Appearing in "The Return of the Frightful Four"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- ⏴ Agatha Harkness ⏵ (First appearance)
- Ebony ⏵ (First appearance)
Villains:
Other Characters:
Locations:
- United States of America
- New York City, New York State
- Whisper Hill Template:First appearance
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Return of the Frightful Four"
Deciding to name their baby Franklin Benjamin Richards (honoring both Sue's father and Ben) Reed informs the other that they are going to bring baby Franklin to a child rearing expert named Agatha Harkness, who lives in a mansion on Whisper Hill. What the team is unaware of is that the Frightful Four has reunited, has been spying on them and plan to attack during their visit with Agatha Harkness.
That night after introductions are made, the FF retire for the night as guests of Agatha. When the Frightful Four break into the mansion, they incapacitate Ben and the Torch, then trap Reed and Sue in their room. Planning to kidnap Franklin, they are first stopped by Medusa who had only joined up with the group to help protect the FF from them. However, she is bound by the Trapster's paste, but the Frightful Four are then defeated by Agatha and her cat Ebony, unleashing her magical might and defeating each member with ease.
When the FF free themselves they are shocked to find all the villains defeated. They find Agatha quietly rocking Franklin to sleep. When the Thing spies a book about the Salem Witches, Agatha hints at the fact that she herself is truly a witch, which spooks Ben.
Solicit Synopsis
Notes
Continuity Notes
- Reed and Sue's son was born in Fantastic Four Annual #6, his name here is in honor of Sue and Johnny's father Franklin Storm who sacrificed his life to save the Fantastic Four from a Skrull bomb in Fantastic Four #32.
- Although heavily implied here, Agatha Harkness it is clarified that Agatha Harkness is a witch in Fantastic Four #110. Her origins have been years in the making, her earliest noted appearance was in Silver Surfer (Vol. 3) #135 which dates her existence to half a century prior to the fall of Atlantis. In more recent times she was seen in the town of Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem witch trials circa 1692 as seen in Nova (Vol. 2) #6-7. She later established the hidden community of New Salem, Colorado. Eventually she abandoned her commune to live on Whisper Hill as explained in Fantastic Four #185. Chronologically, Agatha and her pet Ebony next appear in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #4 when Sue takes Franklin to Agatha to care for while they battled Doctor Doom.
- The Frightful Four were last seen as a group during a flashback depicted in Amazing Spider-Man #657 when they failed to recruit the Beetle into their ranks. However each member had since broken out of jail since.
- The Wizard last clashed with the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #81 and was trounced in combat against the group thanks to the new addition of Crystal to their ranks. The Wizard managed to escape that battle.
- Prior to this story, the Trapster was briefly under the employ of the Red Skull and was defeated by Captain America in Captain America #108.
- The Sandman previously clashed with the Hulk in Incredible Hulk #113-114 wherein a failed partnership with the Mandarin found the Sandman turned into glass. He was apparently cured by the Wizard prior to this story.
- Medusa was feigning loyalty to the Frightful Four after becoming an ally to the Fantastic Four following the events of Fantastic Four #44-48 when she discovered she was a member of the Inhumans. She was last seen in Fantastic Four #82-83 when the Fantastic Four liberated her people from the tyrannical Maximus.
Publication Notes
- This issue features a letters page, Fantastic Four Fan Page. Letters are published from Andrew Warner, John Daugherty, Drew Zuckerwise, Wayne Fredrickson, and R.E. Plummer.
Trivia
- The Fantasti-Car depicted this issue has no side passenger components. It is noted to have been recently modified by Johnny Storm and appears to be more aerodynamic.