Fantastic Four #348

Title: "Where Monsters Dwell! (or is it… Where Creatures Roam?)

Writer: Walter Simonson

Penciller: Arthur Adams

Pencilling Assistant: Gracine Tanaka

Inkers: Art Thibert & Al Milgrom

Colors: Bill Oakley

Editor: Ralph Macchio

Ghost Rider, Spider-Man, and Wolverine ride as Hulk flies the FF’s vehicle. Spider-Man tells Hulk to watch the turns since some of them have delicate stomachs. Hulk tells Spider-Man to button his lip and that he doesn’t need any of their help. He tells Spider-Man that if he doesn’t like it that he can get out and walk. Spider-Man says that it was only a suggestion. He adds that if he hadn’t seen the Fantastic Four’s bodies that he wouldn’t even be there.

A short time ago, Sue tells them that the assassins attacked while she was shopping, but that Reed lived long enough to tell her that they were releasing the monsters of the Earth against mankind. She says that they killed the Fantastic Four to prevent them from stopping them. She says that the assassins must be found and dealt with. She says that Reed’s experimental gravity wave rider will take them to the ends of the Earth, and that the sub-photonic spectro-analyzer will pinpoint their energy configurations. She says that for the sake of mankind, as well as for the sake of her dead husband, that they must be found and destroyed.

Spider-Man says that he doesn’t blame her, but that she is one bloodthirsty lady. Hulk says that she picked the right guy for the job. He says that he had a lot of respect for Richards, and that he is going to nail their hides to the wall. Hulk says that they can watch. Wolverine says that this thing has everything and wonders if there is any beer on board. Spider-Man asks Wolverine how he can even think of such a thing now. Wolverine tells Spider-Man to lighten up and that every superhero team is going to be joining in the fight and that the giant monsters don’t stand a chance. He says that they will get nasty when they reach the guys responsible. Spider-Man says that the scanner is leading them a thousand miles south east. Ghost Rider says to let them depart so that vengeance will be meted out.

“Sue” says that they are gone and that her pretense is no longer necessary. She says that the misguided Earthlings will slay her enemies and that she can accomplish her goal there. She says that Richards’ computers will provide the answer to her quest. She finds that though there are detailed records on the first Skrull mothership arriving on Earth and subsequent landings that there is no trace of the thing she seeks. She says that the only explanation is that it had already begun to awaken by the time it arrived and has gone to ground. She says that it could be anywhere and that unless she locates it that all her efforts will have been in vain. She says that Richards’ lab is more sophisticated than she thought and that she doesn’t have unlimited time. She realizes that she can hold Richards’ family hostage and make him do what she needs.

On Monster Isle, the Skrulls are thinking about how they will either be rewarded handsomely for bringing De’Lila back or they will be killed if they fail. One of the Skrulls says that they won’t fail. The commander says that thanks to their slave darts that giant monsters are under their control. He says that with them they will scan the brainwaves of the world’s population and that De’Lila’s mind will be revealed to them. He says that their mission will be accomplished before anyone knows they are there.

Outside, Mole Man spots the ship, but doesn’t recognize what kind of ship it is. He says that it doesn’t look like one of Richards’, but that whoever is on it is responsible for disturbing Monster Isle and his monsters. Mole Man asks if they will never be left alone. Mole Man spots one of the crew standing outside the ship. He realizes that the crewman is an alien and thinks to himself that “only the most abysmal ignorance could excuse such unbelievable effrontery!” He says that even aliens must learn the folly of attacking those under the protection of the Mole Man. Mole Man shouts up to a giant monster and says, “fetch”.

De’Lila puts the other FF members in the elevator completely tied together. She says that if any of them wake up and try to escape that the rope around them will strangle all of them. She says that she will keep them in the FF’s private elevator on the bottom of the shaft so that no one discovers them accidentally. She sends the car down and says that she has to go wake up her host. Reed starts to come around after the mind locks are taken off him. De’Lila grabs Reed and says that as he has guessed that she is not his precious wife, but that she does hold his family’s life in her hands. She says that she needs him to find something for him, and that if he succeeds that she will let him and his family live. She tells him not to bother trying to stretch and that she has removed his ability to control his own form. Reed realizes that he doesn’t have much of a choice since he doesn’t know where the others are. Reed asks what they are looking for. De’Lila says that it is an egg for an inorganic technotroid, an ITT. She says that in its dormant state that an ITT is a sphere, but that it is self propelled capable of concealing itself until it is ready to hatch. She says that it is out there hiding, but that it must have been seen at some point. She says that the answer is somewhere in his voluminous records and that she wants it. Reed says that he will do what he can, but that he can’t promise anything. She tells him to find it if he wants to see his family again. She says that personally she thinks he should dump his wife and tells him that it is too bad that he caught on so quickly. She says that they could have had some fun. Reed thinks to himself that she looks so much like Susan, but that there is something more exciting about her.

Wolverine says that reports are coming in from Moscow, San Francisco, and Mexico City that giant monsters are attacking. Ghost Rider says that he hasn’t seen any evidence of monsters. Spider-Man tells Ghosty to take a look above. Hulk says that he has been closing in on him for five minutes now. A giant winged monster lands on top of a passenger flight. Hulk tells Spider-Man that this looks fun. He tells Spider-Man to drive for a while and leaps out of the ship onto the monster. Spider-Man says that Hulk is nuts and that you won’t see him doing anything like that. Wolverine says that he has bad news then. He says that he is driving and Spider-Man is getting out. Ghost Rider says that Wolverine is correct. He says that the airplane is coming apart and that only Spider-Man has a chance at fixing it. Spider-Man curses and leaps to the plane. He says that there may be some advantages to being solo. He says that this is too much like having a couple older, meaner brothers. Spider-Man webs up the parts of the plane that are breaking off, but says that they had better land soon or the web job won’t matter. Ghost Rider says that it seems the Hulk could use some help. He whips his chain and shoots fire onto the monster. Wolverine tells Ghost Rider to be careful not to hit the Hulk, but the figures that might not be such a bad plan either. Ghost Rider says that it is working, and that they’ve distracted the monster away from the plane. Wolverine says that he hopes this was a good idea.

On Monster Isle, the Skrulls have located De’Lila’s mind wave readings in New York City. The commander says that they are leaving in five minutes to nail her and says to arm the blockbuster. Another Skrull on the ship says that he is getting another Skrull-type reading right next to the ship, but that there is nothing out there. Suddenly, the Skrull ship is pulled underground.

Hulk says that hitting the monster is like hitting a rubber wall. Suddenly the monster goes stiff. The monster flies into the air. Spider-Man tells Hulk to get clear. Hulk says, “Yap, yap, yap! Don’t you ever get tired of the sound of your own voice?” Hulk and Spider-Man leap back onto their ship. Hulk tells Wolverine he did a good job keeping his seat warm. Spider-Man tells Hulk to knock it off. He says that the trace they’ve been tracking just disappeared, and that the monster is heading southeast the same as they were traveling. He says that they have to follow it. Hulk asks Spider-Man who died and put him in charge. Spider-Man says that it was the Fantastic Four that died. Hulk tells Spider-Man not to get smart with him, and says that he doesn’t want to tick him off. Spider-Man points out that they are heading into the Bermuda triangle. Wolverine asks if he is superstitious and says that he had better stop subscribing to that Time-Life Mysteries of the Unknown series. Ghost Rider says that Spider-Man is right. He says that the horizon is disappearing and the sky is turning green. Spidey says that it is the effect of the Bermuda Triangle. He says that a flight of dive bombers got lost there after World War II. He says that they radioed back that they were unable to see the horizon before they vanished forever. Hulk says to forget that stuff. He says that a little light show isn’t going to slow him down. He says that it looks like their friend is about to ground. Wolverine looks down at the island and says that he is getting readings from the pit in the ground. Hulk says that is no problem and flies right into the hole.

At Four Freedoms Plaza, Reed says that he may have something. He says that some campers in the Catskill mountains reported seeing a flying saucer matching her description. He says that it was grabbed by a Bigfoot and carried off into a great tunnel under the mountain which was covered then by an avalanche. Reed says that it is from the Enquirer, which doesn’t help its credibility, but that the avalanche was genuine. De’Lila says that they have to check it out personally. Reed asks about his family, but De’Lila says that they will remain where they are. Reed says that maybe getting out of there might be best for both of them. The robotic receptionist tells Reed as he walks out that she has been getting some strange readings from the lab and asks if anything is wrong. Reed says that he has been doing a little work on the computer records brining them up to date. Reed says, “If anyone asks, we’re just taking a little day trip together. Everything’s fine. And Roberta, in view of the national emergency, be sure to tell that to all my friends in the marines.”

Reed and De’Lila arrive at the area of the Catskill mountains where the avalanche occurred. De’Lila makes an adjustment on her synapse disruptor to break the rocks apart. She zaps the rocks and uncovers the hidden tunnel. Reed says that she really is a remarkable woman… if she is a woman. De’Lila tells Reed not to worry about that and to just remember that he is her wife for now.

Mole Man says that he thinks that it is time for them to greet their guests in an appropriate manner. He orders the monster to shake them out. The Skrulls fall out and realize that they are surrounded. They ask the commander what they are to do. Mole Man zaps a blast out of his stick and says that they will do what he tells them to do or his subterraneans will tear them apart. He tells them to stand up and that he wants to know who they are and what they are doing with his monsters.

Wolverine whispers to Hulk and tells him to wait up. He tells Hulk that they ditched the bike so that they could sneak in… not bull their way in. Hulk tells Wolverine to forget it. He says that he walks where he wants and that nothing gets in his way. Hulk turns back to walk and walks into something. Spider-Man recognizes the thing Hulk walked into as the monster that the Mole Man attacked New York with years ago. Wolverine says that he looks like he has a new toy. Hulk says that he will take care of that, but then suddenly the monster steps on the Hulk’s foot. Hulk punches the monster’s foot and says that he isn’t some costumed clown he can just walk over. The monster scoops Hulk up and starts squeezing him like a tube of Crest. Spider-Man asks what they do now. Wolverine says that they could just say good riddance, but that instead they will give the monster a hot foot. Wolverine stabs the monster between the toes with his claws. The monster howls and drops Hulk. Mole Man, flanked by hundreds of subterraneans, asks what the meaning of this intrusion is. Hulk tells Mole Man that if the giant tomato plant is his that he is the guy they came to talk to. Ghost Rider tells Hulk to back off and says that there is more at play here than they suspect. Spider-Man says that he will parlay and for them to watch his back. Spider-Man tells Mole Man that they haven’t come looking for trouble unless he has been causing the monsters to attack the surface world. He says that they have come to stop whoever is doing it. Mole Man says that he already has them and that they are aliens. He says that he intends to execute them for what they have done. Spider-Man asks if they could have a look at them and says that they have a lot of unanswered questions about what is going on. Mole Man asks Spider-Man how he knows he can trust him. Spider-Man says that he doesn’t, but that he does seem to have the numbers advantage. Mole Man says that is a good answer and tells them to follow him. He tells them not to stray off, but there are so many subterraneans surrounding them that they couldn’t even if they wanted to. Mole Man sees his captives and says that the one they call “Captain” is missing. Spider-Man recognizes the aliens as Skrulls. Wolverine says that there is no other way out. Hulk asks Wolverine what he knows about Skrulls. Wolverine says that he knows enough and slashes through a rock. Hulk stomps another rock and tells Ghost Rider that Skrulls are shape shifters. Ghost Rider says that he is starting to understand and smashes a rock. Hulk stands over the final boulder and holds his fist right above it. He remarks at how the rock seems to have Goosebumps. The rock turns back into the Skrull commander. Spider-Man tells the Skrull to tell them what is going on while the Hulk is in a good mood. The commander says that he will never talk and that Skrulls can withstand any kind of torture. Hulk says that he likes it when they won’t talk. Ghost Rider grabs the commander and says that they don’t have time for this. He tells him to gaze into his Penance Stare and speak of his past. The Skrull, not of his own will, tells them that they were tracking a small cadre of malcontents that are bent on the assassination of the Emperor. The commander says that only the leader De’Lila remains at large, but that even her captured confederates know of her actual plan. He says that they do think that she is there to obtain the means to assassinate the Emperor and that they must stop her. He says that they used the great beasts because they found that their mind structures bears striking similarities to Skrull minds and that they are susceptible to their slave darts. He says that they were using them to excite the mental activity of Earth until they found De’Lila. Wolverine says that then they were going to kill her. Spider-Man looks at the sub-photonic spectro-analyzer and says that he may be telling the truth and that their equipment has been generating the energy they have been following. One of the Skrulls recognizes the equipment and says that it is a Skrull weapons lab prototype. He says that there are only two or three of them in existence and asks how he came to have it. Spider-Man says that a lady in New York gave it to him. The Skrull says that it could have only been De’Lila, but that they may be able to track her with it. The Skrull says that he is getting a double reading very close to their location. Spider-Man says that his spider-sense is tingling as well. Suddenly Reed and “Sue” fly on the scene. “Sue” tells Reed to protect her. Hulk says that this saves them the trouble of tracking her down. He says that he has first dibs. Reed says that the only way Hulk is going to get to her is over his dead body. Hulk says that is no problem since he has already seen Richards’ dead body. He tells the “Scummy Skrull” that he is going to get his wish.

First Family rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review and picture by The Leader

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