Fantastic Four #16

   It's unfortunate that this 16-issue run of the Fantastic Four ended up being a bit of a jumble - it started out very promising, with the team embarking on an inter-dimensional family vacation / adventure.

   For whatever reason, writer Matt Fraction (more or less) jumped ship with a few issues to go, leaving the more than capable Karl Kesel to pick up the pieces - but by then the story had spun out of control, with a huge cast of characters (including duplicates), alternate dimensions, mysterious illnesses and suchlike.

   It wraps up here with more than one FF team facing the ultimate version of Dr. Doom - and while we see some heartwarming reunions and wrap-ups to more than one plot thread, it all just seems haphazard and rushed.

   The art by Raffaele Ienco is quite good (although the Mark Bagley cover is tough to beat), and the postscript by Joe Quinones and Mike Allred is fun.

      As the series gets set for a new creative team, a new first issue and a new storyline, here's hoping things get back on track for Marvel's first family.

Grade: B

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