𝕎𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕔𝕤 𝔸𝕣𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤 𝕐𝕠𝕦 ℂ𝕒𝕟 𝔹𝕦𝕪?: X-Men + Fantastic Four #1

The two main things going on are:

1.       Franklin Richards is slowly losing his mutant power to warp reality/create universes the more he uses them.
2.       And the X-Men want to bring Franklin to Krakoa to be part of their mutant separatist terrorist Ethnostate.

During the “X-Men And Fantastic Four” mini-series from many years ago, Kitty Pryde and Franklin developed a friendship. Xavier and Magneto want to exploit this friendship to help them recruit Franklin. Xavier also at least mentions helping Franklin with his powers, so he’s less of an asshole than normal. When asked, Kitty hesitates a bit but goes along with it and a team of X-Men leave Krakoa to go get Franklin.

In the Fantastic Four’s headquarters, Mr. Fantastic Four does some tests on Franklin and he can’t figure out what it going in with Franklin’s powers. Franklin is kind of a dick about it and acts like Reed isn’t really trying then he storms out. He’s a frustrated kid, so this is understandable.  Sue tries to explain to Reed how to Franklin this means he’s losing the one thing that is special about him.

We then get an info page with Mr. Fantastic’s notes on a theory that the Fantastic Four’s source for their powers comes from intra-dimensional sources of energy called “Godpower”. It is his theory that Franklin has become disconnected from “Godpower”. For an info page (which I will always be against) it’s the best I’ve seen. It’s short, and it has relevant information that is actually interesting.

Our next scene has Franklin and The Thing talking in a diner. Franklin suggests his dad unconsciously not putting his full effort into solving the issues with either of their respective powers. Ben is like “nah, cuz’ I’d fuck him up if that were the case”. Johnny then shows up to tell them the X-Men have come to their HQ.

Back there, Sue has an invisible bubble blocking the X-Men from entering. There’s a little back and forth about them taking Franklin and Sue is firmly against it. Kitty phases through the invisible bubble and hugs Franklin. This settles things down and Sue lets Xavier and Magneto in to talk. Xavier briefly goes into why he and pretty much all mutants have become assholes and Reed gives the rational response to this telling him they’re acting like they’re “above humanity”. Magneto, of course, says they are. Xavier then reiterates that Franklin belongs in their mutant separatist terrorist Ethnostate. Sue, also being rational, tells them they can go fuck themselves with their separatist bullshit. I have never liked the Fantastic Four this much!

Magneto then talks directly to Franklin trying to convince him and Franklin considers visiting. Sue then puts an invisible bubble around Magneto. Things go south from there, so Kitty phases Franklin out of the building and Kitty seems to fly them away to a park near a portal to Krakoa. I have no idea how this is possible. When they land Kitty promises to support Franklin no matter what decision he makes. Franklin again expresses some interest in visiting Krakoa, hoping to get help with his powers. Johnny catches up to them and jumps to conclusions thinking Kitty is kidnapping him. Storm then blows him away with her power unprovoked. This starts a big fight between the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. In the middle of this, Reed (being the voice of reason again) tells Xavier “hey asshole when he’s an adult he can decide if he wants to visit your mutant separatist terrorist Ethnostate, but you have some kind of timetable for it which makes you suspicious”.

Franklin then runs through the portal to Krakoa but he remains in the park with the others. It is then revealed that Mr. Fantastic created a device to mask Franklin’s X-gene so he can’t access the portals. This ends the situation and Reed gets painted as the bad guy for doing this. The X-Men then leave through the portal.

To be clear, the only thing Mr. Fantastic did that was wrong was not telling his son about it. He should have told him, and it should have been absolutely non-negotiable that the device would be used until he was an adult that is no longer living under his roof. It is absolutely his right as a father not to allow his underage son to go unescorted to some mutant separatist terrorist Ethnostate where he would be bombarded with anti-human propaganda and surrounded by mutant criminals, terrorists, and genocidal madmen. We’re then hit repeatedly with the idea that Reed was wrong when at most he was mildly wrong.

After this, we see that Franklin and his sister Valeria have snuck on board Kitty’s (and her team The Marauder’s) ship assuming the ship was headed to Krakoa. Kitty finds them and informs them they’re actually on a mission to rescue some refugee mutants. The boat then gets attacked by some mechanical tentacles that look like Dr. Octopus’ for some reason. The issue ends as Dr. Doom boards the ship and after seeing Franklin and Valeria he asks “where’s your father”?

All the annoying stuff with this current run of X-men aside, this was a pretty good issue. Kitty actually acted like Kitty and not the red coat wearing pirate asshole she’s been acting like in Marauders. The art is pretty good except something about the inking being slightly off. Less detailed background characters seemed to suffer the most due to this. I’m so happy this comic has people challenging the stupid BS the X-Men have been on lately. It is very refreshing. The stuff with Reed “being wrong” could have been dialed down significantly though. Anyway, solid book. B-.

Recommendation: One Of The Better Books You Can Buy