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Debauchery, Deceit and Delight in That Order: The Fantastic Four Wedding Special, Reviewed

Published Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:30:24 -0600

In the Fantastic Four Wedding Special, out tomorrow, the lead story by Gail Simone and Laura Brady sees the bride-to-be Alicia Masters gets taken out be her superhero girlfriends to a strip joint for a bachelorette party. Medusa, Crystal, She-Hulk, Alicia Masters – all Johnny Storm's exes and his sister too. And a few of Alicia Masters' arty friends to help up the numbers. And while the sight-challenged Alicia Masters may be out of sorts at such an establishment where no touching is allowed (not even Medusa's hair) it's Medusa who is the fish out of water. Even if she has a remedy for that…

Yeah, but she was drinking Crystal. Of course stuff goes down. Fantastic Four's wedding arrangements never go according to plan. And She-Hulk learns a new word…

Mole Men? Not necessarily. But while Alicia is saved, this dovetails into a sweet story that's not about Alicia or Ben at all – or maybe just thematically, one full of hope.

Dan Slott has chameleon-artist Mark Buckingham challenge his inner Kirby for this meeting of The Thing and his possible-father-in-law, The Puppet Master. A visit in the joint (featuring some rather special relationships between the Thing and the incarcerated) as Ben Grimm has a question to ask.

Of course just because he has no radioactive clay, it doesn't mean he can't manipulate in other ways – or is he? The Kirbyness sells this as the comic heads towards a final twist. Not as funny as you might have expected.. but that's because of who comes next.

Legendary cartoonist Fred Hembeck retelling classic sixties stories with a quizzical eye as the Puppet Master asks just what he was thinking in stories gone by. Pastiche, parody but a hell of a lot of love…

… yes even for storylines like that.

This one-shot could have gone in a variety of predictable directions, each of this found a new spin on things. Debauchery, deceit and delight – in that order.

Published tomorrow from Marvel Comics.

FANTASTIC FOUR WEDDING SPECIAL #1
(W) Gail Simone, Dan Slott, Fred Hembeck (A) Laura Braga, Mark Buckingham, Fred Hembeck (CA) Carlos Pacheco
Come and celebrate the impending nuptials of the Thing and Alicia Masters with a Ladies Night Out as only the First Family of Comics can do it! Guest-starring She-Hulk, Medusa, Crystal and more, it's the bachelorette party Alicia never expected-and one whose ribaldry will be interrupted by the arrival of a Surprise Super Villain! (And no, we don't mean Johnny Storm!) Meanwhile, the Thing has an unexpected meeting with his future father-in-law, the Puppet Master! Plus, Hembeck! The Fantastic Four family tree! And more! R.S.V.P. at your local comics retailer this December, and don't forget to kiss the bride!
Rated T In Shops: Dec 12, 2018 SRP: $4.99

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