Whatever we had between us, Alicia, whatever comes in the future......I am first and foremost, your best friend. And as your friend, wherever your heart leads......I wish you joy, and ev'ry happiness. 
Appearing in "The Enemy Within"
Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #4
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Yancy Street Gang
- Sergeant Gray, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Billie Lumpkin
- Isobel Aguirre
- Gordon Clay
- Franklin Richards
- Monks of Doom
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Zenn-Lavians
- Moloids
- Termini
Locations:
Items:
- Daily Bugle newspaper
Vehicles:
- Fantasti-Car MK I
- Boeing 314 China Clipper
- Fantasti-Jet
- Silver Surfer's Surfboard
Synopsis for "The Enemy Within"
Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #4
The Thing wakes up and stretches on the balcony of Pier Four to greet the day, wondering what his father would think of him now. As Ben bellows out a good morning to the world his chipper mood is quickly shattered when he is struck in the back of the head by the morning paper with a brick rolled up inside it. Opening up the newspaper there a crude message, "Good morning Brick Head!!" scrawled on the front page compliments of the Yancy Street Gang. This infuriates Ben who is about to rush out and catch the pranksters when he suddenly bumps into their new mail courier, Billie Lumpkin. As she is giving him a sack filled with mail there is suddenly a flash of light that comes from the wreckage of the Four Freedoms Plaza, the Fantastic Four's former headquarters. Suspecting that something is up, Ben takes a Sky-Cycle and flies toward his old home. As he goes there he thinks about recent tabloid reports about Alicia's exploits with the Silver Surfer and dismisses them as gossip. En route to the Four Freedoms, Ben calls Reed, Sue and Johnny and they tell him that they are on their way. Ben recounts how the Four Freedoms was taken over by the Thunderbolts when the world thought the Fantastic Four were dead, and how they trashed the FF's old headquarters when they were outed as Baron Zemo's Masters of Evil. When Ben lands he is shocked to see that the bright energy flashes are coming from the Silver Surfer, who is being carried in the arms of Alicia Masters.
After stumbling over the situation between Alicia and himself, Ben notes that the Silver Surfer has seen better days. Alicia points out that there is something wrong with the alien being and Ben agrees to do what he can to help. Soon the rest of the Fantastic Four arrive. However as they try to make a landing the Fantasti-Car's systems begin to short out prompting an emergency landing. With a safe landing facilitated by Sue and Johnny's powers, they ask Reed what happened but Richards has no idea what went wrong with their vehicle.
Meanwhile, a Boeing China Clipper travels through a storm halfway across the world. Aboard are the reporters Isobel Aguirre and her colleague Gordon Clay, both of whom are prisoners of the mysterious Crucible. When they ask their captor why they are his prisoners he explains that he is using their skills to document his conquest of the entire world.
Back in North America, the Fantastic Four following the Silver Surfer in one of their jets as he makes his way to the source of the threat to the Earth he has been detecting for sometime. Aboard the ship, Ben and Alicia talk out the situation between themselves as well as Alicia's relationship with the Silver Surfer. When he asks if things with the Surfer are serious, she isn't sure, and that when the Surfer reveals his true feelings to her it may come at a great cost to her. Outside the Surfer's thought are also on Alicia as he questions how a frail human can affect his feelings so. Johnny tries to question the Surfer's motives pointing out that Alicia is Ben's girlfriend and continues pressing the Surfer even though he tries to end the conversation. It is force to halt when the Surfer suddenly announces that they have reached their destination. They soon land in the Yorkton, a small town located in the province of Saskatchewan in Canada. They find the place filled with kind people who seem not overly surprised by the arrival of the Fantastic Four or the Silver Surfer, much to Johnny's surprise. The Fantastic Four are greeted by the local sheriff who learns what has brought their team to his town. Learning that there is some kind of danger looming he asks if he has time to call in Alpha Flight for assistance.
As the Fantastic Four remark at how lost the Silver Surfer looks in trying to isolate the danger they are suddenly interrupted by the appearance of the Mole Man. Their oldest foe explains how he had plans to cripple the surface world by stealing its natural resources but informs them that he has come to this town in peace. Needing help the Mole Man implores the Fantastic Four to believe him and shows them what is going on inside the church he is hiding out in. Inside they see what remains of his loyal Moloid legions who are now sick and dying after being forced to the surface by the very danger they came searching for. As Reed begins initial tests to find some way to cure the Moloids of their illness they are interrupted when Terminus smashes through the roof of the church. Ben recognizes their foe from the Fantastic Four's records on their first encounter with him and subsequent battles against the Avengers and the X-Men. When they get a closer look at Terminus they notice that his body is comprised of Moloids who have been forcibly mutated into a gestalt body for Terminus.
Reed warns that Terminus could infect the rest of the Moloids and the Fantastic Four fight him back out into the town. During the fight, Johnny is knocked out and falls into the cavern revealed by Terminus' arrival. There he is pulled to safety by a mystery woman who disappears before he can learn her name. While the rest of the Fantastic Four keep the infected Moloids away from those who are still safe, the Mole Man pleads to the Silver Surfer to help stop this menace. Although he is in a weakened state the Surfer confronts Terminus and unleashes the full fury of his Power Cosmic, purging the Moloids of the Terminus virus and seemingly slaying their foes. Although Ben is concerned about Alicia in the massive explosion of energy he sees that she is all right thanks to the Surfer. This leads Ben to believe that she has made up her mind about her feelings. As the Moloids celebrate their leader, the Thing and Alicia admit to each other that they are only friends for now. Before they depart, Ben warns the Surfer to treat Alicia well or he will have to answer to him.
Appearing in "Trouble in Paradise"
Iron Man (Vol. 3) #4
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Stark Solutions
- Stark–Fujikawa
- Morgan Stark
- Rumiko Fujikawa (First appearance)
- Kenjiro Fujikawa (First appearance)
- James Rhodes
Antagonists:
- Firebrand (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Pepper Potts (Only in flashback)
- Maria Stark Foundation (Mentioned)
- Baintronics Inc.
- Firebrand (Gary Gilbert) (Mentioned)
- Lord (Yahweh) (Invoked)
- ISFD (First appearance)
- Mr. Vosuero (First appearance)
Races and Species:
- Humans (Main story and flashback)
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- Caribbean Sea
- Isla Suerte (First appearance)
- United States of America
- New York
- California (Only in recap)
- Silicon Valley (Only in recap)
- Stark Enterprises Headquarters (Only in recap)
- Silicon Valley (Only in recap)
- Colorado (Only in flashback)
- Caribbean Sea
- Heaven (Referenced)
Items:
- Iron Man Armor Model 16
- Starkware (First appearance)
Synopsis for "Trouble in Paradise"
Iron Man (Vol. 3) #4
Tony is at the resort island Isla Suerte for business, launching the new Starkware line he has developed jointly with Stark-Fujikawa, and pleasure; checking in with Happy he finally learns that Happy and Pepper got divorced while he was dead. While relaxing on the beach, Tony gazes at a beautiful young woman who notices him staring at her. Elsewhere, wanting to send an anti-corporate statement the Flaming Sword terrorists prepare for an evening assault on the island. At the resort Casino, Morgan pays for everyone's evening on behalf of Stark-Fujikawa, and thanks Tony for agreeing to work with Stark-Fujikawa. Tony notices Rhodes at the function, but Morgan introduces Tony to the company founder Kenjiro Fujikawa and his granddaughter Rumiko , whom Tony recognizes as the young woman from the beach. Sunset Bain tries to take Tony's aside to discuss business, but Rumiko has Tony take her outside instead. As they walk on the beach discussing how Isla Suerto operates, Rumiko reveals that she wants to date him because of his notoriety, just to upset her parents. Just then, Firebrand attacks the island. Tony gets away and becomes Iron Man; he ruptures Firebrand's containment harness, then douses him in the ocean. As Iron Man tries to help the islanders he notices Rumiko overseeing relief efforts and directing rescue operations. Soon, Tony gathers with Rhodes, Rumiko, Morgan and others to discuss the situation, trapped on the island and unable to call for help because Flaming Sword has a damping field blocking communications. Suddenly, Firebrand reappears and sets off a dormant volcano above Isla Suerte.
Appearing in "Homecoming"
Incredible Hulk #460
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Betty Banner (Dream)
Antagonists:
- Maestro
- Brian Banner (Dream)
- Leader (Dream)
Other Characters:
- Lancelot Flinn (First appearance)
- Chopper Pilot
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Homecoming"
Incredible Hulk #460
This story continues from Heroes Reborn: The Return #4...
The Hulk and Bruce Banner have been merged back together knocking the gamma-spawned brute unconscious as his body crashed at the site of the first gamma bomb test. As the Hulk's badly damaged body sleeps, his body begins to spread a massive amount of radiation, causing green flames to start burning in a widening perimeter around his body. Deep in his mind, Bruce Banner dreams....
Bruce Banner wakes up in his childhood bedroom to the sound of his father calling him down to breakfast. Seeing his father at the kitchen table, Bruce refuses to accept this as reality, knowing that it is all a dream and that his father is dead. His father tells Bruce that he is also dead, but Bruce isn't buying it. When he opens the door outside, he sees a massive suburban sprawl and asks his father where he is. His father informs him that he is in Hell. Brian Banner explains that this is what has been waiting for him, both Cloot, and Mephisto warned him of this during their prior encounters. Brian goes on to say that he has been looking forward to this since his death and that Bruce and the Hulk are finished.
Not willing to accept this, Bruce goes outside and tries to get directions to transportation out of this suburban nightmare. He is surprised to see the Leader cooking at a barbecue who also tells Banner that he is dead. Bruce doesn't buy this given the Leader's propensity for lying...
In the waking world, the Hulk begins to stir, but not far away from him are the atomized bones of the Maestro, which are soaking up the massive amounts of gamma radiation that the Hulk's body is giving off, and still Banner dreams...
In the dream, Bruce Banner's attention is drawn to the Maestro who is raking leaves off a lawn. He tells Banner that death doesn't have any real meaning to beings like themselves. The Maestro explains that while they may be dead now, they always come back time and time again. The Maestro explains that the reason why the Hulk is regularly drawn back to the original site of the Gamma Bomb is because his consciousness has drawn him here and that the whole time he has been drawing the access gamma radiation from the Hulk's body in order to reform his body. When Bruce tries to refute this, the Maestro tells him to say that to Marlo Jones....
In the waking world, a helicopter is drawn to the radioactive fire that is burning in the desert, and still the Hulk dreams...
In the dream, Bruce's conversation with the Maestro is interrupted by his father who races toward him to mete out punishment to his son for skipping breakfast. He tries to run Bruce down with a car but misses. But the Leader and Maestro hop in with Brian and they swing around to try again...
Back in the waking world, a flame leaps up and damages the helicopter, forcing the pilot to bail out as it crashes. He lands in the middle of the radioactive fire where he is sure to die. However, the Hulk wakes up and gets to his feet, fully healed after his ordeal and carries the man to safety...
In the dream world, Bruce decides to not give into fear and finds his inner strength. Tossing the car aside, he swats away the Maestro and the Leader. He then confronts his father and begins strangling Brian Banner to death. Suddenly, there is a bright light in the sky and Bruce sees it as his wife Betty, and leaps up to greet here, unaware that the Maestro is also leaping toward her as well...
... This is actually another helicopter arriving on the scene, and as the Hulk reverts back to Bruce Banner, he turns the injured chopper pilot to his colleagues and then wanders off into the desert. As dawn begins to rise and the fires go out, nobody is around to see the emeciated body of the Maestro crawl out of the creater and watch as the sun begins to rise.