Fantastic Four #266
Call Her... Karisma!
Her first official day as a member of the Fantastic Four, She-Hulk finds herself at Mercy General Hospital after the Invisible Girl collapsed due to complications caused by her second pregnancy. Alicia enters the room and asks how things are going. Jennifer tells Alicia that Sue has been stabilized and that Reed is working with some of the best experts in the field: Walter Langkowski, Bruce Banner, and Michael Morbius. Alicia tells Jen that the Torch is out looking for other experts. She recalls how Sue's last pregnancy was able to success thanks to the energies of the Cosmic Control Rod, which is not an option since Annihilus has apparently been destroyed. When She-Hulk asks Alicia how she is doing since hearing that the Thing has decided not to return to Earth following the Secret Wars, Alicia surprises Jen by explaining that she will wait until he discovers whatever makes him happy on Battleworld. The current situation reminds her of an event that happened months earlier between Ben and Sue and begins telling the tale...
Ben and Alicia are walking through Central Park when suddenly they notice a strange veiled woman stopping an armored truck as it is making its rounds. By lifting her veil, she puts the men behind the wheel under her control and orders them to start unloading the money from the back. The Thing decides to get involved and leaves Alicia in the park. When the Thing begins trying to stop the men, the woman approaches him. Introducing herself as Karisma, the woman lifts her veil, enthralling the Thing as well. With the Thing under her control, Karisma orders Ben to begin unloading the truck for her. When Alicia rushes to Ben's side, she is left puzzled by what the woman has done to her boyfriend, as the Thing gathers up all the money and leaves, pushing Alicia aside to do the job he has been commanded to carry out.
Not far away at the boutique off-broadway, the Invisible Girl is trying on a wig when suddenly she hears police sirens. Deciding to investigate it, Sue rushes to the scene and witnesses as the New York Police are clashing with the Thing. Sue convinces the officers on the scene to let her try and contain the Thing. At first, she is able to entrap him in an invisible force field, but the Thing smashes through the street below his feet and comes up from below, grabbing Sue's leg. Trying to get free, the Invisible Girl focuses her force field to strike a blow into the Thing's face in order to break free. But the Thing continues to come at her, and although Sue manages to trip Ben up, he manages to get the drop on her. Protected by a force field, Sue cannot take any further beatings. Realizing Ben is somehow under someone else's control, she changes tactics by turning invisible. Without being able to see his prey, Ben then wanders off to continue his task. Crossing paths with Karisma once again, he is given another view of her face from beneath the veil, renewing Karisma's hold on him. Karisma recalls how she was a lowly employee creating new products for the Gaylord Cosmetics Company until the day she discovered a formula that made men her slaves when seeing her face with the make-up on it and decided to use it for crime.
The Thing continues to attack the Invisible Girl, as Karisma watches and mocks the female member of the Fantastic Four. Wondering what sort of power she has over the Thing, Sue uses her powers to rip off Karisma's veil. She is shocked to see that Karisma's face is horribly scarred. The villain explains that the chemicals used in her mind-controlling make-up have proven lethal and begun affecting her face. When she unleashes her full power on all the men around her and orders them to attack, Sue responds by using her powers to make Karima's head invisible. Unable to see her face anymore, the Thing and the rest of Karima's thralls are freed from her control. With the battle over, Sue ensures that Karisma's face is covered before turning her over to the authorities.
.... As Alicia finishes her story, they both hear commotion from up the hall and go to investigate. They soon learn that the scientists gathered by Reed have exhausted all avenues and cannot find a way to ensure that Sue and her unborn baby survive the coming birth. When all hope suddenly seems lost, Walter Langkowski suddenly remembers one of the people who might be able to help them: Otto Octavius, a radiation expert who also happens to be the super-villain known as Doctor Octopus.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, She-Hulk, Thing (in flashback)), Karisma, “Alicia Masters”, Alicia Masters (in flashback), Walter Langkowski, Bruce Banner, Michael Morbius
Continuity Notes
Present
The Alicia Masters that appears here is not the real Alicia Masters, but a Skrull spy named Llyja that has been sent to Earth to infiltrate the Fantastic Four, as revealed in Fantastic Four #357.
"Alicia" mentions some facts regarding Sue's pregnancy:
That, per Fantastic Four Annual #6, Sue's last pregnancy with Franklin was also complicated but it was a success when they siphoned energy from the Cosmic Control Rod belonging to Annihilus.
Alicia mentions that Annihilus is dead, which the Fantastic Four and their allies were led to believe when the foe slammed into the Distortion Barrier between the Negative Zone and Earth in Fantastic Four #256, however, Annihilus resurfaces alive and well in Fantastic Four #289.
Alicia's inaccurate in saying that because Annihilus is apparently dead they have no access to the Cosmic Control Rod. At the time of this story, the Cosmic Control Rod is in the possession of Blastaar who took it from Annihilus back in Marvel Two-In-One #75.
Mention is made of the Thing's absence is mentioned, the Thing decided to stay behind on Battleworld following the events of the Secret Wars at the end of Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #12 due to the fact that he could change between his human and Thing forms on Battleworld. Ben's adventures on Battleworld are covered in the pages of Thing #11-22.
Flashback
The Flashback in this story occurs between Fantastic Four #250, following their battle with Gladiator and the Skrulls and Fantastic Four #251 when the group begins their expedition of the Negative Zone.
The Alicia Masters seen here is the real Alicia as this story takes place prior to her replacement by Lyja in Fantastic Four #265.
