Fantastic Four #47
Beware the Hidden Land!
The Human Torch and the Thing fly off to confront the Dragon Man, leaving Reed and Sue in the Seeker's Fortress to look after Triton. Without water to revitalize him, Triton is quickly suffocating. Sue erects a force field around his body to keep him steady, while Reed pumps water from a fire hose into the bubble to replenish him.
Outside, the Thing and the Torch tangle with the Dragon Man. The Dragon Man slaps the Thing with his tail, sending him crashing through the window of Alicia Masters' studio apartment. Johnny continues the fight and changes his heat blasts to ultra violet radiation. Intensifying the heat, he weakens the Dragon Man and the creature eventually falls down unconscious.
Back at the Fortress, the Seeker arranges to collect Triton. Reed has succeeded in saving Triton's life, but he is reluctant to interfere with Inhuman law. Sue pressures him to do something, but Reed snaps at her. Before the Seeker takes Triton away, Reed secretly plants a homing device on the Inhuman.
Meanwhile, the Royal Family of the Inhumans returns to their home land, the Great Refuge. The reigning king, Maximus, learns of their arrival and unleashes the Alpha Primitives to combat them. Maximus is the brother of Black Bolt. Black Bolt flies directly into the Primitives sending them scattering. After a brief battle, Maximus enters the chamber and apologizes for the effrontery. He claims that the Alpha Primitives had escaped on their own. Realizing that he cannot hope to win out over Black Bolt's courageousness, Maximus hands the crown of leadership over to his brother.
The Fantastic Four take a private jet to the Andes Mountains and locate the Great Refuge. They set down and Reed and Sue bicker some more. Sue decides to change her hairstyle to get Reed to notice her more.
They eventually come upon the Royal Family. Crystal and Johnny are reunited, but Black Bolt stands ready for battle. Speaking for her liege, Medusa declares that non-Inhumans are not welcome in the Great Refuge. Reed says that the Inhumans should not have to live in seclusion, and should live alongside the rest of humanity.
Meanwhile, Maximus retires to his laboratory. He preps his Atmo-Gun and declares that he will use it to destroy all of humanity.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing), Inhumans (Black Bolt, Medusa, Crystal, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, Lockjaw, Maximus, Seeker, Aireo (Unidentified)), Alicia Masters, Alpha Primitives
Continuity Notes
Triton's inability to breath has been a handicap since he was exposed to the Terrigen Mists as explained in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #11.
The battle with Dragon Man in this story is recounted in Avengers #41.
The home of the Inhumans is referred to as the Great Refuge here, as it is most commonly called. It's official named is Attilan as revealed in Thor #146. This issue places it in the Andes Mountains of South America, but most other appearances place it in the Himalayas of Asia. The reference to Attilan existing in the Andes here is an error as late recountings correctly state that this story takes place in the Himalayas.
It is later revealed in Inhumans Special #1 that Maximus seized the Inhuman throne by creating the Trikon, a powerful creature spawned from three Alpha Primitives exposed to the Terrigen Mist. While the rest of the Royal Family was busy fighting this menace, Maximus sized the throne.
The Alpha Primitives are a genetically modified slave class among Inhuman society. This was first specifically cited in Fantastic Four #132.
Karnak's abilities displayed here are not the product of being exposed to the Terrigen Mist, but his training as a monk as revealed in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #3
Maximus is called insane in this story, and rightly so. He was driven mad after hearing his brother Black Bolt's scream as seen in Avengers #95.
As revealed in Fantastic Four #59, the reason why Black Bolt cannot speak is due to the fact that his voice is so powerful a mere whisper can level a mountain. His origins are explored in Thor #148.
The Invisible Girl changes her hairstyle in this issue. She will maintain this same hairstyle until John Byrne's second run on the Fantastic Four series beginning with Fantastic Four #232.
The flying Inhuman that the Fantastic Four first encounter as they reach Attilan was later identified as Aerio in Incredible Hulk Annual #1.
