Fantastic Four Unlimited #9
The Gods Above -- The Bugs Below!
Johnny Storm is taking the New York subway when his train is suddenly derailed by a gang of costumed train hijackers. He calls in to the Four Freedoms Plaza for assistance, mobilizing the rest of the Fantastic Four. As the Fantastic Four trounce these train robbers, Ant-Man chases after one of them. The chase leads him to a strange underground complex that houses a number of large vats of strange chemicals. The crook shatters one of the vats causing Ant-Man and his army of ants to get swept up in the chemical soup. Ant-Man restores himself to human size and takes a shot point blank to the head. Much to the criminal's horror the blast only destroyed Ant-Man's helmet. Scott Lang however has been mutated by the strange chemicals as strange antenna are now growing out of his head. Furious over this near death experience, Lang is about to kill his opponent when the Human Torch intervenes. When the rest of the Fantastic Four arrive, Lang tells them how he feels different and becomes increasingly aggressive. When the group tries to subdue them, Ant-Man surprises them when his antenna allow him to cause ants to grow to human size. While the Fantastic Four are busy fighting off an army of enlarged ants, Ant-Man manages to escape.
With no trace of Scott, the Fantastic Four return to the Four Freedoms Plaza to try and find out clues to the origins of the facility they found and the chemicals that were being used there. They find their answers when they discover computer files that identify the lab as belonging to the High Evolutionary and was one of his bases of operations during his ill fated Evolutionary War. Learning the location of the High Evolutionary and his recent activities with Thor, the Fantastic Four charter a flight to Wundagore Mountain aboard a United States Airforce steal plane and parachute onto the mountain. Even though they are attempting to sneak into the High Evolutionary's facility in secret, the Fantastic Four are easily detected and ambushed by the Godpack. A battle rings out until it's abruptly halted by Thor and the High Evolutionary. After explaining who the Godpack are, and learning what the Fantastic Four have come for, the High Evolutionary explains that Scott Lang has been exposed to his Biogentron and needs immediate assistance. Soon the Fantastic Four, Thor and the Godpack are sent back to New York to locate and recover Ant-Man before he completely transforms. On the way, Johnny recounts how the Fantastic Four recently fought a giant ant named Grottu and wonders if there is some connection between that radioactive ant and Scott's current transformations.
When they return to New York City they find it under siege by giant insects, the Fantastic Four and the Godpack fight off these massive creatures and defend the city. Suddenly they are attacked by Lang who is wearing new armor and now calling himself Myrimidon. Myrimidon manages to capture Sue and escape into the sewers. There he holds her prisoner where Myrimidon intends to make her his mate as the first step in his goal to conquer the world. However thanks to the unique powers of the Godpack, the heroes are able to locate Myrimidon's hideout. During the course of the fight the Invisible Woman is freed and she reveals that Scott's under the influence of Grottu, who managed to live on in his cybernetic helmet. As the heroes fight Myrimidon, both Scott and Grottu fight over dominance of his body. After a final jolt of lighting from Thor, the essence of Grottu is seemingly destroyed and Scott Lang is restored back to normal. With Myrimidon defeated, the giant insects return to their normal size. With Scott back to normal, the Fantastic Four and the Godpack begin disassembling the Biogentron to prevent this same sort of crisis from happening again.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing, Ant-Man), Godpack (Thor, Anak, Luminor, Bellam, Blitzana, Zefra, Loga, Riger), High Evolutionary, Myrimdon, Jane Foster, Jimmy Kincaid
Continuity Notes
Mister Fantastic is not among the Fantastic Four because he is believed to be dead at the time of this story as seen in Fantastic Four #381. In reality he is a prisoner of Hyperstorm as seen in Fantastic Four #405. Ant-Man has taken his place among the team as seen in Fantastic Four #384.
The Thing's face is scarred because he was slashed in the face by Wolverine back in Fantastic Four #374. His face is fully healed in Fantastic Four #409.
The lab seen in the bowels of New York City was used by the High Evolutionary during the Evolutionary War event. See X-Factor #3, Punisher Annual #1, Silver Surfer Annual #1, New Mutants Annual #4, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22, Fantastic Four Annual #21, Uncanny X-Men Annual #12, Web of Spider-Man Annual #4, West Coast Avengers Annual #3, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #8, and Avengers Annual #17.
Sue mentions how the High Evolutionary has been seen with Thor in recent history, this is a reference to Thor's activities with the Godpack from Thor #372-489.
The High Evolutionary mentions how the Godpack have been honing their powers in order to go to battle against the New Immortals which was depicted in Thor #382.
Johnny mentions the team's battle with Grottu from Fantastic Four Unlimited #7.
The depiction of the Twin Towers at the site of the World Trade Center in the New York City skyline should be considered a Topical Reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
