Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. The Civil War crossover event charges full steam ahead toward its big finale in issue #6, but it’s not over yet.

The Marvel Universe is divided over the issue of superhuman registration, and everyone’s fighting each other. This issue begins with a sense that time has passed. We’re at a S.H.I.E.L.D. base in Arizona, where work is under way on the new Fifty States Initiative. Maria Hill and Hank Pym (secretly a Skrull in disguise) oversee a group of brand-new superheroes based on Greek myths, including a new Hercules, to replace the Herc who is a criminal now that he’s joined the anti-reg side. They’re interrupted by a green-eyed S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who wants Pym’s help in dealing with the new Poseidon hero.

At the new Baxter Building, Reed performs surgery on the Thor clone, in hopes that it will be less likely to murder anyone in the future. Unbeknownst to Reed, the Punisher is also inside the Baxter Building, sneaking through all of Reed’s security drones by wearing a high-tech Stark suit. Punisher makes his way to Reed’s “data-house” where he discovers that security around the entrance to the Negative Zone prison is more extreme than any security he’s ever seen. Punisher contacts Captain America to say Cap will need a lot more help, and Cap says he’s working on it.

Cut to Atlantis, where Sue is meeting with Namor. She says Captain America’s side is planning a big move, and Namor’s great power could be the decisive factor. Namor says the culprit behind the death of Namorita has been dealt with (this happened in the Wolverine tie-in issues). Sue argues that Cap is one of Namor’s oldest friends, as their partnership dates back to the old days of the original Invaders. Namor says Cap should have asked him in person, rather than using his and Sue’s unique relationship. Sue says she and Namor have no relationship, but he says he can sense her heartbeat in the water, and it says otherwise.

At Captain America’s HQ, there’s a big strategy meeting. Falcon reports that Black Panther has joined their side, but both the X-Men and Atlantis have refused. Falcon then relays the info they got from the Punisher, saying there are only two portals to the Negative Zone prison, one in the Baxter Building and one at Ryker’s Island. Punisher got them the security codes to Ryker’s. Spider-Man is at the meeting, having dumped his Iron Spider armor and returned to his classic blue and yellow uniform. Cap offers Spidey the chance to sit out of the mission, but Spider-Man says he’ll be there, and that he has a lot to make up for.

Then Captain America announces that two supervillains are willing to join their fight, Plunderer and Goldbug. Upon seeing the two villains, the Punisher doesn’t hesitate. He immediately goes for his guns and kills both of them, right in front of everyone. Cap punches the Punisher, calling him a murderous piece of trash, while Punisher argues the two guys were thieves and criminals. Cap beats the absolute crap out of the Punisher, but Punisher refuses to fight back. Cap asks why, and Punisher says, “Not against you.” Cap orders the others to throw Punisher out of there.

Then there’s a couple of short scenes checking with other corners of the Marvel Universe. If we’re to make some kind of timeline, all of this month’s tie-in issues would have to take place at this point. Tony Stark visits Connecticut to see a memorial built for those who died in issue #1. Dr. Strange continues to meditate in his North Pole hideout. The Watcher appears before him, and Strange says he hopes for whichever victory is best, and whichever spills the least amount of blood.

Then it all goes down. Using the info they got from the Punisher, Cap’s anti-reg team sneaks past all the security at Ryker’s and makes it to the Negative Zone portal. Spider-Man’s spidey-sense goes nuts, just in time for Iron Man’s pro-reg side to jump out an intercept everyone. He has all the villains-turned-Thunderbolts on his team, so he’s got Cap outnumbered.

Iron Man reveals that he knew Cap was coming because Tigra was spying for him all along (remember seeing “Tony” on her phone in the previous issue?). But then Cap says he knew Tigra was spying, and that he too had a spy on Tony’s side. Hank Pym then transforms into Hulkling. (Remember the green-eyed agent from the start of this issue?) Reed freaks out, realizing that Hulking could reproduce Hank’s retinal and voice print, then he could have access to the Negative Zone prison. Then all the heroes who had been arrested during the Civil War come through the portal to join Cap’s team. The two sides are now evenly matched.

Cap ends the issue by saying, “Now close your eyes, gentlemen. This might hurt.”

Unstable molecule: Reed tells Tony Stark that he recently spoke to the President (!), and negotiated twelve immunities for the superheroes who joined Cap’s side, with Sue and Johnny at the top of the list.

Fade out: What to make of Sue’s scene with Namor. Again, I thought the Reed/Sue/Namor love triangle was officially resolved during Onslaught, but writers since then keep bringing it back. I think the idea is that if Sue and Reed are separated at this point, so some Sue and Namor lovin’ is now more of a possibility than ever.

Flame on: Johnny doesn’t say or do anything in this issue, but he can be seen among Captain America’s team throughout, just to remind us who’s side he’s on.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Tigra’s spying subplot gets so little screen time and has so little impact, it might as well not exist. She-Hulk is once again seen among the pro-reg side, and Luke Cage is still one of the main guys on the anti-reg side.  

Trivia time: Who are these new heroes in Arizona? They’re a new version of the Champions, intended to be celebrity heroes whose powers could be removed if they got out of hand. The members in this issue are Aphrodite, Artemis, Hephaestus, Hermes, Poseidon, and the new Hercules. Don’t get used to this bunch, though, because they’ll soon be rebranded as The Order, getting their own series with more interesting characters like Anthem, Veda, Aralune, Supernaut, Mulholland, and more.

Fantastic or frightful? So the Punisher exits Civil War just as abruptly as he entered it. Catch you later, Frank! My pet theory: Punisher was getting sick of doing things Cap’s way, so he shot Goldbug and Plunderer in front of everyone so he’d get kicked off the team. Beyond that, the whole issue is just getting everyone in place for the big finale. Feels like it’s been a long time coming.

Next: Funeral for a stilt.

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