Fantastic Four: House of M

(Marvel, 2005)
™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

In the Avengers Disassembled storyline, the Scarlet Witch lost control of her reality altering powers, went mad, and destroyed the Avengers in the process. But it didn’t end there. Wanda Maximoff was taken into seclusion by her father, Magneto, in hopes she could be healed. Instead, all of reality changed, and now everything is different—under the rule of the House of M. The Fantastic Four are gone, at least as they were once known. Now there is only The Fearsome Four, ruled over by Dr. Doom. Some things, though, stay the same from one reality to another. Here, as in our own, Doom is no man’s lackey…

This dark and imaginative alternate reality has a similar appeal to the best examples of similar adventures. It’s a chance for readers to see clever twists on characters they’re familiar with… or think they are. John Layman’s sharp dialogue and Scott Eaton’s vivid pictures make for an entertaining miniseries.

— Andy Richardson

From the Comics Buyer’s Guide:

At the “House of M,” in which mutants rule the world and humans are, at best, mere pawns in the grand scheme of things, The Fantastic Four is known as The Fearsome Four. Reed, Sue, and Johnny are dead, but the group lives on in the form of Victor Von Doom, The Invincible Woman (Valeria), The Inhuman Torch (Kristoff), and The It (Ben), a hulking thing who gets kicked around like an abused puppy. Doom has most everything he wants, including wealth, power, and family, but he can’t stand taking orders from Magneto, leading to some pretty juicy conflict.

Hardcore FF fans may be disappointed, at least initially, with the direction of this mini-series, since three of the big four are nowhere to be found, but more open-minded readers will enjoy the action from beginning to end. The script showcases Magneto’s condescending nature and Doom’s ruthlessness and lust for power, while the art hearkens back to such killer talents as Dave Cockrum and Gene Colan.

That last panel is a real eye-opener.

— Brett Weiss

Jump to issue:

Notes

Writer

Artist