of several) which focuses on the first family's connection to the eponymous lower east side neighbourhood. Here we see original Yancy Streeter Ben Grimm go in search of a vandal for having spray graffiti over the wall of the youth centre named after Ben's brother. However, this is only the beginning when Ben finds the F4's presence has caused havoc in the area, with rents being hiked and tenants muscled out by obscure (at least to me) FF villains the Terrible Trio (who actually must be an FF villain with a name like that)!!

 

This was a nice issue to read and.... that's about it really. I felt like I was reading a quiet moment between moments in the lives of the Fantastic Four and, I'll be honest, that isn't a bad thing that Gerry Duggan has given us. However, I've mentioned that it feels like this is more the Ben Grimm and friends shoe and at this point it feels like it's come to a head. I like Ben, he's the most relatable character and a recap of his early life was a great insight, but I feel like we've had too much of a good thing in this run. Beyond that, as I said, this felt like a very unassuming issue with less of the Fantastic and only the Four (although that felt like only just!).

This issue had a very Silver Age
feel (and this 6 panel layout
is actually pretty cool!)

It's at this point, that I have to ask; where was Johnny for this issue? In fairness, his absence isn't exactly conspicuous given that this is primarily an issue about Ben's ongoing dynamic with the Yancy Street Gang. However, while Reed and Sue were both also reduced to cameo-esque roles, I did think theirs were rather nice, story focused moments which showed off their respective characters for anyone who's first read might be this. Johnny's, on the other hand, really felt like a blink and you'll miss it moment that could have been utilised by anyone on Yancy Street.

 

Speaking of which, why do the Yancy Street locals hate Ben so much? I've always been under the impression that it was because they considered him a 'sellout' or something because he went off and became an astronaut and a superhero. That said, given the number of makeovers the gang has had (even being a kind of Yuppy businessman-esque group in one run), I feel that they shouldn't still be as harsh to the guy (but then what do I know?). Also, I'm stunned how I've never heard of the Terrible Trio until now. I'll be honest that they kind of remind me of the Enforcers (Ox, Fancy Dan and Montana) from the Spidey comics, except with powers and did initially think that they were just a knock off of that group. However, I'm now intrigued by their history and will probably have to find prior appearances.

I've just realised that these
two panels actually are very
striking visuals (to me)!!

I liked the art in this issue, as Greg Smallwood and Luciano Vecchio give this story something of a silver age vibe to it mixed with some colours that look like they were taken from Jamie McKelvie's Young Avengers. Meanwhile, the opening pages look even more old school, which I thought was a nice touch, especially given the flashback of it.
 

This issue ended with yet another hint at Doom's eventual return (although this one was more subtle than the one in issue 11) and, I've got to admit, I am intrigued about where it is going. That said, it is a shame that he seems to have so quickly returned to his roots after his heroic turn (I would have like to have seen him slowly revert) but it's good to have him in his rightful place too.
 

In the end though, while I did like this issue, I'm not sure it was worth the extra dollar that I paid for it. I will again say that it was a fine issue, but it didn't really stand out when compared to some entries in the current series proper. I guess having 'Fantastic Four' on the cover makes me lose discipline when all is said and done, but maybe I'll just start getting these one shots digitally instead going forward.

Though I don't think that's terribly likely.