Marvel Knights: 4 #1 - Review
Title: 4
Publisher: Marvel Comics / Marvel Knights
Writer: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa | Pencils: Steve McNiven | Colour: Morry Hollowell
The Fantastic Four find themselves in turmoil. No, the planet isn't in peril, so you can sleep easy tonight knowing that. I speak of financial turmoil. Oh joy, because that hasn't been the talking point of the real world for the last few years. It's always somebody else's fault for the reasons such as these but I really dare not want to bring politics into this, however saying that politics gets a mention itself in the comic.
All it takes is some poor influence and the wrong people here and there, and before you know it, your ass is about to be thrown out onto the street.
Congress has put it to the vote. Though the result has come back by the slimmest of margins, funding into Scientific Research and Adventuring has been pulled, now leaving Reed Richards and the others without a source of income. But that's not too bad surely? Every person with a brain cell in their head knows you save money and put it to one side in anticipation that events like these might transpire. Or you could hire someone to handle your money for you because you have complete faith and trust in them. Hmm, guess what Reed did? Yep, let someone else take control.
Not only now do the Fantastic Four no longer have the financial backing of Washington, some rouge Money Manager has done a runner with the rest of their money leaving behind in Ben's terms, "--chump change" , or in my terms, a few measly pennies and a half sucked toffee. So what are the options now left available?
Go into the big bad world and get a real job.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's story is very believable and there's a lot to admire here. It's nice to have a story where Superheros are being effected with normal human problems, where being a superhero can't get you out of trouble straight away. It's interesting to see how the turn of events runs differently for each member of the group, as they have to accept the shell shocking truth. The story is run with five segments. One featuring how the group reacts to the news of their money crisis all together, then four individual segments following each character on their hunt for work. Emotions really run high here. Sue and Reed are clearly devastated, as they have two young children they have to bring up ,and their son Franklin is clearly conscious something is going on, but is under the impression it's a result of him not liking a birthday present. Johnny is blinded by his own hot headed (ah see what I did there?) naivety that being a superhero will get him the best jobs he wants, regardless. And Ben, well Ben has taken to the situation in good grace, and isn't afraid to wind up Johnny in the process. The first issue is in no rush to reveal what new line of work awaits our hero's bar Ben right at the end of the comic. It has been panned out reasonably well and isn't prepared to jump ahead of itself with the direction the story is taking.
Even though saying that, it drops another bombshell moment at the close. Dun-dun-duuuuuun!
Oh you are a crafty git Roberto.
What can I say in regards to the art work? Fantastic. The art is commendable stuff. Penciler Steve McNiven and colourist Morry Hollowell have something good going on here and it's a joy on the eyes to look at. Too often I've read comics where the cover art has been the only decent art about the comic. Not in Marvel Knights 4 its not. From cover to close there is nothing to be disappointed about. I was perplexed with Captain America's rather boyish smile, but I can over look that, you only see him twice.
