|
|
Post by berkley on Sept 16, 2019 0:48:32 GMT -5
Speaking seriously, the only new member of the FF I ever thought worked wasn't a replacement at all but an addition, a fifth member. Of course I'm talking about Crystal, and it could well be that the only reason I accepted her as part of the FF was that she was already there as a supporting character (though not at first a member) in most of the earliest FF comics I read as a kid. But also, when she did become a sort of member it was in a kind of informal way - she made herself a uniform and only later on did Reed Richards make it official. And also, because of the relationship with Johnny Storm, she was part of the extended family that the FF was always based upon
I wasn't following the FF series when such characters as Medusa, Luke Cage, Thundra, etc joined, so I can't say what I might think of how thiey actually worked as FF members, but on principle I think none of them really fit in with the family motif that I think is intrinsic to the concept.
Thinking it through, the next step up in scale from the family would be I suppose the extended family or the clan, which for the purposes of this particular mental exercise I think we could extend to include close friends and so on, so I would say, if we were starting from scratch and trying to figure out which MU characters would be the best fits for the FF, I would look first to figures like Alicia, Wyatt Wingfoot, Agatha Harkness, etc. Of course, not all of those have super-powers.
But from this POV, I can see how some of the new members I haven't read myself might have been made to work: Thundra, for example, as an alien from another dimension or whatever, perhaps not knowing anyone but the FF, might have been adopted by them, in a manner of speaking, since they possibly would have felt responsible for her well-being.
But anyway, I think the family aspect is pretty basic to the core FF concept, so in a general way I'd see the best replacements somehow fitting in with that.
|
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Sept 16, 2019 7:40:21 GMT -5
One of the worst concepts constantly repeated with the FF, even though it is a reality for many families, is the break up or "replacing" of a team member. While this may add a temporary twist to stories it has been done soooooo many times that it is a sour cliche which needs never be written again. The FF are more a family than a team and therefore NEVER require membership changes as part of the plot. You can add to the family but you should not cast aside any original member as they are all equal parts of a WHOLE. Always better together than separated.
|
|
|
|
Post by dbutler69 on Sept 16, 2019 9:27:15 GMT -5
Tough to decide. I'f you'd asked me prior to, say, the early 80's, I'd say you could replace both Johnny and Sue and I wouldn't give a hoot, and even now I think that Ben & Reed are way better characters and way more interesting than the Storms. However, if you get rid of any of the characters, you lose that family dynamic, which I think is a very important part of the Fantastic Four's appeal, so while I haven't voted yet, I think I'll probably wind up voting for "none". However, if Crystal were single, I wouldn't mind making it a Fantastic Five and give Johnny a love interest, plus her powers are more than useful. I also did enjoy She-Hulk in the group, but not at the expense of the Thing, who is one of my all-time favorite superheroes.
|
|
|
|
Post by dbutler69 on Sept 16, 2019 11:43:27 GMT -5
I think they should be replaced by clones of themselves that look and act exactly like the originals. Absolutely nothing would change but they would be clones, see? That would be so cool. And they should wear bomber jackets and carry guns...big guns. No, their left hands should be replaced by cybernetic guns! That would be SO kewl!  |
|
|
|
Post by badwolf on Sept 16, 2019 12:13:39 GMT -5
I enjoyed the stories during Byrne's run that had She-Hulk, but the group just wasn't the same. Does anyone know whose idea it was to have Ben stay on Beyonderworld? Shooter's or Byrne's?
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2019 12:51:15 GMT -5
I enjoyed the stories during Byrne's run that had She-Hulk, but the group just wasn't the same. Does anyone know whose idea it was to have Ben stay on Beyonderworld? Shooter's or Byrne's? It was John Byrne and he got better control of his powers and became quite efficient and spent months (I don't know how many) on Beyonderworld. |
|
|
|
Post by badwolf on Sept 16, 2019 16:07:17 GMT -5
I enjoyed the stories during Byrne's run that had She-Hulk, but the group just wasn't the same. Does anyone know whose idea it was to have Ben stay on Beyonderworld? Shooter's or Byrne's? It was John Byrne and he got better control of his powers and became quite efficient and spent months (I don't know how many) on Beyonderworld. Byrne got better control of his powers? Well, I guess that's what happens when you're doing two books a month. You have to be efficient. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2019 16:40:23 GMT -5
It was John Byrne and he got better control of his powers and became quite efficient and spent months (I don't know how many) on Beyonderworld. Byrne got better control of his powers? Well, I guess that's what happens when you're doing two books a month. You have to be efficient. It was John Byrne idea to send The Thing to Beyonderworld (so that The Thing can get a better grip of his powers and be more efficient) and spent months there to improve himself. Sorry that I written it bad in the first place. |
|
|
|
Post by badwolf on Sept 16, 2019 17:04:49 GMT -5
Byrne got better control of his powers? Well, I guess that's what happens when you're doing two books a month. You have to be efficient. It was John Byrne idea to send The Thing to Beyonderworld (so that The Thing can get a better grip of his powers and be more efficient) and spent months there to improve himself. Sorry that I written it bad in the first place. I know, I was just joking. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2019 22:20:04 GMT -5
I liked Matt Fraction's concept of a "back up" or "substitute" FF made up of Scott Lang, She-Hulk, She-Thing and Medusa. They took over when the FF was off planet (in space or in alternate dimensions).
|
|
|
|
Post by dbutler69 on Sept 17, 2019 8:55:43 GMT -5
I liked Matt Fraction's concept of a "back up" or "substitute" FF made up of Scott Lang, She-Hulk, She-Thing and Medusa. They took over when the FF was off planet (in space or in alternate dimensions). Never heard of it, but it sounds pretty good, though I'd replace Scott Lang with Crystal. I like Scott Lang, and I have no idea what Crystal's been up to for the past 30 years, but she seems much more like an FF member to me than Scott Lang. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2019 11:38:43 GMT -5
Here was the title simply called "FF" by Fraction & Allred:  It was published at the same time that the original FF was on a trip throughout time & space by Fraction & Bagley:  |
|
