Review - Fantastic Four #244

  Review by special guest n'

 This year my Christmas present to myself was to complete a run of Fantastic Four that I started a couple months back.  One of the issues in my Christmas bundle was Fantastic Four #244, where the team has to save Galactus, and then save the earth.

Fantastic Four #244

   In this John Byrne Classic, Galactus is dying. The FF and the Avengers are contemplating whether or not to save the World-eater.  Captain America makes a valid point to save him saying, “Galactus is a living, sentient being, and he does not act out of evil intent.  He does what he must simply to survive, just as we would.” and then both teams decide to save him. Iron Man then gets the machinery from Stark Industries, and sets it up. Thor starts to power it with his mighty Uru hammer. While being powered, the machine starts taking Thor's own life force. Cap seeing this--throws his shield, which stops the powering making the machine blow up.  The only thing left of the machine is a conscious Galactus standing. Reed Richards takes him back to the FF HQ to find worlds for Galactus to feed upon.  While in the process of making them far away from Earth. Galactus has other plans though. He decides he will consume the earth anyways.  With no other plans, Frankie Raye, the Human Torch’s girlfriend, decides that she will become a new herald for Galactus. In return for him not destroying the earth, a similar deal to the Silver Surfer. She becomes Nova!  Johnny Storm being crushed as this happens tries to go after the new herald, thus not being able to catch them.   My personal opinion of this issue was a great deal of interest to me. I was hooked until the very last page.  It was written by John Byrne, a great storyteller, and that is one reason why it is so great.  The art is also by John Byrne, one of the greatest artists in my view.  I find that he was at his best in the early 80's, around the time he drew this.  Of course-- other readers would enjoy this book.  It is a real cool story, that requires little past knowledge, but it is always great if you ever get to read this issue.