Fantastic Four #562
Requiem
The Invisible Woman finds herself in a bizarre situation as she gives a eulogy for her older self who traveled back in time from some 500 years in the future. Among the members of the Fantastic and New Defenders, the funeral attendees also include members of the New and Mighty Avengers, the Initiative and various others as well as the Watcher. Sue closes her eulogy by telling everyone not to be sad, as her future self died an old woman, in a place called home, and in doing so saved the entire population of her future world. As everyone pays their respect, Psionics, and the Human Torch patch things up, with Johnny willing to forget what happened because eight billion lives were at stake. Johnny assures her that he will visit her on Nu-World once his band finishes its current tour. In the end, Sue gets tearful and finds it silly that she could cry at her own funeral. Reed asks her how could she not cry?
Back at the Baxter Building, Mister Fantastic brings Valeria up to date on things, particularly Doctor Doom's upcoming trial and how Reed, surprisingly, is going to fight against execution as punishment. Valeria then shows Reed her newest invention: a ship that is larger on the inside, giving them a full living space for an upcoming vacation. Reed is impressed and tells his daughter that he is proud of her. Reed comments on how surprised at the sudden revelation that Valeria has a hyper-intelligence and remarks on the changes it will cause in the family. Upstairs in his room, Franklin is preparing a Christmas list for Santa Claus, where he asks for super-powers and the latest handheld gaming system.
Soon, Mister Fantastic is at the Hague where Doctor Doom is being held, prisoner. Doom finds it surprising that his long time foe would fight for his own life. When Doom argues against his arrest, Reed points out that he has committed atrocious crimes against humanity. To this, Doctor Doom warns Reed that he has friends in high places, including his master, the being that taught Doctor Doom everything he knows. This surprises Reed, but he's not sure that Doom is being serious. Doctor Doom warns him that in nine weeks his master will come, and then they will see if Richard’s wife can die a second time.
Meanwhile, high above New York City, the Thing and his girlfriend Debbie Green are looking down at the city from the Fantasti-Car. From their vantage point, they are able to see a Quinjeet landing at Avengers Tower and Spider-Man swinging through the city. When they are talking about the troubles Debbie has been getting from her mother, Ben interjects and asks her if she's a Skrull, a robot, or under the thrall of the Puppet Master. When Debbie assures him that she is just a normal girl from Brooklyn. With his concerns alieved, Ben then pulls out a ring and proposes to her. At that moment, one dimension away, two cloaked figures -- the very beings that Doctor Doom warned Reed about -- appear in the middle of Manhattan and decide to start the eradication of this world by killing all the people first.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, New Defenders (Hulk Jr, Hooded Man, Alex Ultron, Natalie X, Lightwave, Psionics), Alyssa Moy, Debbie Green, Doctor Doom, Marques of Death, the Apprentice, Mighty Avengers (Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Spider-Woman, Black Widow, Wasp, Wonder Man, Sentry, Hercules, Ares), New Avengers (Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Doctor Strange), Young Avengers (Patriot, Hawkeye, Vision, Hulkling), Initiative (War Machine, Gauntlet, She-Hulk, Doc Samson), Justice, Misty Knight, Cloak, Dagger, Black Panther, Storm, Daredevil, The Watcher
Continuity Notes
Franklin's Christmas list includes a Nintendo DS. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Particularly since the Nintendo DS was discontinued in 2014.
Doctor Doom mentions how the Avengers invaded his country. This happened in Mighty Avengers #11.
The woman who appears to be Spider-Woman is actually a Skrull spy as revealed in Secret Invasion. She took Jessica Drew’s place prior to New Avengers #1.
