Issue - 557

Title - World's Greatest

Writer - Mark Millar

Art - Bryan Hitch

 

Summary:

A wounded Doom bursts into the Baxter Building demanding to see Reed Richards.

 

Notes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue - 558

Title - The New Defenders

Writer - Mark Millar

Art - Bryan Hitch

 

Summary:

A wounded Doctor Doom seeks aid from Reed Richards, but he is not home at the moment. No sooner does Ben attempt to ascertain if Doom is telling the truth, a unknown team of super-powered beings break in. Ben attempts to protect Doom from the group but they out number him and succeed in taking Doom. After the battle, Reed visits the Raft, the prison where Doom was being held and studies the footage of the breakout. The unknown team managed to quickly break Doom out but apparently he escaped their clutches to seek out Reed. SHIELD agents bring out the villain known as Mentallo who reveals that the team is called the New Defenders. Back at the Defenders base, Cindy, Johnny's (ex) girlfriend turns up after breaking up with him and the team's mysterious leader appears to be Dr. Bruce Banner, the Hulk.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Issue - 559

Title - The Hooded Man

Writer - Mark Millar

Art - Bryan Hitch

 

Summary:

The New Defenders kidnap Johnny and hold him prisoner beside Doom. Both men are apparently to become part of a larger machine which is powered by an imprisoned Galactus.

 

Notes:

  • Cameo only

  • Collected in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest, Vol. 1 and Fantastic Four By Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch Omnibus

 

 

 

 

Issue - 560

Title - Futureshock

Writer - Mark Millar

Art - Bryan Hitch

 

Summary:

The New Defenders reveal that they are from the future, the year 2509. The Earth is a barren and dying planet. 8 billion people face extinction. Using a time machine powered by Galactus, the New Defenders have traveled back in time to set up a gateway to bring the 8 billion people to the present. The man Johnny believed to be the Hulk is in fact a descendent. He is accompanied by Natalie X, Alex Ultron, Lightwave, Psionics, and a hooded man he identifies as his step-father. Doom overhears all this and swears to kill whoever orchestrated the plan. At the Baxter Building, the new nanny, Tabitha Deneuve, attacks and disables the rest of the team. Tabitha tells Sue to warn Reed not to try and follow her or to try and find Johnny. As she discards her clothes, a Fantastic Four uniform is revealed underneath. Tabitha is in fact Sue Storm from the future.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

 

Issue - 561

Title - The Galactus Engine

Writer - Mark Millar

Art - Bryan Hitch

 

Summary:

Reed uses a tracking device injected into the present Sue Storm, to track her future self. Locating the base of the New Defenders, the three attempt a rescue. While Ben and Sue divert the Defender's attention, Reed takes control of their time machine and alters the coordinates. Instead of materializing the 8 billion humans on Earth, Reed sends them to Nu-World, a replica of Planet Earth created by his ex-girlfriend Alyssa Castle and her husband. Having successfully saved the future of the human race, the teams have no further reason to fight. Johnny and Doom are freed, but Galactus is dead from powering the time machine. The future Sue laments that everything is happening exactly as she remembers, turns to apologize to Doom for kidnapping him, and is killed. Doom fries her into a charred corpse. Doom stands over the dead Sue, satisfied that he has restored his honor.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments:

Both Mark Millar and Doom are men of their word. Millar promised the Death of the Invisible Woman and delivered. Likewise, Doom promised to kill the orchestrator of this plot keep him tied to the Human Torch for 3 issues. Having spent the entirety of the arc doing absolutely nothing except appearing on the cover (perhaps to boost sales?), Doom fans may now have reason to sit up and pay attention. Whether or not the following arc will see a stronger Doom presence, time will tell. If I am not mistaken, Millar has also promised to introduce the people who trained Doom, the Masters of Doom. Hopefully Doom comes off better in that arc. Here, there isn't much to recommend for Doom fans. My gut tells me one star, but I give it two because either way its a victory for Doom considering he kills Sue. Bottom Line: ** out of 5

 

Notes:

 

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