upon “men on a mission” movies of the past (like “The Dirty Dozen”) and eventually developed into films like “The Avengers.” The Fantastic Four, as seen in the comics, were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as a space-age answer to a then-popular trend of movies and shows that chronicled the adventures of tight-knit family units. Examples include everything from “Swiss Family Robinson” to “Lost in Space” to “The Munsters” and “The Partridge Family.”
In other words, there’s a difference between the “found family” aspect of most team movies and the dynamic of an actual family in the Fantastic Four. Though the FF certainly have their differences, they’re typically not as internally volatile as the Avengers or the Guardians. This can leave some of the supporting characters feeling a little lost, which is exactly what happens in this month’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” While Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) have clearly defined roles as the patriarch and matriarch of the FF family, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) aren’t so clear. Ben is referred to by Johnny as an uncle of the group, which feels close enough to his brooding but warm character to fit. Johnny also refers to himself as an uncle, but he’s also literally Sue’s brother and Reed’s brother-in-law. He also has a craving for breakfast cereals, which helps inadvertently code him as a manchild rather than a sibling. In the past, Johnny has been seen in a much more defined yet antiquated way, something which Quinn and producer Kevin Feige sought to avoid. The choice leaves Johnny feeling adrift within “First Steps,” and Quinn — an otherwise wonderful actor — feeling miscast in the role.
