Fantastic Four Adventures Vol 2 2

Originally it was believed that time flowed like a river from the past to the future always in one direction. However, with the invention of time travel, it was believed that one could travel at any point in history. But, as early time travellers soon discovered, travelling into the past to try and change it only created a divergent timeline. It's postulated that per Kang's Third Law of Time is that if one tries to create a time paradox (such as killing their grandfather before they were born) it actually creates an alternate reality due to the Conservation of Causality. While considering all of this, Reed Richards finds it perplexing that a Doctor Doom from 75 years in the future has come to try and change the past, and why the Fantastic Four from that era have come to stop him. However, taken under consideration, Reed recalls how Kang the Conqueror is a notorious liar.

When Reed points this out to the time travellers from the future, Doctor Doom confirms what Reed has suspected: The Kang has lied about his uncontested theories of time travel. When the Thing from the future tries to tell Doom to surrender, he is blasted with energy that causes him to revert back to human form. The present Thing is surprised to see that he will be cured, and the future Sue informs him that he will actually learn to change back and forth at will. However, Mister Fantastic still isn't sold that this won't create a divergent reality. Regardless of the truth, the future Ben Grimm concentrates enough to change back into the Thing. When Doom suggests that the future Fantastic Four have been sent back in time to kill him, the future Mister Fantastic disputes it. However, the rest of the team points out that they are in a period of time when Reed Richards is not very popular among the world. Doom points out that if they kill him now, Richards will rule the future.

The present day human Torch suddenly intervenes and says nobody is killing anybody until they talk things out. The present Mister Fantastic concurs that regardless of the situation and the technology at their disposal they cannot determine who is telling the truth. The future Reed Richards also finds himself in a position where he cannot convince them of the truth thanks to the possible deceptions Doom has enacted to sow confusion. That's when the Invisible Woman chimes in, pointing out that she knows her husband is not determined to be the tyrant that Doom claims he will become because she knows exactly where Reed draws the line. Sue also confirms with her future self that they have known Reed the best since they first met him at twelve years old. Sue also points out that Doom will often create misdirection and engage in deceptions, but he will never outright lie.

When the future Mister Fantastic tells Doom that it's time to leave, Doom refuses to surrender. He then asks the present day Fantastic Four to grant him asylum as he will have his mind reprogrammed in the future. However, while the Thing is ready to fight, Reed tells them that he has to grant Doom his request until they can determine the truth. The rest of the present day Fantastic Four agree to follow Reed's lead. When the future Reed concurs that's the course of action he'd take, the future Thing lets slip that they have to stop Doctor Doom before the timelines get sealed. Shocked that there is some kind of deception going on, there the present fantastic four battle their future counterparts. The present day heroes find themselves at a disadvantage as their future selves have found that their powers have increased over the years.

The future Mister Fantastic tries to explain to his past counterpart that they are attempting to maintain the conservation of causality. When Reed realises what this means, the future Doctor Doom blasts the both Mister Fantastsics. This prompts the present day Invisible Woman is convinced that Doom is in the wrong the whole time and both she and her future self contain Doctor Doom. With Doom contained, the future Fantastic Four confirm what Reed has already figured out: that while alternate realities exist, they are only created by massive disruptions in the timeline in most cases an attempt to change history cause the timeline to correct itself. They explain that Doctor Doom was attempting to create just such a disruption in the timeline to prevent the future he came from. With Doom's plan foiled, they learn that his future is a veritable utopia.

However, both Reeds decide that instead of taking Doom back to the future, they give him the opportunity that he can be as great as Reed Richards, and send him to an alternate timeline where the Hulk killed all the worlds heroes. With the battle over, the future Fantastic Four are convinced that their timeline is confirmed they tell Reed and the others that the future will be bright but won't spoil it. After they leave in the time platform. This leaves the present day team to think about the future. When Sue asks how many people will they need to change the world, Reed provides a simple answer: Four.

Appearing in "World's Greatest: Part 1"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four #554

Featured Characters:

Fantastic Four

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Refurbished Doombots

Locations:

Old West (1800s)
New York City
- Manhattan
  - Baxter Building
  - Lower East Side
    - "Ben's Old School"
Arctic Circle
- Earth-Trust Portal Prime (First appearance)
Nu-World (First appearance)

Items:

Vehicles:

Fantasti-Car MK I
Time-Sled (Destruction)

Synopsis for "World's Greatest: Part 1"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four #554

In the Old West, the Fantastic Four are making a daring escape from a band of Native Americans on their Time-Sled. They make a crash landing in the Baxter Building of the present, damaging their Time-Sled on the process. The Thing is complaining because their planned trip to Disneyland's grand opening in 1955 was interrupted by a time storm sending Ben in the 1600s and needing rescue before their jump to the days of the American Frontier. Landing in front of Johnny, the Thing is laughed at for the outfit that he is wearing. They have returned home to find Johnny packing his things. He explains that he has decided to "grow up" and is getting a place of his own... and starting his own rock band. Ignoring the facts that he doesn't know how to sing or play any instruments, Johnny flames on and flies off to meet with his manager. With Johnny gone, Ben remembers that he is supposed to speak at his old elementary school, while Sue has to meet with other female super-heroes for a charity gig. With the Thing running late, Reed agrees to fly Ben there in the Fantasti-Car.

At Ben Grimm's old school teacher Debbie Green and her colleague are preparing for the arrival of the Thing and Mister Fantastic. Debbie is concerned about the Thing's appearance upsetting the kids, but her colleague -- who thinks she has a shot at Mister Fantastic -- assures her that it will be fun. However, when they arrive, Reed begins to bore everyone with a science lecture on his Anti-Galactus Suit. Growing bored himself, the Thing asks the kids if they want to check out the Fantasti-Car. The children are ecstatic and Debbie Green is very impressed with Ben Grimm. So much so she accepts his offer to go out on a date.

Back at the Baxter Building, Sue is meeting with She-Hulk and the Wasp to discuss the formation of their new team, a charity organisation in the memory of Miss America, the first female super-hero. Their meeting is interrupted by Alyssa Moy who teleports into the Baxter Building seeking out Mister Fantastic. After Sue introduces her, Alyssa tells her that she is now married to millionaire scientist Ted Castle. Reed arrives to hear this and offers his congratulations. After plesantries, Alyssa explains that she has come for Reed's assistance on something that could change the entire world and needs 24-hours of his time. Sue agrees to Reed going, telling him this is what they do and he soon is teleported off.

Reed find himself on an oil rig fifty miles of North Pole that belongs to the Earth-Trust. There he meets Ted Castle who welcomes them to the Earth-Trust's project. He cuts to the chase and explains that it is a secret organization working on a massive project. Reed is taken through a portal to their invention: Nu-Earth, an exact replica of the Earth. They explain that it is where humanity will be going when the Earth dies.

Appearing in "The Torch That Was!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four Annual #4

Featured Characters:

Fantastic Four

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Mad Thinker (See chronology)
Human Torch (Jim Hammond) (First Silver Age appearance) (Main story and recap)
Quasimodo (First appearance)

Other Characters:

Yancy Street Gang (Mentioned)
Inhumans (Mentioned)
- Crystal (Mentioned)
Phineas T. Horton (Only in recap)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Earth
- North America
  - United States of America
    - New York
      - New York City
        Manhattan
        Baxter Building
        
        Yancy Street (Mentioned)
- Himalayas (Mentioned)
Negative Zone (Mentioned)

Items:

Fantastic Four Uniforms

Synopsis for "The Torch That Was!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four Annual #4

While Reed, Sue, and Ben read over some fan mail, they are suddenly startled when Lockjaw transports Johnny and Wyatt into the Baxter Building. While elsewhere, the Mad Thinker (with the help of his computer Quasimodo which he promises to provide a human body in exchange for help) recover the body of the original Human Torch and begin repairing it.

While Reed is examining Lockjaw's teleportation powers, Johnny travels out to the desert to try to find a way with his own power to break through the Negative Zone sealing off the Hidden Land of the Inhumans. There he is attacked by the original Human Torch. The battle is eventually broken up with the arrival of the rest of the Fantastic Four and Wyatt when they are transported there by Lockjaw. Separating the two, the original Torch gets back under control. When they are teleported into the Mad Thinker's lab, the Thinker has Quasimodo activate a device which causes the original Torch to destruct, allowing the Mad Thinker to escape. When Lockjaw begins teleporting Johnny and Wyatt leap onto the beast being transported away. In the aftermath the rest of the FF depart as well, leaving Quasimodo with his dreams of being human crushed.

Notes

This is a UK title that features reprints of American titles.

Links and References

References

Fantastic Four Adventures Vol 2 2

Appearing in "Epilogue Chapter 3: The End"

Synopsis for "Epilogue Chapter 3: The End"