Month of Mourning

Johnny Storm is dead.

Ben Grimm and the children of the Future Foundation in shock. The arrival of the Avengers, responding to a distress beacon. Return of Reed and Sue from their separate missions. Shock. Anger. Family grief.

Funeral. Family at the graveside. Silence. Statue.

John Storm is dead.

Future Foundation classroom. Valeria Richards brainstorming. Potential replacements for the Human Torch, Power Man, She-Hulk, Wyatt Wingfoot, Spider-Man... Eraser. Valeria Richards brainstorming. Kill Annihilus.

Sue Storm. Alone.

Latveria. Coronation. Kristoff Vernard, more machine now than man. Triumphal stride. Glance to the balcony. Doctor Doom, sullen.

Reed Richards' office. Problem list. Annihilation Wave, crusading Universal Inhumans, mad Celestials. Franklin becoming overpowered. Continuing the work of the Council. Indecision.

Reed Richards' lab, enter the owner. Move things around, reveal hidden compartment containing Ultimate Nullifier. Contemplation.

Decision.

Swirly thing, arrival. Nathaniel Richards.

Desert. Ben Grimm, approached by two scientists with a message from Reed Richard. Anger. Denial. Insistent scientists. Rage. Response: metamorphosis and revelation. Violence, followed by tears. Empathy.

John Storm is dead.

Now the Fantastic Four must carry on.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thing), Future Foundation (Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Dragon Man, Wu, Vil, Korr, Mik, Turg, Tong, Leech, Artie Maddicks, Bently-23, Alex Power), Nathaniel Richards, Annihilus, Kristoff Vernard, Doctor Doom, Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man, Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Wolverine, Spider-Woman), X-Men (Cyclops, Emma Frost, Sub-Mariner, Storm, Psylocke), New Avengers (Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Ms. Marvel, Jessica Jones), Steve Rogers, Beast, She-Hulk, Black Panther, Vision, Nick Fury, Danielle Cage, Boris

Uncles

Franklin Richards is alone in the roof of the Baxter Building mourning his uncle Johnny Storm. Spider-Man arrives and invites him for lunch. After they eat a hot dog (that Franklin paid 'cause Spidey was out of money), Franklin talks about the guilt he feels for not saving his uncle. Spider-Man tells him about how he also could've saved his uncle from dying, but didn't do it because he was still too young and had a lot of things to learn. He reminds Franklin that eventually the feelings of guilt and the nightmares will disappear and be replaced by the loving memories of Johnny. Then, Spider-Man takes Franklin back home while in the background, in the sky, Ben Parker and Johnny Storm smile as their nephews head to Baxter Building.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Franklin Richards

Continuity Notes

• The conversation between Annihilus and Mister Fantastic is expanded upon in Fantastic Four #600.

• Spider-Man tells Franklin about his Uncle Ben, whose death was first depicted back in Amazing Fantasy #15.