The Thing #6: Just Another Day at the Office

This series took me by surprise. I have never really been a reader of Fantastic Four books, and maybe it is because I don’t know where to start or because all of the movies turned me off. I really didn’t know what to expect coming in, but all I knew was that Tom Reilly’s covers were fantastic. The art was the selling point for me, but I quickly grew to love Walter Mosley’s writing and appreciation for the character. I am always happy to see great stories from writers who don’t normally write comics. Tom Reilly’s art is superb and simply fun to look at it. He has quickly turned me into the type of person that will read a book just because he is working on it. Jordie Bellaire has consistently complimented Reilly’s style and often was the major standout of the pages. If you flip through this issue, I guarantee you will stop when you see the cosmic visions Ben gets when he puts on the helmet. Reilly encapsulates the iconic cosmic imagery of early 1960s Marvel and Bellaire doesn’t miss a beat with the colors. 

Looking at this issue and the series as a whole, I appreciate that everything is resolved. Though this issue felt somewhat rushed, it drove home the sense that this was just another day at the office for Ben, which is something I really enjoyed. Everyone punches their timesheets and heads home. This series is a reminder that at the end of the day, comics are simply a blast to read. It doesn’t have to be a tie-in or part of a huge event. If you stick a bunch of talented writers and artists together, they are going to make something great.