Fantastic Four #17: Mysterious Happenstance

Fantastic Four #17 opens after the plot has already happened. Each of the four has lost their memories and assigned new names as they try and survive inside a dangerous and unfamiliar place.

Warning: Explicit spoilers for Fantastic Four #17 beyond this point.

North’s dialogue in this issue is self-aware and a bit cheeky. Ben, aka the Thing, naming himself Johnny in his confusion is hilarious for obvious reasons. Johnny, the real one, naming Reed “Pete” after Spider-Man is similarly witty. The character’s confusion becomes the reader’s comedy because of how North has put the issue together. What’s more, the tone of these obvious jokes never seems to falter even as the mystery of the issue is unwrapped bit by bit.

Each of the four comes into their powers and respective roles in believable ways. For instance, Johnny, aka Doc (as he’s named by the Thing, Johnny is already taken after all), accidentally saying “flame on” to activate his powers is very on-brand, which fits the overall tone of the issue.

The confusion that permeates the story, its mystery, is all peeled away slowly by the dialogue more than the art. Ryan North doesn’t tip their hand too early, as it takes up to the last couple of pages to figure out where they Four find themselves and just what is going on.

As stated in DNX #2, Magneto’s body is as complex as any mutant, if not more so. And to save his life, the four have to become a bit too familiar with his body. Plunging into Magneto’s veins to try and resolve the root of his illness is an odd choice, but one that fits the Fantastic Four (given their sci-fi heavy background even by Marvel standards) better than keeping them fully on the sidelines of the DNX event.

Vincenzo Carratù’s panel arrangement breaks the story apart into half a dozen pieces more than once. The panels are thin, narrowing the dialogue down to bite-sized jokes and immediate observations that make the issue move quickly. Page turns bring out the character’s genuine-feeling reactions as invisible creatures attack the four everywhere they go. Delgado’s colors also bring a dry texture to the issue, fitting given the setting.