Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Issue #570 has a new writer and artist, and yet another far-out new concept for us to wrap our heads around.

This is the first issue of Fantastic Four for writer Jonathan Hickman, one of the biggest stars of modern Marvel. Hickman writes big, sprawling epics that influence Marvel continuity in huge ways. This includes the 2015 Secret Wars, which took over the entire Marvel line for a bit, and the years-long Krakoa storyline in all the X-Men books, which just recently wrapped up. Artist Dale Eaglesham has worked in comics steadily since the 80s. He’s best known for DC’s Villains United, and Justice Society of America.

We begin with a flashback to young Reed and his dad, where his dad encourages him to make a big jump from a treehouse, saying Reed will never know the outcome if he doesn’t try. Cut to the present, where the FF is in the middle of a battle against a giant robot who says it has been programmed for one purpose – to destroy the Fantastic Four. They defeat the robot, and Reed deduces that it was piloted clones of the Wizard. In his base, the Wizard makes speeches about “the failure of creation” and fathers being disappointed in their sons.

Reed uses a teleporter to follow the Wizard’s signal to his HQ. They have a brief debate about playing God with science, all while the Wizard is surrounded by his clones in the form of infants and young boys. Reed apprehends the Wizard. Cut to later, when Reed is telling the story of this to Franklin and Valeria before bedtime. Franklin asks what happened to the little boy clone, and Reed says people are at work finding him a new home. Franklin drifts off to sleep asking if Reed will help the boy.

Johnny offers Ben a gift of a vacation, to get Ben’s mind off his recent breakup with Debbie Green. The vacation is he and Johnny spending three days in Nu World. You’ll remember this an artificial Earth constructed in a parallel reality that is now home to refugees from an alternate dystopian future. (Comics!) Reed and Sue worry about Valeria getting smarter and smarter. Reed flashes back to his conversation with the Wizard, who says he’s made the same calculations Reed has, and he’s seen that a world-ending disaster is imminent. Reed tells Sue there’s some things he needs to deal with.

Reed goes to his private thinking room, the one with the writing all over the walls that we’ve seen off and on since Civil War. Reed reflects on the Bridge, his device that shows how events played out in other universes. And he muses on his 100 ideas for improving the world, with “Solve everything” being idea number 101. He goes into yet another secret room, where the Bridge is once again functioning and operational.

Reed activates the Bridge, which is more like a Stargate-ish portal, and three mysterious figures appear. Reed asks them, “How do I solve everything?” The figures step through the bride, and it’s three alternate versions of Reed. One is wearing some futuristic armor, and the other two have Sue and Johnny’s powers. The armored one tells Reed, “There’s something you need to see.”

The other Reeds take our Reed to a large building floating in space, that they describe as a construct, described as a construct inside a fabricated pocket of reality. They go inside to see the building with all kinds of alternate reality versions of Reed. The Reeds are working on stopping a Galactus attack on another world. Then three more Reeds show up, each one wielding an Infinity Gauntlet with all six Infinity Gems each. They say they’re the ones who built this place, and it’s time for our Reed to reach his full potential.

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: For unknown reasons, artist Dale Eaglesham has drawn Reed incredibly muscular and wide-shouldered. Perhaps this is so we don’t lose sight of him when he’s surrounded by other Reeds.

Fade out: Reed warns Sue that Valeria will someday be even smarter than Reed is, and this is of great concern to Sue.

Clobberin’ time/Flame on: Johnny’s game for Ben is to pick a vacation from one of three sealed envelopes. After he makes his choice, Ben opens to other two envelopes to reveal they’re all the same.

Fantastic fifth wheel: One of the H.E.R.B.I.E. robots can be seen working on the Bridge. Freakin’ H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot.

Four and a half: Franklin and Valeria waited out the robot battle inside an interdimensional panic room in the top floors of the building. (Is everything going to be alternate dimensions/realities/universes in this comic from now on?)

Our gal Val: Valeria gives her age as three years old in this issue, though she’s drawn almost the same height as Franklin.

Trivia time: The Marvel Wiki has the complete list of all the alternate Reeds, if you want to be bothered. Some of them have names like “long-haired Reed” or “cape-wearing Reed” so I don’t think a lot of these new characters will last long.

Fantastic or frightful? Instead of a fresh new start with a new creative team, writer Hickman is picking up where previous writers left off, taking the Bridge concept from Dark Reign and taking it to its next step. I know this business with all the different Reeds is controversial among fans, but as of this issue I’m interested in seeing where it’s going.

Next: Councilmen.

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