Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. It might look like an ending, but issue #588 is more of an in-between issue following a major character death last issue and new lineup in the next one.

Gimmie a gimmick: Marvel stuck a big “Final Issue” stripe over the top of this issue’s cover, but everyone knew that wasn’t the case, because Marvel had been hyping what’s to follow for some time.

Recap: To stop Annihilus’ insectoid army from invading Earth through the FF’s Negative Zone portal, Johnny had to stay behind in the Negative Zone and seal the portal from the other end. He succeeded but was overwhelmed by the insectoids. He’s dead. (Spoiler: He’s not really dead.)

This story is told almost entirely through wordless panels. We see the Avengers arrive just after the fight, only to realize they’re too late. Days later, we see Sue is so distraught that she surrounds herself with a force field and does not let Reed console her. Reed consults his multiverse-hopping device the Bridge to confront Annihilus. We don’t hear their conversation, but we see Annihulus waving Johnny’s uniform in front of Reed. Then it’s time for the funeral, with various Marvel characters in attendance. Ben sulks in the corner the whole time.

After that, we cut abruptly to Latveria where Kristoff (yes, that Kristoff) is being coronated to the throne. He appears to be a full-on adult now, wearing some kind of bio-armor that’s wired directly into his skin. Dr. Doom watches this from a distance. Then we cut back to the funeral, where Doom similarly watches the graveside service from a distance.

There’s one page of Spider-Man talking with Franklin on a rooftop. Then we see the genius kids of the Future Foundation in their classroom. Valeria makes a to-do list of potential replacements for Johnny. She then erases it and changes to the to-do list to a single item, “Kill Annihilus.”

Somewhere out in the desert, Ben talks with two men, who conclude their chat by showing him an image of Johnny’s grave. There’s a flash of lightning, and we see the two men are Donald Blake, now transforming into Thor, and Bruce Banner, now transforming into the Hulk. There’s a brief slugfest, but Hulk refuses to fight back, instead taking Ben’s punches until Ben collapses with grief.

In Reed’s lab, his computer screen shows potential threats to be high, including multiple alien and/or other-dimensional invasions. The computer states that reforming the Council of Reeds is necessary. Then a portal opens, and Reed’s father Nathaniel steps out of it, saying, “Hello son, I’m home.” And so this final issue is… to be continued.

Then we have a backup story, “Uncles,” that tells the full story of Franklin and Spider-Man’s meeting. After finding Franklin sitting alone on the new Baxter Building’s rooftop, Spidey takes Franklin swinging around the city. They stop for hot dogs, and then eat them on another rooftop. Franklin wonders if he could have saved Johnny. Spider-Man tells Franklin about his own uncle, who he definitely knows he could have saved. Spider-Man gives Franklin a new variation on the classic power/responsibility line, saying “When you have gifts like ours, you don’t think about yourself first.” Their talk concludes when Spidey tells Franklin his uncle’s name was… Ben.

The final page of the issue is a letter from writer Jonathan Hickman to the readers, promising that although Johnny is gone, the story will continue – including all these storylines he’d introduced – in the upcoming new series, FF.  

Unstable molecule: Among Reed’s lists of potential threats to the world is Frankling reemerging mutant powers. Kind of not cool to put that on the list.

Fade out: Despite sealing herself in a force field at the start of the issue, Sue later holds Reed’s hand at the graveside. I guess that’s her character arc in this one.

Clobberin’ time: Impressive that Ben can punch Thor so hard that he knocks the thunder god off his feet. Maybe, like the Hulk, Thor is letting himself take the punches.

Flame on: Johnny’s grave features a life-size statue of him, with an eternal flame (of course) emerging from his hand.

Four and a half: You might recall that Franklin and Spider-Man already had this “Uncle Ben” conversation in Dan Slott’s Spider-Man/Human Torch miniseries. This story, however, takes place after the controversial One More Day event, in which the entire Marvel Universe forgot Spidey’s true identity, so that earlier conversation more or less never happened in continuity.

Our gal Val: Valeria’s initial list of replacements for Johnny are She-Hulk, Storm, Black Panther, Wyatt Wingfoot, Alex Power, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. This is a misdirect, as the actual new fourth member isn’t included.

Fantastic fifth wheel: FF alternate members attending the funeral are She-Hulk, Storm, Black Panther, Luke Cage. Namor is there as well, so let’s count this as acting in his capacity as a member of the team. (Remember that he got his “Welcome to the Fantastic Four” moment during the Onslaught crossover.)

No, you didn’t miss an issue. The circumstances of Kristoff’s return to Latveria are unknown at this point. What we do know is that Dr. Doom is stepping down from the throne after his intellect was reduced during Fall of the Hulks.

Foundational: The Future Foundation kids are also at the funeral. They appear to have mixed reactions to Valeria’s plan.

Trivia time: The missing dialogue between Reed and Annihilus will be revealed in issue #600.

Why wasn’t Spider-Man at the funeral? (Other than misdirection, that is?) This issue doesn’t say, but that month in Amazing Spider-Man, it was the middle of the ongoing Revenge of the Spider-Slayer storyline, teaming him up with the New Avengers and a bunch of other Marvel heroes.

Fantastic or frightful? The comics world was at such a place where everyone knew this so-called “final issue” wasn’t that at all, and that FF #1 would soon hit shelves. The wordless gimmick works well enough, but it’s still anticlimactic as an ending. But then, the whole “end and start with a new #1” is just what comics are now, so I guess we’d better get used to seeing it in Fantastic Four.

Next: For F’s sake.

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