Auld Acquaintance

Ben and Johnny corner the intruder that has broken into the Baxter Building to find that it's Wyatt Wingfoot. Wingfoot explains to them that the man they met previously that took over the Excelsior project was an impostor and that he and his SHIELD unit were sent into Europe to investigate hacking that occurred on the Storm Foundations computers and he was captured, he had only just escaped recently and came to warn the Fantastic Four. When he learned that Reed and Sue had just recently left for Wakanda, Wyatt warns Ben and Johnny that they are walking into a trap. When Ben radios Wakanda he learns that Reed and Sue had not returned from their expedition. Deciding to go check it out, Wyatt tells them that Reed and Sue are no longer in Wakanda but prisoners of Dr. Doom.

In Latveria, Doom gloats over his capture of Reed, Sue, and the Black Panther. When Sue asks who this man is both explain Doom's origins: Victor von Doom was a Latverian exchange student who attended State University and ended up working with Reed, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Rebel O'Reilly, and Henry Pym on a exo-suit project. Dubbed the "Atomic Knights of the Round Table" they worked feverishly on the project until they all came at different motivations for the project and went their separate ways. Reed would find von Doom one day attempting to do his own unauthorized test. Doom would ask Reed to join him in his glory, but Reed would point out the risks pointed out by Tony and Bruce Doom went on with the project. Reed would rush out of the room to get the others and dismantle the exo-suit however Doom would activate the device causing a massive explosion that would scar his entire body. Doom would be expelled from school and find his way to a Tibetan monastery to deal with his body’s constant pain. He would return to Latveria, take it over and become the armored Dr. Doom.

With the explanation done, Doom would show him the object that they came to seek, the very anomaly that gave the Fantastic Four their powers: A strange silver alien which Doom has hooked up to a machine in an attempt to absorb its massive power. When he learns that the latest attempt to siphon the alien’s power has failed, he kills his lead scientist for his failure. Doom then learns from "Wyatt Wingfoot" that it could be another 24 hours before they can try again. Doom then tries to force Reed into doing his bidding by having one of his Doombots grab Sue and hold her hostage.

Reed, Sue, and the Black Panther all attempt to break free, however, Doom incapacitates Reed and Sue, but the Black Panther manages to escape. Doom then sends "Wingfoot's" men to search for the Black Panther while Sue is put in bonds to prevent her from using her invisible force-field powers and Reed is forced to work on the device to siphon the power from the alien. While just outside of the Latverian border, Ben, Johnny, and the real Wyatt Wingfoot travel just outside of Doom's castle and land down. As they head toward the waste tunnel that Wyatt used for his escape. There they are greeted by a holographic projection of Doom who tells them to wait there to be taken into custody. They are attacked by Doombots which they easily fight through and enter into the waste tunnel. There they battle more Doombots until they are given an assist by the Black Panther who helps them get higher into the castle. As a Doombot attempts to follow after them it is shot in the back by the Wyatt Wingfoot impostor and his men who hope to leave Doom defenseless as they betray him.

Just then Reed finishes the work of the siphon device and Doom decides that Reed should test it first to make sure it's not a trick. Before he can do so, Ben, Johnny, Wyatt, and the Black Panther burst in leading to a battle with more Doombots. While everyone is distracted Reed frees Sue and the faux-Wingfoot gets a hold of the device and absorbs a massive amount of cosmic power. "Wingfoot" then changes shape, revealing himself to be Kl'rt a member of the alien race known as the Skrulls. As he changes into his true form he explains that this was his true goal all along to gain the Power Cosmic to become the Super-Skrull.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Wyatt Wingfoot, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, Doctor Doom, Super Skrull

Continuity Notes

• As becomes evident in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4 this world exists in a pocket universe created by Franklin Richards to save the lives of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers after they sacrificed their lives to stop Onslaught during Onslaught Marvel Universe #1. While the members of the Fantastic Four, the Black Panther, Doctor Doom, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Henry Pym come from Earth-616, all the other characters in this story are creations of Franklin's imagination.

• Johnny Storm uses his flame to burn of Wyatt Wingfoot's beard just he had done for Namor in Fantastic Four #4.

• The flashback to Doctor Doom's accident which scarred his face is a re-imagining of the same events first depicted in Fantastic Four #5.

• Doctor Doom's attempt to steal the Silver Surfer's power is reminiscent of when Doom attempted a similar feat in Fantastic Four #57-60.

• Wyatt Wingfoot takes a nap on his way to Wakanda, just as his Earth-616 counterpart had done in Fantastic Four #52.