Showdown in Elsewhen

Exiled to the distant past by Hyperstorm, the members of the Fantastic Four and their allies find themselves endangered by a sudden flash flood. While Lyja, the Thing and Kristoff Vernard rush to safety, the Sub-Mariner and the Invisible Woman pool their abilities to try and break the flood waters, saving everyone from drowning.

Somewhere not far away, Mister Fantastic -- who has been exiled in this era for months while the rest of the Fantastic Four believed him dead -- is testing out a new hang-glider that he has invented. However his test is observed by some locals, prompting Reed to flee the scene so as not to affect the proper course of history. Returning to the cave that he calls home, Reed finds a frightened young child hiding there who reminds him of his son Franklin. Seeing the boy is distressed he tries to communicate through the language barrier between the two of them. The boy tries to explain things by drawing a large menacing figure in the sand among smaller stick figures of normal people. Reed wonders if the boy might have seen his colleagues in the Fantastic Four. Having the boy lead him out to find the figures he saw, they enter the forest, but soon the boy flees the scene, having grown increasingly afraid of whatever is out there. Reed chases after the boy and is shocked to see the lad trying to kick a massive a massive troll called Glot. When Glot tries to throw the boy into a river, Reed uses his stretching powers to save him. Soon a fight breaks out between Reed and Glot, although Mister Fantastic is unsure of himself after his months of solutiude.

Meanwhile in the distant future, Hyperstorm gloats over his total victory over his foes, unaware that his minion -- Zarrko the Tomorrow Man -- has been possessed by the mind of Doctor Doom. Back in the past, Reed is fighting a losing battle against Glot as his confidence wanes. As he fights, the young boy he rescued begins drawing in the dirt. However Reed utilizes his superior intellect and regains his confidence enough to fashion a cude slingshot out of his body which he uses to launch Glot far away. Reed is then celebrated by arriving villagers, but Reed then breaks off and leaves them so he can return to his solitude. On his way back he runs into the boy who show's him a drawing -- a crude rendition of Reed with a massive heart drawn on his chest. Although Reed is touched, he still returns to his self imposed exile in the cave where he dwells on everything he lost and the hopeless situation he finds himself trapped in.

Meanwhile, not far away, Sue and the others come across one of the boy's drawings showing a stretching man with a large number "4" on his chest fighting a creature. When Sue observes it she hopes that this could be proof that her husband is somewhere nearby...

Recurring Characters

Mister Fantastic, Fantastic Four (Invisible Woman, Thing, Lyja), Sub-Mariner, Kristoff Vernard, Hyperstorm, Zarrko the Tomorrow Man (possessed by Doctor Doom)

Continuity Notes

• The events of this story takes place between the events of Fantastic Four #407 and Fantastic Four Unlimited #12.

• The Thing's face is scarred here because he was slashed in the face by Wolverine back in Fantastic Four #374. It is healed in Fantastic Four #409.

• As revealed in Fantastic Four #406-407 Reed has been trapped in the Hyborean era by Hyperstorm since his apparent demise in Fantastic Four #381.

• Doctor Doom possessed Zarrko's mind in Fantastic Four #407 utilizing a mind-swapping technique he learned from the Ovoids back in Fantastic Four #10.