FF (Vol. 2) #5

Spooky Kids or, Merrily Into the Eight Arms of Durga the Invincible We All Go

Medusa introduces her son Ahura to the children of the Future Foundation, explaining that he will be joining their classes. After introductions are made, she continues their education on Herodotus.

Elsewhere in the Baxter Building, Ant-Man chastises himself for being stern enough with Alex Power that he left the Future Foundation. He is found by Darla Deering who points out to him that while the Future Foundation was left in his care, Alex is eighteen years old and can make his own decisions. She also reminds him that they have more important concerns: like finding Old John Storm. As she brings this up, Old John has returned to the Bowery and tries to find the old flophouse he tried to hide out in only to find that it has been torn down and replaced with a trendy clothing store. When he is hassled by the shop owner, Johnny flames on and flies outside to run amok.

Back at the Baxter Building, Medusa thanks Crystal and Luna for bringing Ahura to her. Luna uses her special vision to look at Medusa and sees that there is something amiss from her. However, Medusa quashes all questions by telling her not to defy her queen. Elsewhere in the Baxter Building, Darla tries to find some appropriate headgear to go along with her Thing-suit. Dragon Man comes up with a solution, a collar developed from technology Reed Richards once used to duplicate the Invisible Woman's powers. When reports of Old Man John's attack on New York reach them, the Fantastic Four go into action. They leave the Future Foundation in the care of guest teacher Willie Lumpkin. Although, Ant-Man tells them that if they have some sort of solution to the problem it is greatly appreciated.

As the Fantastic Four try to subdue Old John, Vil and Wu summon a massive aquatic beast to the shores of Atlantis and command it to spray water that douses the Torch's flames. Not only does the Fantastic Four face more bad press, the acting ruler of Old Atlantis questions the safety of Vil and Wu, he asks what happened of the man who went on a rampage. Old Man John has been sedated in the Fantastic Four's medical lab under the care of HERBIE units. He wakes up long enough to shout out for Scott to end Doom. At that very moment in Latveria, Alex Power arrives outside of the gates of Castle Doom. There he buzzes up and offers information about the Fantastic Four's plans to try and stop him. Suddenly, the gate opens beckoning Alex inside.

Later, Bentley-23 wakes up to find himself somewhere other than the Baxter Building. when the lights turn on he finds himself before his creator the Wizard, as well as Medusa and Blastaar.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Ant-Man, Medusa, She-Hulk, Miss Thing), Future Foundation (Alex Power, Dragon Man, Bentley-23, Leech, Artie Maddicks, Onome, Ahura, Turg, Tong, Korr, Mik, Vil, Wu), Old John Storm, Inhumans (Black Bolt, Luna, Lockjaw), Frightful Four (Wizard, Blastaar), Willie Lumpkin, HERBIE

Continuity Notes

• The flop-house that Old John is looking for is the same one that Johnny Storm hid out in circa Fantastic Four #4 where he found the Sub-Mariner.

• Some of the possible headpieces that Darla tries on are significant to Fantastic Four history:

  • The first helmet she tries on was a mask that the Thing first wore in Fantastic Four #3.

  • The mask worn by Taranith Gestal wore in Fantastic Four #254.

  • The Malice headdress was first worn by the Invisible Woman circa Fantastic Four #280.

  • Lastly, the collar that creates an invisible force field is developed from technology first invented by Mister Fantastic in Fantastic Four #39.