Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Issue #543 is the FF’s 45th anniversary, so Marvel wanted to do a special issue. But it’s also a Civil War tie-in, so we have to deal with that as well. The solution? Announce another big change.

One night at the new Baxter Building, Johnny and Ben are sitting down to watch an episode of news show Lateline and its report about the Fantastic Four. Well, they’re watching it while also getting Franklin and Valeria ready for bed.

The show starts, and we get the first of several interview segments. We meet James Kreig, a security guard at the launch pad the night Reed and the gang stole their own rocket for their famous spaceflight. Then we see he’s currently working as a greeter at a Walmart-type store. Some random science professor talks about how no one understands what went wrong with Reed’s spaceflight, while Hank Pym (secretly a Skrull in disguise) says it was a freak accident that transformed the FF, and nothing more. A videographer talks about the early days of the FF feeling like the start of a new age.

Johnny asks Ben where Reed and Sue are, and what time they’re coming back. Ben says the real question is, are they going to stay? Cut to Reed and Sue, sitting high above the city in a hovering Fantasticar. Reed is trying to be romantic, but they can’t help talk about everything that went down during the Civil War. Reed insists all his actions were to help Sue and their family. She’s upset that he explained this to the Mad Thinker before he explained it to her. But then she talks about him taking a hit for her during the final battle, and all she could think about was losing him.

Reed says that despite all his scientific accomplishments, he never felt like a whole person until Sue came into his life. Sue says she knew she was in love with him from the moment they met. And then this happens:

NOW WAIT JUST A MINUTE! Back in vol. 4 issue 4, not only did Marvel retcon Reed and Sue’s age difference to make them the same age, but Marvel editorial released a statement explaining why. (The short answer: So it wouldn’t be creepy.) But now we’re back to the way it was? I suppose that with a bunch of movies in development, and with the Civil War hype possibly attracting new readers, there’s some attempt made to reestablish classic Marvel. Maybe?

Anyway, aboard the Fantasticar, Sue talks about Reed is not just smart, but genuinely good, and that he seeks to help anyone who needs it. She says she still loves him, “But it won’t ever be the same.”

Then more Lateline interview segments. T’Challa the Black Panther talks about how the FF aren’t just a team, but a family. Namor the Submariner says that even when he and Reed have been in conflict, he knew Reed to be a man of honor. They even interview Dr. Doom, who says he believes Reed is evil, and the day will come when the entire world will ask him to stop Reed. Ben throws his popcorn at the screen upon hearing this.

This leads to some comedy banter between Ben and Johnny as Johnny heats up some more popcorn. The banter becomes a fight, just like they used to do in the old days, and Franklin and Valeria place bets on who will win.

Back to more Lateline interviews. Mailman Willie Lumpkin says  that despite all their cosmic adventures, the FF never railed to say good morning to him. Wyatt Wingfoot says the FF always treated him like extended family. Spider-Man, whose secret identity is still public, talks about trying to join the FF in his early days. Luke Cage talks about his time as a member of the team, saying that he’ll be there again if they ever need him – as long as he gets paid.

Even Sharon Ventura is interviewed, saying that she and Ben had quite a romance going, and that no one ever treated her like a monster during her time on the team. She-Hulk is next, saying that she’d never seen so much of the universe, not even during her time with the Avengers.

There’s a clip of Ben being interviewed by what looks like Conan O’Brien, saying that FF go on expeditions all the time, and help people they meet along the way. Johnny is interviewed on some MTV-like show, saying he loves the adrenaline rush along with helping people. He says he’d be willing to do anything for his teammates. Sue is interviewed by an Oprah Winfrey-type, who asks her about whether she’s the key to the FF’s success. Sue only responds, “Some people are too kind.”

Then the whole Civil War thing rears its ugly head again. Wolverine is interviewed, saying Reed is a good man, who just screwed up big-time. Tony Stark argues that Reed’s actions during the Civil War were he’s always done, looking to the future and finding a solution. Ben puts the kids to bed for this part, and then he and Johnny debate whether Captain America’s surrender is genuine. Ben says he will still follow Reed into battle, but only if he believes Reed is right. Johnny says he will, if he has the chance.

The Lateline show concludes with the host saying that the FF’s legend is secure, but their future is uncertain. Then Reed and Sue return, saying they’ve talked things out and made a good start. Johnny and Ben extend their hands to them to do their classic four-hands-at-once move, but Sue and Reed don’t join them. She says they’re not leaving the team, but taking a break to work on their marriage. Reed says they have two friends currently looking for a new home, and will fill in for them while they’re away.

Turn the page, and we meet the two newest members of the Fantastic Four, Black Panther and Storm!

This being an anniversary issue, we also have two backup stories. Stan Lee himself writes the first one, with art by Nick Dragotta and Michael Allred. The Mole Man is attacking New York, while Stan visits the FF at their headquarters for some comedy. Stan eventually saves the day by convincing the Mole Man to call off his attack in exchange for a cameo in an upcoming Marvel movie.

The second backup story, written and drawn by Paul Pope, has Johnny, Ben, Spider-Man and Crystal pulling pranks on each other at a car show, only for it to get out of hand. A car explodes, and Spidey and Johnny put out the fire while bickering the whole time.

Unstable molecule: The Lateline footage shows Reed hosting the first-ever Fantastic Four press conference, announcing the team’s existence to the world. We never saw this back in the old days, but it does explain how they lived in secret in issues #1-2 and then were celebrities in issue #3.

Fade out: The woman in Sue’s flashback is not her rarely seen mother, but her Aunt Jewel, a.k.a. Marygay Dinkins, whom we met in the Before the Fantastic Four: The Storms miniseries.

Clobberin’ time: Franklin started a swear jar for Ben, which is full of cash after his recent poker loss.

Flame on: Johnny uses his fire to set off a nearby fire extinguisher so it can spurt on Ben’s face. Does that work?

Fantastic fifth wheel: Welcome to the team, Black Panther and Storm! I’ll get more into their backgrounds in next week’s blog.

Crystal, as a master of the elements, uses her power to control flame in the backup story, acting like a second Human Torch. You have to wonder why we never saw Crystal and Johnny interact like that before.

Luke Cage is shown holding a baby. That’s Danielle “Dani” Cage, daughter of Luke and Jessica Jones. She’s still a little kid in current continuity. I’m sure Marvel will age her up to be a teen superhero one of these days. Dani was named after Danny Rand, a.k.a. Iron Fist.

She-Hulk was still in space at this time in her own series, for a wild Man-Wolf/Starfox/Thanos story. I suppose Lateline could have recorded that interview at any time.

Surprise! That’s not really Sharon Ventura in this issue, but another Skrull in disguise, just in time for the Secret Invasion crossover. Just prior to her being abducted and replaced by the Skrulls, Sharon had joined the Initiative as a member of the Mavericks, who were New Mexico’s superhero team. This also makes Sharon pro-registration, it seems.

Four and a half: Franklin said he learned to gamble after watching Ben and Johnny do it. They try to talk Franklin out of it, but he places bets with Valeria when they start fighting.

Our gal Val: We’re informed that Valeria successfully completed potty training recently. Where’s that Civil War tie-in issue?

Trivia time: One of the videographer’s “photographs” on her wall is really a reproduction of Alex Ross’s painting of the cover of Fantastic Four #1. But is that canon? In the first issue, the giant monster action took place on the Mole Man’s island.

Fantastic or frightful? It’s pretty slim for an anniversary issue, but that’s because it has to introduce a new version of the team as well as still deal with dark cloud of Civil War overhead. Still, some fun nostalgia for long-time fans, so that’s good.

Next: Stormy weather.

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