FRANCO’s FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS!
By FRANCO
Why do the Fantastic Four resonate with some of us older comics people?
Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby were great in last year’s movie and appealing for the new generation, but us older folks fell in love with the comics FF, the world’s most dysfunctional superhero family (celebrating its 65th anniversary this month).
Reed Richards in the comics doesn’t really have a humorous vibe in his body and is way too smart for any of us.
Johnny is the hotshot hothead always screwing things up. But there was a fun playfulness when he and Spidey would meet at the top of the Statue of Liberty to hang out.
Ben… the uncle type you feel sorry for, who never got married and is literally a monster.
Sue is maybe the most normal, but her taste in men may be questionable. Reed. Victor? Namor? And should we even talk about Malice?
One of these days I’ll write about all the replacement FF people. No, not the awesome new team that formed to take their place — the Hulk, Spidey, Wolverine and Ghost Rider version.
I’m talking about the people who replaced people here and there. I’ll give you a hint: Herbie!
But why do we love them? Is it because we could see ourselves in them? Not the superpowers or the getting attacked all the time (well, depending on what you post online — maybe you shouldn’t, or at least think about it before you do, so people wouldn’t respond so negatively).
I think it’s because we’re all dysfunctional in ways and we see that in their family dynamic. I look forward to seeing them show up again in Avengers: Doomsday.
I drew a new Invisible Girl piece for this, in a nostalgic ’60s sort of style — my way of saying Happy 65th Anniversary to the Fantastic Four!
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Want more FRANCO’S FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS? Come back next week!
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MORE
— The Scene I Desperately Want to See in LANTERNS. Click here.
— HEADING TO TERRIFICON: Taking That ‘Can Do’ Spirit Back on the Road — and It’s Exciting. Click here.
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Franco and his forehead have traveled the world and he writes and draws stuff. Franco is the creator, artist and writer of Patrick the Wolf Boy and Aw Yeah Comics! Franco has worked on books/comics, including Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures. Franco was also a high-school teacher and is one of the principal owners of Aw Yeah Comics retail stores. Dan made Franco add that he has won three Eisners.
His new books, Action Cat & Adventure Bug: Let’s Do This!, with Art Baltazar, and Ninja Kaiju: Unleashed, with Scoot McMahon, both from Papercutz, are out now.
