CBR: ADVANCE PREVIEW: "Fear Itself: Fearsome Four"

[CBR News]

Marvel has released an advance look at "Fear Itself: Fearsome Four" #1 by Brandon Montclare, Michael Kaluta and Ryan Bodenheim. The series debuts June 8.


Full article here.

[Ravin' Ray]

She-Hulk's hair should be a shade darker than her skin but otherwise the art is solid. And is the pull of fear in Manhattan that strong for the Man-Thing for him to makes it there all on his own from the Everglades without already doing damage along the way?

[Colin7]

Yawn. Looks pretty talky. And Howard looks more like Harvey Pekar.

[Ed Love]

She-Hulk's hair should be a shade darker than her skin but otherwise the art is solid. And is the pull of fear in Manhattan that strong for the Man-Thing for him to makes it there all on his own from the Everglades without already doing damage along the way?

Really? I hate this type of art style: the overly simplistic linework with over-strong coloring to provide all sense of dimension and depth, making every panel look like an animation cel. Just looks very sterile and frozen to me.

I was thinking about getting this, Nighthawk is one of my favorite characters, but looks like my lack of reading Marvel titles will continue for the foreseeable future.

[ian33407]

Really? I hate this type of art style: the overly simplistic linework with over-strong coloring to provide all sense of dimension and depth, making every panel look like an animation cel. Just looks very sterile and frozen to me.

Certainly it isn't Michael Kaluta at his best, but I guess this is more an editorial decision..This is supposed to be kinda "reader-friendly" ( with bounding the artist, but counting on his name) and it spreads all the originality that such title could have...kind of "straight-weird"..."fantasy for newbies"..dunno

[FireballXTC]

Really? I hate this type of art style: the overly simplistic linework with over-strong coloring to provide all sense of dimension and depth, making every panel look like an animation cel. Just looks very sterile and frozen to me.

Completely agree - under-inked, over-rendered, tepid stuff. Shame. And Howard the Duck has now completely entered the uncanny valley - brrr!

That cover's a knockout though.

[SanctumSanctorumComix]

... is the pull of fear in Manhattan that strong for the Man-Thing for him to makes it there all on his own from the Everglades without already doing damage along the way?

Man-Thing hasn't been in the Everglades in a few years.
He was captured by Norman Osborne's Initiative goon squad / "Dark Avengers" and is a member of the THUNDERBOLTS, which are located in NYC.

I have a complete write-up on this series of events on my blog - the post can be found: HERE
http://sanctumsanctorumcomix.blogspo...g-or-have.html

My big beefs besides the art looking horrid, (poor Howard looks so lame) is how the heck is Man-Thing VAULTING over that thing in the first page / 2nd panel.
Manny's never been agile enough to walk without a shamble. Nevermind being worthy of Track and Field events.

For many extensive articles on Man-Thing's recent goings on, feel free to read my blog posts on the subject which can be found at this link HERE.
http://sanctumsanctorumcomix.blogspo...abel/Man-Thing

You'll be glad you did!

Or, just zip around the rest of the articles by using the main link: HERE
http://sanctumsanctorumcomix.blogspot.com

~P~
"PTOR"
Sanctum Sanctorum Comix
http://sanctumsanctorumcomix.blogspot.com

[UKFan]

God, what happened to Howard?

He looks like he works for the IRS.

[comicfan298]

Certainly it isn't Michael Kaluta at his best, but I guess this is more an editorial decision..This is supposed to be kinda "reader-friendly" ( with bounding the artist, but counting on his name) and it spreads all the originality that such title could have...kind of "straight-weird"..."fantasy for newbies"..dunno

Those are the Ryan Bodenheim pages. Michael Kaluta is doing the Nighthawk back-up story.

[comicfan298]

I am liking the artwork though, I think the colouring doesn't do the lines justice. I can see Howard is Lucas inspired here. The story sounds interesting, I am looking forward to this.

[Sijo]

...and, why THESE particular four to deal with Manny? Howard, in particular? This seems more like a tribute to Gerber's days writing for Marvel than a really necessary tie-in. Not saying it's bad (other than yeah, Howard looks awful) just that I don't get the logistics.

[ian33407]

Those are the Ryan Bodenheim pages. Michael Kaluta is doing the Nighthawk back-up story.

I've definitively no excuses. I hadn't heard about the back-up by Kaluta and believed he had to edulcorate a little his art..thanks..

HOWARD THE DUCK : Kyle Baker or Sam Kieth, but please, nobody else..

[SanctumSanctorumComix]

...and, why THESE particular four to deal with Manny? Howard, in particular? This seems more like a tribute to Gerber's days writing for Marvel than a really necessary tie-in. Not saying it's bad (other than yeah, Howard looks awful) just that I don't get the logistics.

Ah... you're missing the historical point:
Howard is Man-Thing's FRIEND!

It was via the Man-Thing that Howard came to Earth in the first place (well... really, it was the demon THOG messing with the Nexus of All Realities, but Manny was the main combatant).

Since then, Howard and Man-Thing have had several adventures together, and in most of those instances, after Howard gets done venting that if it weren't for Manny, he'd probably still be back home on Duckworld, Howard then expounds upon his friendship of the muck monster.

A few previous instances:
Adventure Into Fear # 19 / Man-Thing v1 # 1
Howard the Duck # 22-23
Man-Thing v3 # 5-7
Generation X # 25
"DayDreamers" miniseries


It is the inclusion of the others that is a bit of a stretch:

Nighthawk - has some "inner monster" thing going on lately (supposedly)

She-Hulk - d'uh. Big green "monster".
(actually, the first time she met Man-Thing (#7,8 of her first series) it was because Man-Thing's friend; Richard Rory saw the same hunted, misunderstood "monster" in Shulkie that he did in Manny.

Frankenstein's Monster - right there in the name.

All of them have that monster aspect which causes them to seek out and help one of their own.

Howard, being Manny's closest "friend" is the one who starts it all in motion.
The only other TRUE friends that Man-Thing has would be:
Jennifer Kale - sorceress (most recently tried to "rescue" Manny from the THUNDERBOLTS - see my blogpost HERE)
and DOCTOR STRANGE.

(With the possible additions of Ben Grimm; The THING, and AQUARIAN / aka: Huntarr, the LEGION of MONSTERS, and the "Franken-Castle" version of the Punisher.)

~P~
"PTOR"
http://sanctumsanctorumcomix.blogspot.com/

[AdamYJ]

Preview pages don't impress me. However, from what I see, it looks like nothing's happened in them yet. So, not the best material to judge by.

Also, no Frankenstein in those pages.

[John Pannozzi]

I've definitively no excuses. I hadn't heard about the back-up by Kaluta and believed he had to edulcorate a little his art..thanks..

HOWARD THE DUCK : Kyle Baker or Sam Kieth, but please, nobody else..

Or Skottie Young, for that matter.

P.S.: When did Sam Kieth draw Howard the Duck? Did ever pencil and/or ink any stories with Howard, or did he perhaps do a sketch or pin-up of the character that impressed fans?