Fantastic Four #560

Future Shock

The New Defenders tell the Human Torch that they come from the future. In the year 2509, the planet Earth is undergoing a new ice age and humanity is on the brink of extinction. With no way of reversing the damage done to the Earth, its remaining heroes come up with one last-ditch effort: They lured Galactus to their world and sacrificed all but the New Defenders to contain him and power their time machine back into the past. Hulk Jr. introduces Johnny to Natalie X, Alex Ultron, and the others. This explains why Psionics was making all the robberies, in order to get the money needed to get the components they need. She explains that they are going to use the unique energies of the Human Torch and Doctor Doom and channel it through Galactus so they can transport the six billion survivors of their future world to the present. Johnny finds this whole ordeal to be selfish and Doctor Doom vows to get revenge. When the Torch tells the Hulk to watch out, Banner Jr. explains that he isn't the group's leader and that she will be joining them in 90 minutes.

In New York City, the rest of the Fantastic Four are investigating the scene where Johnny was kidnapped. With no answers to be found at the scene, Reed assures Sue that they will find her brother. In Washington Heights, Ben's new girlfriend Debbie Green is on her way home talking to her mother on her cell phone explaining how her night with Ben went. She is interrupted by her jealous ex-boyfriend Jason. She tells him to leave her alone and has to force her apartment door closed in his face. Jason is furious and refuses to be dumped for the Thing. Back at the Baxter Building, the Fantastic Four's new nanny, Tabitha Denevue, tells Reed that she just put Franklin to bed. When she asks Reed what he's working on, this is only a distraction as she somehow causes his equipment to fall on her. Overriding the security systems, she orders Franklin's room to be sealed and tells Franklin to ignore any noise coming from outside. When Tabitha crosses paths with the Thing and She-Hulk in the hall, she knocks them out of the building with a massive invisible force field.

When the Invisible Woman enters the room with Valeria she warns Tabitha that they are under attack. Denevue tells her to put the baby down, and Sue quickly realizes that the attacker is their new nanny. She then faces off against the strange woman who has stronger invisibility powers and knocks Sue out. Valeria pleads to the old woman not to do what she is about to do, calling her mom. Tabitha -- in reality a version of Susan Richards from the future -- tells Valeria that she has had 500 years to think things over. After telling the Defenders that the Fantastic Four have been neutralized she flies off to rendezvous with them.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Valeria Richards, Franklin Richards, Debbie Green, She-Hulk, New Defenders (Hulk Jr, Hooded Man, Alex Ultron, Natalie X, Lightwave, Psionics, Invisible Woman-807128), Doctor Doom, Galactus-807128