The Thing #4: Paws and Fast-Forward
Writer: Dan Slott
Penciller: Andrea Di Vito
Inker: Andrea Di Vito
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Colorist: Laura Villari
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Guest Shots:
Lockjaw, Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Reed Richards
This issue's cameos & supporters: the Inhumans (Karnak, Gorgon, Black Bolt, Medusa, Triton), the Watcher, Iron Man, Bunny (Ben's chauffeur), Carlotta LaRosa, Susan Richards, Johnny Storm
The Villain:
Shockjock
The Set Up:
Ben returns the kidnappees from Murderland, breaking up with Carlotta and feeling closer to the servants than he does to the jetsetters. Meanwhile, on the moon, the Inhumans' Lockjaw has a piece of marble embedded in his side, and can't get it out. Back on Earth, Reed has seen that Ben has a problem, and enlists his son Franklin to address it without either one's knowledge. Things soon come together...
Clobberin' Time?:
No Clobberin' Time herein.
Petunia's Patch:
As Shockjock loses power: "That means it's lights out fer you, Shockjock. Or as my sweet Aunt Petunia would say... you're grounded."
Things of Interest:
I have to say, the writer does great with his one-shot issues, though I was less enthused about the continued story in 1-3. Its great to get a complete story, and this is one of the funner ones that I've read in some time.
Lockjaw- mutated dog, or mutated Inhuman? The writer here seems to be pretty clearly going for dog, though the last page about him "telling" Black Bolt what he wants to do has me wondering again. We'll see...
Okay, so I know next to nothing about Andrea DiVito beyond this book, but he's a wonderful artist. Lockjaw's "hmph!" look as the Watcher talks over him is just hilarious.
Is it just me or was Franklin actually older back in MTIO 98 than he is now, 23 years later?
Shockjock- like Cauldron in issue one, another brand new villain with a fun vibe to him. While I give the artist big credit for Cauldron and the cool look in issue one, Shockjock here looks a little bland but the writer brings him to life.
This is just an all-out sweet and fun issue. The combination of the sense of humor and the nice family story makes this one of my favorites, up there with the best of MTIO. I love that very last page, of Ben and Lockjaw playing frisbee with a manhole cover.
