Fantastic Four #251
Published and © by Marvel, February 1983
Title: “Into the Negative Zone!”
Synopsis: The Fantastic Four departs to explore the Negative Zone – but what’s that coming back the other way?
Writer: John Byrne
Artist: Byrne
Review: A year and a half into his Fantastic Four run, John Byrne reaches something of a turning point with this classic Negative Zone arc. As a writer, he’s clearly on top of his game. This issue is mostly setup, but there are plenty of strong character moments and interesting plot developments. Ironically, it’s as an artist that Byrne seems unsure of himself. When he first started inking his own work, there was a noticeable Terry Austin influence. Now Byrne is experimenting, with fewer backgrounds and a thicker line. The finished results are mixed, but the underlying art remains sound.
Grade: B+
Second opinion: “Some interesting sci-fi/‘Star-Trek’-type adventures in a multi-issue saga.” – William Schoell, “Superheroic: The Bronze Age of Comics Volume 2,” 2022
Cool factor: John Byrne prepares for his first big adventure into the Negative Zone. (Hint: It’s going to be a good one.)
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 75¢ Canadian variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “The shaft is dimensionally transcendental.” – Mr. Fantastic (yeah, that’s what all the boys say)
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Nov. 23, 2009.
