Ultimate Fantastic Four #24-29 & Annuals #1-2

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Ultimate Fantastic Four #24-29 & Annuals #1-2

Post by Col_Fury »

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 (October, 2005)
By Mark Millar & Jae Lee

APPEARANCES:
Karnak, Gorgon, Invisible Woman, Dr. Franklin Richards, Mr. Fantastic, Thing, Human Torch, Crystal & her bodyguards (Densitor named), Lockjaw, Medusa, Triton, Black Bolt, Maximus, Tri-Clops (Sapphire)

SYNOPSIS:
Explorers climb the Himalayas, but have their memories wiped by Karnak and Gorgon when they get too close to Attilan. In the Baxter Building, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic and Thing perform surgery on Dr. Franklin Storm by shrinking Reed and Ben to target cancer cells from inside his stomach. Meanwhile, Johnny hits a night club until he sees a girl being chased by two monsters. He chases them, but they easily overpower him. Crystal takes Johnny back to the Baxter Building (she knows who he is and where he lives because the Fantastic Four are famous now) and heals him with her advanced technology. Suddenly, the monsters (Crystal’s bodyguards) teleport her back to Attilan (she ran away because she doesn’t want to marry Maximus). The Fantastic Four have Lockjaw teleport them back to Attilan; they’re quickly discovered and a fight breaks out. Because the Inhumans’ air has been tainted by outsiders, Black Bolt orders an exodus to the moon.

NOTE:
This was published the same month as ULTFF 22.

The Fantastic Four finally got code-names and started calling themselves the “Fantastic Four” in ULTFF 21. That issue starts at the end of an adventure. This Annual either goes before that, or the next break in the story is after ULTFF 26. It has to happen before ULTFF 30-32, because Crystal appears again in that arc. I’d rather push this back by one month and not forward by four months, so before ULTFF 21 it is!

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #21 (September, 2005)
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #22 (October, 2005)
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #23 (November, 2005)

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #24 (December, 2005)
By Mark Millar & Greg Land

APPEARANCES:
Human Torch (also in fb), Invisible Woman (also in fb), Mr. Fantastic, Thing, Dr. Mary Storm, Dr. Franklin Storm (also in fb), Zombie Fantastic Four, Namor

FLASHBACK:
Fifteen years ago, Dr. Storm tells Sue and Johnny that their mother is dead; they later go to her funeral.
SYNOPSIS:
Shocked that their mother is alive, Sue and Johnny learn that her death was faked so she could search for Atlantis. She found it six months ago. As Sue gets angry over her mother lying to them for 15 years, Mr. Fantastic and Thing check in on the imprisoned zombie Fantastic Four. Dr. Mary Storm convinces the Fantastic Four to help her explore Atlantis. When they go they find a tomb, but as soon as they disengage the locks, Namor comes rushing out.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #25 (January, 2006)
By Mark Millar & Greg Land

APPEARANCES:
Namor, Dr. Franklin Storm, Dr. Mary Storm, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing

SYNOPSIS:
The Fantastic Four subdue Namor and bring him to the Baxter Building. Namor wakes up, learns English and explains he’s been entombed for two thousand years. Dr. Mary Storm asks about Atlantis’s advanced secrets but Namor refuses to talk to anyone except Susan. She agrees to walk around town with him, but when he gets to forward she fights back.

NOTE:
There is a second story (flipbook version), “Ultimate Vison” part 3. I’ll cover this later in a separate topic.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #26 (February, 2006)
By Mark Millar & Greg Land

APPEARANCES:
Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing, Namor, Dr. Franklin Storm, Dr. Mary Storm, Nick Fury (BTS), Dr. Doom (BTS)

SYNOPSIS:
The Fantastic Four fight Namor, but he’s too powerful. Dr. Franklin Storm tries to call the Ultimates and the X-Men, but Fury says the Ultimates are busy and the only the X-Men’s machine picks up. Namor says he’ll stop fighting and leave if Sue kisses him. She does and he does. Later, Dr. Mary Storm leaves to work for her new boss, Dr. Doom.

NOTE:
There is a second story (flipbook version), “Ultimate Vison” part 6. I’ll cover this later in a separate topic.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #27 (April, 2006)
By Mark Millar & Greg Land

APPEARANCES:
Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing (all also past version), Dr. Doom (past version), Dr. Franklin Storm, Marvel Girl, Shadowcat, Thor, Zombie Fantastic Four; Thor (alternate universe version), Reed Richards (alternate universe version), Ben Grimm (two different future versions)

SYNOPSIS:
Reed Richards meets the Fantastic Four from 24 hours in the future and is glad to see they’ve decided to use time travel to stop Ben and the rest of them from ever getting super powers in the teleporter accident. Reed returns to the present and calls Sue, who, along with Marvel Girl and Shadowcat, has found a tomb that still has an ancient corpse inside; it’s labeled the “Super Skrull,” but they don’t know what that means. Meanwhile, Johnny chats with the zombie Fantastic Four as he prepares for his birthday party. Later, since Johnny told him it was a costume party, Thing arrives dressed as Carmen Miranda. When he realizes it’s a prank he leaves. When they find him Thing admits he’s suicidal over his condition, but can’t find a way to kill himself. They decide to use time travel to stop him from becoming the Thing in the first place and meet a 24 hour younger Reed Richards. They stop the accident from happening, and immediately after a Skrull appears, yelling that he’s too late. Two years later, Thor is US President and Reed is his vice-president.

NOTE:
Nothing has changed, of course. We’ve just branched off into an alternate reality.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #28 (May, 2006)
By Mark Millar & Greg Land

APPEARANCES:
Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm (all also in fb), Dr. Doom (bts, also in fb), Dr. Franklin Storm, Thor, Super Skrull, future Ben Grimm (all alternate universe versions)

FLASHBACK:
Reed’s teleportation experiment goes smoothly.
SYNOPSIS:
Six billion people have super powers, Thor is President of the United States and Reed Richards is the vice-president. Reed prepares a speech (with Ben Grimm’s help, the only person without super powers) to greet the approaching Super Skrull (who Reed met a while back on an exploration trip; the Super Skrull gave Reed pills to cure all disease on Earth and a by-product gave everyone super powers) for a diplomatic visit. Meanwhile, Victor Van Damme keeps sending robots to try to get to the Baxter Building’s time travel device. The Skrulls arrive, but Sue quickly learns they’re planning to kill everyone. The Super Skrull murders Sue.

NOTE:
It’s confirmed that the Chitauri and the Skrulls are the same species, but the Skrulls claim that the Chitauri is a malevolent side-group. It’s all BS, of course; these guys are malevolent too.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #29 (June, 2006)
By Mark Millar, Greg Land & Mitch Breitweiser

APPEARANCES:
Super Skrull, Sue Richards (corpse), Johnny Storm, Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Thor (all alternate universe versions), Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing, Alicia Masters, Dr. Doom, Dr. Mary Storm, zombie Fantastic Four

SYNOPSIS:
Everyone on Earth with Skrull-granted super powers start to die; the Skrulls have activated a seconday function of the pills and are eradicating everyone so they can take over. Mutants and super heroes are being attacked and killed, and soon Ben Grimm is the only person left alive. Since the Super Skrull’s anti-assassination suit only mimics super powers around him, and since Ben has no super powers, he beats up the Super Skrull and steals his suit. Ben uses the Baxter Buildings’ time machine and travels backwards to see if he can stop the invasion. He succeeds in making sure Reed’s teleporter test fails, but is sent even further in the past when the Skrull destroys the time machine; he’ll be found centuries later in a tomb by Invisible Woman, Marvel Girl and Shadowcat. Later, the zombie Fantastic Four warn that they’ll be breaking out in a week. Meanwhile, Thing meets Alicia Masters in the park. Elsewhere, Dr. Doom and Dr. Mary Storm start their plan as well.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #30 (July, 2006)
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #31 (August, 2006)
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #32 (October, 2006)

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #2 (October, 2006)
By Mike Carey, Stuart Immonen & Frazer Irving

APPEARANCES:
Gen. Ross, Dr. Lassiter, Phineas Mason, Sunita Begum, Gus Axelrod, Josie Hart, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing, Mole Man (also in fb), Adolf Hitler (in fb)

FLASHBACK:
The Life & Times™ of the Mole Man! Also, Hitler searches for Lemuria. Later, Mole Man actually finds it, and the zoo they kept of underground monsters.
SYNOPSIS:
Gen. Ross arrives at the Think Tank’s remote location in preparation of the upcoming symposium, where the Fantastic Four will be reunited with their former colleagues. Suddenly, the facility is stolen by the Mole Man with everyone inside. As Mole Man tells the scientists his life story, the Fantastic Four arrive and search for the missing facility. When they find it a fight breaks out, but the Think Tank scientists stop the fight with death rays they cobbled together; they tell the Fantastic Four that they plan to stay underground because they’re tired of working for the military.

NOTE:
Mole Man gives his first name as “Erwin” here, despite “Arthur” being given in his first appearances.

Placement suggestions:

AXELROD, GUS
ULTFF@ 2

BEGUM, SUNITA
ULTFF@ 2

BLACK BOLT [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

CRYSTAL [INHUMAN]
*ULTFF@ 1
ULTFF 30

DOCTOR DOOM/VICTOR VAN DAMME
ULTFF 7-FB
*{ULTFF 2 (1 - 18)}
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 2 (19 - 22)
ULTFF 7

ULTFF 20-BTS
*ULTFF 26-BTS
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30


DOCTOR DOOM/VICTOR VAN DAMME | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 28-FB
ULTFF 28-BTS

FURY, GEN. NICHOLAS "NICK"

ULTSIX 7
*ULTFF 26-BTS
ULTFF 32


GORGON [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

GRIMM, BEN | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 28-FB
ULTFF 28
ULTFF 29 (1 - 13)
ULTFF 29 (14:1) ~ ULTFF 28
ULTFF 29 (14:2 - 14:4)
ULTFF 29 (14:5) ~ ULTFF 27
ULTFF 29 (15 - 23)
{ULTFF 27}

HART, JOSIE
ULTFF@ 2

HITLER, ADOLF
ULTFF@ 2-FB

HUMAN TORCH/JOHNNY STORM
*ULTFF 24-FB
{ULTFF 1}
*ULTFF 2 (1 - 18)
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 2 (19 - 22)
ULTFF 3

ULTFF 20
*ULTFF@ 1
ULTFF 21
ULTFF 22
ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 25
*ULTFF 26
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30

ULTSEC 4
*ULTFF@ 2
ULTP 1 (1 - 15)


HUMAN TORCH/JOHNNY STORM | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 28-FB
ULTFF 28
ULTFF 29

INVISIBLE WOMAN/SUE STORM
*ULTFF 24-FB
{ULTFF 1}
*ULTFF 2 (1 - 18)
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 2 (19 - 22)
ULTFF 3

ULTFF 20
*ULTFF@ 1
ULTFF 21
ULTFF 22
ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 25
*ULTFF 26
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30

ULTS2 13
*ULTFF@ 2
ULTP 1 (1 - 15)


INVISIBLE WOMAN/SUSAN STORM | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 28-FB
ULTFF 28
ULTFF 29

KARNAK [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

LOCKJAW [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

MARVEL GIRL/JEAN GREY

ULTWAR 4
*ULTFF 27
ULTNM 1


MASON, PHINEAS
ULTFF@ 2

MASTERS, ALICIA
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30
ULTFF 32

MAXIMUS [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

MEDUSA [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

*MOLE MAN/DR. ARTHUR ERWIN MOLEKEVIC
*ULTFF@ 2-FB
{ULTFF 2}

ULTFF 6
*ULTFF@ 2

MR. FANTASTIC/REED RICHARDS
ULTFF 1
*ULTFF 2 (1 - 18)
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 2 (19 - 22)
ULTFF 3

ULTFF 20
*ULTFF@ 1
ULTFF 21
ULTFF 22
ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 25
*ULTFF 26
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30

ULTS@ 2
*ULTFF@ 2
ULTP 1 (1 - 15)


MR. FANTASTIC/REED RICHARDS | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 28-FB
{ULTFF 27}
ULTFF 28
ULTFF 29

NAMOR
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 25
*ULTFF 26
ULTIMATUM 1


ROSS, GEN.

ULTFF 18
*ULTFF@ 2

SHADOWCAT/KITTY PRYDE

ULTWAR 4
*ULTFF 27
ULTS2 12


STORM, DR. FRANKLIN
*ULTFF 24-FB
{ULTFF 1}

ULTFF 20
*ULTFF@ 1
ULTFF 21
ULTFF 22
ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 25
*ULTFF 26
*ULTFF 27
ULTFF 30


STORM, DR. FRANKLIN | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 28

STORM, DR. MARY
ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 25
*ULTFF 26
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30
ULTFF 31
ULTFF 32-BTS
ULTIMATUM 1-BTS

SUPER SKRULL | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 28
ULTFF 29

THING/BEN GRIMM
ULTFF 1
*ULTFF 2 (1 - 18)
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 2 (19 - 22)
ULTFF 3

ULTFF 20
*ULTFF@ 1
ULTFF 21
ULTFF 22
ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 25
*ULTFF 26
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30

ULTS2 13
*ULTFF@ 2
ULTP 1 (1 - 15)


THOR [ASGARDIAN]

ULTSIX 7
*ULTFF 27
ULTFF 32


THOR | PRESIDENT THOR-VERSE
ULTFF 27
ULTFF 28
ULTFF 29

TRI-CLOPS/SAPPHIRE [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

TRITON [INHUMAN]
ULTFF@ 1

On the zombies page:

HUMAN TORCH/JOHNNY STORM

ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30


INVISIBLE WOMAN/SUE STORM RICHARDS

ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30


MR. FANTASTIC/REED RICHARDS

ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30


THING/BEN GRIMM

ULTFF 23
*ULTFF 24
*ULTFF 27
*ULTFF 29
ULTFF 30
-Daron Jensen
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Re: Ultimate Fantastic Four #24-29 & Annuals #1-2

Post by Somebody »

Col_Fury wrote:The Fantastic Four finally got code-names and started calling themselves the “Fantastic Four” in ULTFF 21. That issue starts at the end of an adventure. This Annual either goes before that, or the next break in the story is after ULTFF 26. It has to happen before ULTFF 30-32, because Crystal appears again in that arc. I’d rather push this back by one month and not forward by four months, so before ULTFF 21 it is!
Shouldn't they be listed under RICHARDS, REED and so forth until this point, then?
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Re: Ultimate Fantastic Four #24-29 & Annuals #1-2

Post by Col_Fury »

Well, no, I don't think so. I thought about it at the time and decided against it.

The thing is, the Ultimate universe was essentially a reboot of the Marvel Universe (during the time of decompressed comics). Taking Fantastic Four as an example, the first six issues is the story of how these characters got their powers, the next six issues is the story of how Dr. Doom becomes Dr. Doom, the next six issues is the story that sets up the multiversal angle the book had for the majority of its run. That's three stories, essentially their orign and status quo, but extended over eighteen comics. And yet, the entire time the book is called "Fantastic Four." We all know Ben Grimm is going to be called the Thing and the group will call itself "Fantastic Four." But when you reboot a universe, I think some things end up being taken for granted (like character names; Gen. Ross' first name wasn't revealed until 2009 and he first appeared in 2001. And it turned out to be the same as his Marvel Universe first name). For some reason, naming the characters weren't a priority. Hell, Spider-Man's uncle Ben didn't die (apparently) until ULTSM 5. Does that mean Peter Parker isn't Spider-Man until issue 5 or 6 of a book called "Spider-Man"? Probably, I don't know, I haven't read any of the Ultimate Spider-Man series. BUT, if you read the first ULTSM TPB, I think that's the origin story. Fantastic Four just took longer to get there (the first three TPBs).

But that's all a problem of rebooting a universe. Certain information is taken for granted, other information is glossed over, and other things get decompressed.

Let's say some new character appears in a 4-issue miniseries, the self-titled "Iron Pants." Johnny Lemon gets his powers at the end of the first issue. He angsts over things in the second issue. Some problem arises in the third issue that convinces him his powers could save the day. At the end of the fourth (and last issue of the mini) he's finally going by the name "Iron Pants."

We all know that Johnny will be Iron Pants, it just doesn't happen until issue 4. Does that mean we should list the first three issues under Johnny Lemon and the fourth issue under Iron Pants? No, not really, and I think that's the case with the Fantastic Four here.

Am I making sense? I think I rambled for a bit there…

-edit-

Let me tighten it up a bit.

When we link a chronology from one character's identity to another (like Giant-Man to Goliath to Yellowjack, etc.), it's usually a super hero identity change. In the case of a civilian identity linked to a super identity (Carol Danvers to Ms. Marvel, Rick Jones to A-Bomb, etc.) it's a civilian character re-purposed to be a super character. In the case of Iron Pants, Johnny Lemon was always going to be Iron Pants, it just took a few issues to get there. With Ultimate Fantastic Four, it took longer than a little to get there, but we all know they're going to be the Fantastic Four (the covers tells us that much, at least).

There, I think that's better. :)
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