ASM 556 vs. FF 556

To celebrate the issue # overlap this month, Marvel has created a special kind of crossover – a weather crossover!

Yes, that’s right folks – both issues are full of snow!

OK, I’m sure it wasn’t intentional but it was odd.

I can’t remember the last time two high issue count books overlapped – usually there is no chance of this because a title won’t fall behind by that many, but with ASM’s new 3/month schedule, it’s just now passing up Marvel’s previous high issue count title. Of course, Uncanny X-Men trumps them in some way – it’s the title with the highest issue count that has not been rebooted at #1 at some point (although you could debate the reprint issues in the 67-95 range), coming in at 497ish currently.

So – how were the issues?

I thought FF 556 sucked horribly, and was probably the worst issue of FF I’ve seen in a few years at least. It consisted entirely of a giant robot thumping on the big-goods of the MU in Alaskan snow (heyyyyyyy, is this a trend starting?  Alpha Flight got thumped in the Alaskan snow to prove how badass a villain was just a few years back in New Avengers!). Then at the last second Reed says he’s coming to save the day. With his brain of course. I’m pretty sure I saw Iron Man in the mob getting mowed down (I need to double check though) – I hear he can use his brain too. I *know* Hank Pym was there (even if it was just Skrull hank), he can use his brain too.

WTF were Storm, Herc, Spider-Man, Iron Fist, Wolverine, Black Panther & Dr. Strange doing there – they don’t answer to SHIELD! BP is out of the country again, Doc Strange went AWOL, Iron Fist/Wolverine/Spider-Man are currently on the hit list and Herc is most certainly on the hit list, being chased by Ares right now. Man, wtf were the editors smoking? I know they like to let Millar do whatever the hell he wants, but then shit like this happens.

And don’t get me started on the Sentry being “brushed aside”.

We’re supposed to believe that Reed’s old girlfriend could build a robot tougher than Ultron? A robot with no real brain, just toughness? STooooooopid.

It was pretty typical Mark Millar though. Soooo, if you like that kind of thing.

ASM was a bit better. I’m not sure I buy Spidey just trying to avoid a fight with a giant semi-obvious bad guy, but hey maybe the snow was driving him crazy too. This issue is at least the set up for some interesting stuff. Not much to talk about though. Still better than FF.

Looks like the reviews at comixtreme agree with me, at least as to which is better. (I figure I should link them since I linked their images…still not sure what the official stance on this is).

Comicsbulletin is slightly nicer to FF. I have no idea why. It was seriously a pile of elephant shit. Sure, it was pretty to look at, but who can look for long with that stench?