Fantastic Four #323
Orphan of the Storm!
The Fantastic Four wander the streets of New York City and help Mantis defeat some possessed parking meters. defend Mantis against an attack by Kang. Mantis decides to tag up with the Fantastic Four and they continue walking.
Aron the Watcher observes the Fantastic Four from the Empire State Building and prepares for his next action. Kang also watches the Fantastic Four and decides that the Inferno is the perfect time to take his revenge on Mantis, the Celestial Madonna, by kidnapping her. attempts to awaken the Dreaming Celestial. Kang leaves behind a bomb, which the Thing throws into space.
From Kang's mention about the Celestials, Thing suspects Kang might have taken Mantis to Mount Diablo. As the Human Torch is having trouble flaming off, he flies outside the Fantasti-Car. Meanwhile the spectral form of a man follows the Torch.
Surprising Kang, the Fantastic Four attack his ship and Thing throws Kang's ship. Kang activates a suction device to capture Ms. Marvel, but the Torch saves her with a fire burst. The Torch finds he can not control his flame and flares up until it explodes. As Thing and Ms. Marvel run to save their friend, Kang discovers that Mantis has mysteriously disappeared from her cell.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Thing, Ms. Marvel, Human Torch, Mantis), Kang the Conqueror, Dragon Man, Aron the Rogue Watcher, Necrodamus
Continuity Notes
This story takes place during the Inferno event when New York City was being invaded by demons from Limbo led by N'Astirh. The primary battle against N'Astirh was taking place in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #239-243 and X-Factor #36-39.
Johnny recalls that Mantis used to be a member of the Avengers. She originally joined the group in Avengers #112-135. She left the group in Giant-Size Avengers #4 when she was married to one of the Cotati to have a child as part of her role as the Celestial Madonna. At the time of this story, she had recently been a member of the Avengers West Coast starting in West Coast Avengers Annual #3 and was with the group in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #37-39.
The Thing mentions his past membership with the West Coast Avengers in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #9.
Mantis recalls how her son was taken from her by the Cotati a short time after his birth. This was first referenced in Silver Surfer (Vol. 3) #4.
The specter seen here is later revealed to be Necrodamus next issue.
Kang's appearance here is marred in some temporal confusion that is not fully explained here. The details:
As revealed in Avengers #267-269 every time Kang traveled through time he created a divergent version of himself. During these issues, the "Prime" Kang began culling his counterparts until only he existed. He was later driven mad by his future self Immortus and sent out into temporal Limbo.
As revealed in Avengers: Forever #9 Kang killed himself which triggered a device that transferred his mind into a new body in his native 40th Century and left a divergent self behind in the past.
During the time of this story, there is two versions of Kang active in the modern era. The Kang featured in this story was later identified as the "Prime" Kang in Avengers Annual #21 (The one who was revived in the future as stated in Avengers: Forever #9). The other is a spectral shade seen in Avengers #300, this is one of the last remaining temporal Kangs that was a member of the Council of Cross-Time Kangs seen in Avengers #291-297 who was later seemingly lost in the Time Bubble.
Kang mentions wanting to get revenge against Mantis. This is because when she foiled his plans to kidnap her after being named the Celestial Madonna and be the father of the Celestial Messiah that she was destined to birth. This plot was foiled by the Avengers, and his future selves Rama-Tut and Immortus in Avengers #129-135 and Giant-Size Avengers #2-4.
Kang also mentions the Time-Bubble which was seen in Avengers #296-297. Marvel Encyclopedia: Fantastic Four designates the future where the Time Bubble exists as Earth-8810. In this story, Kang states that the Time Bubble exists between the years 2005 and 2020. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 this should be considered a topical reference. As the Sliding Timescale moves forward, then the dates that the Time Bubble exists should change and should be generalized in the context of this story. The Time Bubble exists roughly 20 in the future relative to this story.
Kang mentions the Dreaming Celestial slumbering below California. This fact was revealed in Eternals (vol. 2) #1-12.
Kang mentions when he last battled the Human Torch and the Thing when they foiled his attempts to conquer 6th Century Camelot in Strange Tales #134.
Mantis mentions having flown beside the Silver Surfer. She was a companion to the Surfer from Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #4-9.
Inferno Reading Order
Prelude/Chapter One
X-Terminators #1
X-Terminators #2
Uncanny X-Men #239
Daredevil #262
X-Terminators #3
New Mutants #71
X-Factor #36
Uncanny X-Men #240
Chapter Two
Uncanny X-Men #241
Power Pack #42-43
Daredevil #263
X-Terminators #4
New Mutants #72
Fantastic Four #323 <— You Are Here
New Mutants #73
Daredevil #265
Excalibur #6-7
X-Factor #37
Chapter Three
Uncanny X-Men #242
X-Factor #38
Chapter Four/Epilogue
Uncanny X-Men #243
X-Factor #39
Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger #4
Power Pack #44
Damage Control #4
