Mark Millar (writer) and Bryan Hitch (artist) are probably best known for their work on The Ultimates, and this is exactly why I decided to check out Fantastic Four again.

Normally, this isn't really a supergroup that I'm checking for. Mr. Fantastic has lame powers and he's pretty much a douche (he turned his friend into a rocky monster and somehow just can't figure out how to fix him - also see Civil War for more douchebaggery).

Then Sue Richards is pretty much a nagging bitch every issue. The chick is practically zero fun. Her brother the Human Torch is a Class-A jackass who really just isn't good for much except spouting off his mouth.

Finally, the Thing...well, the guy always gets his ass beat, doesn't he? 'Nuff said.

Anyway, Millar and Hitch actually make me want to read about this collection of circus freaks. I was hoping they would put a much needed shot of energy into this crew and they did.

First, although they may have take the whole "World's Greatest Comic Magazine" slogan a bit far, they are presenting each issue more like a newstand magazine instead of a classic comic book cover.

The interior graphic design also reflects the new ideal. I think it looks good and it's really pleasing to the eye.

Bryan Hitch is an incredible artist, and the level of detail he throws into each panel is astounding. Man that's a lot of work! There were a few panels where things got a little confusing because of the detail, but I think those are just flukes. The guy knows his way around a team book.

The story is definitely intriguing, introducing an old flame of Reeds, plus showcasing Sue's new all female super-team (I guess Storm wasn't invited, Sue?)

As this issue is the "setup" issue, there's not much payoff to anything yet. Well, unless you call Ben Grimm scoring a date a payoff. We're introduced to the "problem" (of literally world-spanning proportions) at the very end of the comic, and I'm anxious to see what exactly this entails.

I'm definitely in this for the long haul, and I'm really looking forward to this creative team working their magic on the Fantastic Four every month.