Oddest crossover of the year

[alexxkay]

I don't read a lot of Marvel superhero comics any more. Actually, I don't *regularly* read any of them, now that I think on it. But I still go through the Marvel section of the comic book catalog, because I live in hope of something interesting coming along. Just read the first issue of something that, while the jury is still out on whether or not it is *good*, is decidedly interesting.

"Fantastic Four: True Story" is a 4-issue miniseries by Paul Cornell (he of the excellent "Human Nature" Doctor Who 2-parter from last year). It posits that something has gone wrong with the relationship between people and books, and that the FF have to enter the "Fictoverse" to find out what is making books so depressing lately. A cool author and a meta premise were enough to make me check it out.

The first issue concludes in a place I would never have expected to see the FF. They are coming to the rescue of some damsels in distress menaced by a horde of monsters, which is typical enough. The damsels in question, however, are the protagonists of _Sense and Sensibility_. Yes, we now have the world's first-ever Fantastic Four/Jane Austen crossover. (Well, someone may have done it in a fanfic, I suppose.)

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that IT'S CLOBBERING TIME!"
"Ben, that's from _Pride and Prejudice_!"

NEXT ISSUE: "Reader, I clobbered him."

Comments

[selkiechick]

That makes my brain hurt.
But, inexplicably, I am intrigued.

[kestrell.livejournal.com]

Dear Fanboy,

I knew there was a reason I liked Ben--besides his thing for blind wome, that is.

Will you read this to me after "Helen Killer"?

Your
Meta Girl

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

I'll put it in the pile.

[umbran.livejournal.com]

I enjoy an occasional breaking of the fourth wall, but when a piece becomes too metatextual, I find it difficult to engage. I'd just as soon they wrote an essay on the meta-topic and got it done with.

That being said, it is the Fantastic Four...

[rickthefightguy.livejournal.com]

A friend just lent me the Joss Whedon X-men run, and I am loving it so far.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

I quite liked it, though it perhaps went on a bit long near the end. But that was the last one I was regularly reading, and I stopped when he did.

[rickthefightguy.livejournal.com]

The beginning of the second book had me laughing hard out loud.

..."I love beer".

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

It's been so long, I have no memory of the context any more :(

[rickthefightguy.livejournal.com]

They are all fighting a giant Mole creature, and we hear their internal monologue while fighting. Colossus is thinking about being back for 4 panels of fighting, and ends with 'hm. Riding a giant mole by its nostrils...maybe I should concentrate.' Kitty is angsting about Colossus for 4 panels, ending (as she saves a civilian from a thrown car) with 'Better concentrate'. Wolverine has no internal monologue at all for 3 panels, and that is his thought in the fourth.

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

My first thought was that Paul Cornell is a fan of the Thursday Next novels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday_Next

[hungrytiger]

IIRC, The FF actually name the new ship that Reed builds to travel through the Fictoverse, The Jasper and Sue mentions loving Jasper Fforde.

[gyzki.livejournal.com]

That is just awesome. Especially the P&P throwaway.

[buzybee06.livejournal.com]

OH dear, FF depressing. Ha! is has been depressing since the mid 90's when I stopped reading it.

they just need to get out of the superhero biz.
But a Jane Austen crossover, now there is something that boggles the mind. I'll think I will skip it for now.

[hungrytiger]

Actually, I liked when they encountered Dante and use him as their guide.

[wickedgoodgrrrl.livejournal.com]

Wow. I so have to read this! Is there a "truth universally acknowledged" that comic anthologies come out at such and such a time after the run of a four-parter like this? I likes my comics in big bites.

This could be my gateway into the Fantastic Four...

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

For a Marvel miniseries, these days it would have to be a real dog, sales-wise, to *not* get a collection within a few months of completion.