“Rock Bottom”
Note: If you are following the Marvel Comics prescribed reading list, this issue takes place immediately after One World Under Doom No.02 (2025).
Powerless! To prove his compassion, the Sorcerer Supreme and Emperor of a United Latveria has done what the smartest man on Earth could not do. He cured Benjamin Grimm of his cosmic radiation affliction. The “Ever-loving Blue-Eyed Thing” is flesh and blood once again! But is that what Ben wanted for himself?
Over the next two weeks, the former powerhouse of The Fantastic Four will dig deep inside of his psyche to discover what really makes him a man. Was it his superhuman abilities? His wife and kids? Or possibly his gruff and pessimistic disposition?
Reviewer Notes
We continue with the odd dissection of the world’s most loved superhero family in Fantastic Four #30. Here we find Benjamin Grimm reduced to a depressed sniveling absurdity as his powers have been stripped by Doom. I will call Ryan North out on this nonsense. Ben had lost his powers in the past and continued to function as a “man” just fine.
I suggest reading the end of the original “Secret Wars” (1984-1985), as well as Ben’s solo series “The Thing” (1983-1985).
Benjamin Grimm came from the rough streets of Lower East Side Manhattan. He grew up running with a dangerous street gang. Then he became an all-star college football player. Afterward, Ben joined the airforce and became a distinguished military pilot. Then an astronaut. These fit all the characteristics of an alpha-male personality. Was this Ryan North character a Skrull infiltrator? Come on man.
There was a nice surprise cameo that I won’t spoil. Other than that, as a lifetime Fantastic Four fan, I find this depiction of Ben comical at best. Ryan needs to leave his modern politics at the door and focus on writing scripts faithful to the source material. I give this comic book three out of five stars.
Tag(s)
[boat – ferry], [borough – manhattan], [building – united nations building], [cell – prison cell], [city – benson], [city – new york city], [continent – north america], [country – united states of america], [criminal], [crutches], [document – hospital forms], [documents], [emergency], [equipment – cloak of levitation], [equipment – closet teleporter], [equipment – doctor doom armor], [equipment – eye of agamotto], [equipment – fantastic four uniforms], [equipment – puppet master’s psychic clay], [event – the wedding of benjamin grimm and alicia masters], [family reunion], [farmhouse – fantastic farmhouse], [fast food], [fast food chain], [firearm – 9mm semiautomatic pistol], [food – beer], [food – cheeseburger], [food – green beans], [food – pickles], [food – pizza], [generosity], [ghost – ghost dinosaurs], [gift], [guard – prison guard], [guards], [healing], [hospital], [hospital bed], [insult – hypocrite], [insult – matchstick doctors], [island – ryker’s island], [jailbreak], [love], [magazine – world enquirer], [magazines], [magic], [mall], [neighbors], [pajamas], [planet – earth], [prison – the raft], [restaurant – burger baron], [rocket – fantastic four rocket], [smile], [stand-up comedy], [state – arizona], [state – new york], [statue – psychic clay statue of benjamin grimm], [surgery], [taxicab driver], [telephone], [teleportation], [united nations], [vehicle – taxicab], [wedding], [wound – gunshot wound]
Character(s)
[alicia masters-grimm], [black mamba – tanya sealy], [constrictor ii], [diablo – esteban corazón de ablo], [doctor doom – victor von doom], [doombots], [fantastic four], [franklin richards], [human torch – johnathan “johnny” storm], [inmate #3341 – phillip masters], [invisible woman – susan “sue” storm-richards], [jo-venn masters-grimm], [mike], [mister fantastic – reed richards], [n’kalla “nicki” masters-grimm], [pit viper – jordan dixon], [princess masters-grimm], [puppet master – phillip masters], [serpent society], [spider-man – peter parker], [the thing – benjamin jacob grimm], [titanoboa], [valeria richards], [wolverine – james “logan” howlett]
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