Fantastic Four #240
Published and © by Marvel, March 1982
Title: “Exodus”
Synopsis: Stricken by war and plague, the Inhumans find themselves in need of the FF’s help – and relocation to the moon!
Writer: John Byrne
Artist: Byrne
Review: For readers of modern, “decompressed” comics, FF #240 is a great example of how much story can fit into a single issue: The Inhumans’ war with the Enclave! A plague strikes the Great Refuge! The relocation of Attilan! The birth of Quicksilver and Crystal’s baby! Today, such a story would take multiple miniseries and a dozen crossover titles; Byrne delivers it as a done-in-one. With the exception of the war and plague plotlines (which are told in flashback, undermining their drama), this issue never feels rushed. It’s rich in story and characters. Today’s creators could learn something from this one.
Grade: A
Second opinion: “Colorists are like umpires – you only notice them if they do an exceptional job or a horrible one, and this was a surprisingly awful job by Glynis Wein.” – Matt Denn, Comics Coast to Coast #1, 1982
Cool factor: It’s Byrne doing the Inhumans.
Not-so-cool factor: It’s a shame that the Inhumans-Enclave war was never anything more than a flashback.
Notable: Guest-starring the Inhumans. … First appearance of Luna Maximoff.
Collector’s note: According to MyComicShop.com, there is a Mark Jewelers variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “Don’t get yer truss in a knot, Big Brain. This thing handles like a wet sponge, but I’ve flown worse!” – The Thing, at the helm of an impromptu flying city
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Aug. 27, 2009.
