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Leaving Latveria's fate in the hands of its interim ruler Zorba, Ben asks what the Fantastic Four will do now that they're a team again. Reed demurs, suggesting that with Doom defeated, there's no need for a Fantastic Four.

This earns a sharp rebuke from Sue, but as the Pogo Plane lands on the Baxter Building, Reed defers further discussion. The team re-enters its old headquarters only to be confronted by Mr. Collins, who claims he can't find tenants since the Fantastic Four moved out because of fears of imminent attack by the foursome's enemies.

After striking a deal with their landlord the team begin putting their house in order: Reed supervises the re-installation of his old equipment, Sue and Johnny engage in some sibling horseplay, and Ben... well, Ben pumps some iron. As Reed ponders the wisdom of reuniting the Fantastic Four, a mutated microbe from one of his experiments attacks him. Simultaneously Ben's exercises are cut short when one of his magnetic dumbbells malfunctions, sending him careering through the walls of the building.

At the same time Sue is attacked by the building's automated security lasers, which rupture a water pipe and threaten to drown her, and Johnny by some fire suppressant foam. The team is being threatened by its own building! Johnny manages to escape in time to help Ben, and the pair help revive Sue. Reed contacts the three, telling them to head for the central power core where shutting it down will end the attacks.

However, numerous security systems lie in their path and stall their arrival, and it is left to Sue to disarm the main core, which she manages to isolate with a force field as it self-destructs. The mystery remains, however, as to why their own security systems should attack the team and Reed promises to look into it. The team celebrates its reunion with champagne.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing), Walter Collins, Princes Zorba, Quasimodo

Continuity Notes

• Events occur between the pages of this issue:

  • After page 3 of this story the team is active in the pages of Fantastic Four Annual #12 where the team assists the Inhuman royal family liberate Attilan from the Sphinx.

  • Followed by Ben's battle against the Cult of Entropy in Marvel Two-In-One #42-43.

  • Followed by the team clashing with the Mole Man in Fantastic Four Annual #13.

• Walter Collins was the Fantastic Four's landlord from Fantastic Four #9 to Fantastic Four #191 when the team disbanded. Collins had wanted to evict the Fantastic Four as early as Fantastic Four #111.

• Reed's equipment was in storage with SHIELD since the FF broke up in Fantastic Four #191, with the exception of the Pogo Plane, which Reed recovered in Fantastic Four #196 when he initially went to rescue the team from Doctor Doom.

• Reed's computer systems were compromised by Quasimodo. This and his motivations for doing so are revealed next issue.

• This is the second time since Fantastic Four #3 that a schematic of the Fantastic Four's headquarters within the Baxter Building is provided to the reader. The last schematic having been provided in Fantastic Four Annual #1. Changes include rearrangements of various rooms, the addition of the Negative Zone portal room, while Reed and Sue now share a bedroom, leaving Sue's former private quarters to be inhabited by their son Franklin Richards.