Fantastic Four #555 — Nick Peron

Mar 5

Mar 5 Fantastic Four #555

World's Greatest: Part 2

The University Vienna, Twenty Years Ago:

Alyssa Moy is meeting with Reed Richards to study when he brings up that she believes that their relationship was a mistake. Her reasoning is that they are both intelligent and that intelligent couples do not have as many children. She points out that less intelligent people breed more. Reed takes this to mean that Alyssa doesn't want them to stay together because the potential for academics would be greatly limited. It was with that snap decision that the relationship between Reed Richards and Alyssa Moy came to an end.

Today:

Mister Fantastic stands before Nu-World, an artificial planet being created by Alyssa and her new husband Ted Castle, and he finds it magnificent. Reed soon learns that Nu-World is an exact replica of Earth and that it will be used to repopulate the human race as they project the planet Earth will be uninhabitable within a decade. When Reed points out that this isn't solving anything, that they should be solving the problem, but Alyssa points out that they have moved beyond the point of no return eight years prior. Reed is taken down to the lab where the Nu-World's operations are controlled. Since weapons will be banned, they have also created a robot called C.A.P. to defend the planet and Nightingale facilities that will cure any illness, as well as the World Bank which will control the new economy. When Reed asks if the Earth-Trust need the Fantastic Four's help, Alyssa and Ted assert that they don't need a super-hero, but a scientist.

When Reed returns to the Baxter Building he tells Ben what he has learned, but the Thing is convinced that Reed will save the Earth before they will ever need the Nu-Earth. The Thing is about to tell him about how his date went with Debbie Green, but Reed has to head off to witness a wormhole at the other end of the universe. When Reed insists on taking off, Ben points out that Alyssa plays with Reed's head every time she shows up. When Ben suggests that Alyssa still loves him and Sue thinks Reed married her on the rebound, Reed insists that there is nothing wrong with their marriage and some time apart is good for it and departs. However, Ben isn't quite so convinced.

At Johnny's new apartment he is woken up by his agent who tells the Torch that he is late for rehearsal with his new band. The Torch apologizes and flames on, telling Miguel that he will be there in five to six minutes. However, en route to band practice, Johnny runs into a female super-villain with psionic powers attempting to rob a diamond shipment. Johnny carries her away from the first respondents so they can battle without harming anyone. This woman is upset that Johnny interrupted her heist however in the middle of their battle, she realizes how attractive Johnny is and they start making out.

Back at the Earth-Trust facility at the North Pole, Ted Castle points out that Reed Richards still loves his wife. Alyssa doesn't buy it and says that she and Reed are too much alike, that's why they never got married. Their debate over this is interrupted by one of the technicians who tells them that C.A.P. has escaped. They discover to their horror that the robot has disabled its emergency safeguard. That's when Alyssa realizes that the robot is going out for soldiers. Moments later in Alaska, a group of soldiers comes across the C.A.P. robot.