Bendis should write the Fantastic Four

[jackolover]

I just re-read New Avengers :Illuminati, and one thing that struck me was the conversation bewteen Namor and Reed Richards on the work the scientists have done to help Bruce Banner, and the scientific acumen Bendis gives to Reed being a unique take on what has been done before.

This would be a challenge that Bendis hasn't attempted before. Avengers has been a masterful success for Bendis, because he has now branched out from criminal New Avengers stories, to high adventure and science stuff. If Bendis could make that leap into genres of different characters, maybe it's time Bendis looked at the supreme Marvel Family? It would be intereesting to see a Bendis slant to the way the FF do business. Given that Bendis has already written the FF in the Secret Invasion, using a peculiarly FF villain in the Skrulls, I give Bendis a good chance of success with the first family of Marvel.

[Teal_Lantern]

I also liked how he wrote them in USM. That said, I'm really liking what Hickman's doing right now.

[strathcona]

Dear lord, No. I haven't seen anything in Bendis's writing that shows he can handle science fiction. A FF writer has to be able to handle bigger than life concepts, and grand cosmic landscapes. He MAY be able to handle the family aspect of the title, but he couldn't do the explorer aspect of it at all.

[Teal_Lantern]

Dear lord, No. I haven't seen anything in Bendis's writing that shows he can handle science fiction. A FF writer has to be able to handle bigger than life concepts, and grand cosmic landscapes. He MAY be able to handle the family aspect of the title, but he couldn't do the explorer aspect of it at all.

Good Point, I think Bendis definitely works best with streetlevelers, etc.

[FlyingFox]

I'm not a fan of Bendis but I will admit, his six issues of UFF were pretty good. I wouldn't want him coming anywhere near the main book though.

[edhopper]

Oh My God, NO!!!!!
I still read the FF because it is a self contained book with strong, but concise, finite stories.
Do you really want 12 different FF titles with a story spreading over years without any resolution?

[Bevbos]

I'm not sure he's the right writer for it, but I'd love to see F4 get a big name writer like that, to give it a big boost up in sales and focus.

[Danvh3]

Bendis lacks the imagination necessary to write FF. It would be like that playwright who did that FF mini where they all had to get real jobs. The Fantastic Four require fantastic adventures, not real world nonsense.

[Ping]

I can't say if Bendis could handle the adventure/explorer aspect of the book or not, but we'd get plenty of Reed's talking head, and if anybody should have talking head scenes, it's Reed Richards, as he attempts to explain the secrets of the universe, only to get frustrated that his less intelligent teammates can't quite grasp his scientific gobbledygook!

[Expletive Deleted]

It would be like that playwright who did that FF mini where they all had to get real jobs. The Fantastic Four require fantastic adventures, not real world nonsense.The "real world" thing was an editorial directive. Aguirre-Sacasa pretty much dropped it after the second storyline and ended up writing some (no pun intended) pretty fantastic stuff. His "Divine Time" time travel storyline was excellent.

[Expletive Deleted]

... I'd love to see F4 get a big name writer like that, to give it a big boost up in sales and focus.Millar is at least as big a name as Bendis, and his run (with an equivalently big name artist, no less) barely moved the needle.

[DKR]

He helped revitalize Avengers; why not Fantastic Four?

[XPac]

If he wanted to tackle them, I'd give it a shot.

I do think character wise, he could do a fun job with a lot of the characters.

I'm not sure pure sci-fi is his strong point though. But maybe doing something a bit different might be a good thing.

[XPac]

Millar is at least as big a name as Bendis, and his run (with an equivalently big name artist, no less) barely moved the needle.

I think the difference though is that when Bendis writers something, it's often strongly tied to the entire MU in general. Millar was on the other end of the spectrum... his stuff is often by itself and completely apart from what ever else is going on (though Civil War was an obvious exception).

Millars FF almost felt like it was in it's own little bubble. You can' practically ignore it entirely and go from McDuffies run to the current one... hell, it arguably works better if you do that.

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

I think he'd do a better job than Millar did.

[Danvh3]

The "real world" thing was an editorial directive. Aguirre-Sacasa pretty much dropped it after the second storyline and ended up writing some (no pun intended) pretty fantastic stuff. His "Divine Time" time travel storyline was excellent.

Get out of town.

Really?

[CaptCleghorn]

The Fantastic Four require fantastic adventures, not real world nonsense.

The FF require both.

A solid menu of nothing but inter-dimensional adventures and space travel can make this a very bland book. The FF is a family with family issues intertwined with the other-worldly. For every visit with God, you need a birthday party for the kids.

Now there are good fantastic adventures and bad fantastic adventures; likewise, we have good family drama and bad family drama. A good FF writer will give us adventures that stretch our imagination as well as situations we can all relate to.

That's the Fantastic Four. That's what it can be. Otherwise all you get is Planetary, and as good as Planetary is, it's nothing next to what the FF could and should be.

[SubjectDelta]

Personally I think that the Fantastic Four should have some personality, so I have to disagree with Bendis as the writer. His strength is at modernizing things.

[Iron Maiden]

Get out of town.

Really?

Yeah, Aguirre-Sacasa was much better after the Jemas edict was dropped. He was orginally signed on by Joe Q IIRC to take over once Jemas fired Mark Waid. He and Tom Brevoort were given a chance to write the FF the way Jemas wanted it... a dysfunctional family with a grumpy, troublemaking neighbor but Jemas wanted more changes I assume and Waid was fired.

There was another good story involving the Puppet Master and Alicia...he would kidnap women and remove their eyes in a misguided attempt to cure her. That's one FF villain we've not seen in a while and in his last couple of appearance, he was pretty much unhinged. He was in a government protection program as a trade off for doing some work for them but he still ended up using his clay to take over a small farming community.

Back to OT, Bendis is a no for me on the FF. He's simply not a strong enough sci fi writer as others have said. Neither was Stan but times are a bit different now. He's not good at throwing out those high level concepts the FF have always had. He'd be good for stories involving the Sandman and the Trapster but I think he would fail with the Wizard for example.

[Danvh3]

Huh. You learn something new everyday. If I see it in a trade, I'll give it a look.

[coconutphone]

Aguire-Sacasa's entire FF run ("Marvel Knights: 4", then "4") was amazing. Defintely worth getting all 5 trades.

And I'm loving Hickman's run too much to want anyone else on it. Maybe as a mini or one-shot Bendis could do something interesting.

[dreyga2000]

Didn't Bendis write the first couple of arcs of UFF???

[passer-by]

I'm not sure he's the right writer for it, but I'd love to see F4 get a big name writer like that, to give it a big boost up in sales and focus.


Yeah, that worked with Millar...


I hope Bendis stays as far away from the FF as humanly possible.


Didn't Bendis write the first couple of arcs of UFF???

Bendis and Millar are great in the Ultimate Universe. But we're talking 616 here. Millar's FF run was a painful demonstration that 616 and Ultimate are entirely different ball games.

[passer-by]

Millars FF almost felt like it was in it's own little bubble. You can' practically ignore it entirely and go from McDuffies run to the current one... hell, it arguably works better if you do that.

Yes, and that was the only positive point about it.

[jackolover]

If he wanted to tackle them, I'd give it a shot.

I do think character wise, he could do a fun job with a lot of the characters.

I'm not sure pure sci-fi is his strong point though. But maybe doing something a bit different might be a good thing.

I've seen what he can do with Doom and Morgana Le Fey in Dark Avengers, and that gives me hope Bendis can pull off brilliant FF stories. Not like the incandescent stories from Waid or Lee, but delving into the complexities of what it means to deal with different realities. Isn't Bendis supposed to be doing a cosmic Avengers book, or is it going to someone else?

[passer-by]

(1) I've seen what he can do with Doom (...) (2) and that gives me hope Bendis can pull off brilliant FF stories.

(1) Yes, me too.

(2) Err...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f3SZ5Tu916o/R_OY1Fck4yI/AAAAAAAAFto/P9eAuP9F4A4/s400/mightyavengers11.jpg


Why, oh why did you remind me that? I had managed to forget it!


I can't decide who's worse on 616 Doom - Millar or Bendis.

[The Black Guardian]

I can't decide who's worse on 616 Doom - Millar or Bendis.
Couldn't agree more.

[the4thpip]

Bendis once had Reed Richards - the smartest man in the Marvel Universe - claim that New York City is the biggest city in the world.

In other words: The only way one should let Bendis write F4 is with Stephen Hawking as his editor to balance out the lack of knowledge.

[strathcona]

I can't decide who's worse on 616 Doom - Millar or Bendis.

It's hard, and as much as I think Bendis really doesn`t get the 616, I think what little I have read of Millar`s work (CW and the first 3 issues of his FF run) is worse... he just has no idea how to mold his ideas in with the existing MU.

[Doc Goblin]

I have doubts Bendis would be very strong on the science fiction side of the Fantastic Four. But on the character side? I think he'd do a pretty damn good job. I've liked his take on Reed and bet his Ben/Johnny dynamic would be hilarious.

[4sake]

If he wanted to tackle them, I'd give it a shot.

I do think character wise, he could do a fun job with a lot of the characters.

I'm not sure pure sci-fi is his strong point though. But maybe doing something a bit different might be a good thing.

I'm not sure I would (but I usually like most of BMB writing)..

I'm not really sure what it would take me to a regularly reader of the FF. Nothing read really wrong with the book & or characters it's just I only REALLY like 2 (Ben & Sue) out of the 6 members of the fam/team..

I don't dislike Reed or Frank I'm just kind of indifferent to them currently & I'm really don't find John & or Val interesting..

Maybe if the give Frank got power back, but at low enuff level where he could use them & not needed be taken away from him again..

Ben G. - In a happy health relationship.. (I think only way it would work out is if she was also a hero or had powers..) Maybe Volcana/Marsha Rosenberg or Jenn W/She Hulk or Atlantean woman Wakandan woman or a Inhuman woman..

Basically just a woman who hard to kill so he (& we the reader) wouldn't have worried about her getting kill in battle easily or not be-able to take care of her self when it comes to some super villains because his last relationship seem to not work out because of this issue..


I think he'd do a better job than Millar did.

I agree I really dislike the issues of Millar FF that I read..

[jackolover]

I'm not sure I would (but I usually like most of BMB writing)..

I'm not really sure what it would take me to a regularly reader of the FF. Nothing read really wrong with the book & or characters it's just I only REALLY like 2 (Ben & Sue) out of the 6 members of the fam/team..

I don't dislike Reed or Frank I'm just kind of indifferent to them currently & I'm really don't find John & or Val interesting..

Maybe if the give Frank got power back, but at low enuff level where he could use them & not needed be taken away from him again..

Ben G. - In a happy health relationship.. (I think only way it would work out is if she was also a hero or had powers..) Maybe Volcana/Marsha Rosenberg or Jenn W/She Hulk or Atlantean woman Wakandan woman or a Inhuman woman..

Basically just a woman who hard to kill so he (& we the reader) wouldn't have worried about her getting kill in battle easily or not be-able to take care of her self when it comes to some super villains because his last relationship seem to not work out because of this issue..



.

I would love Bendis on Grimm. If Bendis was around doing the FF for "This Man this Monster", that would be great characterization. For Bendis to get inside the Monster and play to the creepy darker side of Ben's depressive state, would be awesome.

I don't see Bendis having any trouble with Johnny Storm at all, considering Bendis has written a Spidey in practically the same fashion, devil may care, approach.

Bendis would have to find a new angle on Sue Richards. She wouldn't be the door mat that every writer makes her. She would be more the Jessica Jones housewife, calling out the family whenever the need strikes her. He did a little of that in New Avengers #48 I think.

The kids would be a challenge for Bendis, but he has kids of his own, so he may have some ideas on that like PAD had for some of the horror he incorporated into his Layla Miller.

[Comet Man]

Nope. I want Hickman to stay on FF. I think he's doing a fantastic job on the series. It just feels like the FF again. Hell, I wish he wrote more Marvel comics.

[Corey W]

Also, Wanda was THE lynchpin of the Avengers for a long, long time. Up to Disassembled, she had probably appeared in more issues of the Avengers/West Coast Avengers than any other character. And the ongoing plot of her becoming a hero, growing in self-confidence/drifting apart from her brother/falling in love with the Vision/triangle with Wonderman, etc. was the ongoing subplot of the Avengers. In many ways, she is more of a classic Avenger than Thor or Iron Man who were often doing their own thing.

If Bendis got the FF, I worry that he would make Johnny go crazy and kill Franklin then disappear from sight for six years so that the Sentry could replace him on the team.

I have enjoyed, to some extent, Bendis's run on the Avengers, but if he gave any member of the FF the "Scarlet Witch treatment" it would be a real shame.

[the_speedball]

I agree with those who have said that Bendis' strength is street-level. Saying nothing about his quality of writing, I don't think F4 would be the right fit for him.

[CyberCoyote]

Good lord please no. Bendis is one of the worst 'popular' writers on my all time list. Monotonous, trite, unoriginal and incapable of writing high adventure since his fortay is 'crime drama' Aside from the attrocious Millar run which at least had some big ideas even if they got blown out of proportion Bendis would be pretty much the WORST fit for the FF ever.

[Zolton]

Oh, my goodness, gracious, no.

[Sean Whitmore]

Much as I've liked Bendis' Avengers stuff, I wouldn't be interested in seeing him on FF for any extended period of time.

The occasional story here and there? Hell yeah. Nothing wrong with shaking things up and occasionally taking the FF out of their wheelhouse.


SEAN

[Ratstar]

Don't like Bendis or FF so yeah, he should go for it.

[Danvh3]

Nope. I want Hickman to stay on FF. I think he's doing a fantastic job on the series. It just feels like the FF again. Hell, I wish he wrote more Marvel comics.

Agreed. Hickman's doing a very good job.

[JulyDarth]

Even though I've started to avoid Bendis titles I think I would buy this one


I'm not a fan of Bendis but I will admit, his six issues of UFF were pretty good.

Either am I
just not really a fan of his work. I agree the man can write, sometimes he can write great but overall I feel he's had a very negative and destructive effect on the Avengers title and a negative impact on Marvel's overall verse and direction. Daredevil, Spider-Man he works great but give him too much control over Marvel and you get the crash.
Brian Michael Bendis works great with smaller titles.

Fan4 however just might be the game for him, its already selling low, sometimes it sells dangerously low near cancellation point so I doubt it will drop any lower. There is also a silly nature to the Fantastic Four, Reed and his gizmos helps you accept any kind of douche ex machina explanation as to why the team of 4 win battles, so the Bendis plot element behind Sentry or Skrulls or whatever storyline he normally thinks up maybe fits nicely into some gadget that Reed built.
There is also the issue of stagnation, the Fan4 story has gotten stale and dusty. Nothing ever really happens to them anymore. Once you've collected a certain number of F4 issues you see its a cyclical story involving Thinker, some big Skrull, Doom, PuppetMaster, DragonMan, Galactus, Moleman....all these stories repeat in one big cycle...the only exciting break you get from all this is Franklin hinting he might grow out of his diapers or Sue hinting she might take a break from Reed and go partying with Fishface.

Normally I wouldn't be a fan of Bendis but with the Thing heading off for Avengers territory
I think Bendis might be the perfect writer to shake the Fan4 up

Damn this comic needs something fresh, and I wouldn't give Bendis any heat for trying to improve a stale comic.

[matthewaos]

No. I don't like the FF and I will not read them if Bendis was writing them, cause I think he would not be a good fit.

The one that should writing them is doing it right now.

[CyberCoyote]

Fan4 however just might be the game for him, its already selling low, sometimes it sells dangerously low near cancellation point so I doubt it will drop any lower.

FF has pretty much been in the top 20-30 for years on end, never EVER selling at dangerously low points. The last thing it needs is to have simplistic plotlines stretched out for years on end.

I'm constantly amazed how Bendis' avengers stuff sells, but it's the 'core' of the MU and whenever someone asks 'what do I need to read to get into Marvel?' everyone says they NEED to read House of M or Secret Invasion or some other thing. If he were on the FF they WOULDN'T suddenly become the center point of all Marvel attention and story lines.. more likely than not, so that bolstering to his sales numbers probably wouldn't apply. If he COULD make them the center of the MU more power to him, but I couldn't pay for the things.

[Shallot]

No. Bendis doesn't do high adventure and sci-fi very well. Let's not forget that the Illuminati mini was co-written by Brian Reed.

Maybe Galactus will realize that the best way to consume Earth is to first take over organized crime? After 40 plus years maybe we'll finally see the story arc every FF fan has been clamoring for: FF vs ninjas. Before you know it Tom Brevoort will be doing interviews praising Bendis for finally taking the next big step in the evolution of the FF: adding Spider-man and Wolverine to the team. There'll be a big story arc in which Logan helps Franklin lose his virginity.

[akumasan]

Isn't he like you know writing most of the MU as it is already? why stretch his writing even thinner?

[Iron Maiden]

Isn't he like you know writing most of the MU as it is already? why stretch his writing even thinner?

Seriously. I think his secret desire is to be the Stan Lee of this era but without the editorial duties. Heck, I think Stan kept track of his own continuity better than Bendis does.... RE: multiple scenes of Steve Rogers meeting heroes for the first time, Cap seeing the opening attack on Asgard in two different settings, etc.

[jackolover]

FF has pretty much been in the top 20-30 for years on end, never EVER selling at dangerously low points. The last thing it needs is to have simplistic plotlines stretched out for years on end.

I'm constantly amazed how Bendis' avengers stuff sells, but it's the 'core' of the MU and whenever someone asks 'what do I need to read to get into Marvel?' everyone says they NEED to read House of M or Secret Invasion or some other thing. If he were on the FF they WOULDN'T suddenly become the center point of all Marvel attention and story lines.. more likely than not, so that bolstering to his sales numbers probably wouldn't apply. If he COULD make them the center of the MU more power to him, but I couldn't pay for the things.

I think Bendis just coming on board the FF would be an immediate selling point. It would attact so much attention just from the fact that it's Bendis and he has a habit of turning things upside down and then making them better when he puts them back together.

[jackolover]

Seriously. I think his secret desire is to be the Stan Lee of this era but without the editorial duties. Heck, I think Stan kept track of his own continuity better than Bendis does.... RE: multiple scenes of Steve Rogers meeting heroes for the first time, Cap seeing the opening attack on Asgard in two different settings, etc.

We have yet to see the fallout from Siege for Bendis. Has it been a failure, or will the last two issues blow this event out of the water?

[passer-by]

(1) I think Bendis just coming on board the FF would be an immediate selling point. It would attact so much attention just from the fact that it's Bendis and he has a habit of turning things upside down (2) and then making them better when he puts them back together.

(1) Already tried with Millar who's also pretty famous and he had Hitch at the pencils to boot. The result is the only FF run I probably won't collect.

(2) Like with the Avengers? No, thanks.

[jackolover]

(1) Already tried with Millar who's also pretty famous and he had Hitch at the pencils to boot. The result is the only FF run I probably won't collect.

(2) Like with the Avengers? No, thanks.

I have to disagree on both points The Siege is , after all, a Thor book he's writing.

As for the Secret Invasion, that was an FF book for all intents an purposes, and the only reason Reed Richards was deafeated was because a friend ambushed him, in Hank Pym. It was Civil War all over agian with the same premise. Reed would never have let a himself drop his guard like that. Is it any wonder Reed won't give Pym the time of day now, since Pym ambushed Reed in SI #1?

[passer-by]

I have to disagree on both points The Siege is , after all, a Thor book he's writing.

As for the Secret Invasion, that was an FF book for all intents an purposes, and the only reason Reed Richards was deafeated was because a friend ambushed him, in Hank Pym. It was Civil War all over agian with the same premise. Reed would never have let a himself drop his guard like that. Is it any wonder Reed won't give Pym the time of day now, since Pym ambushed Reed in SI #1?

That wasn't my point, but never mind, I made my opinion clear enough in this thread. :smile:

[Paladin King]

I think Bendis would do a decent enough job, but there's just a lot of writers I'd rather have on FF.


Also, Jonathan Hickman has been awesome thus far and is a perfect fit for the book.

Beyond that, I think Warren Ellis, Ed Brubaker, and even Matt Fraction would be better fits, pretty much in that order.

[Tinder]

I wouldn't be that interested to be honest - Hickman is the man for the FF. I'd be quite interested in seeing Bendis' take on Ben Grimm though, somebody should get on to him about that.

Also what's the obsession with how well books sell? When I choose a book to buy, I choose something that reads well, not something that sells well. As longs as it's above cancellation point why the hell would anybody care how much it's been selling? I have no shares in Marvel, I'm not on the sales team. I want good stories, not good sales figures.

[earl]

FF has a writer/artist team that seems to fit. I'd like to see Hickman/Eaglesham get a nice long run and hopefully people will check it out.

I think Bendis and Brubaker work much better on series with smaller casts, street level and or espionage stories.

Bendis -

Powerman & Iron Fist
The Punisher
Thunderbolts (kind of already got a start w/Dark Avengers as it really was the sequel to Ellis' Thunderbolts storyline)

Brubaker -

Nick Fury (heck Sgt. Fury for all that matters)
Iron Man
Elektra

[Hatut Zeraze]

This sounds like a horrible fit to me. I think that would be true even if I were a Bendis fan, but I cannot say for sure.

Hickman is doing a spectacular job at the moment, so I am naturally against anyone who wants to interrupt the current run.

[jackolover]

Didn't Bendis write the first couple of arcs of UFF???

Yeah. I had forgotten all about Millar's and Bendis 6 issue run in UFF. That must have been their one and only collaboration. I don't know who did what in that though. The dialogue sounded like Bendis, so it was possible Millar wrote the plot. In any case, it was a great treatment of the FF and DOOM.

[XPac]

Thinking about it more though... he did do a MA story which involved Dr. Doom and time travel. I thought that was a fun enough story.

And he did do Secret Invasion with the Skrulls.

If he were writing Fantastic Four, I imagine that's the sort of stuff he would tackle. WHether or not we personally liked those stories or not, I do think Bendis proved he CAN write that sort of story sucessfully enough.

We can probably get a better idea with his Avengers book.

[The Shadow]

Do you really want 12 different FF titles with a story spreading over years without any resolution?
If they're as enjoyable as his Avengers has been... then HELL YES. :wink:

[the4thpip]

Also what's the obsession with how well books sell? When I choose a book to buy, I choose something that reads well, not something that sells well. As longs as it's above cancellation point why the hell would anybody care how much it's been selling? I have no shares in Marvel, I'm not on the sales team. I want good stories, not good sales figures.

Well, with low selling books it's a fear of cancelation.
With better selling books, it's a fear of losing a creative team one enjoys. Just ask the Gail Simone fans now that she is removed from the book, which was nowhere near cancelation numbers, but also not doing as well as in the past.

[HeroxMatt2.0]

I wouldn't be that interested to be honest - Hickman is the man for the FF. I'd be quite interested in seeing Bendis' take on Ben Grimm though, somebody should get on to him about that.

Also what's the obsession with how well books sell? When I choose a book to buy, I choose something that reads well, not something that sells well. As longs as it's above cancellation point why the hell would anybody care how much it's been selling? I have no shares in Marvel, I'm not on the sales team. I want good stories, not good sales figures.

I agree, especially when it comes to the Fantastic Four. It's a comic book that is never going to go out of print. It'll always be there, whether or not it has good sales or not. If Bendis went on it, it'd work as a marketing point, but in terms of quality, it would lessen it, and cheapen the effect Fantastic Four has. For me, anyway.

Bendis doesn't need to be there, he can screw with the Earth's "Mightiest" Heroes, but he's not going to ruin Marvel's First Family!! :evilangry:

[jackolover]

I agree, especially when it comes to the Fantastic Four. It's a comic book that is never going to go out of print. It'll always be there, whether or not it has good sales or not. If Bendis went on it, it'd work as a marketing point, but in terms of quality, it would lessen it, and cheapen the effect Fantastic Four has. For me, anyway.

Bendis doesn't need to be there, he can screw with the Earth's "Mightiest" Heroes, but he's not going to ruin Marvel's First Family!! :evilangry:

What's with this fixation of being exclusively non-Bendis? I don't get it. He has done good science/adventure books with SI and now Siege. He has handled the FF in the Ultimate universe and in SI in the MU, so why do people hang it on Bendis that he is a one trick pony as a crime writer? I think Bendis has now proven himself, as being versatile enough to do the FF. The Avengers needed to be given a new life. I think the FF would benefit from the same mans treatment. One thing Bendis does, is he gives a completely different spin to any characters he comes on board to. Who wants to see the same spin to a character year in year out? Give the FF some new dimension at least. This is what Bendis can do. I have loved the Skrulls from Bendis' perspective. ("V" has stolen this as a visual experience, with the two series). I can't wait to see what Bendis does with Kang.

[HeroxMatt2.0]

What's with this fixation of being exclusively non-Bendis? I don't get it. He has done good science/adventure books with SI and now Siege. He has handled the FF in the Ultimate universe and in SI in the MU, so why do people hang it on Bendis that he is a one trick pony as a crime writer? I think Bendis has now proven himself, as being versatile enough to do the FF. The Avengers needed to be given a new life. I think the FF would benefit from the same mans treatment. One thing Bendis does, is he gives a completely different spin to any characters he comes on board to. Who wants to see the same spin to a character year in year out? Give the FF some new dimension at least. This is what Bendis can do. I have loved the Skrulls from Bendis' perspective. ("V" has stolen this as a visual experience, with the two series). I can't wait to see what Bendis does with Kang.

Thing is, not EVERY character needs to be reworked, though. Not every comic needs the Alan Moore treatment - how they act for 40 years can't just be thrown down the toilet, because he feels that it would benefit the story. I'm not averse to Bendis (that much), but I just feel that Marvel as a company should share the load. One writer who has 4 titles under his own name sort of polarises the work.

It works in secluded sections (DnA, for example) but I just feel that Bendis can have his Avengers, but I'd rather someone else write Fantastic Four. I like what Hickman is doing, so Bendis getting rid of him isn't to my liking.

And while you say Bendis is now worthy enough to write Fantastic Four, there are a lot of other writers who have "proven themselves" to write the comic as well. Doesn't mean they should.

[Tinder]

Bendis' Secret Invasion isn't the best advert I can imagine for putting him on the Fantastic Four. It wasn't stellar. The premise was great, the build-up was good, the execution was rather dull... not to say drawn out. That's not what the FF are about. Hickman is doing a great job on the book, and we are getting some cool done-in-one stories that actually remind me of why I loved FF so much as a kid when Byrne was on it... and said stories are all tying together into an intricate story arc. That for me is comic book gold. The Fantastic Four are at the start of an amazing journey! So what's this fixation about Bendis writing everything?

:biggrin:

His Avengers are going to be doing the time-travel/cosmic thing anyway - so we will be able to see his Sci-fi skills there - and I'm looking forward to that too.

[jackolover]

Bendis' Secret Invasion isn't the best advert I can imagine for putting him on the Fantastic Four. It wasn't stellar. The premise was great, the build-up was good, the execution was rather dull... not to say drawn out. That's not what the FF are about. Hickman is doing a great job on the book, and we are getting some cool done-in-one stories that actually remind me of why I loved FF so much as a kid when Byrne was on it... and said stories are all tying together into an intricate story arc. That for me is comic book gold. The Fantastic Four are at the start of an amazing journey! So what's this fixation about Bendis writing everything?

:biggrin:

His Avengers are going to be doing the time-travel/cosmic thing anyway - so we will be able to see his Sci-fi skills there - and I'm looking forward to that too.

Touche.:biggrin:

I don't neccesarily want Bendis on everything. But down the line, when he is freed up from something he has run out of stories on, I would like him on the FF to see what he can come up with there. He tried writing a bit of FF in the NA #48 story, and that seemed quite natural, especially after the Reed pieces in SI.

[jackolover]

Thing is, not EVERY character needs to be reworked, though. Not every comic needs the Alan Moore treatment - how they act for 40 years can't just be thrown down the toilet, because he feels that it would benefit the story. I'm not averse to Bendis (that much), but I just feel that Marvel as a company should share the load. One writer who has 4 titles under his own name sort of polarises the work.

It works in secluded sections (DnA, for example) but I just feel that Bendis can have his Avengers, but I'd rather someone else write Fantastic Four. I like what Hickman is doing, so Bendis getting rid of him isn't to my liking.

And while you say Bendis is now worthy enough to write Fantastic Four, there are a lot of other writers who have "proven themselves" to write the comic as well. Doesn't mean they should.

Maybe I was better off saying, "I wish Bendis would write the FF".

I was feeling that Bendis has turned a corner, and the time is right for him to attempt the MU FF. He has dipped his toe in the ocean to test it's temperature, and he is ready to go in and take a swim.

[Aziz Abbasi]

He's better on Ultimate Universe

[Pipthetroll]

I think he'd do a better job than Millar did.

Lol. Reminds me of a scene in cop out.

SWS - "You can't do this, it's police brutality"
Bruce Willis - "Not yet..heh..heh..heh"

Oh, and thanks to the original poster for making a "cry about bendis" thread.

He did great on UFF, he makes the MU interesting and fun. He'd do the best FF run ever.

As for Bendis not getting the cosmic universe scheme. He took my favorite character of all time and did an AMAZING job on him with the UFF book. I loved his take on Thanos, I loved what he did with the multiverse. It was amazing, it was great work, some of his best.

Bendis is the reason the Ultimate universe has stuck around. Why people love it, and it brings a breath of fresh air to Marvel. There's no freaking Sentry, the Hulk is told appropriately. He freaking eats people. Cap is the WW2 bad@$$ that he should be, instead of everyones Grandfather on steroid. Nick Fury is wow....I love Sam Jackson, couldn't have cast him after anyone better. The skrulls aren't just green shapeshifters, they're freaking deadly.

Take your Bendis hating schtick and shove it.

[CyberCoyote]

SI was far from showing the Sci-Fi teeth, an ability write a deeply woven plot... "We've been planning this invasion for decades(despite that 10 years ago was our first official encounter with you in which we were scared off by monster comics), we have duplicated all of your abilities, we have agents placed throughout your entire society in precision locations and amongst even yourselves, the first line of defense.. now.. DOGPILE ON MANHATTAN!!!"

That was so poor.

Not that the FF hasn't seen it's share of silly one dimensional solutions to complicated problems, but they don't need any more.

[Pipthetroll]

SI was far from showing the Sci-Fi teeth, an ability write a deeply woven plot... "We've been planning this invasion for decades(despite that 10 years ago was our first official encounter with you in which we were scared off by monster comics), we have duplicated all of your abilities, we have agents placed throughout your entire society in precision locations and amongst even yourselves, the first line of defense.. now.. DOGPILE ON MANHATTAN!!!"

That was so poor.

Not that the FF hasn't seen it's share of silly one dimensional solutions to complicated problems, but they don't need any more.

And I bet you blame JMS for BND. Bendis told SI, it was done in Ultimates. It was better that way without all the multicrossover everyone has to have their own book story. I take a look at Ultimates and see something where Bendis has more control over, and then I look at mainstream MU where it's Quesada vs the writers which is more akin to Godzilla trampling over Tokyo.

[CyberCoyote]

And I bet you blame JMS for BND.

No, Quesada. It was his story. SI was Bendis' story. I too have the glorious book of common knowledge at my disposal. I do blame JMS for the Other, though, and I blame Stan and Jack for the FF being awesome.

Hey, you added to that! Both Millar and Bendis are better in the Ultimate stuff, they make their own worlds and don't have to worry about all the back story. The aforementioned JMS is hit or miss in the regular MU but awesome in his independent of everyone else stuff too, Supreme Power/Rising Stars.

edited: sorry, your post grew there :) Ultimates was Millar, not really apples to apples, but I agree these guys are best in the Ultimate Verse where they don't have to deal with other peoples' works. JMS is awesome on things like Supreme Power or Rising Stars, I think that whole group of writers shine best when they aren't hindered by having to be team players.

[Pipthetroll]

No, Quesada. It was his story. SI was Bendis' story. I too have the glorious book of common knowledge at my disposal. I do blame JMS for the other, though, and I blame Stan and Jack for the FF being awesome.

Hey, you added to that! Both Millar and Bendis are better in the Ultimate stuff, they make their own worlds and don't have to worry about all the back story. The aforementioned JMS is hit or miss in the regular MU but awesome in his independant of everyone else stuff too, Supreme Power/Rising Stars.

Taking the biast out of it though. Look at the Ultimate-U then look at mainstream-U. From Annihilus, to Thanos, to I forget the one where Doom/Fury killed a universe. Then take a look at some of mainstream on Bendis. I think there are more rules and things binding Bendis' hands by Quesada on mainstream than on UU and it shows. Everyone was pissed about BND for the most part and it's wildly known who was responsible for it. Look at what Quesada did with Starlin. Not saying Bendis' doesn't have his fubar moments. But saying he wouldn't be great on FF is just wrong.

[CyberCoyote]

Taking the biast out of it though. Look at the Ultimate-U then look at mainstream-U. From Annihilus, to Thanos, to I forget the one where Doom/Fury killed a universe. Then take a look at some of mainstream on Bendis. I think there are more rules and things binding Bendis' hands by Quesada on mainstream than on UU and it shows. Everyone was pissed about BND for the most part and it's wildly known who was responsible for it. Look at what Quesada did with Starlin. Not saying Bendis' doesn't have his fubar moments. But saying he wouldn't be great on FF is just wrong.

Readressed the Ultimate thing above, as far as right or wrong, none of us can predict possible futures, but we'll agree to disagree, I think his FF would be a soap opera like snore fest. Hopefully I'll never be proven right or wrong, but if he did get it I certainly would root for me being wrong :biggrin:

[Pipthetroll]

Readressed the Ultimate thing above, as far as right or wrong, none of us can predict possible futures, but we'll agree to disagree, I think his FF would be a soap opera like snore fest. Hopefully I'll never be proven right or wrong, but if he did get it I certainly would root for me being wrong :biggrin:

It couldn't be any more boring than it is now. If Bendis was on the book something would actually be happening. This big hype about showing galactus' corpse and it just to be a one-shot on a crappy Mole-man issue that really did nothing.

Perhaps I dislike the Nu-earth storyline because global warming is crap and I dislike the political stances marvel pushes into their books.

But Bendis would do it well. Whether you like what he's done with Sentry, something is always happening in the Avenger books, and I enjoy being entertained.

[Laminator_X]

I'd be interested to see Bendis's take on the FF. I think many (though not all) of the things that I like in a good FF story also play to Bendis's strengths. The naturalistic dialogue style for which he is best known seems like it could be a good fit for the family banter and griping that circulates within the team.

Could he handle the Big Wow aspects of the book well? I don't know, but I'd buy a mini to find out.

[Laminator_X]

No, Quesada. It was his story. SI was Bendis' story. I too have the glorious book of common knowledge at my disposal. I do blame JMS for the Other, though, and I blame Stan and Jack for the FF being awesome.

Hey, you added to that! Both Millar and Bendis are better in the Ultimate stuff, they make their own worlds and don't have to worry about all the back story. The aforementioned JMS is hit or miss in the regular MU but awesome in his independent of everyone else stuff too, Supreme Power/Rising Stars.

edited: sorry, your post grew there :) Ultimates was Millar, not really apples to apples, but I agree these guys are best in the Ultimate Verse where they don't have to deal with other peoples' works. JMS is awesome on things like Supreme Power or Rising Stars, I think that whole group of writers shine best when they aren't hindered by having to be team players.

Good point. Even Babe Ruth struck out 2/3 of the time.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I just re-read New Avengers :Illuminati, and one thing that struck me was the conversation bewteen Namor and Reed Richards on the work the scientists have done to help Bruce Banner, and the scientific acumen Bendis gives to Reed being a unique take on what has been done before.

This would be a challenge that Bendis hasn't attempted before. Avengers has been a masterful success for Bendis, because he has now branched out from criminal New Avengers stories, to high adventure and science stuff. If Bendis could make that leap into genres of different characters, maybe it's time Bendis looked at the supreme Marvel Family? It would be intereesting to see a Bendis slant to the way the FF do business. Given that Bendis has already written the FF in the Secret Invasion, using a peculiarly FF villain in the Skrulls, I give Bendis a good chance of success with the first family of Marvel.

Keep Bendis away from the FF at all costs.

[Pipthetroll]

Everything done in Ultimates is a compilation of Brian Michael Bendis, Warren Ellis, Orson Scott Card, and Mark Millar.

[Soundrave]

Dear lord, No. I haven't seen anything in Bendis's writing that shows he can handle science fiction. A FF writer has to be able to handle bigger than life concepts, and grand cosmic landscapes. He MAY be able to handle the family aspect of the title, but he couldn't do the explorer aspect of it at all.

This pretty much sums up my feelings on the subject. I shudder at the thought of the Fantastic Four fighting ninjas and gangsters.

[Pipthetroll]

This pretty much sums up my feelings on the subject. I shudder at the thought of the Fantastic Four fighting ninjas and gangsters.

Yes, lets have the FF continue to fight moleman and other D ranked villians.

[Soundrave]

Yes, lets have the FF continue to fight moleman and other D ranked villians.

I don't get the whole "D-ranked villains" argument, as if there's some inherent weakness in these fictional bad guys. Give Mole Man to a good writer and he can easily be elevated to what you'd consider "A-list" status. Look at what Geoff Johns did with the Flash's rogues and what he's currently doing with Nekron in Blackest Night.

I think Hickman's off to a pretty good start on his run, much better than the over-hyped Millar run. But this is also coming from a guy who considered the Waid/Wieringo run on FF to be stellar.

[Pipthetroll]

I don't get the whole "D-ranked villains" argument, as if there's some inherent weakness in these fictional bad guys. Give Mole Man to a good writer and he can easily be elevated to what you'd consider "A-list" status. Look at what Geoff Johns did with the Flash's rogues and what he's currently doing with Nekron in Blackest Night.

I think Hickman's off to a pretty good start on his run, much better than the over-hyped Millar run. But this is also coming from a guy who considered the Waid/Weiringo run on FF to be stellar.

I don't read Flash because of the crap that is DC. The flash is a B-list hero fighting C-list villians. Moleman is a joke, always has been always will be. This isn't DC, GJ may be a marvel writer now, but his work has always been less than entertaining.

[Soundrave]

I don't read Flash because of the crap that is DC. The flash is a B-list hero fighting C-list villians. Moleman is a joke, always has been always will be. This isn't DC, GJ may be a marvel writer now, but his work has always been less than entertaining.

Geoff Johns is a Marvel writer now? Better not tell that to the guys who just promoted him to the position of DC's Chief Creative Officer . . .

[whiteshark]

Would be interesting to see Bendis write the Fantastic Four.
He have been doing a great work (imo) in the Avengers Franchise so his take in Fantastic Four should be good as well.

[Pipthetroll]

Geoff Johns is a Marvel writer now? Better not tell that to the guys who just promoted him to the position of DC's Chief Creative Officer . . .

The Avengers vol. 3, #57-76 (2002–2004)
Morlocks #1-4 (2002): Miniseries.
The Thing: Freakshow #1-4 (2002): Miniseries.
Ultimate X-Men #1/2
Vision #1-4 (2002): Miniseries.

He's done a stin in marvel, he's not impressive, Blackest night sucks. Moleman is about as interesting as a piece of wood.

[Gene M.]

I think Bendis would be a better fit for the X-Men.

[Gitaroo_Dude]

He's absolutely the worst possible choice for the book.

Well, him or Ennis.


Yes, lets have the FF continue to fight moleman and other D ranked villians.

So Namor, Doom, Galactus, Annihilus, and others are D-list now?

lulz.

[mikekerr3]

He helped revitalize Avengers; why not Fantastic Four?

I don't think that giving the most family friendly title in the MU to Bendis would revitalize it, it might just destroy it

[mikekerr3]

I think he'd do a better job than Millar did.


Talk about "damning with faint praise":wink:

[mikekerr3]

I think Bendis would be a better fit for the X-Men.

On that I will agree

[Iron Maiden]

The Avengers vol. 3, #57-76 (2002–2004)
Morlocks #1-4 (2002): Miniseries.
The Thing: Freakshow #1-4 (2002): Miniseries.
Ultimate X-Men #1/2
Vision #1-4 (2002): Miniseries.

He's done a stin in marvel, he's not impressive, Blackest night sucks. Moleman is about as interesting as a piece of wood.

That depends on the writer. Morrison made a spectacularly nasty version of him in FF 1234, who lusted after Alicia and was going to blind Johnny. His appearance in Hickman's was brief but had an interesting take on the sort of caste system of the Moloids. Between him and Namor, he has one of the most vast kingdoms of the MU. And he could pop up anywhere. In his original appearance, he was attacking nuclear plants from below IIRC. Is he interesting in a straight out slugfest, no. But the FF have always sort of been the first contact people on most of the otherworldly aspects of the MU.

[strathcona]

I don't get the whole "D-ranked villains" argument, as if there's some inherent weakness in these fictional bad guys. Give Mole Man to a good writer and he can easily be elevated to what you'd consider "A-list" status. Look at what Geoff Johns did with the Flash's rogues and what he's currently doing with Nekron in Blackest Night.

Yeah, the argument that the villain (or the hero/writer/artist, for that matter) isn't a big enough name for one to want to read a book seems the height of ignorance to me. It reads like, "I only want to read what is popular because how else am I supposed to know if I am enjoying it unless other people tell me they are too!" I read what I like, and don't read what I don't like.

And personally, I like Mole Man and love when he shows up where ever in the MU. Sure he's been in some bad stories, but so has any character that has been published for 50 years.

[Rubicant]

As for Bendis not getting the cosmic universe scheme. He took my favorite character of all time and did an AMAZING job on him with the UFF book. I loved his take on Thanos, I loved what he did with the multiverse. It was amazing, it was great work, some of his best.


The UFF Thanos was created by Mike Carey. The multiverse concept was Warren Ellis's that he originally debuted in the Counter X issues of X-Man.

[jpbl1976]

What's wrong with Hickman's run? It's been pretty good so far or are we reading different comics? It's been MUCH better than Millar's run.

[Soundrave]

The UFF Thanos was created by Mike Carey. The multiverse concept was Warren Ellis's that he originally debuted in the Counter X issues of X-Man.

Shhhh . . . don't let your precious "facts" interfere in other people's opinions.

[Pipthetroll]

The UFF Thanos was created by Mike Carey. The multiverse concept was Warren Ellis's that he originally debuted in the Counter X issues of X-Man.

Maybe you missed the earlier post where Bendis, Ellis, Cary, Orson Scott Card, and Mark Millar got together on the Ultimate Universe.

[Pipthetroll]

Shhhh . . . don't let your precious "facts" interfere in other people's opinions.

Opinion, is you stating Bendis' sucks.

Fact is stating Bendis wrote the UFF book.

[nightwing45]

I think Bendis could do a great job. The Fantastic Four hasn't been good since John Byrne wrote the book. So, it needs some one of that caliber to shake things up.

[Zolton]

I think Bendis could do a great job. The Fantastic Four hasn't been good since John Byrne wrote the book. So, it needs some one of that caliber to shake things up.

So you come from the universe where Mark Waid never wrote the book? Fascinating. Does it rain cats in your world?

[Shallot]

So you come from the universe where Mark Waid never wrote the book? Fascinating. Does it rain cats in your world?

This universe must not have had Simonson's short but awesome run either.

[Pipthetroll]

This universe must not have had Simonson's short but awesome run either.

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed the FF book for mainstream MU. It was definately pre-Civil War.