FF #16 *spoilers*

[Ravin' Ray]

AAAAHHHH!

Just when I thought Hickman couldn't top himself, he goes ahead and raises the FF even further. Maybe not in battle terms, but once you read this you'll see. I really am going to wonder how his successor will carry on what he started.
Earlier at the Fantastic Four & FF (News And Speculation) thread I posted these reactions to the preview:

FF #16 preview's up, and surprise, Dragotta and Epting are listed as co-pencilers. Either there are two stories, or Dragotta does present scenes while Epting does future or alternate universe scenes.

At least now the folks who say that the focus on know-it-all-Val detracts from FF can now say she's getting what's coming to her.

And I called it right in both cases.
spoilers:

Galactus and Future Franklin have a private talk about the end of the universe and how Galactus will no longer have to be alone to witness it as Franklin will be with him. And, as Franklin addrsses him as Galen, he tells him he should be grateful he spared Earth. At the New York clean-up, all the junk is sent to the Negative Zone for the reprocessing by the natives who scavenge for junk. Reed restores the Baxter Building with some changes: there's a full-sized pool for Wu and Vil and a Subterranea simulator for the Moloids. Biggest surprise is the new uniforms: everyone keeps the same (or in Johnny's case, gets a new) white uniform, but the hexagonal logos are replaced with the classic "4" for the Fantastic Four, and numbers counting from 5 onwards for the rest of the Future Foundation: 5 for Franklin (and his future self), 6 for the Valerias, 7 for Alex, 8-10 for the Moloids except for Tong, presumably 11-12 for Wu and Vil, and 13 for Bentley who likes it (with Val crushing on him). Only Spider-Man, Nathaniel, and Dragon Man don't have numbers. And then, Reed sends everyone up through the atmosphere to the spanking new Foundation space station in geosynchronous orbit directly above the BB with Johnny's Pestilence battle ship docked. It's the new station/lab/classroom for space-related research. WOW. When Spidey asks Johnny where he'll chose to stay, he says neither, and takes up his suggestion to bolt to his own apartment to move it to Spidey's apartment, much to his chagrin (or discomfort). Finally, we come to Val's grounding. Because all the adults are having a chat with her, explaining she can't go on with the deceptions and keeping secrets from them. And as she promises no more secrets, we go over to the Bridge with Epting on pencils, flashback to when Doom fell to the Celestials. Val had whispered to him earlier to staty alive because there is something worth out there that she left behind for him as a gift. As he recovers, he enters the Council of Reeds' inner chambers, recovers one Infinity Gauntlet, and discovers his lobotomized counterparts who slowly call out Doom ever more confidently. And he sits on the throne proclaiming, "Here, I can build". End caption: The Parliament of Doom. Oh. My. God!

end of spoilers

[GCA-FF]

Sounds like Hickman provided some good answers for what is ahead and what is happening concerning the future of the FF.

[manymade1]

So would this be a pretty hard comic to jump on with this issue?

[USERNAME TAKEN]

So would this be a pretty hard comic to jump on with this issue?

Not really.

I would however suggest you start from issue 1 (since it's just 16 issues in).

[Ronin1108]

I hate Val. SO. MUCH. RIGHT. NOW!!!!! You realize this guy knows how to un-lobotomize himself now right!?!? Just give him the keys to the kingdom next time lmao..

[Morentez]

And the award for sweetest character moment including a cosmic, planet consuming god, and his reality controlling bestest friend until the end of time goes to: THIS COMIC!

I never thought Galactus could seem so, human.

Also: Parliament of Doom! (I'll be interested to see is any writer after Hickman remembers that those infinity gauntlets only work in their home universes?

Also also: some sinister setup for Val in years to come. Supervillain to come?

[CaptainMarvell]

Sounds very cool. So are they going to continue to alternate FF and F4 with FF featuring the kids and F4 featuring the adults? Basically, what I'm asking is, if I just buy F4 would I be able to keep up with the story or would we need to buy both.

[USERNAME TAKEN]

And the award for sweetest character moment including a cosmic, planet consuming god, and his reality controlling bestest friend until the end of time goes to: THIS COMIC!

I never thought Galactus could seem so, human.

Also: Parliament of Doom! (I'll be interested to see is any writer after Hickman remembers that those infinity gauntlets only work in their home universes?

Also also: some sinister setup for Val in years to come. Supervillain to come?

The way Galactus opened up to Franklin.....i expected him to take him in his arms and plant a kiss on him.

[chariset]

The way Galactus opened up to Franklin.....i expected him to take him in his arms and plant a kiss on him.

That's next issue.

[frostfalls]

Oh so excellent! I may or may not have been swearing aloud when I was reading the Franklin & Galactus bits, and again at the end.

I'm definitely intrigued by where Val's story is going. I was talking with a friend after we finished reading and both of our reactions were definitely "Supervillain? "

[Kurolegacy]

Sounds very cool. So are they going to continue to alternate FF and F4 with FF featuring the kids and F4 featuring the adults? Basically, what I'm asking is, if I just buy F4 would I be able to keep up with the story or would we need to buy both.

From the looks of solicits some issues take place simultaneously, such as the trip to Wakanda while others are standalone stories. So I'd say it all depends on what's going on with the plot.

[CHOX]

Are you serious?!?! My God Hickman, you're brilliant!

[coconutphone]

AMAZING!

I love epilogue issues like these. This was done particularly well. Amazing stuff. And then that f-ing epilogue. I audibly gasped and then giggled at the last full page before the letters. Fantastic.

[LeonardEugenius]

This was an amazing issue. I'm really interested to see if they shed some more light on why Future Val and Present Val dislike/distrust each other

[CaptainMarvell]

spoilers:

he enters the Council of Reeds' inner chambers, recovers one Infinity Gauntlet, and discovers his lobotomized counterparts who slowly call out Doom ever more confidently. And he sits on the throne proclaiming, "Here, I can build".

end of spoilers

spoilers:

Correction. TWO Infinity Gauntlets. He has one on each hand when he's sitting in this throne. One of them belonged to that bald Reed with the beard and carried the sword around. Yes, Infinity Gauntlets only work in their own universes, but okay... so Doom goes to that universe, where he's all powerful and do whatever and wants and creates a giant super powered army that are loyal to him and invade 616. Doom with two Gauntlets is enough to keep me interested.

end of spoilers