CMX Review: Fantastic Four #542

THIS IS A WONDERFUL READ, AND ARGUABLY THE BEST REED RICHARDS STORY I'VE EVER READ! I DIDN'T BOTHER CHECKING OUT THE CREATIVE TEAM BEFORE I MANAGED TO FLICK OVER THE COVER, AS THIS IS SIMPLY FOLLOWING A SUBPLOT FROM CIVIL WAR FOR ME. TO MY PLEASANT SURPRISE, IT GIVES THE SAME SATISFACTION AS READING THE MAIN CW TITLE AND NOT SIMPLY A FOLLOW-UP IN QUALITY AND DUTY. IT PRESENTS US A BLINK INTO THE LIVES OF THE OTHER FF MEMBERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAR, BUT WHAT'S MORE ASTONISHING IS FINDING THE MAD THINKER IN THE LIGHT THAT HE'S PRESENTED HERE, VERY READABLE! HE'S THE SOUNDING BOARD TO REED'S CLASS 1000 INTELLIGENCE, AND IT'S TERRIFYING HOW THE LEADER OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR IS THIS CALCULATING. TO QUOTE HANNIBAL TABU FROM CBR, "NOW YOU SEE HOW SMART HE [REALLY] IS..."! DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE TORCH IS THE FEATURE ON THE COVER, IT'S MR FANTASTIC WHO'S THE REAL FOCUS HERE. 4.5 STARS OUR OF 5 - A MUST-HAVE GEM! KUDOS TO WRITER DWAYNE MCDUFFIE AND ARTIST MIKE MCKONE. I LIKED JMS'S PREVIOUS WORK, BUT THIS ISH IS CLEARLY A MARKED TERRITORY FOR MCDUFFIE.