Be it Ever So Humble...

Setting up operations in their new headquarters of Pier 4 the Fantastic Four have a disastrous misadventure with Reed's adaptive furniture. While testing it out the devices go haywire when excessive force is used on them causing them to burst as the Thing struggles to get free. Having had enough experiments for one day both the Thing and the Torch decide they need to get out. Ben is incredibly frustrated over the fact that they have not been allowed to move back into their old headquarters, the Four Freedoms Plaza, as it had been taken over by the Thunderbolts during their lengthy absence on Counter-Earth. Both Johnny and Ben storm out not liking the idea of staying at Pier 4 until they meet their new mailwoman, Billie Lumpkin whom both men are instantly smitten by. As they watch this Sue points out that their current situation is Reed's doing as he made the decision on where they live without consulting the rest of the team, which Sue reminds is more of a family than just a group of super-heroes. As the couple discuss the current situation they are unaware that they are being spied upon by an unseen invader.

Meanwhile at an animal research lab at Empire State University a pair of students are working on an ill money that has a low white cell count. As they decide to call it quits for the night, they are unaware that one of the apes in their cell is intelligent enough to talk and is plotting the downfall of the human race.

Later in the Soho district the thing looks into a display window celebrating the return of Earth's heroes, a display that features sculptures done by his ex-girlfriend Alicia Masters. His thoughts about how Alicia is better off without him are cut short when he is interrupted by the Human Torch. Johnny suggests to Ben that since they are both back on the market they should go out looking to meet some new ladies. Ben reluctantly agrees to tag along despite Johnny's constant teases about his appearance and a huge dumping of snow landing on his head courtesy of Johnny's flame powers. Johnny pushes the final button by dressing Ben up like a snow man causing Ben to lose his temper and chase the Torch down the street.

Back at Pier Four, Reed and Sue are putting Franklin to bed when suddenly they are approached by the mysterious stalker -- a being calling itself Iconoclast who apparently only Sue can see. Because of this, Iconoclast sees Sue as a threat and tries to blast her, but she shields herself, Reed and Franklin from his energy blast. Sue rams Iconoclast outside and Reed tires to help her fight this foe that he cannot see, to no avail. From his room Franklin activates the Fantasti-Flare which summons Ben and Johnny back to headquarters. Meanwhile, Reed is getting pummeled by their foe who only Sue can fight off. When Johnny and Ben arrive, Reed has Johnny uses his heat powers to make Iconoclast at least visible to their eyes. But try as they might to fight off their foe. Sue finally realizes that Iconoclast's cloaking device is vulnerable to water and uses her powers to toss him into the river causing a massive explosion. Reed quickly pulls out his scanning devices to search for traces of Iconoclast but finds none. The Four then begin to wonder what the attack was all about, unaware that their foe survived and is still watching them from close by.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Franklin Richards, Iconoclast, Igor, Billie Lumpkin, Spider-Man

Continuity Notes

• Mention is made to how the Thunderbolts now live in the Four Freedoms Plaza. Some facts about this:

  • The Fantastic Four were presumed dead when they sacrificed their lives to stop Onslaught in Onslaught Marvel Universe #1.However they were actually shunted into the Counter-Earth dimension created by Franklin to live reborn lives as seen in Fantastic Four (vol. 2) #1-13.

  • While they were gone the Thunderbolts took over their old headquarters as seen in Thunderbolts #3

  • The Fantastic Four and their allies were eventually returned in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4.

  • Since then the Four Freedoms was decimated when the Thunderbolts were outed as former members of the Masters of Evil in Thunderbolts #10.

• Franklin mentions a carousel in Boston that he had seen. This is a reference to his time with the Daydreamers in Daydreamers #1-3.

• Billie Lumpkin is revealed to be the niece of former Fantastic Four mailman Willie Lumpkin in Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #4.

• The sculpture of the Thing in the shop display is rendered after the Thing's original form after he was mutated in Fantastic Four #1. As explained in Marvel Two-In-One #50, the Thing continued to mutate until he adopted his trademark brick-like appearance around Fantastic Four #10.

• Alicia Masters was the Thing's longtime girlfriend after they met in Fantastic Four #8. It has been a complicated relationship to say the least:

  • After six years together Ben began to reconsider his relationship with her between Thing #2-10. Later, during the Secret Wars. In Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #12 Ben decided to stay on Battleworld to sort out his feelings. He remained there from Thing #11-22.

  • In the meantime, circa Fantastic Four #265 and as revealed in Fantastic Four #358, Alicia was replaced by the Skrull spy named Lyja who then started pursuing a relationship with Johnny. Ben fell for this ruse when he returned to Earth in Fantastic Four #277. This prompted him to leave the Fantastic Four in Thing #23.

  • He then began pursuing Sharon Ventura in Thing #26. Ben eventually returned to the FF in Fantastic Four #296 and Johnny married "Alicia" in Fantastic Four #300. Ben eventually started dating Sharon from Fantastic Four #317-350 until Sharon was cured by Doctor Doom. Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four discovered the truth about Lyja and rescued Alicia in Fantastic Four #358.

  • Ben and Sharon's relationship became estranged when it was revealed she was spying on the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #375. Despite Alicia's efforts to rekindle their romance, they became estranged as of Fantastic Four #393. At the time of this story, Alicia has been a constant companion of the Silver Surfer since Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #126. Ben discovers this in Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #138.

• Johnny mentions that he cannot find his ex-wife Lyja. Last time Johnny saw her was during the Onslaught crisis in Fantastic Four #416. As revealed in Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1-3, Lyja believed that her former husband abandoned him upon his return from Counter-Earth and joined a Skrull sleeper cell which later launched the Secret Invasion roughly three years after the events of this story.

• Although Iconoclast was on a mission to eliminate Sue, this plot thread is abandoned after next issue.