Alex Ross finally gets the opportunity to write and draw classic Marvel characters in Fantastic Four: Full Circle, an oversized, hardbound production from Marvel and Abrams. A sequel to the classic "This Man, This Monster" published in 1966 in The Fantastic Four No. 51, Full Circle finds the FF journeying back into the Negative Zone, a dimension which allows Ross to indulge in trippy, psychedelic visuals. Using a more ink-based art style here, with experimental color palettes, the book has a unique and visionary feel.
Though it doesn't have the cohesiveness or poignancy of Kirby and Lee's original story, it does lay the groundwork for future story ideas to be exploited, and consistently pays heartfelt homage to a stupendous time in cartooning history.
Along with Barry Windsor-Smith's recent Monsters graphic novel (originally proposed as a Hulk story), Full Circle confirms (again) that there's much to be gained by mainstream publishers allowing top-notch cartoonists to create their own stories using the publisher's properties. Steve Rude, long left out in the cold, is another amazing talent Marvel could invite in for project or two.
