Fantastic Four: First Family #6

Mar 10

Mar 10 Fantastic Four: First Family #6

The Beginning

Part 14: Signs and Salvation

Having just unleashed the cosmic radiation trapped in a meteor, Franz Stahl mocks Reed Richards and gloats over his eventual victory. Meanwhile outside, the rest of the Fantastic Four are battling crazed soldiers that have been mutated by cosmic rays. Stahl correctly believes that Richards will not stop him and decides that it is time to eliminate him once and for all.

However before Stahl can do so, Reed exerts his will and manages to pull the rest of the Fantastic Four into the meteor. However, the group tries to fight against him Stahl unleashes their darkest fears. Ben begins to believe that he is being fled by panicked people in the streets. Johnny is forced to believe he is trapped in a room to contain his powers. Sue begins her friends dying while Reed sees Sue disappear from his sight. However, Reed manages to fight off these illusions and the Fantastic Four are rejected from the meteor. They continue fighting the mutated soldiers, but Reed manages to pull them back.

Combating Stahl, Reed manages to channel his intelligence against his foe. Meanwhile, Johnny and Ben are sent back to the real world to destroy the meteor. With the meteor destroyed the soldiers restore to normal. As Stahl begins his final gambit, both Johnny and Ben suddenly lose their powers as well.

Part 15: Mind's Eye Open

Insane with power, Stahl begins his final gambit by trying to destroy Reed and Sue. However, their mutual love for each other is all it takes to withstand the mental assault of their foe. Suddenly returned back to their body, Reed declares their foe defeated, opening one of the lab cabinets they find the lifeless body of Franz Stahl.

In the aftermath of the battle, both Johnny and Ben suddenly get their powers back, although Ben is furious over his return transformation into the Thing. Later, back at the Baxter Building, Reed presents Sue with a ring and tells her that he wants to marry her all they need to do is set a date but tells her there is no rush.

Twenty-Seven Hours later, the Fantastic Four -- now in new uniforms -- are racing on the scene to stop a massive statue seemingly brought to life by the Miracle Man. When the Thing tries to rush off on his own, Sue reminds them they are a team. Reed is sure that they will be able to take care of this threat on their own.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl Human Torch, Thing), Franz Stahl

Continuity Notes

Reed gives Sue a wedding ring and tells them they should get married. This contradicts Fantastic Four #27 where Reed purchases a ring and Fantastic Four #35 when he proposes to her. It could be assumed that the ring that Reed gives Sue here is a promise ring as opposed to an engagement ring. Reed and Sue eventually get married in Fantastic Four Annual #3.