In the Fantastic Four, the team’s legendary platform formed by Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Marin and Jesus Merino is collected in an amazing Marvel Omnibus edition by Panini Comics.
If we talk about the most representative creative team of the Fantastic Four, we will undoubtedly talk about Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. But there were other authors who left their mark on this group of readers, and there are some Spanish natives who signed one of the most legendary of these superheroes. Panini Comics now collects the entirety of Carlos Pacheco and Rafa Marin’s time in The First Family in an impressive comprehensive volume of the Marvel Omnibus line.
With a taste of Spain
At the turn of the century, it was time to do something new with Marvel Comics’ classic heroes. The days of popular superhero reincarnations as well as the return of beloved heroes are long gone, and the original family is once again showing signs of fatigue. Then something unusual happened, three Spaniards like the late Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Marin and Jesus Merino took charge of the collection.
At that time, Pacheco was already a legend, one of the most successful cartoonists of the time, and he had enough weight to break that unwritten rule, that only a screenwriter in the language of English can write the series La Casa de Ideas, a rule that is rarely broken (although it is increasingly so). With years of experience developing stories with great writers like his friend Kurt Busiek, he would now be in charge of writing and drawing the Fantastic Four series.
However, his duties were strengthened by the addition of Marin as a co-writer and Merino as an inker, both experts who he understood very well. Together they marked a key moment in the history of mainstream superhero comics, a lore that we will probably never see again. And as a hint, Spanish readers (especially in the early stages of the stage) can identify some patriotic sentiments, including the participation of a Zaragoza villain like Esteban Corazon de Ablo, known as the Devil…
Back to basics
In the hands of these Spanish authors, this group was nothing like it was in the beginning, but in one thing it returned to the basics of the sixties: above all, these are fun comics seasoned with deeply important science fiction. Good joke. Although it may seem counterintuitive, a large part of the plot we witness here revolves around the idea that Reed Richards has financial problems (all of which help to involve Foggy Nelson) and is forced to sell lots. For a company whose ownership turned sour without surprising anyone…
The authors try to make it significant to make it clear that this level is the level that the readers will enjoy the characters. We will have a special participation of the Inhumans in their respective series, the return of favorite characters such as Valeria Richards or Alicia Masters, the return of the Baxter building as an operation, a cake between Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, the appearance of special guests from the Marvel Universe such as Spiderman, Hulka or Namor, from classic villains. Fights with or trips to the negative zone.
However, (and this is clearly stated in the supporting articles included in this issue) it is inevitable that the authors were not as independent as they should have been and that we are looking somewhat broadly. The issues covered here are the “censored” version that Pacheco had in his head. The inclusion of other authors reduces the purity of the whole, and in a way highlights the terribleness of this volume: the tone of some tradition that has always been the great enemy of the Fantastic Four and diminishes its uniqueness.
Luckily it’s Pacheco who doesn’t lose his character when he’s painted and dyed with merino. Lovers of the artist will see their investment in this volume more than rewarded, because even if it is not his best work, it is a key element in his career.
Fantastic edition.
As for the amazing edition that serves to some extent for a legend like Carlos Pacheco, the Marvel Omnibus line, published in hardcover by Panini Comics, contains 736 pages in a deluxe size of 18.3 x 27.7 cm. In color. The US issue #416 includes the first volume of the Fantastic Four regular series, the third volume of #35 to #54 of the Fantastic Four regular series, the first annual, and a 4-issue translation. The inhuman.
It also includes an introduction by Rafa Marin, a large amount of additional information to help contextualize the numbers herein, and a final section of illustrations and diagrams. The recommended retail price for this size is €70 and it goes on sale in May 2024.
Fantastic Omnibus. Fantastic Four by Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Marin
The amazing platform of the amazing creative team formed by Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Marin and Jesus Merino, the greatest comic in the world! The return of the Baxter building and the presentation of the main promoter; The Lost Origins of Diablo, the Spanish villain of the original family; And the unexpected return of the Fantastic Four’s most forgotten foe: Gideon Faith.
Next: Reed, Ben, Johnny and Sue must prepare for their epic trip to the Negative Zone… but one of them won’t make it in time to jump to the other dimension. So what does he do? Create a new Four Ife! And also: like any other Inhuman adventure. A return to glory echoing the legendary steps of Lee-Kirby and Byrne.
Autorus: Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Marin, Jeff Loeb, Fabian Nizza, Carl Kessel, Ken Siu Chong, Tom DeFalco, Stuart Immonen, Joe Bennett, Jeff Johnson, Kevin Maguire, Tom Grummett, Steve Rudd, Alvin Lee, Jose Omar Ladron, Mark Bagley, George Pereira Lucas, Lenil Francis Yu, John Buscema, Jesus Merino, Joe Weems, Wade von Graubager, Marco Galli, Scott Koblish, Mike Royer, Omar Dogan, Carl Kessel, Al Vey, Gary Alanguilan, Tom Palmer, Chris Sotomayor, Greg Wright, Angelo Zhang and Ed Lazlari