Fantastic Force #14
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Because he was responsible for the death of an American gang member while on a mission with Fantastic Force, Vibraxas has been brought back to Wakanda to stand trial. The head of the council, a man named N'Kano -- who the members of Fantastic Force note has the same real name as Vibraxas -- is very stern due to the fact that the death could reflect poorly on Wakanda's image on the international stage. The Black Panther then tells N'Kano to stand down as this is a informal hearing and not a royal tribunal. Defending Vibraxas is the She-Hulk, who uses her abilities as a lawyer to address the tribunal. She discusses the merits of Vibraxas' time with the Fantastic Force, such as their first battle when they assisted the Fantastic Four in their battle against the Dark Raider. She explains that while on a mission to stop gang violence in Manhattan's Koreatown district, Vibraxas' power containment armor was damaged and when a gang member tried to shoot him from behind, Vibraxas whirled around and grabbed the gun, his powers causing the gun to explode and killing the youth. She-Hulk maintains that while the death was tragic, it was accidental and out of self-defense, pointing out that the courts in New York City came to those same conclusions. N'Kano thanks She-Hulk for her testimony and tells those gathered that the tribunal will make their decision by morning.
When the trial is over, Vibraxas is shocked to see his old girlfriend R'Shumba who greets him with a blow across the fact, calling him faithless. She runs off as Vibraxas calls out after her but she keeps on going. As the members of Fantastic Force and Wyatt Wingfoot exit the court house, the Human Torch thanks She-Hulk for coming along to represent Vibraxas. She-Hulk is flattered, admitting that she had to take a crash course in Wakandan law before coming here. None of the Fantastic Force are aware that the alchemist known as Diablo has the She-Hulk under his thrall and that he is observing them from afar. When his demonic presence working with him asks why he does not act now, Diablo explains that patience is a virtue and that in his long life he has learned to reach his goals with great patience. Elsewhere in Wakanda, Vibraxas manages to catch up with R'Shumba and asks her why she is treating him so harshly. She explains that he abandoned his country and people in order to go to the United States and become a super-hero. Vibraxas explains that he hardly had a choice as he could not turn down a decree of his ruler the Black Panther, nor avoid it due to what he had become. He explains that after the accident that granted him his powers he did not want harm to come to anyone who he cared about so he went away. When Vibraxas expresses his relief that the Vibranium Research Facility was closed down, R'Shumba informs him that the project has since been started back up again, much to his shock.
Elsewhere, Devlor swings through the jungle recounting all the troubles each member of the team has had recently. Focusing on his, he recalls how he liked the fact that his exposure to the Omnivirus locked him in his bestial form, however this supposed blessing is turning out to be a curse since Devlor has found that he is becoming more and more savage. When he happens upon two Wakandans picnicking, he frightens them off despite he tries to them not to be afraid. However one woman lets go of her fear when she realizes that the beast can talk and that he only seeks a friend, she then takes his hand and they walk back into the city together. Later, Psi-Lord and She-Hulk are practicing in a training arena while the Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot watch on. Their time here has reminded Wyatt of the first time he and Johnny were in Wakanda many years earlier. Johnny thinks that Wakanda would be a place of great interest for his current girlfriend Laura Green who is an archaeologist. He then tells Wyatt of his plans to make Fantastic Force a global operations and thinks Wakanda would be a great base of operations for the group in the future. Suddenly their conversation is cut short when they hear the sound of Vibraxas' powers going off.
They rush outside to see Vibraxas trying to force his way into the Vibranium Research Facility, fighting off the guards and rebuffing the please of R'Shumba and his father to stop. Johnny decides to get in the middle of things and uses his flame powers to keep Vibraxas away from the facility. But Vibraxas fights through the flames and fights off his teammates when they arrive to keep him out. However Vibraxas stands down and Psi-Lord asks him to explain his actions. Vibraxas explains how his parents grew concerned about his future and that of the entire nation due to their reliance of Vibranium to sustain their country. In order to harness a limitless source of power, the Vibrasurge Research Facility was created. It was an attempt to merge Wakandan Vibranium with the variant of the material located in the Savage Land to create a perpetual power source. Vibraxas was visiting the facility on the day of the test. Something went wrong causing a massive power surge and explosion. The last thing young N'Kano saw was some kind of humanoid shape in the glowing inferno before the roof of the facility caved in on him. Young N'Kano was the only survivor and was only found due to his newly acquired vibrational powers manifesting. However as a result of the discharged shattered every bone in N'Kano's body. No other bodies were found and were assumed to have been incinerated in the blast. Due to his injuries N'Kano went through a very painful recovery and his eventual fitting of the special suit that contains his powers. The accident left N'Kano bitter and he accused the greed of materialistic greed being the cause of the accident.
Still blaming his father for the project to begin with, the fact that the elder N'Kano revived the project in his absence angers Vibraxas and he deems the project an abomination that must end. As he powers up and prepares to blast the building, suddenly there is an earthquake. The ground then splits open and a massive creature comprised of Vibranium emerges from the ground. With home bodies intertwined within its form. Seeing this monstrosity before him, Vibraxas wonders what sort of horror he has inadvertently unleashed.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Force (Human Torch, Black Panther, Psi-Lord, Vibraxas, Devlor, She-Hulk), Wyatt Wingfoot, N’Kano, R’Shumba, Diablo, Vibravore, Mephisto
Continuity Notes
The teenage Franklin seen here was delivered to the modern age by Nathaniel Richards from Earth-6311 to replace his Earth-616 counterpart. This occurred in Fantastic Four #376. Although everyone reacts as though this is Earth-616's Franklin all grown up, the young Franklin is returned in Fantastic Four #413. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #14 confirms that they are separate entities. Franklin believes that his mission was to stop the Dark Raider from destroying the Fantastic Four as explained in Fantastic Four #387, however this is part of a larger scheme to stop Hyperstorm that is not realized until Fantastic Four #414.
She-Hulk glosses over some of the early history of Fantastic Force:
The group's first unofficial battle when Psi-Lord, Huntara, Devlor and Vibraxas helped the Fantastic Four battle the dark Raider in Fantastic Four #392.
When the Black Panther officially formed the team in Fantastic Force #1.
And more recently when Vibraxas was forced to kill a member of the Sons of Sinanju in self-defense in Fantastic Force #6.
Devlor is acting more feral due to his exposure to the Omnivirus in Fantastic Force #11.
Johnny and Wyatt reminisce on their first visit to Wakanda which occurred back in Fantastic Four #52-53.
Johnny mentions his new girlfriend "Laura Green", unaware of the fact that she is really his ex-wife Lyja in disguise. When Johnny called an end to their rekinlded relationship in Fantastic Four #392 she has been posing as Laura Green to remain close to him.
The demon working with Diablo is revealed to be Mephisto in Fantastic Force #17.
