—Ricardo JonesI'll score the greatest triumph of all! Single-handed, I'll destroy the entire Fantastic Four!
Appearing in "This Man... This Monster!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Ricardo Jones (Unnamed) (Impersonates Thing) (Death)
Other Characters:
- NYPD
- Dave (First appearance)
- Galactus (Mentioned)
- Aunt Petunia (Mentioned)
- Watcher (Mentioned)
- Silver Surfer (Mentioned)
- Satan (Mentioned)
- Whitey Mullins
- Coach Jim Thorpe (Sam Thorne)
- Belle Thorne
- Will Wingfoot (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth-616
- Earthspace
- Negative Zone (First appearance)
- Heaven (Invoked)
Items:
- Fantastic Four Uniforms
- Duplication Apparatus (First appearance)
- Reed's Negative Zone Portal (First appearance)
Synopsis for "This Man... This Monster!"
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Detailed Summary:
Roaming the streets, the Thing is offered a place to stay by a man who has become very interested in him. While Ben sleeps the man uses a device to transfer Thing's powers to himself and goes to the Baxter Building posing as the Thing in hopes of eliminating Reed Richards based on the misconception that Reed makes his discoveries for the glory.
When Ben wakes up to realizes that his powers are gone, he tries to warn Reed that the Thing that's with him is an impostor. The team believes that Ben is really the impostor and dismisses him from the Baxter Building. Meanwhile, at College, Johnny and Wyatt get involved in a squabble with football star Whitey Mullins. It is broken up by Coach Thorpe, who realizes that Wyatt's father used to play on the Metro College football team. He offers Wyatt a position, but Wingfoot refuses.
While back at the Baxter Building, Reed tests out his newest invention: a portal to the Negative Zone. Traveling in this anti-matter universe, he has the "Thing" hold the tether so that he is not lost in the realm. When the tether breaks, the Thing impostor changes his opinion of Reed Richards. He realizes how selfless Reed is and jumps into the Negative Zone portal to save him. Throwing Reed back through the portal into the positive matter universe, he perishes at the energy barrier that separates the positive and negative matter universes.
Elsewhere, the human Ben Grimm is about to visit Alicia to show her that he is back to normal and propose to her. When he knocks on the door, however, he realizes that he has changed back into the Thing. Fleeing the scene he returns to the Baxter building where Reed and Sue realize that the friend they were just mourning is actually still alive and well. The impostor that was posing as him -- whoever he was -- had died a hero.Appearing in "The Black Panther!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Black Panther (First appearance)
- Wyatt Wingfoot
Other Characters:
- United States Air Force (Mentioned)
- Unnamed Wakandan Emissary
- Panther God (Statue)
- House of Agon
- Yancy Streeter (Mentioned)
- Wyatt Wingfoot's Ancestors (Mentioned)
- Lawrence Welk (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
Races and Species:
Realities:
Locations:
- Earthspace
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York
- New Jersey
- Metro College
- Northfield Dormitory (First appearance)
- Metro College
- Kentucky (Mentioned)
- United States of America
- Africa
- Horn of Africa
- Wakanda (First appearance)
- Techno Organic Jungle (First appearance)
- Wakanda (First appearance)
- Horn of Africa
- Asia
- North America
- Earth
- Heaven (Mentioned)
Items:
- Panther Habit (First appearance)
- Fantastic Four Uniforms
- Vibranium (First appearance) (Unnamed)
- Heart-Shaped Herb (First appearance) (Unnamed)
- Panther Idol (First appearance)
- Negative Barrier
- Polarity Guns (First appearance)
Vehicles:
- Magnetic Wave Rider (First appearance)
Events:
- Battle of the Bulge (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "The Black Panther!"
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The Fantastic Four are given a flying craft by the nation of Wakanda as a gift, as part of an invitation to visit the mysterious African country. Intrigued by the technological marvel brought to them, Mister Fantastic agrees. Their visitor then contacts the leader of Wakanda, T'Challa, also known as the Black Panther. T'Challa and his people rejoice at the news and they raise the panther idol high before he enters the sacred temple and dons his ceremonial Black Panther garb.
Back in the United States, the Fantastic Four go to Metro College to check on Johnny who is studying hard. When they tell him that they are going to Wakanda, Johnny asks if they can bring his friend Wyatt Wingfoot along with them. Meanwhile, within the Great Refuge of the Inhumans, the royal family continues to try to find a way to break out of the barrier around their city. Karnak attempts to use his abilities to see the flaws in any object to break through the barrier, but this proves to be a failure. As Maximus mocks his family from his cell, Black Bolt broods over what they must do next.
Later, the Fantastic Four take the ship they were given to fly to Wakanda along with Wyatt. When they land the ship they are surprised to find themselves in a massive mechanical forest. Upon disembarking the ship they are suddenly attacked by the Black Panther. Caught off guard the group splits up and faces off against various traps, Wakandan guards, and the Black Panther himself. By themselves, each member of the Fantastic Four are no match for the Black Panther, but when they regroup they easily outnumber and overpower the Panther who ceases his hostilities. Unmasking, T'Challa reveals that he was merely testing the Fantastic Four's fabled abilities and has invited them to his land to for a grave task.