Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. It’s a whole new FF in issue #544 as Black Panther and Storm join the team, and superstar writer Dwayne McDuffie takes over the writing. Also, Deathlok is here! (Sort of.)

Following the ever-tumultuous events of Civil War, Reed and Sue have left the Fantastic Four for some private time to work out issues in their marriage. But there must always be a Fantastic Four (although I don’t know that’s an official rule), so two new members will fill in for them – Black Panther and Storm!

This issue does not start with the new team, but out in space. A mysterious voice says, “I have obtained the Chrysalis,” and, “I must hide for now.” Then a six-eyed alien flies through space, seeking the source of that voice. This being is Stardust, the newest herald of Galactus, who was introduced in Beta Ray Bill’s Stormbreaker miniseries. Stardust’s AI states that his quarry has cloaked its location.

Then we’re back in the new Baxter Building, picking up where the last issue left off. Reed and Sue tell Ben and Johnny that they’re taking some time off, and T’Challa the Black Panther and his new wife Storm show up to take their place. There’s still some tension between Storm and Reed about his actions during the Civil War.

Then there’s a flashback to the cleanup that followed the Civil War’s final battle, where Reed finds some undetonated bombs among the wreckage of the Wakandan Embassy. Tony Stark, now wearing a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform as he’s S.H.I.E.L.D.’s new director, swears he will find the culprit. Black Panther says that if the US government put the bombs there, then the consequences will be dire. Tony takes Reed aside and tells Reed to convince Black Panther to go back to Wakanda and stop meddling in global politics. Reed says he won’t do that because he agrees with T’Challa, and also he knows T’Challa snuck a listening device on Tony.

The heroes agree it’s unlikely that Tony Stark planted the bombs, but that someone is out to get T’Challa. They need a safe place to stay. Cut to a press conference, where T’Challa announces that the Baxter Building will serve as a temporary Wakandan Embassy until a new one can be constructed. Further, Black Panther says the US government’s actions during the Civil War have destabilized power across the entire globe, and he plans to work with the United Nations until a solution can be found. Reed and Sue assure the reporters that their leave of absence is only temporary, while Storm says that she and T’Challa will fill in for Reed and Sue if circumstances require it.

Later, Johnny jokes with Storm about how she is royalty now. We see the entire embassy staff is also moving into the building, a couple dozen Wakandans with a bunch of Wakandan artifacts and decorations as well. T’Challa’s aide W’Kabi interrupts, saying a fellow hero has arrived and needs help. It’s Michael Collins, formerly known as the cyborg Dethlok. He’s now fully human, with no more machine parts, but he says that’s not the issue that brought him there.

Collins takes the new FF to the gravesite of former teen hero Gravity, who died saving him and several others during a cosmic battle. (This happened in the Beyond miniseries.) The gravesite is empty, and it has folded in on itself, which Black Panther says is the result of a black whole with an electric charge. (He’s now the science guy with Reed not around.) Collins says that the cosmic battle got so intense that the Watcher got involved. Ben jokes about going into space to ask the Watcher about this, and Black Panther decides to do just that.

Turn the page, and the new FF are blasting into space aboard Reed’s newest spacecraft, called the Fold Ship. Ben says the ship can reach the moon in under four minutes. Along the way, the four heroes and Collins all reveal that they’ve met the Watcher previously. Upon arriving at the Watcher’s home, the Watcher appears immediately. Ben jokes around with him for a bit while Storm flies through the home and swipes the Ultimate Nullifier. Black Panther threatens to use the Nullifier and erase the Watcher from existence. The Watcher says the Nullifier also destroys the user, but T’Challa won’t back down.

The Watcher bends his vow not to interfere by granting the heroes access to the Cyclopedia Universum, which is where all the Watcher’s people’s knowledge is accumulated. This happens in a flash of light, and Ben says he now knows who took Gravity’s body from the grave. The Fold Ship takes off to new coordinates.

The trail leads to Epoch, a godlike cosmic being. She says that what she’s done is beyond human comprehension, and that she must remain hidden. Epoch attacks, while warning that this attack could lead to her detection by “the herald.” Then the Silver Surfer shows up, saying that he’s the one she’s afraid of.

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: The Fold Ship is based on Reed’s new research into space-folding, we’re told. T’Challa says he’d recently read an article written by Reed about it.

Fade out: At the press conference, Sue calls the leave of absence a second honeymoon, joking that the first honeymoon didn’t count since it was interrupted by supervillains and aliens. She doesn’t tell the reporters that she and Reed later had a proper honeymoon to make up for this, in the Fantastic Four: The Wedding Special one-shot.

Clobberin’ time: Ben and Johnny return to the dark-blue-with-white-trim uniforms of the John Byrne years. Ben explains that they’re color coordinating with their new teammates.

Flame on: Storm says she found the Ultimate Nullifier inside the Watcher’s house by following Johnny’s directions. Except Johnny originally located the Nullifier inside Galactus’ ship back in the day. My guess is Johnny has some residual cosmic knowledge from that time he was a Galactus herald.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Welcome to the team, Black Panther! Because he was introduced in a classic Lee/Kirby issue, he’s often considered a FF supporting character. Yet he’s appeared more often in Avengers and Iron Man. Nonetheless, the point has been made many times over the years that he and the FF have a great friendship.

Welcome to the team, Storm! She has quite the history. Although a descendant of ancient African princesses, she grew up as a lowly pickpocket in Cairo. When she developed her weather-controlling mutant powers, she was worshipped as a goddess by some superstitious tribe folk before being recruited to join the X-Men. (She retained the title “goddess” for years afterward, weirdly.) Her X-Men adventures are too many to list here, but she was the heart of the team for many years, serving as team leader for a time. Storm and Black Panther married in Black Panther #18, which led straight into Civil War, which led them here.  

Medusa is mentioned as one of the superheroes saved by Gravity’s sacrifice at the end of Beyond.

Four and a half/Our gal Val: There is zero mention of Franklin and Valeria in this issue. We don’t know if they left with Reed and Sue or if they’re living in the Baxter Building along with all the Wakandans. Maybe they’re on the moon with Crystal?

Trivia time: Who is Epoch? After the godlike being Eon died during Infinity Crusade, his daughter Epoch was born. She soon took over Eon’s duties leader of the Protectors of the Universe, made up of similar godlike beings.

Ben mentions himself and Deathlock having met before, when they encountered a bunch of Doombots. This happened in Deathlok #3-5.

While the X-Men have been present at all sorts of space/cosmic storylines, I’m having trouble of finding a time when Storm specifically interacted with the Watcher. Unless, of course, she’s referring to the Watcher appearing at her and T’Challa’s wedding.

This issue a “The Initiative” logo on the cover. I don’t know that the FF were made official members of the Fifty States Initiative (now known as just the Initiative), but the Marvel Wiki does list them as part of it. All the characters seem pretty anti-reg and anti-Tony Stark in this issue.

Fantastic or frightful? It’s the start of a brand-new era (era) for the series, and yet it’s also a direct sequel to Beyond? It’s a lot of Marvel continuity to keep track of in one issue, making it alienating for new readers. But it’s fun to see how the two new teammates bring something new to the table while it still feeling like a Fantastic Four adventure.

Next: Stranger days.

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