Fantastic Four #369
With Malice Toward All!
Having teleported to another dimension in search of the Magus, a collection of heroes including three of the members of the Fantastic Four have been caught in a battle between the Infinity Watch and Thanos, who they believe to be in league with the Magus. As Sue tries to make sense of the situation the battle rages on, its combatants are unaware that they are being observed by the Magus himself, who orchestrated this battle. Suddenly the battle is interrupted by the arrival of Galactus in his ship. On board the ship with Galactus are Dr. Strange, the Silver Surfer, and Nova, who decide to take all gathered below aboard the ship to inform them of what is going on. Suddenly, all the heroes and Thanos on the planet surface are brought aboard in a stasis beam. Witnessing this, the Thanos doppelganger warns Magus that Galactus should not be underestimated. The Magus is ill concerned, as with the heroes pre-occupied, he can now lay claim to their world and activates a switch.
Meanwhile on the planet Earth, Alicia Masters is entertaining her step-father the Puppet Master and is concerned as she has been trying to get a hold of the Fantastic Four with little success. After his encounter with the Thing doppelganger, the Puppet Master suspects that the Fantastic Four might be dead and struggles with telling everything he knows to Alicia. Deciding to tell the truth, he is about to explain what he saw when suddenly every living being on Earth is put in a state of suspended animation. All except for Aron the Rogue Watcher, who decides to take advantage of the situation at hand.
At that moment back aboard Galactus' ship, the world devourer decides to activate a brain scan in order to learn the events that have led the heroes to this very moment. But Galactus warns that the device could cause unforeseen circumstances. As the energies from the mind probe wash over Sue, she suddenly finds herself face to face with Malice, the dark side of her personality. Malice is intent on taking control over Sue once again and unleashes an attack of invisible force daggers. Sue tries to defend herself with invisible spheres and shields, but Malice merely mocks her for not having the ferocity needed to win the battle. Trying to crush Sue with an invisible cylinder, Sue holds back with a shield of her own. Malice is so focused on killing Sue that a sudden eruption is all it takes to break her concentration and allow Sue to regain the advantage. Knocking Malice out, Sue decides that it is time to come to terms with this segment of her psyche, and instead of defeating it again like she has in the past, she decides to merge with her Malice persona. As Malice begins to merge with Sue, she warns Susan that she will take control eventually, Sue is willing to wait and see. Suddenly, Sue snaps awake aboard the ship, when Johnny asks her if she is all right, Sue tells him she is doing better than ever, putting on a sinister looking smile.
While back in Earth's solar system, the Watcher suddenly detects the presence of Aron the Rogue Watcher and witnesses as his former charge suddenly teleports into the apartment of Alicia Masters and absconds with her. Due to his vow of non-interference, the Watcher can do nothing but observe events as they happen.
Back aboard Galactus' ship, the Human Torch takes to some exploring and takes a pause to check out Psylock of the X-Men and considers trying to make a move on her. Johnny decides not to, considering the fact that he hasn't gotten over the loss of his wife Lyja and his strange situation with the real Alicia Masters. Unknown to Johnny, Psylock is a telepath who read all these thoughts, and is disappointed that he didn't take a chance. Johnny rejoins the others and learns that the Infinity Watch have reassembled the Infinity Gantlet and that Galactus is about to leave with Gamora to petition the greatest forces of the universe to allow them to utilize the Infinity Gauntlet once more. No sooner is Galactus gone, does the Magus and his Thanos doppelganger appear to try and snatch Adam Warlock and the Infinity Gauntlet. Both the real Thanos and Thing try to stop them, but the two slam into each other when diving at their foes, and the Magus manages to escape victoriously.
At that moment in deep space, the ship carrying Devos the Devastator and Paibok the Power Skrull continues on their way to Earth. Within Paibok continues to alter Lyja's genetic structure so that they can use her as a weapon of revenge against the Fantastic Four. Back aboard Galactus' ship, Captain America informs the gathered heroes what happened, and that the Magus is now nearly omnipotent with the power of the Infinity Gauntlet. When Sue says they should face him no matter what, the Hulk chides her for volunteering them all for a suicide mission. Sue takes offense and everyone is shocked when she unleashes her invisible force powers on the Hulk, sending him crashing into a nearby wall. The Hulk is impressed and decides that he will cut her some slack for now. Seeing this Johnny and Ben wonder if there is anything wrong with Sue. Preparing for battle, Thanos offers to lead them, but Captain America declines. Opening a portal to the domain of Magus, they soon find themselves face-to-face with a horde of evil doppelgangers. As the battle rages on, the Magus observes from his monitors before gloating over his acquisition of the Infinity Gauntlet to a defeated Adam Warlock.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Invisible Woman/Malice, Human Torch, Thing), Puppet Master, Alicia Masters, Doctor Strange, Nova (Raye), Galactus, Silver Surfer, Magus, Aron the Rogue Watcher, Lyja, Devos, Paibok, The Watcher, Infinity Watch (Adam Warlock, Drax the Destroyer, Moondragon, Pip the Troll, Thanos), Alpha Flight (Guardian, Sasquatch, Shaman), Avengers (Captain America, Hercules, Quasar, She-Hulk, Thor), Avengers West Coast (Living Lightning, Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Vision), X-Men (Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Rogue, Archangel, Iceman, Psylocke, Jean Grey), X-Factor (Havok, Strong Guy, Polaris), Nova (Rider), Hulk, Doctor Druid
Continuity Notes
This story is part of the Infinity War event focusing on the events of Infinity War #4 involving the battle between the heroes and the Infinity Watch, Galactus taking them aboard his ship, and the reactivation and loss of the Infinity Gauntlet. The battle between the heroes and the doppelgangers at the end of this story takes place during the events of Infinity War #5. The battle between the heroes and the Infinity Watch is also expanded upon in Alpha Flight #111, Wonder Man #14, Quasar #38, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #5, and Warlock and the Infinity Watch #9.
The reason why the heroes are attacking the Infinity Watch is that they were tricked into thinking Thanos is working for the Magus in Infinity War #3.
The Puppet Master is reluctant to tell Alicia about the Thing's battle with his doppelganger that he witnessed in Fantastic Four #367.
Everyone on Earth remains frozen in suspended animation until the end of the Infinity War in Infinity War #6. However some heroes are still active on the planet, as seen in Sleepwalker #18.
Aron the Rogue Watcher was last seen in Fantastic Four #333 when he gave up on his attempt to manipulate the Fantastic Four into telling the type of stories he liked.
The Malice persona seen here is not one of the Magus' doppelgangers, but a portion of Sue's psyche. It was created by the Psycho-Man's Hate-Monger back in Fantastic Four #280-281. The last time this persona surfaced was in Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #14-15 when Sue's mind was affected by the Soul Gem. Sue's Malice persona remains merged with her until it is removed in Fantastic Four #384.
Malice mentions how all the members of the Fantastic Four were attacked by doppelgangers but her. Reed was attacked by his in Infinity War #1/Fantastic Four #366, Ben by his in Fantastic Four #367 and lastly Johnny by his doppelganger during last issue.
Psylock's flirtatious attitude toward Johnny is a byproduct of her current personality that was ever-present between X-Men (vol. 2) #16-22 when it was revealed that she swapped bodies with the telepathic assassin known as Kwannon.
Johnny is still reeling over the fact that his marriage to Alicia Masters was a fraud, and that he instead married Lyja a Skrull spy who was posing as Alicia:
Alicia Masters used to date the Thing dating back in Fantastic Four #9.
Reference to Reed, Johnny and Ben being kidnapped by the Beyonder occurred in Thing #10. They were on Battleworld between Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1-12. While on Battleworld, Ben discovered that he could change back and forth between his human and Thing forms and decided to stay.
Lyja taking Alicia's place happened just prior to the heroes return from the Secret Wars. Johnny, Reed and She-Hulk's return to Earth was depicted in Fantastic Four #265. This was revealed in Fantastic Four #358.
Johnny and "Alicia's" relationship began to grow from Fantastic Four #267 onward.
The scene where Ben discovered Johnny and "Alicia's" relationship is from Fantastic Four #277. Ben left Battleworld in Thing #22.
Lastly Lyja recounts her marriage to Johnny which occurred in Fantastic Four #300.
Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, Lyja was posing as Alicia for roughly two years time.
The reason why Infinity, Eternity and the Living Tribunal needed to be petitioned to allow the use of the Infinity Gauntlet is because following the events of Infinity Gauntlet #6, they made it so that the Infinity Gems could not be used in concert.
Sue mentions that Reed is missing, Reed was absorbed by his doppelganger in Fantastic Four #366/Infinity War #1 and escaped with the Magus in Fantastic Four #368/Infinity War #3 after failing to assassinate the heroes. The real Reed Richards is rescued next issue.
Paibok, Devos and Lyja were last seen in Fantastic Four #366. They are seeking revenge against the Fantastic Four after their mutual defeats in Fantastic Four #358 and 359 respectively. As explained in Fantastic Four #390 Paibok gave Lyja laser powers, but she needed a special implant inside her body to utilize those abilities. It's also at this point that he implants a Sha'Barri egg within her as well, as explained in Fantastic Four #391.
Captain America mentions how the united heroes were able to previously defeat Thanos. This is a reference to the Infinity Gauntlet crisis which took place in Infinity Gauntlet #1-6.
Infinity War Reading Order
Infinity War #1, Alpha Flight #109, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #7, Fantastic Four #366, Spider-Man #24, Captain America #408, Deathlok (vol. 2) #16, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #42, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #67, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #43, Infinity War #2, Fantastic Four #367, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #68-69, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #44, Guardians of the Galaxy #27, Quasar #37, Infinity War #3, Marvel Comics Presents #108-111, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #8, Fantastic Four #368, Alpha Flight #110, New Warriors #27, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #4, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #41-42, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #13, Nomad (vol. 2) #7, Quasar #38, Daredevil #310, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #45, Infinity War #4, Alpha Flight #111, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #5, Guardians of the Galaxy #28-29, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #9, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #14, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #43, Quasar #39, Infinity War #5, Sleepwalker #18, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #46-47, Fantastic Four #369, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #10, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #15, Infinity War #6, Fantastic Four #370, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #44, Alpha Flight #112, Quasar #40
