MARVELS SNAPSHOT: THE FANTASTIC FOUR (Patreon)

It was just announced, so now I can share the cover of one of the secret projects we've hinted at on Twitter these past few months. Sarah and I are writing one of the eight MARVELS one-shots coming out next year, and our BEASTS OF BURDEN teammate Benjamin Dewey is illustrating it. 

While the FF is featured and up front and present on the title, it's focus is on Johnny Storm, The Human Torch, attending his 10th-year high school reunion in Glenville, Long Island. The actual POV of the "snapshot" is that of Dorrie Evans, the Torch's high school sweetheart. The comic follows the MARVELS format of exploring the history of the MCU through the eyes of regular people, although in our case the protagonist is someone who had a very public relationship with a very public superhero. And if by any chance you remember your old STRANGE TALES comics , both Dorrie and Glenville were constantly threatened by some of the weirdest (and sometimes goofiest) villains in MCU history. 

So expect nods to such face palm-inducing characters as Paste Pot Pete, The Asbestos Man, the Terrible Trio and The Painter of A Thousand Perils (which was actually more like seven perils, and they were mostly inept). And expect a lot of easter eggs and references to the MCU Silver Age STRANGE TALES and FANTASTIC FOUR comics, as well as shout outs to the MCU summer of 2003, when this story takes place (owing to the flexible time compression that continuity goes through in the Marvel Universe). Funny enough, Fight-Man was arrested that year in Delta City, so, maybe there will be a reference to that (meaning, there will be).  This is the first project I've been involved with at Marvel since either AGENT X or THE THING: STARTLING STORIES back around when this story takes place. 

Once a decade I get a Marvel gig, and once a decade I worm Fight-Man into the MCU whether anyone wants him in there or not. I have Kurt Busiek to thank for the opportunity, he asked us to participate in the project, and was fine with my tossing in a quick Fight-Man nod.

The MARVELS one-shot comes out in March (along with BLACKWOOD: THE MOURNING AFTER #2). Cover by Alex Ross, Benjamin's variant is the one you see above, and I'm hoping we get BEASTS OF BURDEN letterer Nate Piekos on board as well. 

More later.