Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #2
No One Gets Back Alive! Part 2
Face to face with his ex-wife Lyja causes Johnny to think back to all of his past relationships. From childhood romances to his past loves such as Frankie Raye, Namorita and Crystal of the Inhumans. Of them all, none have ever gotten as close to him as Lyja did and now she is part of the Skrull invasion of Earth, trapping the Baxter Building in the Negative Zone. With her laser blasts restored, Lyja attacks Johnny putting him on the defensive.
In the Baxter Building kitchen, Franklin and Valeria have finished counting to 100 and come out of their hiding spot to find that there has been a battle. Franklin picks up his baby sister and runs off to get something that will make them equal members of the Fantastic Four. Elsewhere in the headquarters, the Thing is battling various Negative Zone bugs that have broken their way into their headquarters. While at that same moment, Johnny and Lyja continue to fight it out. Johnny is shocked to find that Lyja is immune to his flame powers. Still demanding to know what happened to Sue and Reed, Lyja reiterates to Johnny that they are prisoners of the Skrulls who are now invading Earth. As they fight, Johnny notices a police car being pulled through the portal that brought them into the Negative Zone, and pushes Lyja out of its path. The Human Torch suggests that they stop fighting and talk, for old time’s sake. Because he saved her life, Lyja stops resisting against him and the pair kiss. Their romantic interlude is interrupted when they are attacked by a massive jellyfish type creature. When it grabs Lyja, the two start pooling their powers to break her free.
Back inside the Baxter Building, the Thing comes across a Negative Zone creature, a giant squid. However, he is joined by Valeria and Franklin who have put on a combat suit that allows them to help out without getting in harm’s way. Without a moment’s notice, they use the armor to blast the squid away. With Reed's lab back under control, they find that the Negative Zone portal has been smashed. Just then, Johnny returns with Lyja and fills them in on what's been going on. With the portal smashed, they are trapped without any apparent way of getting free. However, Franklin suggests they go look for someone at the super-villain prison that Mister Fantastic built in the Negative Zone.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Thing, Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Lyja
Continuity Notes
Johnny's flashback sequence features nearly every woman he has had a relationship with over the years. These women are:
Frankie Raye dated Johnny on and off from Fantastic Four #164-204 and Fantastic Four #232-257. She agreed to become a Herald of Galactus.
Namorita dated Johnny from New Warriors Vol 2 #3 until they drifted apart following the events of Fantastic Four Vol 3 #50.
Crystal of the Inhumans was Johnny's first love. The pair started dating in Fantastic Four #66 until Fantastic Four #105 who the outside world's pollution forced her to return to Attilan. She later fell in love with the speedster known as Quicksilver in Fantastic Four #131 and they were married in Fantastic Four #150.
Lyja was a Skrull spy who replaced Alicia Masters in Fantastic Four #265 and tricked Johnny into falling in love with and marrying her in Fantastic Four #300. Lyja was exposed in Fantastic Four #358 but the couple tried to work things out. However, Johnny was seemingly killed in Onslaught Marvel Universe #1. When Johnny returned and started looking for her in Fantastic Four Vol 3 #2 he claimed to be unable to find her.
Missing from this dream sequence are other key romances: Doris Evans was Johnny's first long term girlfriend whom he dated from Strange Tales #113-133. She broke up with Johnny in Fantastic Four #45 the same day that Johnny met Crystal. Lorrie Melton who Johnny briefly dated from Fantastic Four #222-231, Cole Whittman had a brief affair with Johnny from Fantastic Four #514-515. What started as a trap set by her father the Wizard evolved into a true romance until Cole used her powers to seemingly slay herself and her father. Lastly Kourtney Keaton, the actress whom Johnny started dating around the time of this story, circa Marvel Knights: 4 #1.
Lyja was originally given laser blast powers in Fantastic Four #370 via a technological implant. She expelled the implant when she gave birth to a Sha'Barri egg in Fantastic Four #386.
Franklin mentions Reed's prison, also known as Prison 42, first seen in Civil War: Front Line #5.
Continuity Errors
In the flashback sequence where Crystal tells Johnny that she is in love with Quicksilver, Johnny is depicted wearing the "inverted" white on black costumes that the Fantastic Four wore from Fantastic Four #256-415, however, this sequence happened in Fantastic Four #131, when Johnny was still wearing the classic black on blue costumes that the Fantastic Four traditionally wear.
