Still... a man-made city raised from deep within the earth, run by super-genius devolved monsters... You don't see that every day. 
Appearing in "Part 1: The Abandoned City of the High Evolutionary"
Fantastic Four #575
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- High Evolutionary (Only in flashback)
- New Men (Only in flashback)
- Galactus (Corpse, skeleton or other remains)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- United States of America
- Subterranea
- City of the High Evolutionary (First appearance)
- Lechuguilla (First appearance)
- Meramec (First appearance)
Items:
Vehicles:
- Fantasti-Ship
Synopsis for "Part 1: The Abandoned City of the High Evolutionary"
Fantastic Four #575
Outside the Baxter Building, three Moloids emerge from a manhole in the middle of the street. No sooner are they on the surface is one of them run down by a truck. The others remove his head and take it with them before scurrying into the Fantastic Four's headquarters. No sooner than they are in, the alarm goes off alerting the Fantastic Four of their presence. When the Fantastic Four get into the lobby, the Moloids tell them that they are bringing a message from their master the Mole Man. Suddenly, the Mole Man and a massive creature burst through the floor. The Mole Man tells his oldest foes that there is peril in his domain and he has come seeking out their aid.
In the Fantastic Four's headquarters, the Mole Man and his Moloids explain that their kingdom is threatened by the Future City. They explain that it was created by the High Evolutionary and created a Darwin bubble around it to hyper-evolve everything within the city. Once completed, the Evolutionary planned to raise it to the surface. However, the machine failed and it instead devolved those who lived within the city confines and was abandoned. It was later found by the Moloids who were evolved into something similar to man. Since then Moloids have been drawn to the site, threatening to eliminate the Mole Man's kingdom. The Moloids who have accompanied them were briefly affected by the Future City and made intelligent. As the bodiless Moloid head explains that their newfound intelligence has made them outcasts among the others, Franklin and Valeria construct a device that will allow the severed head to fly about. When Johnny asks why they should help the Mole Man out, their oldest foe explains that the evolved Moloids are planning to raise the city from the ground.
Soon the Fantastic Four and the Mole Man are traveling into Subterrantea through Aeolus' Cave. Along the way they come across the spot where Reed buried the corpse of the Galactus from the future. Along the way, the Thing questions the Mole Man's motives. However, the Mole Man explains that the Moloids who have evolved in the Future City have children who are intelligent but look like their former selves and are sent out of the City causing a humanitarian crisis. Soon they descend deeper into the caverns until they come to the gates of the Future City. Reed notices that they have arrived too late as they are already raising the city. Needing action, the Thing leaps out and onto a parapet. There he is transformed by the Evolutionary Engines of the future city, giving Ben a simian-like form. They demand that they tell him where the children are. Getting the location, the Thing breaks deep into the ground and recovers the last remaining intelligent Moloids from the city. Ben pulls them into the ship and they rush back to the surface just as the Future City erupts to the surface. As the Fantastic Four try to make sense of the situation, Reed realizes that there is a lot of work ahead of them.
Over time, the Thing returns to normal. The United States tries to establish a treaty with the Future City but they break down and a border is constructed to prevent travel. Meanwhile, the Moloid children rescued by the Fantastic Four show no sign of losing their intelligence.
Appearing in "Part 2: The Old Kings of Atlantis"
Fantastic Four #576
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Dr. Calvin Cooley (First appearance)
Races and Species:
Mentions:
- Super-Smart Moloid Kids (Mentioned)
- Russians (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Earth
- Antarctica
- Lake Vostok (First appearance)
- Old Atlantis[1] (First appearance)
- The Peak (First appearance)
- Old Atlantis[1] (First appearance)
- Vostok Station (First appearance)
- Discovery Building (First appearance)
- Lake Vostok (First appearance)
- Old Atlantis (Mentioned)
- Antarctica
Vehicles:
- Vostok Station Submarine Pod
Events:
- Great Fall (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "Part 2: The Old Kings of Atlantis"
Fantastic Four #576
The Invisible Woman briefs the Thing and the Human Torch on the Fantastic Four's next mission. They are going to the Vostok Station located in the center of Antarctica where they an isolated mass of water about 6000 square miles long that has been isolated from the rest of the world for millions of years. She explains that there was interest that there might be life down there when four years ago evidence was discovered suggesting that there is some kind of structure below the ice. Mister Fantastic continues by explaining that recently they discovered that Advanced Idea Mechanics have started boring through the ice in the area in an attempt to get there first. With time of the essence, Reed and Sue tell Johnny and Ben to get ready as they are going to begin a manned mission immediately.
They arrive in Antarctica some four hours later where they meet with Dr. Calvin Cooley the head of the project for the Foundation. Cooley warns them that there are a few issues that would make exploration difficult, but the Fantastic Four are still intent on going down. When they dive into the water they initially don't find the structure they are searching for. When the Thing starts to sink, Sue uses her powers to lift him back up to the surface. While they are looking up, they spot the structure attached to the bottom of the ice. Suddenly, AIM submarines burst through and head toward the city. In response, humanoid fish creatures come out of the structure and fight back against the invaders. The Fantastic Four come to the aquatic being's aid. when AIM flees, the beings invite the Fantastic Four into their undersea city.
Given living creatures that allow them to communicate with the fish-people, and are brought to their ruler Ul-Uhar, who welcomes them to Atlantis. This confuses Reed because the Atlantis he knows has been destroyed. They correct him and explain that Atlantis is the entire sea. Ul-Uhar asks for clarification on humanities distinctions since AIM attacked them and the Fantastic Four aided them, pointing out that there are three different species found in their domain. Reed explains that humanity is not a collective. When Ul-Uhar asks who will be the spokesperson of man, the Invisible Woman speaks up. Accepting this, Ul-Uhar decrees that the Invisible Woman will be the representative for man in their kingdom.
Before the Fantastic Four leave, they are given a device that will allow them to contact the Old Kingdom of Atlantis. They also learn of the three species: the fish-like Uhari, the eel-like Chordai and the crab-like Mala. Sue hopes to create a utopia under the sea by contacting Namor about her discovery, however the Sub-Mariner has not responded.
Appearing in "... And So It Ends..."
Fantastic Four #71
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Mad Thinker (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "... And So It Ends..."
Fantastic Four #71
Continued from last issue..
With her teammates all knocked out trying to restore the Thing's personality after it was altered by the Mad Thinker, only the Invisible Girl is left standing when the Thinker's android comes crashing through the wall. In order to get away she turns invisible, but when the android turns its attention to her husband, she blasts it with an electro-force beam. While it stuns her foe, it also works to revive Reed, Ben and Johnny. Sue then begins dodging the robot when it begins tracking her with its radar system until the Thing gets up. Ben has been restored back to his normal personality and begins fighting the android. With Sue's help, Ben manages to knock the robot out of the building.
However, when Johnny and Reed revive they believe that the Thing is still under the Thinker's control and is attacking Sue and come to her "rescue," until Sue tells them that Ben is back to normal and they all stand down. While down below, the android picks itself off the ground and flies back up to the Fantastic Four's headquarters. When it begins to attack, Johnny tries to use his flame powers, but the android counteracts this by coating its body in ice. When Johnny was then frozen and knocked out, the android attempted to throw him from the building, but was stopped at the last moment by Reed who saved Johnny's life. Reed then lured the android into his space-time laboratory and sent it hurtling into the open portal into the Negative Zone, ending its threat. In the aftermath of the battle, Reed went to rush to his wife's aid while Crystal went to check on Ben and Johnny to see if they are all right. In the aftermath, Reed informs the team that due to Sue's pregnancy and the constant danger in their lives, the pair are quitting the Fantastic Four.
This story is continued next issue....
Notes
See Also
Links and References
References
- ↑ Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse #1 ; Uhari Kids' profile