Janne Pietikainen
Nov 27, 2007, 11:44 am
Fantastic Four #536
May 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-536t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9523) http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-536v2t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9674)
Story Title: The Hammer Falls
Tie-In: The Road to Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kev Walker, Cam Smith & Kris Justice
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Andy Schmidt, Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Mr. Fantastic returns from a meeting of Illuminati just before the Fantastic Four are called to help a research installation in Oklahoma against an invasion of Doombots. The research station is still destroyed and Dr. Doom himself comes for Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, around which the installation had been built.
Characters:
Doombots
Doctor Doom
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
Mister Fantastic
Passengers of a small private airplane
General William Ray
Spider-Man
Thing
A page from New Avengers: Illuminati #1 is reprinted within the story. The page features Black Bolt, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic and Namor.
<hr>
Fantastic Four #537
June 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-537t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9623)
Story Title: The Hammer Falls Part Two
Tie-In: The Road to Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Cam Smith & Kris Justice
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Andy Schmidt, Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Death: Prime Minister of Latveria
Dr. Doom reveals that he escaped from Hell by following Mjolnir, which flew through Hell during Ragnarok. The Fantastic Four is unable to prevent him from getting to Mjolnir in Oklahoma but Doom is likewise unable to lift Mjolnir, even though he had been touched by the power of dying Asgardians. Doom manages only to “weak up” the hammer and leaves, claiming that he wouldn’t need it anyway.
Characters:
Asgardians
Balder
Donald Blake
Demons of Hell
Doombots
Doctor Doom
Executioner (Skurge)
Fandrall
Hogun
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Loki
Mister Fantastic
Prime Minister and two other members of Latverian government
Thing
Volstagg
<hr>
<a name="ff538">Fantastic Four #538</a>
August 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-538t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9826)
Story Title: Street Fighting
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kris Justice & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Continues from Civil War #2 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar2)
The rest of the Fantastic Four visit the comatose Human Torch in the hospital. Reed and Sue end up in an argument over the Superhuman Registration Act. Sue thinks it’s wrong to go hunting down their old friends who choose not to register. The Thing spends some time with Johnny before Sue returns from the Baxter Building. He then walks past a fight between two former Avengers, the government-sponsored Ms. Marvel and unregistered Silverclaw, and has a talk with the Yancy Street Gang that has been rioting against the S.R.A. Meanwhile Mouse of the Yancy Street Gang is given information about the captured unregistered heroes’ transport by Puppet Master and Donald Blake lifts Mjolnir in Oklahoma.
Continues in Civil War #3 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar3)
Characters:
Donald Blake
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Mister Fantastic
Ms. Marvel
N.Y.P.D.
Puppet Master
Silverclaw
The Thinker
Thing
Yancy Street Gang (Cee, Mouse, others)
<hr>
<a name="ff539">Fantastic Four #539</a>
September 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-539t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9970)
Story Title: Decisions Made
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kris Justice & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Death: Cee
Continues from Civil War #4 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar4)
Captain America and his Resistance plan how to free the captured heroes while they are being transported to a prison. They are approached by the Yancy Street Gang who give them the information they got from Puppet Master. Puppet Master and the Thinker plan to use the chance to control multiple heroes on both sides during the upcoming fight and kill as many of them as they can. The fight starts and the Thing ends up in the middle of it. Puppet Master controls Mouse to drop a bomb in the scene. The Thing is able to rescue the most of them, but Cee of the Yancy Street Gang dies. All the captured heroes got away and both sides are trying to win the Thing over to their side. The furious Thing tells them that he doesn’t support the S.R.A. but that he isn’t going to fight his government either and that he will leave the country.
Characters:
Captain America
Cloak
Dagger
Daredevil (Iron Fist)
Iron Man
Luke Cage
Ms. Marvel
Puppet Master
She-Hulk
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Spider-Man
The Thinker
Thing
Tigra
Wasp
Yancy Street Gang (Cee, Mouse, others)
Yellowjacket
<hr>
<a name="ff540">Fantastic Four #540</a>
November 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-540t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10133)
Story Title: Some Words Can Never Be Taken Back
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Quits: Thing (Fantastic Four)
In Baxter Building, Mr. Fantastic and some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are about to send the captured unregistered vigilante called Wildstreak to 42, a holding facility in the Negative Zone for unregistered superhumans, but the portal is short-circuited and Wildstreak is freed from her containment field. She is then helped to escape by Invisible Woman.
Sue and Reed have a fight about the Superhuman Registration Act and Reed’s activities to help their government capture unregistered heroes. Reed thinks that any law has to be obeyed, but Sue finds the law wrong and disagrees with Reed. During their argument, Sue lashes with her powers and does expensive damage to Baxter Building. The fight ends when Reed asks Sue to leave.
The Thing comes to tell Reed that since he is leaving the country, he is also leaving the Fantastic Four. The Thing has decided to go to Paris and Reed doesn’t try to convince him to stay. Iron Man brings Peter Parker to Baxter Building, so that they can show him 42. Afterwards Peter asks Reed why and Reed tells him about his late Uncle Ted, who opposed the House Un-American Activities Committee and got his life ruined. Reed thinks that his uncle was wrong to oppose the law and that the law is the thing that separates people from savages.
Continues in Civil War #4 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar4)
Characters:
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
Mister Fantastic
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Spider-Man
Thing
Wildstreak
<hr>
Fantastic Four #541
November 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-541t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10414)
Story Title: Many Annoying Things, None of Them French
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kris Justice & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
First Appearance: Les Heroes de Paris (Adamantine, Anaïs, Comte de Nuit, Détective Fantôme, La Lumiére Bleue, Le Cowboy, Le Docteur Q, Le Vent), L’Empereur du Monde Souterrain
Continues from Civil War #4 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar4)
The Thing is leaving to France to protest the Superhuman Registration Act. Outside the airport, he is stopped by three men, who are with the government; David Rose (immigration), John Clark (the I.R.S.) and an unidentified man who is there to deal with possible “unofficial” trouble. These men find the Thing’s departure problematic. They will freeze Ben’s accounts because he hasn’t paid income taxes on the trust fund he had recently cashed. The tax is over one hundred million dollars. The Thing is left with nothing but three thousand dollars in traveler’s checks, so he downgrades his flight ticket from first class to coach.
Finally arriving to Paris after a delayed flight, the Thing is looking for a good place to eat. He is recommended “le Rose et la Plume”, The Rose and Feather, by a street vendor. The Thing is enjoying the calmness of Paris while having a cup of coffee at an outdoors table. Suddenly, the platform under him is lowered to a basement and another platform replaces the hole left by the secret mechanism. The Thing is approached by the street vendor, who turns out to be a disguised super-hero, Adamantine, commander in absentia of Les Heroes de Paris, the Heroes of Paris. He asks the Thing to help them to save Paris and introduces the other members of his team. Over lunch, Adamantine explains the situation. L’Empereur du Monde Souterrain, the Emperor of the Underground World, has gathered an army of rock creatures and plans to destroy Paris by tunnelling beneath it.
The Thing is enjoying the fight against normal villains and as soon as they confront the rock creatures, il est temps de battre! The speedster Le Vent then throws the Thing at L’Empereur’s drilling machine. The villain vents about the cruelty of Paris and the Thing realizes that he has been turned down by someone he loves. The Thing destroys the machine, which causes the tunnel to collapse. Les Heroes de Paris escape, and so does the Thing, who brings L’Empereur with him. The rock creatures on the other hand are seemingly left in the collapsing tunnel. On the surface, a woman named Louise rushes into the arms of L’Empereur, René, and declares her love to him. She says yes to René’s proposal, just before he is left with the local police and the heroes head out for dinner.
Characters:
Adamantine
Anaïs
John Clark
Comte de Nuit
Le Cowboy
Détective Fantôme
Le Docteur Q
L'Empereur du Monde Souterrain & his army of rock creatures
Louise
La Lumiére Bleue
David Rose
Thing
Unidentified employee of the U.S. government
Le Vent
<hr>
Fantastic Four #542
March 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-542t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10503)
Story Title: We Used To Go To Hyperspace Just For Donuts
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
The Human Torch is meeting with Mr. Fantastic in a coffee shop. After flirting with the woman at the register, the Torch asks Reed why he shouldn’t leave the Fantastic Four too. Reed isn’t sure that Johnny is helping Sue and the resistance against the Superhuman Registration Act, the S.H.R.A. Reed tries to convince Johnny that the law is absolutely necessary, before taking him to Queens, where they break in the Mad Thinker’s hideout. The Thinker agrees to do a favour for Mr. Fantastic.
After returning to the Baxter Building, Reed first speaks with John Porter from Damage Control. They talk about repairs to the building and Porter thanks Mr. Fantastic for staying as their customer, now that the rival Halliburton’s is getting most of the work. Valeria then throws a toy block at Porter through a hole on the ceiling. She’s already talking. Reed tells the kids to stop their play and go find Aunt Alicia, and promises to take them to the park later.
In France, the Thing and Anaïs of Les Heroes de Paris defeat a cell of the terrorist Hydra organization. Afterwards Anaïs praises the time that Les Heroes have had with the Thing, but leaves him after telling him not to abandon his friends in the States. The Thing is then found by the Human Torch, who has flown to Paris with the Fantasticar. The Thing takes a short trip down the memory lane and is remembering how they used to play poker with his friend Goliath, a casualty of the Civil War. The Torch asks Ben to come back and leaves him part of the Fantasticar.
In the Baxter Building, Mr. Fantastic takes the Thinker to his private sanctuary, where no one else has ever been before. Reed wants the genius villain to check his equations on social dynamics. Psychohistory was the first completely new field of science that Reed had invented, after being influenced by a science fiction novel that he had read as a 12-year old. With psychohistory, Reed can accurately predict future social trends by mathematically modeling history, although this cannot be used to predict actions of individuals. Reed had ran thirty-one different scenarios with the recent conflicts, and come to the conclusion that the S.H.R.A., the prison in the Negative Zone, and Tony Stark’s other plans are the only way to prevent deaths of billions. The Thinker finds no error in the equations and takes joy over seeing Mr. Fantastic losing his loved ones for supporting the S.H.R.A. The Thinker guesses that Invisible Woman has been watching them the whole time and tells her to show herself. Sue is hurt because Reed had lied about his motives, which Reed claims to have done to protect her. Sue tells Reed that the resistance will beat the odds by doing the right thing and leaves, and after her departure, Reed says that it’s not going to work.
Continues in Civil War #5 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar5)
Characters:
Anaïs
Lenny Ballinger
Captain America (flashback)
Giant-Man (Bill Foster, flashback)
Human Torch
Hydra
Iron Man (flashback)
Invisible Woman
Mad Thinker
Mister Fantastic
Nick Fury (flashback)
John Porter
Franklin Richards
Valeria Richards
Thing
<hr>
Fantastic Four #543
January 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-543t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10736)
Story Title: C’mon, Suzie, Don’t Leave Us Hangin’
Tie-In: Civil War Epilogue
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Joins: Black Panther & Storm
Quits: Invisible Woman & Mr. Fantastic
Continues from Civil War #7 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar7)
The Thing and the Human Torch are watching a documentary of the Fantastic Four’s career and putting the kids to bed on the anniversary of the Fantastic Four's birth. Valeria, who has learned to speak by now, is giving the Thing trouble. The documentary interviews such people as James Kreig (the security guard who got fired after Reed Richards and his friends stole the spaceship), Herbert Eagle (Reed's old teacher), Henry Pym (scientist and the super-hero Yellowjacket), Marcia Hardesty (well-known videographer), the Black Panther (Four's ally), Prince Namor (acquintance of Fantastic Four), Dr. Victor von Doom (Richards's nemesis), Willie Lumpkin (Fantastic Four's mail carrier), Wyatt Wingfoot (unofficial team member), Spider-Man (well known super-hero), former members Luke Cage, Sharon Ventura and She-Hulk, Wolverine (Avenger and X-Man) and Tony Stark (Iron Man, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
Meanwhile Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic spend the night out, talking about their trust issues. The Richards decide to take a break from the Fantastic Four to work on their marriage. Luckily the Black Panther and Storm need a secure place to stay after the Wakandan Embassy was destroyed, and they have agreed to help the team.
Characters:
Atlanteans
Black Panther
"Baby" Cage
Luke Cage
Jewel Dinkins (flashback)
Doctor Doom
Herbert Eagle, Ph.D.
Christian Fullerton
Galactus
Marcia Hardesty
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
James Kreig
Willie Lumpkin
Mister Fantastic
Namor
Franklin Richards
Valeria Richards
She-Hulk
She-Thing
Silver Surfer
Spider-Man
Storm
Thing
Wyatt Wingfoot
Wolverine
Yellowjacket
Back-Up Story Title: If This Be… Anniversary!
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciler: Nick Dragotta
Inker: Mike Allred
Colorist: Laura Allred
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
The Mole Man and his army of Moloids are invading the world, starting with New York. The Pentagon tried calling to the Fantastic Four, but Mr. Fantastic hung up because nobody congratulated their 45th anniversary with Marvel.
Things get worse, when Stan Lee arrives to the Baxter Building. Stan thinks that they can beat the Mole Man without a fight and the Fantastic Four let him go face his doom. Finally, Mr. Fantastic agrees to go fight the Mole Man, but on their way out they are stopped by Stan Lee, who’s brought the Mole Man with him. The Mole Man stopped his invasion after being promised a cameo in the next Marvel movie. Stan also promises that the Marvel Bullpen will throw the Fantastic Four the world’s biggest party on their 50th anniversary, which makes everyone happy.
Characters:
Tom Brevoort
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Stan Lee
Molly Lazer
Mole Man
Moloids
Mister Fantastic
Joe Quesada
Franklin Richards
Aubrey Sitterson
Thing
Unidentified members of Marvel editorial crew
U.S. Army
Back-Up Story Title: A Day At The Races
Writer: Paul Pope
Artist: Paul Pope
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Some years ago, the Human Torch is working on a sports car with his friend, Wyatt Wingfoot. Johnny gets jealous when they see Spider-Man on TV, because he feels that Spider-Man gets more publicity. At the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson wants Peter Parker to take pictures of someone else, besides just Spider-Man. He tells Parker to go to the big formula run where Johnny Storm will be racing the following weekend.
Johnny Storm arrives to the race with his girlfriend Crystal, Wyatt Wingfoot and Gorgon. Parker isn’t able to see anything behind the crowd, so he dresses up as Spider-Man and climbs to a nearby radio tower. When Johnny notices him, he cannot control of himself and bursts into flames, destroying his car. The young heroes then fight each other until Crystal manages to cool them off. The following morning’s Daily Bugle tells about the fight between Spider-Man and Mysterio on the front page, and how the Human Torch destroyed his car and caused a scene at the race on page six.
Characters:
Crystal
Gorgon
Human Torch
J. Jonah Jameson
Mister Fantastic
Mysterio (mentioned)
Spider-Man
Thing
Wyatt Wingfoot
<hr>
Fantastic Four #544
May 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff544t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10937) http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff544rt.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10938)
Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter One
Story Title: From the Ridiculous to the Sublime* *but not necessarily in that order
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner (regular), Paul Pelletier (2nd printing)
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
New Costume: Human Torch, Thing
Since bombs were found in the wreckage of the Wakandan embassy, the Black Panther and his queen, Storm, need a safe place to stay while in New York. Iron Man wanted Mr. Fantastic to convince the Black Panther return to Wakanda because of his political views against the Superhuman Registration Act, but Reed, agreeing with the Panther about non-militarization of superhumans, declines. The Baxter Building even becomes the official Wakandan embassy for the time being. The Thing and the Human Torch return to their old, black F.F. uniforms in order to match with their guests’ costumes, while Reed and Sue leave for a second honeymoon on Titan, the moon of Saturn.
During the embassy’s move, Michael Collins (the former cyborg known as Deathlok) comes for help. The body of the late super-hero Gravity has been mysteriously stolen from his grave, and the Panther’s devices are able to tell that there was a black hole on the scene. Since their devices are not able to track its source, Storm proposes that they ask Uatu the Watcher about it. Michael accompanies the team, as they take Reed’s new fold spacecraft to the moon to meet this alien, whose race records everything that happens in the universe. At first, the Watcher doesn’t seem to notice them, until Storm steals his Ultimate Nullifier and the Black Panther threatens to use it against the alien. This means that both the Watcher and the Panther would be erased from the history altogether. This gets Uatu’s attention and he mentions that their destruction would be a pity because of the children T’Challa and Storm would eventually have (which is why the Watcher was present at their wedding). Uatu opens the Cyclopedia Universum, the combined knowledge of every Watcher ever, and the Thing is able to pick up the information needed from this well of knowledge.
The information leads the Fantastic Four to Epoch, a cosmic being that is trying to stay hidden from the Heralds of Galactus. Unfortunately, the brief clash with the Fantastic Four allows the Silver Surfer to find her.
Characters:
Black Panther
Michael Collins (Deathlok)
Epoch
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
Mister Fantastic
Silver Surfer
Stardust
Storm
Thing
Uatu the Watcher
Wakandans (W'Kabi, others)
<hr>
Fantastic Four #545
June 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff545t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10814)
Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter Two
Story Title: Don’t Make Me Embarrass You in Front of Your Friends
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Resurrection: Gravity
While Reed and Sue Richards arrive to Mentor’s winter home on Titan, the new Fantastic Four prepare to face the Silver Surfer elsewhere in the vast space. Wearing a life support bracelet, the Thing is able to go outside their ship and speak to the Surfer. The Surfer won’t change his mind and is about to sacrifice the entire region of space to his master, Galactus, so the Thing attacks him. The others join the fight and give Epoch enough time to finish her plans involving Gravity.
The Fantastic Four has no chance against the Silver Surfer and the arriving Stardust, another herald. The Surfer ends the fight and promises the humans enough time to obtain Gravity’s body. The Fantastic Four argue about allowing Epoch to be devoured by Galactus, who then arrives. The Black Panther tells Michael to bring down the ship and hurries off with it, leaving the rest behind. The Thing is about to attack the Surfer again, but they are stopped by the resurrected Gravity, the new Protector of the Universe.
Characters:
Black Panther
Michael Collins (Deathlok)
Epoch
Galactus
Gravity
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Mentor (holographic message)
Mister Fantastic
Silver Surfer
Stardust
Storm
Thing
<hr>
Fantastic Four #546
July 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff546t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10939)
Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter Three
Story Title: Aw, That’s Just Crude
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inkers: Rick Magyar & Scott Hanna
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
The Black Panther and the reluctant Michael Collins hurry back to Earth, to Wakanda to pick up supplies for his Galactus Contingency Plan. They travel back to space using King Solomon’s Frogs, one of which warps time and the other that warps space. Back in space, they find the others fighting the Heralds, and the Panther uses a special harness that leeches the Surfer’s power cosmic. The Panther gives the harness to the Human Torch, who then uses the Surfer’s powers against Stardust while the Panther uses his fists to beat the powerless Silver Surfer.
Gravity uses his new cosmic powers to hurt Galactus, before he can devour Epoch. Gravity releases all his cosmic powers to feed Galactus, who then restores his heralds and promises to leave Epoch alone. Gravity wants his old life back, so Epoch in return promises to find another Protector of the Universe. The new Fantastic Four, Michael Collins and Gravity then use the Frogs to travel back to Earth. Gravity, using his old powers, leaves to Wisconsin to tell his parents that he’s alive.
Meanwhile, Reed and Sue’s walk on a “beach” on Titan is interrupted when ISAAC, Titan’s super-computer, informs them about an unidentified object from hyperspace heading to Earth. Sue gives Reed a permission to investigate, but she’s going with him.
Characters:
Black Panther
Dora Milaje
Epoch
Galactus
Gravity
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
ISAAC
Michael Collins (Deathlok)
Mister Fantastic
Silver Surfer
Stardust
Storm
Taku
Thing
Wakandans
<hr>
Fantastic Four #547
August 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff547t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=11030)
Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter Four
Story Title: Never Ask Her If She’s Wearing Colored Contact Lenses
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
First Appearance: Contrasepsis, Odotopians
After an adventure in another dimension full of zombies, the Human Torch tries in vain to woo the Black Panther’s Dora Milaje.
In space, Reed and Sue find the unidentified object they were after. The artifact turns out to be biochemical and Sue gives Reed two days of time to study it while she goes back to Titan alone.
Back at the Baxter Building, Storm is furious when the Thing tells her that Michael Collins believed her hair not to be natural. Storm proves her point by forcing the Thing to lift her up in the air from her hair.
Mr. Fantastic goes to Camp Hammond in Stamford to ask help from Dr. Henry Pym in studying the alien artifact. They deduct that it has a message stored inside it in scent form, and Reed uses a new invention of his to translate the scents into a video recording. They learn about the Odotopian race that by now has probably been annihilated by Contrasepsis, a gigantic fleet that will head towards Earth once it has finished with the Odotopians. Reed and Henry contact the Fantastic Four, and the Black Panther takes the lead naturally, even too naturally to someone’s liking. They are interrupted by a message from the Frightful Four, who have captured Invisible Woman on Titan. As the heroes’ ship leaves to rescue, the Wizard’s device explodes the ship in the air.
Characters:
Black Panther
Contrasepsis (recording)
Dora Milaje
Human Torch
Hydro-Man
Invisible Woman
ISAAC
Mister Fantastic
Moro (mentioned)
She-Hulk
Storm
Thing
Titania
Trapster
Unnamed Odotopian (recording)
Unnamed trainees and personnel of Camp Hammond, Stamford
Unnamed Wakandan
War Machine
Wizard
Yellowjacket
Fantastic Four #524-535 | Fantastic Four #536-547 | Fantastic Four #548-559
May 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-536t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9523) http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-536v2t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9674)
Story Title: The Hammer Falls
Tie-In: The Road to Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kev Walker, Cam Smith & Kris Justice
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Andy Schmidt, Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Mr. Fantastic returns from a meeting of Illuminati just before the Fantastic Four are called to help a research installation in Oklahoma against an invasion of Doombots. The research station is still destroyed and Dr. Doom himself comes for Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, around which the installation had been built.
Characters:
Doombots
Doctor Doom
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
Mister Fantastic
Passengers of a small private airplane
General William Ray
Spider-Man
Thing
A page from New Avengers: Illuminati #1 is reprinted within the story. The page features Black Bolt, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic and Namor.
<hr>
Fantastic Four #537
June 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-537t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9623)
Story Title: The Hammer Falls Part Two
Tie-In: The Road to Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Cam Smith & Kris Justice
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Andy Schmidt, Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Death: Prime Minister of Latveria
Dr. Doom reveals that he escaped from Hell by following Mjolnir, which flew through Hell during Ragnarok. The Fantastic Four is unable to prevent him from getting to Mjolnir in Oklahoma but Doom is likewise unable to lift Mjolnir, even though he had been touched by the power of dying Asgardians. Doom manages only to “weak up” the hammer and leaves, claiming that he wouldn’t need it anyway.
Characters:
Asgardians
Balder
Donald Blake
Demons of Hell
Doombots
Doctor Doom
Executioner (Skurge)
Fandrall
Hogun
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Loki
Mister Fantastic
Prime Minister and two other members of Latverian government
Thing
Volstagg
<hr>
<a name="ff538">Fantastic Four #538</a>
August 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-538t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9826)
Story Title: Street Fighting
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kris Justice & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Continues from Civil War #2 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar2)
The rest of the Fantastic Four visit the comatose Human Torch in the hospital. Reed and Sue end up in an argument over the Superhuman Registration Act. Sue thinks it’s wrong to go hunting down their old friends who choose not to register. The Thing spends some time with Johnny before Sue returns from the Baxter Building. He then walks past a fight between two former Avengers, the government-sponsored Ms. Marvel and unregistered Silverclaw, and has a talk with the Yancy Street Gang that has been rioting against the S.R.A. Meanwhile Mouse of the Yancy Street Gang is given information about the captured unregistered heroes’ transport by Puppet Master and Donald Blake lifts Mjolnir in Oklahoma.
Continues in Civil War #3 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar3)
Characters:
Donald Blake
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Mister Fantastic
Ms. Marvel
N.Y.P.D.
Puppet Master
Silverclaw
The Thinker
Thing
Yancy Street Gang (Cee, Mouse, others)
<hr>
<a name="ff539">Fantastic Four #539</a>
September 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-539t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9970)
Story Title: Decisions Made
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kris Justice & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Death: Cee
Continues from Civil War #4 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar4)
Captain America and his Resistance plan how to free the captured heroes while they are being transported to a prison. They are approached by the Yancy Street Gang who give them the information they got from Puppet Master. Puppet Master and the Thinker plan to use the chance to control multiple heroes on both sides during the upcoming fight and kill as many of them as they can. The fight starts and the Thing ends up in the middle of it. Puppet Master controls Mouse to drop a bomb in the scene. The Thing is able to rescue the most of them, but Cee of the Yancy Street Gang dies. All the captured heroes got away and both sides are trying to win the Thing over to their side. The furious Thing tells them that he doesn’t support the S.R.A. but that he isn’t going to fight his government either and that he will leave the country.
Characters:
Captain America
Cloak
Dagger
Daredevil (Iron Fist)
Iron Man
Luke Cage
Ms. Marvel
Puppet Master
She-Hulk
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Spider-Man
The Thinker
Thing
Tigra
Wasp
Yancy Street Gang (Cee, Mouse, others)
Yellowjacket
<hr>
<a name="ff540">Fantastic Four #540</a>
November 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-540t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10133)
Story Title: Some Words Can Never Be Taken Back
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Quits: Thing (Fantastic Four)
In Baxter Building, Mr. Fantastic and some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are about to send the captured unregistered vigilante called Wildstreak to 42, a holding facility in the Negative Zone for unregistered superhumans, but the portal is short-circuited and Wildstreak is freed from her containment field. She is then helped to escape by Invisible Woman.
Sue and Reed have a fight about the Superhuman Registration Act and Reed’s activities to help their government capture unregistered heroes. Reed thinks that any law has to be obeyed, but Sue finds the law wrong and disagrees with Reed. During their argument, Sue lashes with her powers and does expensive damage to Baxter Building. The fight ends when Reed asks Sue to leave.
The Thing comes to tell Reed that since he is leaving the country, he is also leaving the Fantastic Four. The Thing has decided to go to Paris and Reed doesn’t try to convince him to stay. Iron Man brings Peter Parker to Baxter Building, so that they can show him 42. Afterwards Peter asks Reed why and Reed tells him about his late Uncle Ted, who opposed the House Un-American Activities Committee and got his life ruined. Reed thinks that his uncle was wrong to oppose the law and that the law is the thing that separates people from savages.
Continues in Civil War #4 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar4)
Characters:
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
Mister Fantastic
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Spider-Man
Thing
Wildstreak
<hr>
Fantastic Four #541
November 2006
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-541t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10414)
Story Title: Many Annoying Things, None of Them French
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning, Kris Justice & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
First Appearance: Les Heroes de Paris (Adamantine, Anaïs, Comte de Nuit, Détective Fantôme, La Lumiére Bleue, Le Cowboy, Le Docteur Q, Le Vent), L’Empereur du Monde Souterrain
Continues from Civil War #4 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar4)
The Thing is leaving to France to protest the Superhuman Registration Act. Outside the airport, he is stopped by three men, who are with the government; David Rose (immigration), John Clark (the I.R.S.) and an unidentified man who is there to deal with possible “unofficial” trouble. These men find the Thing’s departure problematic. They will freeze Ben’s accounts because he hasn’t paid income taxes on the trust fund he had recently cashed. The tax is over one hundred million dollars. The Thing is left with nothing but three thousand dollars in traveler’s checks, so he downgrades his flight ticket from first class to coach.
Finally arriving to Paris after a delayed flight, the Thing is looking for a good place to eat. He is recommended “le Rose et la Plume”, The Rose and Feather, by a street vendor. The Thing is enjoying the calmness of Paris while having a cup of coffee at an outdoors table. Suddenly, the platform under him is lowered to a basement and another platform replaces the hole left by the secret mechanism. The Thing is approached by the street vendor, who turns out to be a disguised super-hero, Adamantine, commander in absentia of Les Heroes de Paris, the Heroes of Paris. He asks the Thing to help them to save Paris and introduces the other members of his team. Over lunch, Adamantine explains the situation. L’Empereur du Monde Souterrain, the Emperor of the Underground World, has gathered an army of rock creatures and plans to destroy Paris by tunnelling beneath it.
The Thing is enjoying the fight against normal villains and as soon as they confront the rock creatures, il est temps de battre! The speedster Le Vent then throws the Thing at L’Empereur’s drilling machine. The villain vents about the cruelty of Paris and the Thing realizes that he has been turned down by someone he loves. The Thing destroys the machine, which causes the tunnel to collapse. Les Heroes de Paris escape, and so does the Thing, who brings L’Empereur with him. The rock creatures on the other hand are seemingly left in the collapsing tunnel. On the surface, a woman named Louise rushes into the arms of L’Empereur, René, and declares her love to him. She says yes to René’s proposal, just before he is left with the local police and the heroes head out for dinner.
Characters:
Adamantine
Anaïs
John Clark
Comte de Nuit
Le Cowboy
Détective Fantôme
Le Docteur Q
L'Empereur du Monde Souterrain & his army of rock creatures
Louise
La Lumiére Bleue
David Rose
Thing
Unidentified employee of the U.S. government
Le Vent
<hr>
Fantastic Four #542
March 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-542t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10503)
Story Title: We Used To Go To Hyperspace Just For Donuts
Tie-In: Civil War
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
The Human Torch is meeting with Mr. Fantastic in a coffee shop. After flirting with the woman at the register, the Torch asks Reed why he shouldn’t leave the Fantastic Four too. Reed isn’t sure that Johnny is helping Sue and the resistance against the Superhuman Registration Act, the S.H.R.A. Reed tries to convince Johnny that the law is absolutely necessary, before taking him to Queens, where they break in the Mad Thinker’s hideout. The Thinker agrees to do a favour for Mr. Fantastic.
After returning to the Baxter Building, Reed first speaks with John Porter from Damage Control. They talk about repairs to the building and Porter thanks Mr. Fantastic for staying as their customer, now that the rival Halliburton’s is getting most of the work. Valeria then throws a toy block at Porter through a hole on the ceiling. She’s already talking. Reed tells the kids to stop their play and go find Aunt Alicia, and promises to take them to the park later.
In France, the Thing and Anaïs of Les Heroes de Paris defeat a cell of the terrorist Hydra organization. Afterwards Anaïs praises the time that Les Heroes have had with the Thing, but leaves him after telling him not to abandon his friends in the States. The Thing is then found by the Human Torch, who has flown to Paris with the Fantasticar. The Thing takes a short trip down the memory lane and is remembering how they used to play poker with his friend Goliath, a casualty of the Civil War. The Torch asks Ben to come back and leaves him part of the Fantasticar.
In the Baxter Building, Mr. Fantastic takes the Thinker to his private sanctuary, where no one else has ever been before. Reed wants the genius villain to check his equations on social dynamics. Psychohistory was the first completely new field of science that Reed had invented, after being influenced by a science fiction novel that he had read as a 12-year old. With psychohistory, Reed can accurately predict future social trends by mathematically modeling history, although this cannot be used to predict actions of individuals. Reed had ran thirty-one different scenarios with the recent conflicts, and come to the conclusion that the S.H.R.A., the prison in the Negative Zone, and Tony Stark’s other plans are the only way to prevent deaths of billions. The Thinker finds no error in the equations and takes joy over seeing Mr. Fantastic losing his loved ones for supporting the S.H.R.A. The Thinker guesses that Invisible Woman has been watching them the whole time and tells her to show herself. Sue is hurt because Reed had lied about his motives, which Reed claims to have done to protect her. Sue tells Reed that the resistance will beat the odds by doing the right thing and leaves, and after her departure, Reed says that it’s not going to work.
Continues in Civil War #5 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar5)
Characters:
Anaïs
Lenny Ballinger
Captain America (flashback)
Giant-Man (Bill Foster, flashback)
Human Torch
Hydra
Iron Man (flashback)
Invisible Woman
Mad Thinker
Mister Fantastic
Nick Fury (flashback)
John Porter
Franklin Richards
Valeria Richards
Thing
<hr>
Fantastic Four #543
January 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/ffv3-543t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10736)
Story Title: C’mon, Suzie, Don’t Leave Us Hangin’
Tie-In: Civil War Epilogue
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Mike McKone
Inkers: Andy Lanning & Cam Smith
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Adi Granov
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Joins: Black Panther & Storm
Quits: Invisible Woman & Mr. Fantastic
Continues from Civil War #7 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=39477#civilwar7)
The Thing and the Human Torch are watching a documentary of the Fantastic Four’s career and putting the kids to bed on the anniversary of the Fantastic Four's birth. Valeria, who has learned to speak by now, is giving the Thing trouble. The documentary interviews such people as James Kreig (the security guard who got fired after Reed Richards and his friends stole the spaceship), Herbert Eagle (Reed's old teacher), Henry Pym (scientist and the super-hero Yellowjacket), Marcia Hardesty (well-known videographer), the Black Panther (Four's ally), Prince Namor (acquintance of Fantastic Four), Dr. Victor von Doom (Richards's nemesis), Willie Lumpkin (Fantastic Four's mail carrier), Wyatt Wingfoot (unofficial team member), Spider-Man (well known super-hero), former members Luke Cage, Sharon Ventura and She-Hulk, Wolverine (Avenger and X-Man) and Tony Stark (Iron Man, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
Meanwhile Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic spend the night out, talking about their trust issues. The Richards decide to take a break from the Fantastic Four to work on their marriage. Luckily the Black Panther and Storm need a secure place to stay after the Wakandan Embassy was destroyed, and they have agreed to help the team.
Characters:
Atlanteans
Black Panther
"Baby" Cage
Luke Cage
Jewel Dinkins (flashback)
Doctor Doom
Herbert Eagle, Ph.D.
Christian Fullerton
Galactus
Marcia Hardesty
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
James Kreig
Willie Lumpkin
Mister Fantastic
Namor
Franklin Richards
Valeria Richards
She-Hulk
She-Thing
Silver Surfer
Spider-Man
Storm
Thing
Wyatt Wingfoot
Wolverine
Yellowjacket
Back-Up Story Title: If This Be… Anniversary!
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciler: Nick Dragotta
Inker: Mike Allred
Colorist: Laura Allred
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
The Mole Man and his army of Moloids are invading the world, starting with New York. The Pentagon tried calling to the Fantastic Four, but Mr. Fantastic hung up because nobody congratulated their 45th anniversary with Marvel.
Things get worse, when Stan Lee arrives to the Baxter Building. Stan thinks that they can beat the Mole Man without a fight and the Fantastic Four let him go face his doom. Finally, Mr. Fantastic agrees to go fight the Mole Man, but on their way out they are stopped by Stan Lee, who’s brought the Mole Man with him. The Mole Man stopped his invasion after being promised a cameo in the next Marvel movie. Stan also promises that the Marvel Bullpen will throw the Fantastic Four the world’s biggest party on their 50th anniversary, which makes everyone happy.
Characters:
Tom Brevoort
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Stan Lee
Molly Lazer
Mole Man
Moloids
Mister Fantastic
Joe Quesada
Franklin Richards
Aubrey Sitterson
Thing
Unidentified members of Marvel editorial crew
U.S. Army
Back-Up Story Title: A Day At The Races
Writer: Paul Pope
Artist: Paul Pope
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Some years ago, the Human Torch is working on a sports car with his friend, Wyatt Wingfoot. Johnny gets jealous when they see Spider-Man on TV, because he feels that Spider-Man gets more publicity. At the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson wants Peter Parker to take pictures of someone else, besides just Spider-Man. He tells Parker to go to the big formula run where Johnny Storm will be racing the following weekend.
Johnny Storm arrives to the race with his girlfriend Crystal, Wyatt Wingfoot and Gorgon. Parker isn’t able to see anything behind the crowd, so he dresses up as Spider-Man and climbs to a nearby radio tower. When Johnny notices him, he cannot control of himself and bursts into flames, destroying his car. The young heroes then fight each other until Crystal manages to cool them off. The following morning’s Daily Bugle tells about the fight between Spider-Man and Mysterio on the front page, and how the Human Torch destroyed his car and caused a scene at the race on page six.
Characters:
Crystal
Gorgon
Human Torch
J. Jonah Jameson
Mister Fantastic
Mysterio (mentioned)
Spider-Man
Thing
Wyatt Wingfoot
<hr>
Fantastic Four #544
May 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff544t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10937) http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff544rt.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10938)
Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter One
Story Title: From the Ridiculous to the Sublime* *but not necessarily in that order
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner (regular), Paul Pelletier (2nd printing)
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
New Costume: Human Torch, Thing
Since bombs were found in the wreckage of the Wakandan embassy, the Black Panther and his queen, Storm, need a safe place to stay while in New York. Iron Man wanted Mr. Fantastic to convince the Black Panther return to Wakanda because of his political views against the Superhuman Registration Act, but Reed, agreeing with the Panther about non-militarization of superhumans, declines. The Baxter Building even becomes the official Wakandan embassy for the time being. The Thing and the Human Torch return to their old, black F.F. uniforms in order to match with their guests’ costumes, while Reed and Sue leave for a second honeymoon on Titan, the moon of Saturn.
During the embassy’s move, Michael Collins (the former cyborg known as Deathlok) comes for help. The body of the late super-hero Gravity has been mysteriously stolen from his grave, and the Panther’s devices are able to tell that there was a black hole on the scene. Since their devices are not able to track its source, Storm proposes that they ask Uatu the Watcher about it. Michael accompanies the team, as they take Reed’s new fold spacecraft to the moon to meet this alien, whose race records everything that happens in the universe. At first, the Watcher doesn’t seem to notice them, until Storm steals his Ultimate Nullifier and the Black Panther threatens to use it against the alien. This means that both the Watcher and the Panther would be erased from the history altogether. This gets Uatu’s attention and he mentions that their destruction would be a pity because of the children T’Challa and Storm would eventually have (which is why the Watcher was present at their wedding). Uatu opens the Cyclopedia Universum, the combined knowledge of every Watcher ever, and the Thing is able to pick up the information needed from this well of knowledge.
The information leads the Fantastic Four to Epoch, a cosmic being that is trying to stay hidden from the Heralds of Galactus. Unfortunately, the brief clash with the Fantastic Four allows the Silver Surfer to find her.
Characters:
Black Panther
Michael Collins (Deathlok)
Epoch
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Iron Man
Mister Fantastic
Silver Surfer
Stardust
Storm
Thing
Uatu the Watcher
Wakandans (W'Kabi, others)
<hr>
Fantastic Four #545
June 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff545t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10814)
Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter Two
Story Title: Don’t Make Me Embarrass You in Front of Your Friends
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Resurrection: Gravity
While Reed and Sue Richards arrive to Mentor’s winter home on Titan, the new Fantastic Four prepare to face the Silver Surfer elsewhere in the vast space. Wearing a life support bracelet, the Thing is able to go outside their ship and speak to the Surfer. The Surfer won’t change his mind and is about to sacrifice the entire region of space to his master, Galactus, so the Thing attacks him. The others join the fight and give Epoch enough time to finish her plans involving Gravity.
The Fantastic Four has no chance against the Silver Surfer and the arriving Stardust, another herald. The Surfer ends the fight and promises the humans enough time to obtain Gravity’s body. The Fantastic Four argue about allowing Epoch to be devoured by Galactus, who then arrives. The Black Panther tells Michael to bring down the ship and hurries off with it, leaving the rest behind. The Thing is about to attack the Surfer again, but they are stopped by the resurrected Gravity, the new Protector of the Universe.
Characters:
Black Panther
Michael Collins (Deathlok)
Epoch
Galactus
Gravity
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
Mentor (holographic message)
Mister Fantastic
Silver Surfer
Stardust
Storm
Thing
<hr>
Fantastic Four #546
July 2007
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/newff546t.jpg (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10939)
Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter Three
Story Title: Aw, That’s Just Crude
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inkers: Rick Magyar & Scott Hanna
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
The Black Panther and the reluctant Michael Collins hurry back to Earth, to Wakanda to pick up supplies for his Galactus Contingency Plan. They travel back to space using King Solomon’s Frogs, one of which warps time and the other that warps space. Back in space, they find the others fighting the Heralds, and the Panther uses a special harness that leeches the Surfer’s power cosmic. The Panther gives the harness to the Human Torch, who then uses the Surfer’s powers against Stardust while the Panther uses his fists to beat the powerless Silver Surfer.
Gravity uses his new cosmic powers to hurt Galactus, before he can devour Epoch. Gravity releases all his cosmic powers to feed Galactus, who then restores his heralds and promises to leave Epoch alone. Gravity wants his old life back, so Epoch in return promises to find another Protector of the Universe. The new Fantastic Four, Michael Collins and Gravity then use the Frogs to travel back to Earth. Gravity, using his old powers, leaves to Wisconsin to tell his parents that he’s alive.
Meanwhile, Reed and Sue’s walk on a “beach” on Titan is interrupted when ISAAC, Titan’s super-computer, informs them about an unidentified object from hyperspace heading to Earth. Sue gives Reed a permission to investigate, but she’s going with him.
Characters:
Black Panther
Dora Milaje
Epoch
Galactus
Gravity
Human Torch
Invisible Woman
ISAAC
Michael Collins (Deathlok)
Mister Fantastic
Silver Surfer
Stardust
Storm
Taku
Thing
Wakandans
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Fantastic Four #547
August 2007
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Story Arc: Reconstruction: Chapter Four
Story Title: Never Ask Her If She’s Wearing Colored Contact Lenses
Tie-In: The Initiative
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Michael Turner
Assistant Editor: Molly Lazer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
First Appearance: Contrasepsis, Odotopians
After an adventure in another dimension full of zombies, the Human Torch tries in vain to woo the Black Panther’s Dora Milaje.
In space, Reed and Sue find the unidentified object they were after. The artifact turns out to be biochemical and Sue gives Reed two days of time to study it while she goes back to Titan alone.
Back at the Baxter Building, Storm is furious when the Thing tells her that Michael Collins believed her hair not to be natural. Storm proves her point by forcing the Thing to lift her up in the air from her hair.
Mr. Fantastic goes to Camp Hammond in Stamford to ask help from Dr. Henry Pym in studying the alien artifact. They deduct that it has a message stored inside it in scent form, and Reed uses a new invention of his to translate the scents into a video recording. They learn about the Odotopian race that by now has probably been annihilated by Contrasepsis, a gigantic fleet that will head towards Earth once it has finished with the Odotopians. Reed and Henry contact the Fantastic Four, and the Black Panther takes the lead naturally, even too naturally to someone’s liking. They are interrupted by a message from the Frightful Four, who have captured Invisible Woman on Titan. As the heroes’ ship leaves to rescue, the Wizard’s device explodes the ship in the air.
Characters:
Black Panther
Contrasepsis (recording)
Dora Milaje
Human Torch
Hydro-Man
Invisible Woman
ISAAC
Mister Fantastic
Moro (mentioned)
She-Hulk
Storm
Thing
Titania
Trapster
Unnamed Odotopian (recording)
Unnamed trainees and personnel of Camp Hammond, Stamford
Unnamed Wakandan
War Machine
Wizard
Yellowjacket
Fantastic Four #524-535 | Fantastic Four #536-547 | Fantastic Four #548-559