macmcentire

Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. The FF broke up at the end of the last issue, so it’s time for the next generation to step up and fill the void. Marvel published 18 issues of the spinoff Fantastic Force in the mid-90s. Here’s the first half.

Fantastic Force is:

• Franklin Richards, now a telepathic teenager thanks to time travel craziness.
• Huntara, barbarian swordswoman and long-lost stepsister to the FF’s Reed Richards.
• Vibraxas, a teen Wakandan mutant, with earthquake-creating powers.
• Devlor, an inhuman teen who can transform into a giant apelike monster.
• Black Panther, who acts the mentor/Professor X type for the team.

Issue #1

We begin right after the breakup of the Fantastic Four, with T’Challa (a.k.a. the Black Panther) encouraging Frankling and Huntara to stay with him and start a new team to carry on the FF’s legacy. Vibraxas and Huntara don’t get along, both too eager for a fight, while Devlor just wants to fit in and enjoy human stuff like TV and hamburgers for the first time. Klaw attacks T’Challa’s fancy Manhattan loft, reminding us that he’s one of Black Panther’s chief antagonists. With Franklin’s telepathic help, the new heroes manage to work together and defeat Klaw. They decide to stick together as Fantastic Force.

Issue #2

Our heroes battle new villains Zarathrustra and Lord Moses, who reside beneath the Arctic Circle. The baddies are after an experimental “omnivirus” which has the potential to cure all diseases. Vibraxas threatens to quit the team (a breakup plotline in only the second issue?) but eventually joins the fight.

Isssue #3

Franklin insists that Devlor be enrolled in school, which Devlor sees as “captivity.” The Inhuman known as the Seeker attacks, hoping to return Devlor to the Inhumans. There’s a big fight, but the Seeker comes around and ends things as friends with Devlor. There’s also some real cringe-y ‘90s preachiness as Vibraxas learns a very special lesson about racism.

Issue #4

The mad scientists at AIM (Advanced Idea Mechanics) create a new Super Adaptiod, which goes on the loose, heading straight for NYC. Captain America, suffering a loss of his strength from his super-soldier super-serum, fights the Adaptoid. The Fantastic Force goes shopping so Huntara can buy “normal girl” clothes, while Vibraxas stops a convenience store robbery. The team helps Captain America fight the Adaptoid, with Huntara opening a portal and transporting it into a “void of non-existence.” Cap gives the young heroes an approving pep talk.

Issue #5.

While exploring New York at night, Huntara comes across a rave and tries to help a woman in trouble. She then is confronted by the symbiote Dreadface. Franklin joins the fight, and Dreadface temporarily takes over Franklin. Huntara eventually banishes Dreadface to another realm, like she did with the Adaptiod. Meanwhile, Lord Arcadus, current ruler of the Inhumans after the fall of the Royal Family, is investigating Devlor in hopes of returning him to the moon.

Issue #5

The public learns of Fantastic Force’s existence after the media catches them defeating the Grey Gargoyle. Then there’s more preachiness about cultural sensitivity in the midst of a gang war between an Asian gang called the Sons on Sinaju and the Wakandan Lords. Fantastic Force breaks up the fight, with Franklin proudly proclaiming that they’re more than a team — they’re family.

Issue #7.

We cross back into Fantastic Four continuity when Fantastic Four is approached by Lyja the Skrull, who says she’s concerned about Sue Richard’s safety. The team follows Sue to Doctor Doom’s castle, where Franklin learns that “Dr. Doom” is currently his grandfather Nathaniel Richards in disguise. The team then teleports to the Watcher’s home on the moon, where they are reunited with the Fantastic Four, and help rescue Sue from the Negative Zone. There’s a lot of talk about contacting the leaders of the Watchers, ending on a cliffhanger leading into Fantastic Four #400.

Issue #8

This issue is part 7 of Marvel’s 11-part Atlantis Rising crossover, so we’re dealing with the destruction of Attlian, Thor fighting Morgan Le Fay, and Atlantis emerging onto the ocean’s surface. Franklin, Huntara and Devlor fight the crossover’s main villains, the Crimson Cadre, while Vibraxas deals with the drama of having accidentally killed a gang member during the gang fight in issue #5. Finally, a reporter named Paul Alvarez catches up with the team, claiming that Huntara is really his long-lost sister.

Issue #9

This is part 9 of Atlantis Rising. Meanwhile, the city of Attilan survived, being shrunk down inside a bottle and all the crossover participants are fighting over it. That Alvarez guy claims that his sister disappeared into a mysterious portal when she was a child, only to be snatched into another timeline by Nathaniel Richards, who raised her as his own. Huntara doesn’t buy it, but Franklin considers it. The team then travels again to Latveria, to rescue the FF’s own Johnny Storm from being brainwashed by Maximus the Mad. Finally, a child version of Franklin appears, wearing his “Tattletale” costume from Power Pack. This is not the return of classic kid Franklin, even though that’s what the issue wants you think. What it really is, is…

To be continued!

Four and a half: The series establishes that Franklin’s “hound” scars he got in the Days of Future Past timeline appear on his face whenever there is space-time weirdness nearby, basically an early-warning sign that villains are in the area.

Barbarian swordswoman: According to the Marvel Wiki, the mystery of Huntara’s origin is never revealed. Most fans seem to agree that she is not Alvarez’s long-lost sister, and the sister is really Zarathrustra from issue #2 but, again, the truth has never been revealed. The Marvel Wiki also states that Huntara’s birth name is Tara Richards.

Good vibrations: Although initially introduced as a mutant, this series establishes that Vibraxas was exposed to energized Vibranium as a child. His body is infused with the Vibranium, giving him his vibratory powers.

Talkin’ ‘bout my de-evolution: Lord Arcadus is obsessed with Devlor because he believes Devlor’s evolution-based powers could be the key for all Inhumans to “break free from genetic stagnation.”

Wakanda forever: Aside from letting the team stay in his Manhattan loft (which has its own danger room, of course) and dispensing the occasional bout of fatherly wisdom, Black Panther doesn’t do a whole lot of team mentoring. I guess he prefers the “hands off” approach.

Commercial break: The month of issue #1, Marvel used its precious Bullpen Bulletins page to promote Fantastic Force. Sadly, the promo gets Devlor’s name wrong, calling him “Giganto.”

Fantastic or frightful? All the gang/racism stuff is handled poorly, in that they-meant-well-but-accidentally-made-it-worse way. Also, forcing the book into a bigger crossover creates a lot of confusion, but that’s nothing new for Marvel readers. Other than these two complaints, though, there’s a lot to like in Fantastic Force. It has a lot of the “superhero soap opera” feel that helped make the X-Men so popular for so long.

Next: Fantastic Force goes green.

Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. After teasing a team breakup for several issues now, our heroes finally go their separate ways in issue #292.

Where were we? The Watcher transported Sue, Ben and Johnny into an alternate dimension where Galactus once succeeded in destroying the Earth, in hopes that they could go back and stop him this time. They failed, and this issue starts with alt-universe Reed crying over the death of his teammates. Cut to “an alternate plane” where the Watcher has now teleported Sue, Ben and Johnny, rescuing them from their apparent deaths at the end of the last issue. He says that although they failed, it is not yet their time to die.

With that over, the Watcher teleports the three back to Four Freedoms Plaza where Johnny learns his and Lyja’s “child” was really a Sha’Barri monster sent to kill them. Lyja says now the danger has passed and they can start anew, but Johnny won’t have it. He calls her a  “miserable witch” and he is angry over all the times she deceived him. He leaves, saying “from this forward, wherever the human torch flies, he flies alone!”

Namor wants to comfort Sue, but Ant-Man suggests they give the original team some space. He leads Namor and new character Rafael Suarez outside. Lyja also leaves, saying that without Johnny, there is no reason for her to stay. Now it’s Ben’s turn to comfort Sue, saying the Fantastic Four had split up before and always reunited, but Sue argues that the FF is “an idea whose time is finally over.” They are interrupted by the arrival of the Dark Raider, still on his quest to kill every alternate Reed Richards in every alternate universe. He again demands that Sue and Ben turn over the Reed of their universe. They fight, with the Dark Raider driving Sue and Ben back with a high-tech “tornado whip.”

On the roof of Four Freedoms Plaza, teenage Franklin and barbarian swordswoman Huntara arrive in their stolen time sled, in response to the psychic vision Franklin had about Sue being in danger. They’re met on the roof by Black Panther, along with Wakandan teen mutant Vibraxas and inhuman teen Devlor. Black Panther has brought the kids there in hopes the FF can help them adjust to their new powers. Franklin, who is still struggling with Malice’s psychic influence in his brain, senses the Dark Raider inside the building.

Sue and Ben are no match for the Dark Raider, whose gadgets are designed as counter attacks for each of their powers. He’s not prepared for Black Panther and the teens, though. Vibraxas knocks him off his feet with earthquake powers, Black Panther has a bunch of high tech gadgets of his own, Huntara’s psionic blade can slice through the Raider’s force fields. Devlor transforms into a giant monster (that’s his power — he de-evolves) but the Raider takes him out of the fight. Sue and Franklin set aside their differences for a combined attack on the Raider, only for him to drive them back again.Then the Watcher reappears, saying it’s time for the truth. The Dark Raider takes off his mask to reveal that he is… Reed Richards!

Sue quickly deduces that this is yet another Reed from yet another alternate dimension. The Raider says his world was destroyed thanks to his/Reed’s careless curiosity, so he’s made it his mission to seek and destroy all Reeds in all realities. The Raider then reveals he has Galactus’ Ultimate Nullifier, and he threatens to use it, taking out the whole planet if he has to.

Sue says the heroes must find a way to shatter the Dark Raider’s mental control of the Nullifier, and she and Franklin both consider Malice. Working together, Franklin and Sue transfer Malice from Franklin’s mind into the Dark Raider’s mind. This distracts the Dark Raider long enough to lose control of the Nullifier, allowing the FF to snatch it. The Watcher says the Dark Raider is too dangerous to let live, and must be killed. Sue insists that the FF are not murderers (this despite her having murderous intent in recent issues) so the Watcher breaks his sacred vow and kills the Dark Raider (and Malice?) right in front of everyone. Overcome by his actions, the Watcher says he will now exile himself to a place so distant that there is nothing to watch.

Without pausing for a breath, Sue goes right back into insisting that Reed (her universe’s Reed, that is) is still alive, and she plans to leave the FF and search for him on her own. Ben starts to disagree, but Franklin steps in and says Sue is free to make her own choices. Sue, Ben, and Franklin say a teary goodbye as Sue takes the time sled and leaves. Black Panther, who is still hanging around with the super-powered teens, asks what will become of the Fantastic Four. Ben says from now on, he’s flying solo as, “the Fantastic One.”

Fade out: Sue believes that the Dark Raiders attack is proof positive that her Reed is still alive, hence the extra motivation for leaving.

Clobberin’ time: Ben tells Sue to call him if she ever needs help, throwing a bone to readers who can guess the team’s breakup is temporary.

Flame on: In addition to leaving because of Lyja, Johnny also has a line stating that he’s through risking his neck, and says he’s done with venturing into the unknown.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Ant-Man does his part simply by playing peacemaker, and knowing when his teammates need some personal space. He no doubt picked up these skills during his time with the Avengers.

Four and a half: After being at odds for so long, Franklin and Sue finally accept one another as mother and son.

The Alicia problem: An argument could be made that Lyja truly does love Johnny, but this whole pregnancy-was-really-a-killer-alien-implant thing does make her look bad. Look for her behavior to take another turn in issues to come.

Commercial break: Welcome to my reality.

Trivia time: What’s with these new characters? This is the “stealth pilot” for Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Force spinoff series, starring Franklin, Huntara, Vibraxas and Devlor, with Black Panther acting as their Professor X mentor-type.

This issue is the final appearance of Rafael Suarez, who got laser-blasting super powers from Lyja. They brought back Wildstreak during Civil War, but not this guy?

Fantastic or frightful? This issue would appear to be the big finale, wrapping up a bunch of subplots that have been going on for a long time now, except I’ve read ahead a little, and these subplots are going to keep on sub-plotting.

Next: Nothin’ but puppets.

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.

Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Issue #391 has a time travel within an alternate timeline and a fight against a tentacle monster. You know, the usual.

The Watcher has teleported Sue, Ben and Johnny to alternate timeline where that version of the FF failed to stop Galactus the first time Galactus came to Earth. After explaining this, the Watcher then sent the heroes back in time to that timeline’s 1960s for a second chance at stopping Galactus, but without Reed this time. If you think this is confusing, try reading the actual comic. Meanwhile, the egg that Lyja laid is starting to hatch, just after she informed Johnny he is not really the father. If you think this recap is confusing, try reading the actual comics.

We begin with FF and the alt-timeline Silver Surfer leading an all-out attack on Galactus. Their attacks have no effect, but the big G does take time to speechify about how he must devour the entire planet in order to survive. Back on “our” Earth new teammember Ant-Man and special guest star Namor the Sub-Mariner return from the alternate timeline to Four Freedoms Plaza, only to find Lyja and new character Rafael Suarez under attack by a giant tentacle monster. Suarez, you might remember, now has Lyja’s “Laserfist” implant, granting him laser-blastin’ super powers.

Then there’s a few more pages of the FF fighting Galactus, with Sue saying they’re only trying to distract him long enough for the alt-timeline Reed to return from Space. This gets us into the “What If?” part of the story, where in this timeline, Reed instead of Johnny was sent to space to collect the Ultimate Nullifier. While inside Galactus’ home, Reed becomes distracted by all the scientific wonders he sees there, with one almost blowing up in his face. Despite getting distracted, he insists that he must find the Nullifier soon.

On Earth, Ant-Man shrinks to teeny size and flies into the egg, only to discover it is bigger on the inside. He manages to temporarily distract the creature, saving Lyja and Suarez, but this just makes the creature angrier, and it attacks again. During the fight with Galactus, things go pretty much the same as they did in the ‘60s, until Galactus flat-out murders the Silver Surfer. This unleashes a wave of cosmic power so great it forces the FF off the roof and into their building.

Then we cut to the Black Panther, who is meeting with the Inhuman royal family. The Inhumans are currently on Earth, traveling incognito as circus performers. Black Panther introduces Vibraxas, a Wakandan teen who has developed super-powers. Black Panther wants the Inhumans’ help in locating the Fantastic Four, so the FF can help understand Vibraxas’ powers and maybe teach the rebellious kid a thing or two about how to behave. Medusa says they can’t help him, but the Inhumans have a similar problem, a troubled super-powered teen of their own.

In the alternate timeline, the FF regroup inside the alt-Baxter Building. The Watcher reappears to give them a pep talk, saying that throughout all timelines, the FF have a history of beating the odds. He adds, however, that he refuses to tell them any more of his plan.  Sue finds some ‘60s-era original FF uniforms and has the team wear them to replace the ones that got torn up in the fight. She, Sue and Johnny agree that they are likely to die when they attack Galactus again, saying that if this is to be the FF’s final battle, they will go down fighting.

On Earth, Lyja kinda/sorta explains that the egg creature is a Skrull Sha’Barri. She further explains that Paibok the Power-Skrull implanted the creature inside her at her “weakest moment” hoping the creature would destroy the FF once the egg is hatched. Saying “This is personal” Lyja shape-changes into a second Sha’Barri and the two of them fight.

In the other timeline, the FF attack Galactus, managing to distract him from building his world-devouring machine on the roof. Galactus turns Ben back into a human (why?) but Ben keeps fighting, only for Galactus to seemingly kill him. Galactus then seemingly kills Johnny. Sue goes all super-violent and throws a spear-shaped force field right through Galactus’ chest. This doesn’t bother Galactus in the slightest. He attacks Sue with such ferocity that she feels herself “catapulted” across multiple dimensions. She then sends out the “They’re all dead” message that we saw back in issue #378 that started all this.

On Earth, Lyja has defeated the creature, and collapses from exhaustion. Ant-Man, Namor and Suarez then also see Sue’s message. Elsewhere we catch up to teenage Franklin and barbarian swordswoman Huntara flying around on their stolen time sled, when Franklin is hit by a powerful psychic premonition. He knows this means that Sue, Ben and Johnny are dead. Turn the page and we see Galactus standing over the dead FF in triumph.

To be continued!

Unstable Molecule: Alt-Reed fears he may have activated Galactus’ device with his mind. Could this be a shout-out to issues #74-77 when Reed used his mind to contact Galactus in distant space.

Fade out: Sue says she has always believed in the sanctity of life, except that Galactus pushed her to such extremes that she has no choice but to try to kill him.

Clobberin’ time: It’s hard to tell, but it appears that when Ben is turned back into a human, he still has the scars on his face he got from Wolverine back in issue #374.

Flame on: Johnny spends the issue wanting to get back to Lyja, and he says that if the team survives the fight with Galactus he plan on resigning from the FF. So they’re still foreshadowing an upcoming team break-up storyline.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Namor refers to Ant-Man as “Scott” suggesting they have some familiarity thanks to all of Ant-Man’s time spent among the Avengers.

Catching up with Medusa, she and the Inhuman royal family fled the moon after their battle with Ahura in Fantastic Four Unlimited #2. They got their new gig as circus performers in Namor #45. Medusa also had a cameo at the start of the Starblast crossover.

Four and a half: When Franklin gets his psychic vision, his “Hound” scars temporarily reappear on his face, reminding us that his time-travel adventures also included the X-Men’s Days of Future Past apocalypse (or something like it).

The Alicia problem: We don’t see the fight between Lyja and the Sha’Barri, but we’re told that Lyja had to go to a dark mental place to defeat it, and the others worry what affect this will have on her mind. Because she hasn’t been through enough already, I guess.

Commercial break: The X-Men were so huge at the time that Marvel put an X-Men ad right over this regular ad. Also, kid fashion.

Trivia time: On the letters page, editor Ralph Macchio is not credited as editor, but as “Waste,” and assistant editor Matt Idelson is credited as “Assistant Waste.” The letters page is similarly lined with jokes (or not?) about the FF’s demise and how this is “the end.” I really wonder what goes in the Marvel offices sometimes.

Fantastic or frightful? Having the main story take place in an alternate timeline makes the story feel low stakes. Sure, a world is in danger, but it’s not a world we know anything about. It’s a crisis in abstract, not an immediate crisis. It’s an improvement over the last few issues thanks to some extreme ’90s action, but there’s not much else to recommend.

Next: Raiders a’plenty.

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.

Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. I’ve been trying to find the positive in writer Tom DeFalco’s time on the series, but he really lost me in the completely unnecessary issue #290.

While the previous issue ended with a couple of cliffhangers, this one begins as if it’s the start of a new story. Johnny is flying over the city to find the entire sky filled with flame. He is of course reminded that this happened the first time Galactus came to the Earth, as we get a one-page flashback to that story, from Fantastic Four #49-51. Then we cut to an otherworldly jungle, where the FF have discovered a giant sculpture of themselves. The Watcher appears, saying that this is an alternate reality and that the tableau that occurred here is in danger of occurring in their world.

This issue begins with what appears to be a multi-page flashback to the original Galactus story from issues 49-51. Keep reading, though, and it’s revealed that this how the Galactus story played out in an alternate timeline. Cut to the present, where the Watcher has brought the FF to this timeline, which is now a post-apocalyptic jungle. The Watcher says this timeline is the one where he failed.

Back in NYC, we catch up to Johnny, Lyja, and new character Rafael Suarez. Johnny is upset to learn he is not the father of Lyja’s egg (that’s right, Lyja laid a freakin’ egg). Then we get a couple pages of recap, re-telling Lyja’s origin, and everything that’s happened to her, as well as her betraying Paibok the Power-Skrull to save Johnny.

The comic abruptly interrupts Ljya’s flashback to cut to “Elsewhen” where teenage Franklin and barbarian swordswoman Huntara are meeting with Warlord Kargul to investigate the mysterious Dark Raider, who is traveling throughout alternate universes, killing every version of Reed Richards he can find. (Got all that?) Then there’s another flashback explaining that Kargul’s people are the ones who constructed Franklin’s Psi-Lord armor, and who taught Huntara to fight. Along the way, we’re reminded that Huntara is Nathaniel Richards’ daughter, making her Reed’s stepsister. Kargul praises Franklin and Huntara for performing their duties (?) and he says Nathaniel is their true enemy.

Then we go back to the watcher and the FF, where he explains that in this version of the story, he sent Reed into space to collect the Ultimate Nullifer, where in the original story Johnny went to get the Nullifier. The Watcher calls this a mistake for which he has never forgiven himself. Then we cut to NYC where Lyja continues her flashback, explaining how Paibok gave her an implant that gave her laser-blasting powers. It’s then explained that these powers have now transferred to Suarez. (This is stuff the reader already knows.) Lyja says not to think of the egg as an egg, but as an implant instead. Johnny walks out on Lyja, saying “I’m through being burned by you.”

Then the Watcher keeps going with his flashback, explaining that this world’s Reed got distracted by all the alien wonders inside the Watcher’s home, and didn’t return to Earth in time to stop Galactus. Then we go to NYC for a side-story where Black Panther contacts the FF to see how repairs to the building are going, only for an angry Johnny to hang up on him. In Wakanda, Black Panther and one of his advisors talk about a youth named Vibraxas. Black Panther thinks Vibraxas’ powers could be a boon for society, but if he can’t rely on the FF for help, he will have to make other arrangements.

In Elsewhen, Kargul reveals that he’s the one who allowed the Dark Raider access to the multiple timelines, with Kargul’s end game being the destruction of Nathaniel Richards. A fight breaks out, as Franklin and Huntara fight Kargul’s henchmen and escape the castle.

With the Watcher, Sue asks if there is anything they can do to “set things right,” and the Watcher says there is a way, but it is with great risk. He teleports Namor and Ant-Man back to the present, and then teleports Sue and Ben. In NYC, the egg (we’re back to calling it an egg already) starts to hatch, only for Johnny to get teleported away. He, Sue, and Ben all reappear in what appears to be the FF’s original headquarters, just in time to see 1960s-era Galactus on the rooftop, setting up his world-destroying machine.

To be continued!

Fade out: Sue is in full leadership mode, standing up to the Watcher and demanding answers from him.

Clobberin’ time: Ben thinks to himself that he is likely not to survive this adventure, mentally preparing himself to die.

Flame on: After almost warming up (heh) to Lyja in recent issues, Johnny says he’s had enough, and he’s back to full-of-rage mode which how he was during the start of Tom DeFalco’s run on the series.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Ant-Man spends the entire issue frozen in place so that the Watcher can chat with Sue and Ben.

Four and a half: Kargul’s introduction fills in a lot of gaps as to where Franklin went during all his time-traveling. This is the first we’ve seen of Kargul in Fantastic Four, but he was a minor villain in the Thor Corps series.

The Alicia problem: At least a third of this issue is re-telling Lyja’s history, stuff that readers already knew. Was this to catch new readers up to speed?

Commercial break: So here is an ad for the “Marvelvision” line, made up of Neil Gaiman’s Alice Cooper comic, Ghost Rider spinoff Blaze, the not-an-urban-legend Punisher Meets Archie, the Alex Ross classic Marvels, and Break the Chain, which came packaged with a rap cassette tape. I own all but one of these (I’ll let you guess which one) and none of the actual comics come with any “Marvelvision” branding.

Trivia time: The Black Panther scene is setting up the upcoming spinoff title Fantastic Force, which we’ll get to soon enough.

Fantastic or frightful? Here is an issue that’s nothing but flashbacks and characters explaining things, all about alternate timelines and alternate universes. It just turns into gobbledygook after a while.

Next: Day of the tentacle.

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.

Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. We’re going cosmic in annual #27, travelling throughout the multiverse and wrapping up an ongoing plotline that I don’t think many people were following.

In the first of two stories, we return to the Time Variance Authority, or TVA, last seen during Walt Simonson’s run on the series. This is a cosmic bureaucracy that monitors all alternate timelines and parallel dimensions. (This is comedy/satire Douglas Adams-style stuff.) Mr. Mobius, one of the clerks, is chewed out by his boss because of a missing file. The file in question is the record of the FF’s visit to the TVA, which only Mobius remembers.

In New York, the FF — Sue, Ben, Johnny, and new teammate Ant-Man — are enjoying an afternoon in central park, where they stop an out-of-control taxi. A TVA named Justice Love places the FF under arrest and teleports them to the TVA’s null-zone. What he doesn’t know is that Ant-Man avoided the teleporter by shrinking to tiny size and hitching a ride on Justice Love’s armor.

Mobius’s boss, Mr. Alternity, questions Sue, only for her to escape and make a run for it. Ant-Man helps her escape, while Mobius appears before Johnny and Ben hoping to help them. The problem is that the Cross-time Express, which they used to escape last time, no longer makes stops on Earth. They instead take the Express to Chronopolis, home of time-traveling supervillain Kang.

Sue negotiates with a hologram of Kang (where or when Kang is broadcasting from is left a mystery). She offers him Moebius in exchange for Kang returning the FF to their own time, with Sue arguing that, as a defector from the TVA, Mobius has knowledge Kang can use. Before returning to Earth, Sue asks Kang what he knows about Reed’s death/disappearance. Kang refuses to reveal whether Reed is alive, but he tells Sue that at some point in the future she will find Reed.

Mobius, however, doesn’t stay with Kang. He returns to the TVA and asks that they match Kang’s offer. They do, giving Mobius a promotion, with the added responsibility that he continue to watch over the Fantastic Four.

The second story in the annual is the more interesting one (for me, anyway). It’s been five years in real time that readers have been following (or ignoring) through various annuals the ongoing subplot of Kubik and Kosmos exploring the universe, and this annual finally wraps it up. Kosmos is the being that was created when the Molecule Man and the Beyonder fused into a single being. Kubik is a cosmic cube come to life. He took it upon himself to teach the childlike Cosmos the ways of the creation.

First, godlike beings Eternity, the Living Tribunal, Master Chaos, and Lord Order hold a meeting to discuss the nature of the cosmic cubes. They say they created the cosmic cubes and sent them out into the universe as an experiment. From there, we catch up with the Molecule Man, who is alive again thanks to part of his essence left behind with his girlfriend Volcana. Except that now, Volcana has dumped him, and he’s all alone, wracked with grief. He decides to seek vengeance on the Beyonder.

In space, Kubik and Kosmos are studying the architecture of the “Aldeberous Hegemony.” Kosmos is struck by an energy beam, which re-creates the Beyonder, with his Secret Wars II armor and everything. The Beyonder is teleported away, leaving Kosmos in a ghost-like state. She says her soul is gone, and she only feels emptiness. Kubik says if her soul is not returned soon, Kosmos will cease to exist.

Molecule Man brings the Beyonder to Earth, to his home in Colorado. They fight, with their cosmic powers threatening to rip apart all of time and space. Molecule Man wins the fight, though it’s not clear how, and he severely weakens the Beyonder. Kubik appears with the unconscious Kosmos. Kubik says that Molecule Man’s origins as a mortal make him greater than all the other cosmic beings, that there is a depth to his existence that is more than sheer power.

Kubik pleads for Molecule Man to save Kosmos’ life. Molecule Man can see that Kubik has fallen in love with Kosmos. Molecule Man’s rage subsides, and he returns the Beyonder’s power to Kosmos, saving her. Kosmos and Kubik return to space, and Molecule Man is left to ponder how ripping galaxies apart with a thought is easy when compared to dealing with a broken heart.

Fade out: Sue cements her role as the team’s new leader by negotiating their way out of trouble, rather than fighting their way out.

Clobberin’ time: While most of this issue falls on the “Reed is still alive” argument, Ben is the one who insists that Reed really is dead this time.

Flame on: Johnny says this is the first time he’s gone out in public without being hassled by paparazzi following the destruction he caused at Empire State University several issues back.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Ant-Man joins the team on their day off in Central Park, and Sue suggests that his daughter Cassie stay with the FF for the summer once she’s off school.

Commercial break: Magnus Robot Fighter was once so big that he could share ad space with Spidey, Batman, and Ghost Rider.

Trivia time: Kosmos won’t return until the Annihilation crossover event of the 2000s, after she is separated from Kubik, acting a lot less childlike and a lot more villainous. Renaming herself Maker, she spends the crossover struggling to keep the Beyonder half of her personality from taking over her mind. Maker later battled Thanos in the hugely confusing Thanos solo series.

Fantastic or Frightful? The FF story ends up being kind of pointless, and making all the TVA agents lookalike clones makes it a confusing read. I really enjoyed the Kosmos story, though. After following these characters for so long throughout all these deeply-buried backup stories, it’s fun to see them in the spotlight.

Next: Who watches he who watches the Watcher?

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.

Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Issue #389 continues a bunch of ongoing subplots, with a surprise revelation or two.

As with the last few issues, this one begins with the Watcher breaking the fourth wall and speaking to the reader. He shows us an ominous spaceship heading for Earth, and then shows a scene from a hospital in New York, where an electrical engineer named Suarez finds the alien implant removed from Lyja during the super-gross birth scene back in issue #386.

Cut to Four Freedoms Plaza, where the FF and special guest star Namor are meeting with a globe-trotting archeologist, Professor Robeson, who has found an ancient sculpture in the jungles of Brazil that looks just like Ben. Rather than mount an expedition right away, Sue is reluctant to investigate, admitting to Robeson that Reed is missing and presumed dead. Then there’s a lot team bickering, where Ben doesn’t like Namor hanging around putting the moves on Sue, while Johnny frets over his and Lyja’s egg (that’s right, Lyja freakin’ laid an egg in issue #286), and new team member Ant-Man has had no luck finding where or when now-teenage Franklin went after stealing the FF’s time sled. Got all that?

We then catch up with Franklin, who appears to be somewhere (somewhen?) in space with the stolen time sled. He meets up with barbarian swordswoman Huntara, and the two catch up, revealing that they have quite the shared history. She chides him for working alongside his time-traveling grandfather, whom Huntara refers to as “Nathaniel the Mad.” Franklin says there’s an even bigger concern than Nathaniel, and that is the Dark Raider. Franklin says the Dark Raider has been traveling throughout various alternate timelines, killing each universe’s version of Reed Richards. Huntara promises to help Franklin, saying she is bound to blood to aid him, and “I am your father’s only sister!”

We cut from that surprise revelation to FF HQ, where Ant-Man says his chronometer has a lock on Franklin’s location. Sue is ready to mount an expedition to find Franklin, but Johnny has had enough of the FF’s recent disastrous adventures, and announces that he and Lyja are staying behind to watch over Lyja’s egg (I still can’t believe Lyja laid an egg).

Suarez the electrical engineer shows up at HQ, asking to see the FF. Then the ominous spaceship from the first scene arrives, knocking out power to the building. Suarez runs off, and the Collector beams down from the spaceship. The Collector is of course a celestial being obsessed with collecting unique items from throughout the universe, and he’s come to collect the egg. He fights Johnny and Lyja, summoning a giant robot for help. Lyja discovers her laser-blasting powers are gone, so she shape-shifts into a giant monster to fight the robot.

The rest of the FF follow’s Franklin’s signal not to outer space, but to a jungle, where they are surrounded by primitive cavemen. The heroes discover a statue of the original four FF among some ruins, and the cavemen attack, saying the FF are the ones who caused “the great destruction.” Ant-Man finds a hidden door inside the sculpture, leading to underground tunnels. Ant-Man and Namor freeze in place, and the Watcher appears. The Watcher tells Sue and Ben that he’s the one who brought them to the jungle, and they indirectly led to the destruction of this world.

Back at HQ, Suarez shows up again, revealing he has laser powers, and helps turn the fight in the heroes’ favor against the Collector. The alien device from the start of the issue is the one Paibok gave to Lyja for her “laserfist” powers, and those powers have now transferred to Suarez. A crack appears on the surface of the egg, and the Collector determines that the egg is a “fake.” He teleports away, saying it is not worth of his collection. Johnny asks Lyja what this means, and it’s time for another big revelation. She says to Johnny, “You are not its father!”

To be continued!

Fade out: Sue reacts with shock when Ben refers to Namor as her “boyfriend,” but she doesn’t exactly deny it, either.

Clobberin’ time: When Reed isn’t around to explain the FF’s time-tripping, Ben thinks about how much he misses Reed, but he doesn’t say this out loud.

Flame on: Johnny refusing to join the rest of the team on their expedition further foreshadows the upcoming team breakup storyline.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Ant-Man further cements his status a teammate by operating all the time travel tech, finding the hidden passage to the tunnels, and summoning ants to distract the cavemen.

Four and a half: Franklin’s interaction with Huntara completely changes their dynamic, setting up their soon-to-published spinoff comic, Fantastic Force.

The Alicia problem: Lyja spends the issue trying to tell Johnny her big secret, only to keep being interrupted. The question is, why now? Perhaps it’s because she knows the egg is about to hatch.

Commercial break: Oh, Polaris…

Trivia time: This is the first time the Collector has appeared in the pages of Fantastic Four, although he and our heroes briefly crossed paths in the Contest of Champions miniseries. Most of the Collector’s appearances have been in Silver Surfer, with him always hoping to get his hands on a cosmic cube.

Fantastic or frightful? This should be a big issue with a lot of big revelations, but it’s all so cluttered and unfocused. This is supposed to be the next chapter in an going superhero/sci-fi epic, but I’m left wondering why I should care.

Next: Let’s all get molecular.

****

Want more? Check out my book, CINE HIGH, now available for the Kindle and the free Kindle app.