This volume includes three stories after the Fantastic Four have gone their separate ways after one of their latest exploits have left them estranged from each other and low in public opinion. The remaining issues follow them after they reunite and working to save the planet from an alternate universe threat.

I picked up this volume largely because I'm a Ryan North fan (I adored his writing on Squirrel Girl). While the writing here is solid and some of North's humour shines through, I don't think Fantastic Four comics are for me. The quartet's dynamics aren't particularly compelling for this reader. That said, the first issue in this volume, which follows The Thing and his wife, Alicia, when they accidentally stumble into a small town that's stuck in a time loop was very fun. Fine enough reading but not recommended. YMMV. ( )

I keep checking in on the Fantastic Four every now and again. I read the first two volumes of Dan Slott's run and meant to keep going on with it, but as often happens with the FF, my attention wandered. And now Ryan North is taking over, and since I loved Squirrel Girl so much I had high hopes for what he'd do with Ben, Reed, Sue and Johnny. And it's fine. It's fine . . .

First Ben and Alicia get stuck in a town in a time loop. Then Reed and Sue get stuck in a town of Doombots. Johnny takes a side gig and gets stuck with an awful new secret identity and an abusive manager. A flashback shows why the FF have split up and are having solo adventures, but the group comes together in time to get cursed by a Z-level magic villain named Nicholas Scratch. Finally, some unintended consequences of Scratch's attack cause the FF to take drastic measures to stop a new extinction-level event, and the public reception is not good.

The problem I think is with the characters. If they're not written as the squabbling family that Stan Lee launched oh-so-long ago, they don't really work as a comic. But if they're written as the squabbling family that Stan Lee launched oh-so-long ago, well, they too easily become familiar and boring.

I'll probably give North's run another try, but it wouldn't surprise me if I don't pick up another volume until the next writer comes along.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• 1. Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters-Grimm in: "The Last Town on the Left" / Ryan North, writer; Iban Coello, artist
• 2. Dr. Susan Storm-Richards and Dr. Reed Richards in: "The Night of Doom" / Ryan North, writer; Iban Coello, artist
• 3. Johnny Storm in: "A Shoptastic Day" / Ryan North, writer; Iban Coello, artist
• 4. The Fantastic Four in: "The Baxter Initiative" / Ryan North, writer; Iban Coello, artist
• 5. The Fantastic Four in: "Up to Scratch" / Ryan North, writer; Ivan Fiorelli, artist
• 6. Dr. Susan Storm-Richards and Johnny Storm in: "A Shot in the Dark" / Ryan North, writer; Ivan Fiorelli, artist
• Cover Gallery: Alex Ross, Chris Bachalo, J. Scott Campbell, Frank Miller, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, Arthur Adams, Todd Nauck, Phil Noto, Chrissie Zullo, Peach Momoko, John Cassaday, Phil Jimenez, Chris Allen, Joshua Swaby, and Kaare Andrews, artists ( )