Back to GatefoldIssue #73 by Jason Bruss & Tobias Christopher
March 2017 |
“Everything Changes”
Three Months Later
It's been three months since the death of Ben Grimm a.k.a. the Thing, who died at the hands of the Wizard, who in turn died at the hands of Reed Richards. That day marked the end of the Fantastic 4 as the world knew them. Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman hadn't been seen in public since, and with Valeria Richards leading the New Warriors, that left only one person who could create a new Fantastic 4...
Sue Richards sat outside of the large metal door that was the entrance to Reed's lab. She knocked again, just as she did every day, not getting an answer. Reed had closed himself off from the world since that fateful day when the Wizard took the team to a very dark place. Then there was the funeral for Ben, where every hero imaginable came to pay their last respects.
Everyone but Reed, that is.
# # # # # # # # # #
Franklin and Valeria held their mother's hand as the people gathered to say their last goodbyes to Ben. Among the first was an old man with a gray mustache and dark glasses, who looked down at Ben's coffin.
"Excelsior, old friend," the man said as the next person stepped up.
"I can't believe he's gone," Franklin said. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."
"I know, baby," Sue said as she kissed the top of his head. "But at least he's in a better place now."
As Franklin watched the people grieve over his Uncle Ben, Franklin realized that things would never be the same for the family.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Dr. Richard's vitals are still normal," H.E.R.B.I.E. told Sue as his robotic body floated past her. "I have been making sure he's been eating, although I am worried about his lack of sleep."
"Thanks for keeping me up to date," Sue said in a whisper as she put her hand against the cold metal door, which was now as cold as their marriage.
"Do not give up on him," Yoshi said. "You are like a daughter to me, and I know all of you are hurting. I just wish there was more I could do."
"Thank you, Yoshi," Sue said. "For making sure the children are okay during all of this. I just wish there was a way I could reach Reed."
# # # # # # # # # #
A copy of the Daily Bugle flew through the wind with the headline "Human Torch: Vigilante or Nuisance?" The paper turned to ash as the Human Torch flew by, heading toward a masked robber that was trying to get away on a hoverboard.
"Oh, no, you don't," Johnny said as he fired several fireballs, some of them hitting buildings along the way. One finally struck the robber, knocking him to the ground. Johnny quickly deflamed and began punching the robber repeatedly until he was bleeding heavily. He kept punching until he thought he felt something grabbing his arm.
"That's enough, kid," a familiar voice said. Johnny turned and saw Ben standing behind him, smiling. Johnny turned back to the robber, seeing his bleeding face. When he turned back around, Ben was gone, just in time for the police to arrive.
"Thanks, we've been after this guy for a while," the officer said as he extended his hand to shake. Johnny said nothing as he flamed on and flew off into the sky. Just as he was high enough into the sky, something hit him and forced Johnny to land on the top of a nearby building.
"Whoever did that is dead!" Johnny shouted as he was sprayed with gallons of foam, rendering his powers temporarily useless. "What the hell?"
"Sorry, but we needed to talk," a voice said as Johnny turned to see Franklin, Josh, Lyja and one of H.E.R.B.I.E.'s spare bodies. All of them were wearing a '4' symbol. "You're out of control."
"And who you are supposed to be?" Johnny asked.
"We're the Fantastic 4," Franklin said with a smirk.
# # # # # # # # # #
Sue was walking down the streets, feeling the cold winter air. She stopped to look at the Christmas decorations in the store windows, where she saw a toy train set in the department store window. She remembered back to the time when Ben, Reed, Johnny, and young Franklin were playing with the brand new toy train set that they had bought Franklin for Christmas. Johnny was creating little bursts of flame to create puffs of smoke for Franklin as Ben laughed. Sue could almost swear that she heard his laughter next to her as she came back to reality.
# # # # # # # # # #
Alicia was at the doctor getting her sonogram as she lay on the table. She didn't want to raise this child alone, and hoped that somewhere, Ben was watching her and proud of the baby that they had made. The doctor smiled as he looked at her.
"Congratulations, the baby is perfectly healthy," he said. "In six months you'll have a wonderful baby--"
# # # # # # # # # #
"You have got to be kidding me," Johnny said as he stood up. "You got your little boyfriend, and my girlfriend to go along with this little stunt?"
"The city needed a Fantastic 4," Franklin said. "And since you and my parents are too wrapped up in your little worlds to help, I had to do it on my own. You've become dangerous since Uncle Ben died. The Uncle Johnny I know wouldn't beat criminals to a pulp or cause destruction like this."
"Yeah, well maybe the world needs a stronger Human Torch," Johnny told him. "One who doesn't feel emotion."
"Johnny, this isn't you," Lyja said as she approached him. "You've become distant and irrational. I want the Johnny I fell in love with."
"And we're not boyfriends," Josh said as he shifted his eyes uncomfortably.
"Whatever," Johnny said as he brushed the foam off. "This is the new me, so get used to it."
"You're not a hero anymore, you're a vigilante," Franklin told him. "And I don't want vigilantes running around my town, hurting people."
"What are you gonna do, tell your mom?" Johnny laughed as Franklin started concentrating. "What are you doing?"
Franklin's nose started bleeding as he focused his energy on Johnny. "I didn't want to do this. I'm sorry."
"Franklin, whatever you're doing, stop it!" Johnny shouted. "Flame on!"
Nothing happened as Johnny stared at his hands. "You little bastard, what did you do!"
Franklin held up a fiery red ball that fit in the palm of his hand. "I took your powers away."
"Give that to me!" Johnny shouted as Franklin put the ball inside a compartment on his belt.
"No," Franklin said. "Not until you stop this nonsense. I'm sorry, Uncle Johnny, you're grounded."
"You're going to pay for this," Johnny said angrily. "You want to be enemies, kid? You got it."
# # # # # # # # # #
Back at the Baxter Building, the doors to Reed's lab were still closed as the sounds of banging and electricity were heard from within. Yoshi walked up and knocked on the door. "Dinner's ready, Mr. Richards!"
As usual, there was no reply.
"You can't stay in the lab anymore, you have to come out and face the world!"
As she said that, the doors opened and smoke emerged as Yoshi stared inside at what Reed had been working on for the last few months. All she could do was whisper.
"Holy Putin shit."
TO BE CONTINUED...
It's been three months since the death of Ben Grimm a.k.a. the Thing, who died at the hands of the Wizard, who in turn died at the hands of Reed Richards. That day marked the end of the Fantastic 4 as the world knew them. Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman hadn't been seen in public since, and with Valeria Richards leading the New Warriors, that left only one person who could create a new Fantastic 4...
Sue Richards sat outside of the large metal door that was the entrance to Reed's lab. She knocked again, just as she did every day, not getting an answer. Reed had closed himself off from the world since that fateful day when the Wizard took the team to a very dark place. Then there was the funeral for Ben, where every hero imaginable came to pay their last respects.
Everyone but Reed, that is.
# # # # # # # # # #
Franklin and Valeria held their mother's hand as the people gathered to say their last goodbyes to Ben. Among the first was an old man with a gray mustache and dark glasses, who looked down at Ben's coffin.
"Excelsior, old friend," the man said as the next person stepped up.
"I can't believe he's gone," Franklin said. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."
"I know, baby," Sue said as she kissed the top of his head. "But at least he's in a better place now."
As Franklin watched the people grieve over his Uncle Ben, Franklin realized that things would never be the same for the family.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Dr. Richard's vitals are still normal," H.E.R.B.I.E. told Sue as his robotic body floated past her. "I have been making sure he's been eating, although I am worried about his lack of sleep."
"Thanks for keeping me up to date," Sue said in a whisper as she put her hand against the cold metal door, which was now as cold as their marriage.
"Do not give up on him," Yoshi said. "You are like a daughter to me, and I know all of you are hurting. I just wish there was more I could do."
"Thank you, Yoshi," Sue said. "For making sure the children are okay during all of this. I just wish there was a way I could reach Reed."
# # # # # # # # # #
A copy of the Daily Bugle flew through the wind with the headline "Human Torch: Vigilante or Nuisance?" The paper turned to ash as the Human Torch flew by, heading toward a masked robber that was trying to get away on a hoverboard.
"Oh, no, you don't," Johnny said as he fired several fireballs, some of them hitting buildings along the way. One finally struck the robber, knocking him to the ground. Johnny quickly deflamed and began punching the robber repeatedly until he was bleeding heavily. He kept punching until he thought he felt something grabbing his arm.
"That's enough, kid," a familiar voice said. Johnny turned and saw Ben standing behind him, smiling. Johnny turned back to the robber, seeing his bleeding face. When he turned back around, Ben was gone, just in time for the police to arrive.
"Thanks, we've been after this guy for a while," the officer said as he extended his hand to shake. Johnny said nothing as he flamed on and flew off into the sky. Just as he was high enough into the sky, something hit him and forced Johnny to land on the top of a nearby building.
"Whoever did that is dead!" Johnny shouted as he was sprayed with gallons of foam, rendering his powers temporarily useless. "What the hell?"
"Sorry, but we needed to talk," a voice said as Johnny turned to see Franklin, Josh, Lyja and one of H.E.R.B.I.E.'s spare bodies. All of them were wearing a '4' symbol. "You're out of control."
"And who you are supposed to be?" Johnny asked.
"We're the Fantastic 4," Franklin said with a smirk.
# # # # # # # # # #
Sue was walking down the streets, feeling the cold winter air. She stopped to look at the Christmas decorations in the store windows, where she saw a toy train set in the department store window. She remembered back to the time when Ben, Reed, Johnny, and young Franklin were playing with the brand new toy train set that they had bought Franklin for Christmas. Johnny was creating little bursts of flame to create puffs of smoke for Franklin as Ben laughed. Sue could almost swear that she heard his laughter next to her as she came back to reality.
# # # # # # # # # #
Alicia was at the doctor getting her sonogram as she lay on the table. She didn't want to raise this child alone, and hoped that somewhere, Ben was watching her and proud of the baby that they had made. The doctor smiled as he looked at her.
"Congratulations, the baby is perfectly healthy," he said. "In six months you'll have a wonderful baby--"
# # # # # # # # # #
"You have got to be kidding me," Johnny said as he stood up. "You got your little boyfriend, and my girlfriend to go along with this little stunt?"
"The city needed a Fantastic 4," Franklin said. "And since you and my parents are too wrapped up in your little worlds to help, I had to do it on my own. You've become dangerous since Uncle Ben died. The Uncle Johnny I know wouldn't beat criminals to a pulp or cause destruction like this."
"Yeah, well maybe the world needs a stronger Human Torch," Johnny told him. "One who doesn't feel emotion."
"Johnny, this isn't you," Lyja said as she approached him. "You've become distant and irrational. I want the Johnny I fell in love with."
"And we're not boyfriends," Josh said as he shifted his eyes uncomfortably.
"Whatever," Johnny said as he brushed the foam off. "This is the new me, so get used to it."
"You're not a hero anymore, you're a vigilante," Franklin told him. "And I don't want vigilantes running around my town, hurting people."
"What are you gonna do, tell your mom?" Johnny laughed as Franklin started concentrating. "What are you doing?"
Franklin's nose started bleeding as he focused his energy on Johnny. "I didn't want to do this. I'm sorry."
"Franklin, whatever you're doing, stop it!" Johnny shouted. "Flame on!"
Nothing happened as Johnny stared at his hands. "You little bastard, what did you do!"
Franklin held up a fiery red ball that fit in the palm of his hand. "I took your powers away."
"Give that to me!" Johnny shouted as Franklin put the ball inside a compartment on his belt.
"No," Franklin said. "Not until you stop this nonsense. I'm sorry, Uncle Johnny, you're grounded."
"You're going to pay for this," Johnny said angrily. "You want to be enemies, kid? You got it."
# # # # # # # # # #
Back at the Baxter Building, the doors to Reed's lab were still closed as the sounds of banging and electricity were heard from within. Yoshi walked up and knocked on the door. "Dinner's ready, Mr. Richards!"
As usual, there was no reply.
"You can't stay in the lab anymore, you have to come out and face the world!"
As she said that, the doors opened and smoke emerged as Yoshi stared inside at what Reed had been working on for the last few months. All she could do was whisper.
"Holy Putin shit."
TO BE CONTINUED...