Back to GatefoldIssue #74 by Jason Bruss & Tobias Christopher
June 2017 |
It was the dead of winter as the winds were blowing throughout the city. Inside of the Baxter Building, Yoshi, the Richard's nanny/housekeeper, had just received the shock of her life. As she backed up, Johnny caught her, wearing nothing but a speedo. He had an orange streak in his hair now, with a towel around his shoulders.
"I'm expecting a very important phone call," Johnny said. "I'll be tanning on the roof."
"But the forecast is calling for 6-8 inches of snow," H.E.R.B.I.E. said.
"Like it matters," Johnny said. "Nothing matters anymore."
"By the way, Franklin and Valeria called, they're spending the night in their new headquarters."
"Good to know," Johnny said. Ever since Franklin had stolen his powers, Johnny had declared Franklin an enemy and was now working on a plan to get back his powers, and his revenge.*
(*New Warriors #19)
"You okay, Yoshi?” Johnny asked. Yoshi didn't answer as Johnny just shrugged and headed to the roof.
"I'm expecting a very important phone call," Johnny said. "I'll be tanning on the roof."
"But the forecast is calling for 6-8 inches of snow," H.E.R.B.I.E. said.
"Like it matters," Johnny said. "Nothing matters anymore."
"By the way, Franklin and Valeria called, they're spending the night in their new headquarters."
"Good to know," Johnny said. Ever since Franklin had stolen his powers, Johnny had declared Franklin an enemy and was now working on a plan to get back his powers, and his revenge.*
(*New Warriors #19)
"You okay, Yoshi?” Johnny asked. Yoshi didn't answer as Johnny just shrugged and headed to the roof.
“Lazarus”
Latveria
In a white, endless void in a pocket dimension created by Doom, Vincent Von Doom lay naked in a fetal position, as he had been for weeks on end, with nothing but his own thoughts to keep him company, which were driving him mad. He had lost track of the time since his punishment had started. Had it been days? Weeks? Months?... Years?
A portal opened as Sophie Von Doom entered with two Doombots, one carrying a blanket to put around her nude brother.
"Come, brother," Sophie told him as the Doombots helped him up. "Your punishment is over. Father says you may return to the castle. Your failure for attempting to destroy the New Warriors has been forgiven."
"My next attempt will succeed," Vincent promised her in an angry tone as he was led out of the void.
# # # # # # # # # #
"What's that?" Valeria asked as she saw Franklin holding an orange orb.
"Uncle Johnny's powers," Franklin told her. "I took them from him. I had to, he was getting out of control. He was hurting people."
"Are you going to give them back?"
"Yeah, of course, when he's the Uncle Johnny we knew," Franklin said. "In the meantime, we have to keep this orb safe."
"Guys, check out my new power!" Alpha shouted as he ran into Franklin, causing him to drop the orb, shattering it at Valeria's feet, where she absorbed the energy.
"Franklin, what did you just to me?" Valeria asked angrily as she caught on fire.
"I think I just gave you Uncle Johnny's powers," Franklin said in a frightened tone.
"Take them back!" Valeria shouted.
"I can't," Franklin told her. "I have to be at a certain emotional level to do certain things, and right now I’m kind of scared over what you're going to do to me to do anything."
Alpha was standing behind Valeria with a stick and marshmallow.
# # # # # # # # # #
At the 38th Street Diner, Sharon Ventura with sitting at a booth with Alicia, Lyja and Susan, having a small baby shower at the rented out diner.
"You did a great job with this baby shower," Alicia told her with a smile. "I appreciated everything all of you have for me since--" her voice trailed off as Lyja took her hand.
"We all needed a celebration after everything that's happened," Sue told her.
"You're very lucky, Alicia. I wish I could give Johnny a child," Lyja told her. "But I don't think that'll ever be in the cards for me. Sharon, how are your cancer treatments going?"
"They're going very well, thanks," Sharon said. "I know I'm going to beat this. But even if I do, I don't know what kind of future I'm going to have."
"You're going to have a great future," Sue promised her. "So, Alicia, have you decided on a name for the baby?"
"Yes," Alicia told her. "That was the easy part. The hard part is figuring out what to do for the nursery. I mean, what color should we paint it for a baby--"
A blender went off in the background as Alicia kept talking, stopping seconds after.
"Well, fortunately, Franklin and his friends said they'll fix the nursery up for you when you decide what you want to do," Sue told them with a sigh. "I can't believe my baby boy is sixteen years old now. They grow up way too fast."
# # # # # # # # # #
Latveria
Lord Doom and Queen Malice were dancing to a string quartet in the main celebration hall, as Sophie and Vincent watched from across the room. Vincent was still shaking some as he got used to being free again.
"Still upset over your punishment, brother?" Sophie asked as she drank a cherry slushy. "Mmm, these are the best thing in the universe."
"I hope you choke on it," Vincent told her. "I should be ruling Latveria, I should be the one sitting atop the throne made of my enemies skulls. Franklin Richards and his friends have made a mockery of me."
As they danced, Malice smiled at her husband.
"It is incredible that the Invisible Queen's body looks so much like Susan Richards," she said as Doom remained silent. Her smile faded as she wondered what was on his mind. "Perhaps we should move ahead with our next plan."
An angry Doom suddenly fired a blast from his right arm, destroying the quartet in one explosion, bringing the celebration to an end.
"Such a senseless killing," Malice said as she stroked his metallic cheek. "Although I am enjoying the married life, my husband."
"What is wrong, father?" Sophie asked.
"I tire of this," Doom told them. "Your defeat at the hands of the New Warriors has angered me. It is the same every time Reed Richards bests me. I should have done to the United States what I did to Milwaukee years ago. Total destruction."
Vincent walked out of the room as Sophie followed him.
"Afraid that he will return you to the void?"
"Silence, sister," Vincent told her. "Father is right, this humiliation will not stand. I must have the blood of Franklin Richards and his friends."
# # # # # # # # # #
"Fix. This. NOW!" Valeria shouted as she lobbed fireballs at Franklin and Alpha.
"I will, I just need time!" Franklin shouted. "Give me time to get my emotions in check!"
"You have until tomorrow morning," Valeria said angrily as she stormed out of the room.
"She's gonna kill you," Alpha chuckled. "Can I have your Pokémon cards when she turns you to ash?"
# # # # # # # # # #
Susan returned to the Baxter Building as Yoshi ran up to her.
"You have to go to Reed's lab now!"
"I haven't seen Reed in three months," Sue told her. "I can't even get into the lab."
"Susan, you must go, now!" Yoshi shouted. Susan sighed as she headed to the lab, arriving just as the doors opened. Reed, sporting a three-month-old beard, smiled as he saw them.
"Where are Johnny and the kids?" Reed asked.
"The kids are fine. They are at their new headquarters, and Johnny went to see them,*" H.E.R.B.I.E. explained.
(*New Warriors #19-#20)
"Reed, what have you done?" Sue asked.
Reed remained silent as the doors opened and a figure stepped out.
"Hiya, Suzie; Yoshi,"
Sue's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fainted.
TO BE CONTINUED...
In a white, endless void in a pocket dimension created by Doom, Vincent Von Doom lay naked in a fetal position, as he had been for weeks on end, with nothing but his own thoughts to keep him company, which were driving him mad. He had lost track of the time since his punishment had started. Had it been days? Weeks? Months?... Years?
A portal opened as Sophie Von Doom entered with two Doombots, one carrying a blanket to put around her nude brother.
"Come, brother," Sophie told him as the Doombots helped him up. "Your punishment is over. Father says you may return to the castle. Your failure for attempting to destroy the New Warriors has been forgiven."
"My next attempt will succeed," Vincent promised her in an angry tone as he was led out of the void.
# # # # # # # # # #
"What's that?" Valeria asked as she saw Franklin holding an orange orb.
"Uncle Johnny's powers," Franklin told her. "I took them from him. I had to, he was getting out of control. He was hurting people."
"Are you going to give them back?"
"Yeah, of course, when he's the Uncle Johnny we knew," Franklin said. "In the meantime, we have to keep this orb safe."
"Guys, check out my new power!" Alpha shouted as he ran into Franklin, causing him to drop the orb, shattering it at Valeria's feet, where she absorbed the energy.
"Franklin, what did you just to me?" Valeria asked angrily as she caught on fire.
"I think I just gave you Uncle Johnny's powers," Franklin said in a frightened tone.
"Take them back!" Valeria shouted.
"I can't," Franklin told her. "I have to be at a certain emotional level to do certain things, and right now I’m kind of scared over what you're going to do to me to do anything."
Alpha was standing behind Valeria with a stick and marshmallow.
# # # # # # # # # #
At the 38th Street Diner, Sharon Ventura with sitting at a booth with Alicia, Lyja and Susan, having a small baby shower at the rented out diner.
"You did a great job with this baby shower," Alicia told her with a smile. "I appreciated everything all of you have for me since--" her voice trailed off as Lyja took her hand.
"We all needed a celebration after everything that's happened," Sue told her.
"You're very lucky, Alicia. I wish I could give Johnny a child," Lyja told her. "But I don't think that'll ever be in the cards for me. Sharon, how are your cancer treatments going?"
"They're going very well, thanks," Sharon said. "I know I'm going to beat this. But even if I do, I don't know what kind of future I'm going to have."
"You're going to have a great future," Sue promised her. "So, Alicia, have you decided on a name for the baby?"
"Yes," Alicia told her. "That was the easy part. The hard part is figuring out what to do for the nursery. I mean, what color should we paint it for a baby--"
A blender went off in the background as Alicia kept talking, stopping seconds after.
"Well, fortunately, Franklin and his friends said they'll fix the nursery up for you when you decide what you want to do," Sue told them with a sigh. "I can't believe my baby boy is sixteen years old now. They grow up way too fast."
# # # # # # # # # #
Latveria
Lord Doom and Queen Malice were dancing to a string quartet in the main celebration hall, as Sophie and Vincent watched from across the room. Vincent was still shaking some as he got used to being free again.
"Still upset over your punishment, brother?" Sophie asked as she drank a cherry slushy. "Mmm, these are the best thing in the universe."
"I hope you choke on it," Vincent told her. "I should be ruling Latveria, I should be the one sitting atop the throne made of my enemies skulls. Franklin Richards and his friends have made a mockery of me."
As they danced, Malice smiled at her husband.
"It is incredible that the Invisible Queen's body looks so much like Susan Richards," she said as Doom remained silent. Her smile faded as she wondered what was on his mind. "Perhaps we should move ahead with our next plan."
An angry Doom suddenly fired a blast from his right arm, destroying the quartet in one explosion, bringing the celebration to an end.
"Such a senseless killing," Malice said as she stroked his metallic cheek. "Although I am enjoying the married life, my husband."
"What is wrong, father?" Sophie asked.
"I tire of this," Doom told them. "Your defeat at the hands of the New Warriors has angered me. It is the same every time Reed Richards bests me. I should have done to the United States what I did to Milwaukee years ago. Total destruction."
Vincent walked out of the room as Sophie followed him.
"Afraid that he will return you to the void?"
"Silence, sister," Vincent told her. "Father is right, this humiliation will not stand. I must have the blood of Franklin Richards and his friends."
# # # # # # # # # #
"Fix. This. NOW!" Valeria shouted as she lobbed fireballs at Franklin and Alpha.
"I will, I just need time!" Franklin shouted. "Give me time to get my emotions in check!"
"You have until tomorrow morning," Valeria said angrily as she stormed out of the room.
"She's gonna kill you," Alpha chuckled. "Can I have your Pokémon cards when she turns you to ash?"
# # # # # # # # # #
Susan returned to the Baxter Building as Yoshi ran up to her.
"You have to go to Reed's lab now!"
"I haven't seen Reed in three months," Sue told her. "I can't even get into the lab."
"Susan, you must go, now!" Yoshi shouted. Susan sighed as she headed to the lab, arriving just as the doors opened. Reed, sporting a three-month-old beard, smiled as he saw them.
"Where are Johnny and the kids?" Reed asked.
"The kids are fine. They are at their new headquarters, and Johnny went to see them,*" H.E.R.B.I.E. explained.
(*New Warriors #19-#20)
"Reed, what have you done?" Sue asked.
Reed remained silent as the doors opened and a figure stepped out.
"Hiya, Suzie; Yoshi,"
Sue's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fainted.
TO BE CONTINUED...