Fantastic Four #114
But Who Shall Stop the Over-Mind?
The Fantastic Four have been arrested on orders of the mayor of New York City, but Reed has paid their bail at the courthouse so that they can be released and deal with the looming threat of the Over-Mind. Outside, they are mobbed by a throng of reporters that Johnny sends packing by creating a smokescreen. Seeking a quick getaway, Reed helps the members of his team reach the Pogo-Plane which has been parked on the roof of a nearby building.
As the Fantastic Four begin boarding their plane, the Over-Mind appears on the street where he is confronted by a bunch of hippies that are interested in his attire. Seeking a means to walk around as unnoticed as possible, the Over-Mind uses his vast powers to reshape his clothing to resemble that of the hippies he has encountered and disappears into the crowd. The alien invader then witnesses the Fantastic Four still trying to board the Pogo-Plane and is intrigued by their powers. When the Over-Mind grabs the Thing, Ben tries to threaten his unknown foe and gets a taste of the Over-Mind's strength when the alien punches Ben through the ground.
As Johnny and Ben battle it out with the Over-Mind, Reed, and Sue manage to get into the Pogo-Plane. The Over-Mind easily overpowers each of the Fantastic Four. Satisfied that they pose no threat to him, he resumes his disguise and erases the FF's memories of their battle against him and allows them to leave. When the Fantastic Four return to the Baxter Building, they arrive just as Walter Collins finishes putting a massive lock on the door to their headquarters. When Collins insists once again that the Fantastic Four have been evicted from the premises, the Thing easily shatters the lock with his bare hands. Reed then tosses Collins out of their headquarters and locks him out. Back in their headquarters, Ben gets a mail delivery from Willie Lumpkin -- another gag letter from the Yancy Street Gang. After the stink bomb goes off in Ben's face, Reed tells his team to settle in, and they begin recapping what has recently happened. Reed starts with talking of the Thing's rampage in New York and battle with the Hulk. He also recounts the warnings from both the Watcher and Agatha Harkness regarding the Over-Mind. Reed then tells them that they can't wait for the Over-Mind to make his first strike, and they begin planning. Meanwhile, the Over-Mind returns to a junkyard where he has hidden his ship to record his progress on his Tablet of the Eternals, before hiding his ship once again.
Seeking to find out what the Watcher knows about the Over-Mind, Reed contacts Agatha Harkness and has her return to the Baxter Building with Franklin. When the old witch arrives, Reed asks her to help them contact the Watcher. Using the Thing and Torch to assist in her spell, Agatha manages to project her mind toward the Watcher's citadel on the moon. Greeting his visitor, the Watcher agrees to finally reveal the secrets of the Over-Mind and explain why the universe is doomed.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing), Agatha Harkness, The Watcher, Overmind, Franklin Richards, Willie Lumpkin
Continuity Notes
The Yancy Street Gang plays pranks on the Thing due to the fact that he quit the gang as a young man, as seen in the Thing #1.
The Eternals that Over-Mind is referring to are the Eternals of Eyung as identified in Fantastic Four #115 and Quasar #16. They have no known connection to the Eternals of Earth.
