Fantastic Four #585 — Nick Peron

Mar 14

Mar 14 Fantastic Four #585

The Kings of Atlantis!

Johnny and Ben are returning home from their night out when they spot Galactus hovering over the Baxter Building. Since Ben is in human form for about a week, he tells Johnny to go on ahead and he will catch up. On the roof, Galactus demands an explanation for the corpse of his future-self buried beneath the Earth. Reed explains that that corpse came from the future and was used as a power source to bring the population of that doomed future to the present. He explains that this population was brought to Nu-Earth to start a new life. When Johnny arrives, Galactus explains that he is not threatening the Earth, he only seeks the location of Nu-World so he can find more answers about his demise in the future. When Galactus demands that Mister Fantastic join him, Reed agrees and tells Johnny that he will be needed there. Before leaving, Reed is told that Ben's potion worked and is happy to hear it. As Galactus prepares to depart, Reed tells Johnny not to worry, and that he'll be home soon.

Meanwhile, deep below the ocean, the Invisible Woman is being walked through the treaty process between New and Old Atlantis with Andromeda. They are joined by the Sub-Mariner who asks to speak to Susan privately. Andromeda offers some protest but answers her king's demands. Namor explains that Andromeda thinks that this is not in the best interests of his kingdom. While in deep space, Galactus takes Reed to his worldship, Taa II, and they begin to prepare their travels to Nu-World. On the way, Galactus warns Reed that his son's powers have become active once again.

Back at the Baxter Building, Johnny and Ben are entertaining the children of the Future Foundation with a story about one of the team's early adventures. The story serves a purpose as it allows Ben to teach the children an important lesson: no matter how smart you are, you can't think of everything. With the story over, they send the kids off to bed. The two begin talking about settling down and raising families. At that moment, elsewhere in the city, the Anti-Priest is giving a sermon about his nihilistic ideals before sending his people out into the world. Entering a back room, the Anti-Priest sheds his skin, revealing his true insectoid form inside. He receives a transmission from his master, Annihilus, and informs him that tomorrow they will break into the Baxter Building and rip open the portal into the Negative Zone so the Annihilation Wave can begin again.

In a facility deep below the Gulf of Thailand, the delegation between Old and New Atlantis begins. They get off to a rocky start when Ul-Uhar complains about the lack of sacrifice Namor is offering. Suddenly, the Sub-Mariner shocks everyone by telling Ul-Uhar that there will only be one king of the deep before slaying the ruler of Old Atlantis.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Future Foundation (Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Dragon Man, Wu, Vil, Korr, Mik, Turg, Tong, Leech, Artie Maddicks, Bently-23, Alex Power), Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, Andromeda, Ul-Uhar, Galactus, Cult of the Negative Zone (Anti-Priest), Annihilus

Continuity Notes

The adventure that Johnny and Ben are telling the Future Foundation kids is a recounting of the Fantastic Four's first battle with the Mad Thinker circa Fantastic Four #15.