Fantastic Four #333
The Dream Is Dead
The Avengers have come to Four Freedoms Plaza to confront the Fantastic Four over their new "Fantasti-Tax" they are imposing on the citizens of New York City. They have brought Doctor Strange along with them as the group suspects that some sort of outside influence must be affecting the FF. Demanding an audience with the group, they are met by what are -- unknown to them -- clones of the real Fantastic Four created by Aron the Rogue Watcher. When Captain America questions the Fantastic Four's recent activities, "Reed" dismisses them as "Johnny-come-latleys" and has "Sue" eject them from the building with his invisibility powers. Having had enough insults, Hercules comes crashing back in on the phony Fantastic Four, and soon a fight breaks out. However as sudden as the fight begins, the fake Fantastic Four are suddenly teleported away by parties unknown. Confused by this sudden disappearance, the Avengers and Doctor Strange part company to pursue investigations on where the Fantastic Four might have gone.
The clones themselves have found themselves teleported to the Canadian Rockies just outside of Aron's hideout. Entering the cavern they are shocked to see that their creator is trapped within a cryogenic suspension tube while his former prisoners -- the real Fantastic Four and their foes the Frightful Four -- are battling it out with each other, with Dragon Man added to the mix. The battle takes a brief pause when the clones enter the room, and they suddenly decide to kill the real Fantastic Four. The real Human Torch listens to the way the clones are talking and tries to explain that they are just as many pawns of Aron as they are. However, Johnny's explanations fall on deaf ears as the clone of Mister Fantastic proclaims himself to be the real Mr. Fantastic. Suddenly the Wizard and his Frightful Four ambush the clones. This leads to a three-way battle with the clones trying to destroy the real Fantastic Four, and the Frightful Four trying to kill both parties. The brawl starts off with mismatched battles between all sides, but eventually, each of the members of the Fantastic Four faces off against their clones while the Frightful Four watch from the sidelines.
Eventually, it begins to show that the real Fantastic Four are the superior fighters due to their years of experience and the Wizard decides to end the fight by incapacitating the clones with his anti-gravity discs. While the Fantastic Four are busy knocking out their clones, the Frightful Four try to make a break for it but are stopped by the heroes. By this point, Aron's failsafe has kicked in and he has been freed from cryogenic suspension. His experiment coming to an end, Aron has come to a decision on how to resolve matters. First, he sends the Frightful Four off to the Vault to be imprisoned, he then tells the Fantastic Four that he was more interested in dreams and plans on using the clones for just that, then uses his powers to teleport the Fantastic Four back to the Four Freedoms Plaza in Manhattan. Back home, the group recalls having strange dreams that they can hardly remember while they were frozen and then begin the frantic rush to try to explain to the media and the authorities what really was happening while they were kept, prisoner.
They also arrange to have both branches of the Avengers travel to Oakley, California, with Alicia and Franklin to pay a visit to current Fantastic Four writer "John Harkness" to ask him to set the record straight in the Fantastic Four comics. Listening to young Franklin's appeals "John" tells the boy he will see what he can do.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Ms. Marvel, Ben Grimm), “Alicia Masters”, Franklin Richards, Avengers (Captain America, Thor, She-Hulk, Hercules), Doctor Strange, Aron the Rogue Watcher, Fantastic Four Clones, Frightful Four (Wizard, Hydro-Man, Titania, Klaw), Avengers West Coast (Wasp, Tigra, Wonder Man, Scarlet Witch, Henry Pym), “John Harkness”
Continuity Notes
The Fantastic Four have been in suspended animation and replaced by evil clones since Fantastic Four #328 who have been running amok in New York City since then.
During the Avengers argument with the clones Fantastic Four, the Fantastic Four is referred as the "first" super-hero team to exist. This is not entirely accurate since there were many teams of heroes in other eras, most notably Mystery Men of the 1920s, the Invaders of World War II, and the First Line who were active from the 60's until the 80's among many others. (See Mystery Men #1, Giant-Size Invaders #1, and Marvel: The Lost Generation #12 for more details.)
She-Hulk mentions she should have gone looking for Dragon Man with Ben Grimm. This is a reference to Fantastic Four #328 when Ben last contacted She-Hulk.
Captain America mentions that he was one of the "original heroes of Earth". As above this is not entirely accurate. However, he was one of the first of the 1940s. Captain America gained his abilities in 1941, as per Captain America Comics #1. He certainly not THE first of that era though, that distinction is given to the Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch who surfaced circa 1939, per Marvel Comics #1.
The clones use of the phrases "Johnny-Come-Lately" and "Yea Bo!" are dated 1960s slang that was commonly used in early Fantastic Four comics published between 1961 and 1965.
The clone of Reed refers to the "Battle of the Baxter Building" coming "early this time!" The clones of the Fantastic Four have been recreating the early adventures of the Fantastic Four, they started with battling the Mole Man in Fantastic Four #329 trying to replicate the first battle the FF had with him circa Fantastic Four #1. "The Battle of the Baxter Building" is a reference to the Fantastic Four's battle against Doctor Doom who controlled the Fantastic Four's original headquarters the Baxter Building at the time. That battle occurred in Fantastic Four #40 (that issue was titled "Battle of the Baxter Building").
Sue mentions her dream about Doctor Doom battling Kristoff Vernard, that dream happened in Fantastic Four #330.
"John Harkness" is actually writer Steve Englehart. A pseudonym is used out of protest due to Englehart's dissatisfaction with the editorial direction he was forced to take in the series. Like other Marvel Comics creators, his appearance here is not considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. All creators who appear in the modern age are depicted as being in their prime and are usually exempt from the rules regarding Topical References.
