FF #4

This is issue #4 of the 2011 series FF, written by Jonathan Hickman with a cover by Marko Djurdjevic, under the story arc "The War of Four Cities: Part One," published May 25, 2011. After the main Fantastic Four series concluded the "Three" arc with issue #588, Marvel relaunched the series as FF in March 2011: the team was renamed the Future Foundation, switched to black-and-white uniforms, and Spider-Man was invited to join. This issue continues the new setup as the long-foreshadowed "War of Four Cities" breaks out in earnest—factions pour forth according to prophecy, and if the flames are not put out on the spot they may spread across the globe. Facing this, the Future Foundation gathers its forces to intercept while being forced to seek help from its most dangerous allies and enemies; the narration's line that "all hope rests on Doom" sets up the issue's key suspense: whose side is Doctor Doom on? Beyond the main conflict, the issue continues Hickman's habit of running several threads at once, touching on old debts between the Future Foundation and the Council of Reeds and on Sue Richards leading a team toward ancient Atlantis, threads that converge here to open the war of four cities. Barry Kitson handles the art, deliberately matching the realistic tone of series regular Steve Epting. For Chinese readers, this issue follows directly from Fantastic Four #588 and is an essential link in understanding the overall arc of the Future Foundation era.