Fantastic Four Annual #22

Dec 27

Dec 27 Fantastic Four Annual #22

For Crown and Conquest!

IMG 2019 19 12 27 20 22 38 07fc3.png — Credits

This story continues from Thor Annual #14…

Deep in the Pacific Ocean, the Fantastic Four and members of both the east and west coast Avengers are en route to Lemuria to prevent Ghaur and his minions from unleashing the power of the Serpent Crown and rescue the seven female super-heroes who have been enslaved as potential brides to the demon Set.

Aboard one of the Avengers Quinjets, Captain America and Iron Man assure the Vision that they will rescue his wife the Scarlet Witch from their foes. As the rest of the Avengers recap the current situation, Iron Man asks if the Vision still has any feelings for his wife after his recent transformation. The Vision tells his armored teammate that his only concern is for that of a fellow comrade as he is incapable of feeling emotions anymore. While aboard the other Quinjet, Captain Marvel has come to the conclusion that the situation would have to come to this current final showdown against Ghaur and Llyra. Pym tells Marvel that it can't be that dire given that Thor and his team of heroes banished Set to his home dimension, curtailing many of their enemies’ plans. The Black Panther and the Black Widow both caution Pym that a rat is most dangerous when it is cornered. But Pym is convinced that with the assemblage of heroes they have with them that they have a good chance of winning the battle ahead. While aboard the Fantastic Four's submarine, Thor also has grim feelings of the coming battle even though they are presently shielded by one of Doctor Strange's spells. Reed also feels the same way, given his field of expertise is science he does not have full faith in magic. When Sharon comments about how Doctor Strange was supposed to be death, Johnny reminds her that his continued existence has helped them track the Serpent Crown since it was moved from Magneto's island.

This gets Ben talking about the events leading up to the current situation, recounting how the Silver Surfer first fought Ghaur in space, or how the Serpent Society got a hold of some mystical artifacts shortly thereafter, how Moon Knight came to the aid of the Punisher when Viper injected him with drugs, and how Daredevil was forced to battle Spider-Man to free him from a cult of Set worshipers, and lastly how the New Mutants battled Attuma on Avengers Island alongside Namorita.

Meanwhile, in Deviant Lemuria, Ghaur and Llyra are angered by the fact that Thor successfully summoned the Demogorge who then severed the many heads of Set and cast them into various different dimensions. Ghaur laments that he was unable to retain the Power Cosmic but spent it reconstituting himself after being destroyed by the Eternals Uni-Mind and later in his battle against the Silver Surfer. Llyra tells him to look on the bright side, they still have the armies of Lemuria that are loyal to their every whim and will vigorously defend them from any attacks. They also still have their new massive Serpent Crown, and she mentions that if they sacrifice the Seven Brides of Set, they could generate the power to reform their master Set and still win. But Llyra warns Ghaur not to deceive her like he fooled the Atlantean warriors he tricked into attacking the surface world earlier in their schemes. As they weigh the odds of the situation, they are contacted by one of the guards who informs them that three surface vessels are approaching Lemuria.

Soon the two Quinjets and the FF's ship land within Lemuria and the heroes emerge to face the charging armies of Lemuria. Llyra warns her minions to keep the heroes at bay while they prepare the sacrifice of the Brides. The combined efforts of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four tear into the attacking armies. Doctor Strange is assisted by Thor, while the others tear into their enemies bent on recovering the captured women. The two Human Torch's are more than happy to be working together after their last encounter when the android Torch was under the thrall of the Mad Thinker. As Reed continues to fight he notices the Vision and wishes he could be as cold and detached about rescuing his own wife as the Vision is for his spouse the Scarlet Witch, but then corrects himself thinking that sort of detachment is to be avoided.

As the heroes continue to battle through their foes, Ghaur has the Seven Brides of Set spun around. When Llyra questions the usefulness of this, Ghaur explains that it is part of a ritual to siphon the Bride's life energies into the Serpent Crown. As the Fantastic Four get closer to Ghaur's fortress, Llyra activates the outer defenses to keep them at bay. However before she can fire, she and Ghaur are interrupted by the sudden arrival of the Sub-Mariner who managed to survive his apparent death. He quickly leaps outside and helps the heroes incapacitate the massive cannon charged to fire upon them. With the main gates sealed and no way to break through, Namor has another solution on how to get in. Diving back into the ocean, Namor leads Reed, Johnny, Ben, and Sharon to another access hatch. Along the way, he reminds them that he wishes to get revenge against Llyra for murdering his first wife, Lady Dorma as well as her union with Tiger Shark that led to the death of his father. They manage to get the hatch open and get inside before the chamber completely floods. He then leads them to the main chamber where Ghaur and Llyra are keeping their massive Serpent Crown and the Brides. As they come crashing through, Reed notices that his wife and the other prisoners are beginning to fade away, noting that they don't have much time left.

Llyra orders her minions to attack, Namor attacks her and Ben tries to destroy the spinning pedestal where the Brides are spinning into nothingness. Ghaur uses his powers to control Ben's mind setting him to attack Ms. Marvel instead. While Namor begins to falter against Llyra, Mister Fantastic is also enthralled by Ghaur and ordered to attack the Human Torch, and vice versa. Even though they are aware that they are being controlled, the members of the Fantastic Four cannot help themselves but to attack their teammates. As Ghaur gloats, Llyra shows Namor images of his dead wives, Dorma and Marrina and offers to bring them back to life whichever one he wishes if she agrees to join him. Namor refuses and smashes both of the constructs, revealing them to be nothing but illusions and freeing his cousin Namorita in the process. Ghaur orders Llyra to quit tormenting the Sub-Mariner and join his side in defending the Serpent Crown, as the Fantastic Four shake off the control Ghaur had over them. Llyra refuses, needing to defeat the Sub-Mariner. When the Fantastic Four charge against Ghaur, he decides that his only recourse is to delve deep into the power of the Serpent Crown and use its secret powers.

Although Ghaur manages to down the Human Torch, the rest of the Fantastic Four manage to dodge the blast. However, Ghaur's probes into the Serpent Crown awaken the spirit of its former holder, Naga of Lemuria. Naga explains that the reconstruction of the Serpent Crown has resurrected his spirit and he now seeks to reclaim its power. Refusing to give it up, Ghaur is forced to defend himself against Naga. The resulting conflagration results in Naga, Ghaur, and Llyra seemingly being blinked out of existence. Without their foes around, the Seven Brides of Set are freed from their trances and the marks of Set disappear from their necks. Just then the Avengers come crashing in and everyone is quickly reunited with one another. With the Serpent Crown becoming unstable and about to explode, the former Brides of Set push it down into a deep trench where it harmlessly explodes burying itself in the process. With the battle over and Namorita recovered, Namor and his cousin vow to locate his people who were forced to disburse during the current crisis. As they fly away, Captain America and the original Human Torch see Namor and Namorita in much the same way they saw themselves in the war with their partners Buck and Toro. Remarking how Namor is now a man without a country, Captain America still can't help but envy him.

Recurring Caracters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Human Torch (Storm), Thing, Ms. Marvel), Avengers (Captain America, Sersi, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Black Panther, Thor, Sub-Mariner, Quasar), Avengers West Coast (Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Henry Pym, Wasp, Wonder Man, Human Torch (Hammond), Vision), Brides of Set (Invisible Woman, Dagger, Scarlet Witch, Andromeda, Storm, Marvel Girl, She-Hulk), Beast, Doctor Strange, Namorita, Ghaur, Llyra, Naga, Gaea

Continuity Notes

This is the final chapter in the Atlantis Attacks saga, the previous chapter taking place in Thor Annual #14.

Mentions are made to the Vision not having any emotions for his wife. After the Vision briefly tried to take over the world in Avengers #254, the government feared that it might happen again. He was disassembled and had his emotions scrubbed from his programming during the events of West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45.

Ms. Marvel mentions how Doctor Strange "should be dead". Per Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #1, Strange was seemingly killed following the defeat of the Beyonder at the end of Secret Wars II #9. This was all part of a larger scheme hatched by his foe Dormammu.

The Thing was turned into back into a normal human following the events of Fantastic Four #326. Here he is wearing a rebuilt version of his Thing Exo-Skeleton he previously wore between Fantastic Four #169-175 when Galactus transformed him into the Thing again. Ben employs this Exoskeleton on occasion until he purposely mutates himself again in Fantastic Four #350.

Ben recounts various previous chapters of the Atlantis Attacks saga. They are:
- Ghaur's battle against the Silver Surfer, the first chapter in the saga, which occurred in Silver Surfer Annual #2.
- The clash between the Serpent Society and the X-Men over artifacts in the possession of Mister Jip in Uncanny X-Men Annual #13, the third chapter of this saga. However Ben isn't aware that the X-Men were involved as at the time the X-Men were believed to be dead following the events of Uncanny X-Men #227 when the X-Men seemingly sacrificed their lives to defeat the Adversary. The X-Men were actually resurrected by Roma and have been operating in secret ever since.
- He mentions the clash between Moon Knight and the Punisher, this happened in the fifth chapter of the story taking place in Punisher Annual #2.
- Also Spider-Man and Daredevil's battle with one another in chapter seven which took place in Daredevil Annual #5.
- Lastly, he mentions the New Mutants and Namorita battling U-Man in chapter nine, which took place in New Mutants Annual #5.

Ghaur mentions Set's defeat at the hands of the Demongorge, this happened in Thor Annual #14. He also mentions how his Power Cosmic was mostly destroyed by the Eternals Uni-Man. This is a reference to Ghaur's attempts to gain the powers of the Dreaming Celestial in Eternals (vol. 2) #1-12. He lost the rest of this power reconstituting himself and battling the Silver Surfer in Silver Surfer Annual #2.

Both Human Torch's recall when they last met while the android Torch was under the thrall of the Mad Thinker. This is a reference to Fantastic Four Annual #4 when the two Torch's were pitted against each other. The Torch was seemingly destroyed at the end of that story but, at the time of this tale the Torch had recently been reactivated in Avengers West Coast #50.

The Sub-Mariner was believed to have been killed in chapter two of the Atlantis Attacks saga as seen in Iron Man Annual #10. He, however, has been operating incognito throughout the rest of the event as he was healing from his injuries.

Namor mentions the various transgressions that Llyra has made against him in the past:
- Llyra was responsible for the death of his first wife Lady Dorma in Sub-Mariner #37.
- Namor also believes that Llyra killed his cousin Namora who was seemingly poisoned in Sub-Mariner #51. This was all a ruse, Namora is revealed to be alive and revived by the Agents of Atlas in Agents of Atlas #3. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, the truth was revealed four years after this story in Marvel time.
- Lastly, Llyra and Tiger Shark are responsible for the death of Namor's father Leonard as seen in Sub-Mariner #46.

Namor mentions how Naga once held the Serpent Crown for centuries, this was recapped in the chapter of the Serpent Crown Saga featured in Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #9, but Namor got some first-hand experience with Naga and the Serpent Crown in Sub-Mariner #9-13.

Llyra offers Namor the false promise of resurrecting a wife of his choice, Dorma, as previously mentioned was killed by Llyra in Sub-Mariner #37 on their wedding day. His second wife Marrina married him in Alpha Flight #40. She was seemingly slain when her Plodex nature made her a threat and Namor and the Avengers were forced to kill her in Avengers #293. However, the Master of the World revived her as seen in Avengers (Vol. 3) #48.

Naga appears here after his physical death at the end of Sub-Mariner #13.

The Thing believes that Storm of the X-Men is dead. Again this is a reference to how the X-Men were believed to have been killed following the events of Uncanny X-Men #227.

Namor goes looking for his displaced people, they were disbursed following Attuma's defeat in Web of Spider-Man Annual #5. He doesn't find them and Attuma resumes control of the kingdom of Atlantis again Namor the Sub-Mariner Annual #1.

Captain America and the android Human Torch mention their former sidekicks from World War II. Who were both considered a dead at the time.
- Captain America's sidekick was Bucky circa Captain America Comics #1. He seemingly perished in 1945 trying to stop a drone bomb launched by Baron Zemo, as seen in Avengers #4. However, years after this story it was revealed Bucky survived and has been operating in secret as the Russian agent known as Winter Soldier as first seen in Captain America (vol. 5) #8.
- The Human Torch's sidekick was Toro who worked alongside the Torch starting in Human Torch Comics #2. A few years prior to this story, Toro died while being manipulated by the Mad Thinker in Sub-Mariner #14. However, Toro would be resurrected years later in Avengers/Invaders #12.

Savior of the Lost Artifacts

Reed Richards and his wife Susan are opening the Four Freedoms Plaza to the public, to massive fanfare and the press. Retreating inside they thank the mayor of New York for the city's support in helping them construct a new headquarters after their old one was destroyed. With the press swarming the inside lobby, Sue keeps them at bay with an invisible force field while Reed activates their private elevator up to their new home.

Safely within their headquarters, Reed and Sue are shocked to find the Fantastic-Car, the Time-Platform, their Jet-Cycles, the Negative Zone Portal and various other inventions and personal possessions that were believed to have been destroyed when Kristoff Vernard launched their headquarters into space and blew it up. Checking them for authenticity, Reed confirms that these are the real items that they thought were lost. After taking inventory, Reed and Sue decide to try and uncover the mystery of their returned possessions.

Using the Time-Platform, Reed and Sue travel to the moment when the Baxter Building was about to be launched into space, putting themselves out of sync with time so as not to be seen. Confirming that the Fantastic Four of the past cannot see them, Reed and Sue go to Reed's lab and witness as the past version of the Time-Platform suddenly disappears.

Suspecting who might be responsible for recovering their valuables, Reed and Sue return to the present. There Reed contacts Crystal at Attilan and has her send her teleporting Lockjaw to them so they can travel to the moon. The couple has Lockjaw teleport them to the citadel of the Watcher. There Reed confronts Uatu with the truth: He was the one responsible for saving the items. The Watcher explains that his role to observe the Earth necessitated the examination of Reed's inventions and he took them away from the Baxter Building to examine them closer. It just so happened it was at the very moment the building was destroyed and so he could not return them until the Four Freedoms Plaza was completely constructed. Realizing that Uatu bent the rules of the Watcher's oath of non-interference to find a way to save their possessions, Reed thanks the Watcher for his help and he and Sue return to Earth to celebrate.

Recurring Characters

Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Lockjaw, Crystal, Watcher

Continuity Notes

This story takes place during the events of Fantastic Four #299, Red and Sue appear here between that story and Fantastic Four #300.

The mayor of New York City is depicted as Ed Kotch who was the mayor in 1989. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.

This story mentions how the Baxter Building was destroyed, this happened (and subsequently revisited via time travel in this story) in Fantastic Four #278.

Mission: Impossibleman

The Impossible Man harasses Stan Lee in Hollywood in an attempt to have Marvel Productions make a television show about him. When the Impossible Man enlists the aid of the Fantastic Four and Wonder Man, the heroes eventually get fed up of the Impossible Man's antics and demand Stan create a TV show based on him in order to stop the nonsense from continuing. However, the Impossible Man gives up on his quest to be on television, when he becomes more interested in the various celebrities Wonder Man has met in his capacity as an actor.

From the Journals of Doctor Doom

Dr. Doom details other inventive geniuses, Mole Man, Kang, Mad Thinker, and Wizard, and why he is superior to them (Mole Man just uses stolen Deviant technology, Kang uses common technology from his home era, the Mad Thinker stole his basic knowledge of androids from Reed Richards, and the Wizard's only claim to fame being his antigravity discs, whereas Doom claims to have superior technology to all of them, and claims to have invented it all himself).

Recurring Characters

Doctor Doom

Game, Set and Match

This story continues from Thor Annual #14…

The Watcher continues telling his history of the Serpent Crown, as Gaea watches on. He recounts how he left off his listening audience at the point where the Thing had turned over the Serpent Crown to Project PEGASUS. How the Crown enthralled one of the technicians, forcing him to place the Crown onto the head of Quasar.

Spider-Man and Doctor Strange later learned of Set's attempts to try and free himself through the resources of Project PEGASUS. While Quasar was busy battling the Thing, Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch discovered that PEGUSUS was attempting to recover all the Serpent Crowns from other dimensions. With the crown now controlling PEGASUS director Myron Wilburn, Set announced his intentions to revert Earth back to prehistory with lizards being the dominant species on the planet. Ultimately Spider-Man, the Scarlet Witch, the Thing, and Doctor Strange combined their powers to stop Set, who had breached the dimensions by animating the merged Serpent Crowns.

Finishing his tale, Gaea tells the Watcher how her son Thor had succeeded in defeating Set this time, by utilizing the power of the Demongorge and that Llyra and Ghaur's plans had been stopped by the heroes of Earth. Gaea suggests that as long as humans have love and compassion in their hearts they will always succeed over Set.