Fantastic Four #349

Title: "Eggs Got Legs!... or Love Conquers All!”

Writer: Walter Simonson

Penciller: Arthur Adams

Pencilling Assist: Gracine Tanaka

Inkers: Art Thibert & Al Milgrom

Colors: Steve Buccellato

Editor: Ralph Macchio

De’Lila shouts to wait. She admits that she is not Susan Richards, but a Skrull and transforms back into her true self. She says that she is a fugitive from Skrull tyranny and has been driven into exile for daring to speak the truth. She says that the Skrulls weren’t content with that however and the state has sent its assassins to kill her. She says that they must believe her and kill the Skrulls. Mole Man says that she has touched her heart and that he too knows the stigma of ostracism. He says that he will help her and orders his subterraneans to kill the Skrulls. The Skrulls tells Mole Man to stop. They tell him that she is low level telepath and that she can influence your thoughts. Another Skrull says that it is too late. He says that her power has them, and though it won’t be for long that it will be enough to kill them. Ghost Rider says that he felt the force of her call, but that she has betrayed her evil intent and his mind is still clear. He says that the woman seeks the death of these Skrulls through treachery. He says that he can’t allow it and suddenly a wall of flames protects the Skrulls and purifies everyone’s minds. Everyone awakens from De’Lila’s spell. Spider-Man says that he was ready to kill the Skrulls himself. De’Lila tells Reed to get them out of there. Reed says, “At once, darling!” Reed starts to fly them out of there. Hulk says that the green bimbo did this to them, and that he hates green. He picks up a giant boulder. Spider-Man says that they should try to take them alive. Hulk tosses the boulder and tells Spider-Man that he can try to put them back together with crazy glue. Hulk’s boulder misses as Reed and De’Lila escape. Spider-Man realizes that was the real Reed Richards and that De’Lila must have used her powers on them back at Four Freedoms Plaza to kill her Skrull pursuers. He says that it was no wonder his spider sense was going crazy. He says that she probably has the other FF hidden as hostages against Reed. Wolverine says that could be, or that with her power that maybe he can’t tell she isn’t Sue anymore… or he doesn’t care. Mole Man says that it doesn’t matter. He says that they are heading to the deepest levels of his domain and that even he can’t effectively control the creatures that dwell there. Hulk rolls his eyes and says that is just great. Mole Man asks Spider-Man if he can track them. Spider-Man follows one of the signals on the device. He says that he is betting that the other signal is the reason that De’Lila is there. Wolverine says to move it and that he wants another shot at her. Spider-Man’s spider sense goes nuts and he spots a bomb. The bomb explodes and the tunnel caves in. Hulk catches the falling rubble. Ghost Rider says that Mole Man is cut off and that they are trapped. Hulk asks Spider-Man if his spider-sense couldn’t have kicked in a little earlier. Spider-Man says that he shouldn’t have skipped that last factory recall.

Further town the tunnel, De’Lila asks Reed to stop for a moment. Reed asks what it is. De’Lila says that she wants him to know how much she appreciates him. She says that she is going to give him everything his heart desires. She changes back into Sue and says that she is going to be everything Sue was to her and more. She tells Reed that she needs him and that she can tell that he needs her. Reed says that he thinks he loves her and they kiss. De’Lila thinks to herself that she has him. She says that she is going to tell him exactly what they are looking for so that he can help. She says that inorganic techno-troids are indestructible synthetic beings so powerful that only the Empress can control them. She says that they are hatched under the most guarded of conditions, but that this one was smuggled out of the empire at great cost. She says that with its power that she will shake the empire.

Sweat pours down Hulk’s face. He says that he doesn’t want to seem like he is losing his temper, but asks the clowns if they think they could get a move on. Spider-Man says that he doesn’t know what they can do. Ghost Rider tells them to step away from the wall and takes out his chain. Hulk asks what good a crummy chain can do. He tells Spider-Man to try holding it so that he can get them out of there. Ghost Rider says that they will be free shortly. He starts spinning his chain around and around. The chain blazes with flames and begins to tunnel through the rock.

Inside the elevator in Four Freedoms Plaza, Torch asks Ben Grimm what is going on and that someone has stuck his head in an asbestos bag or something. Ben says that it is about time someone else woke up. He says that they are hogtied. Susan asks what happened and says that she only remembers Namor. Ms. Marvel says that it was some sort of trick and that they’ve all been captured and tied together. She says that maybe she can flex her chest enough to break the ropes. Ben says that is choking him. Alicia says that they will have to try something else. Johnny says that he is afraid to flame on and that he may burn more than the ropes. Sue says that they are going to have to risk it. She says that Reed isn’t there and that they don’t know where he might be. Suddenly the elevator begins to move. The doors open and Franklin stands before them. Franklin asks what they are doing there and why they aren’t out catching the bad guys. Ben says that they are all tied up at the moment and asks Franklin if he wants to give them a hand. Roberta, the robotic receptionist, says thank heavens they’re all safe. Ben asks Roberta what is going on. She says that she fears that Dr. Richards has been taken and that they were being held as hostages. Johnny asks where Reed is. Roberta says that Dr. Richards and a duplicate Mrs. Richards left some time ago. She says that he told her that everything was fine, and that she should tell her friends in the marines. She says that she figured that this might have some special meaning since she has no friends in the marines. She says that she discovered that is an expression that means that whatever the speaker is saying is untrue. She says that she conducted a sensor search and found Franklin sleeping and eventually them. She then shows them the current location of Dr. Richards’ vehicle is. Torch realizes that it is Monster Isle and that was the location where they first met the Mole Man. Alicia says that whoever it was must have been a shape shifter. She says that they all saw different guises and asks Johnny who he saw. Torch says, “Huh? Oh… uh, you, honey. Who else?” Sue tells Franklin to stay with Alicia and that they have a pogo plane to catch. Ben tells Franklin that they will bring his dad home and that he should thank him for having such a smart son and creating such a smart receptionist droid.

Reed says that they are close, but that they will have to go the rest of the way on foot. He says that these caverns are incredible, but that they are not natural. He says that they are massive excavations and wonders who could have done them. Reed sees bas-reliefs and says that they must be at least a partial answer. He says that he has seen similar figure work in some of the Avengers’ records of the Deviant cities beneath the Pacific. Reed speculates that much of Mole Man’s domain is the remnant of an ancient Deviant civilization. He wonders if the monsters themselves are of Deviant stock. De’Lila asks what the big deal is. She says that the carvings don’t look much different than prehistoric Skrull artifacts. De’Lila tells Reed to ask one of the monsters himself and says that one of them is sitting on her egg. Reed says that shouldn’t be too difficult and that he doubts the monsters are very smart. Reed throws a stone that makes a noise. The monster hears the noise and walks off to investigate. De’Lila sees the egg and says that at last it is hers. Hulk, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and Wolverine stand in their way. Hulk says that is the end of the line. De’Lila says that they are just in time to help her achieve her goal. Hulk tells her to forget it. He says that she isn’t that powerful and that he is too mad. De’Lila grabs Reed and points her synapse disruptor at his head. She says that she didn’t come all this way to be stopped now, and that one more step and she will turn Reed’s face into a memory. Reed says, “But… sweetheart…!” De’Lila tells Reed to freeze and says that he can’t move unless she wills it. She tells them to get up there and tear the ship to pieces before the creature returns. Spider-Man says that they can’t risk it and that they will get their chance. Hulk says that he will do it, but tell De’Lila that she can’t hold Richards forever, and that he can wait as long as it takes. Hulk smashes into the ship. Hulk sees the egg held in place by magnetic locks. Hulk hits the egg and smashes it right out of the ship. De’Lila says that with the magnetic locks broken the vault around the egg will self-destruct in two minutes. She says that the outer protective layer around the vault is a third level anti-matter ectoplasm maintained by generators. She tells Ghost Rider that only a mystical weapon can strip it away. Ghost Rider uses his chain to reveal a hatch filled with spinning laser beams. She tells Wolverine to jam the locking mechanism with his claws. Wolverine says that he doesn’t have x-ray vision. Spider-Man uses his spider sense to guide Wolverine. With the lasers stopped, Spider-Man uses his webbing to hit the trigger mechanism and turn it off. The shell opens revealing the egg. De’Lila says that at last the egg is hers. Hulk steps in front of her again and says that is the end of the line. He says that he doesn’t know what that thing is, but that if it is that protected that it has to be powerful. He says that she is the last person that should have it, and that if Reed were in his right mind that he would agree with him. De’Lila blasts Hulk, but Hulk says that he isn’t even scratched. De’Lila points it at Reed again and says that she will kill him. Hulk says that is tough and that everybody’s number comes up sometime. Spider-Man says that they have company. Mole Man and thousands of thousands of subterraneans arrive. Mole Man says that the Skrulls have been persuaded to tell him what is going on, and that now that he knows what the egg is that he wants it. Mole Man tells his subterraneans to kill them all. Suddenly the Fantastic Four arrive and Torch pushes the subterraneans back with his flame. Thing, Ms. Marvel and Sue ride in with Torch on one of Sue’s invisible force field slides. Thing says not to look now, but that it is clobberin’ time. Hulk and Thing stand back to back against the subterraneans. Hulk tells Thing that he has lost weight, and that he is happy to see him alive since it means that he gets to beat the tar out of him again someday. Thing tells Hulk that they can skip the chit chat. He asks what is going on. Hulk says, “Beats me. I just work here.” Two of the giant monsters walk into the area. Spider-Man realizes that De’Lila is making her way toward the egg. He goes after her. De’Lila tells Spider-Man that she will fry him where he stands. Spider-Man says that it was more of a squat. He grabs her arm and asks what if they disable her wrist shooter before she hurts someone. He grabs her wrist, but De’Lila turns into Mary Jane and says that he is hurting her. Spider-Man says that MJ can’t be there. De’Lila tells Spider-Man that she loves him and to kiss her. Spider-Man thinks to himself that he is losing control, but “MJ” blasts him. Spider-Man webs the egg and pulls it into the air. The egg flies through the air and into the hands of the monster Mole Man used against the Fantastic Four. Mole Man says that the moment is his. He orders the monster to give him the egg, but the monster refuses. Mole Man, frustrated, orders the subterraneans to seize the monster and take the egg. Suddenly they are buried under rock. The monster’s mate has returned. Hulk says, “Ohhhh, man! Another big monster! Maybe I’ll die of boredom before they can kill me!”

The commander of the Skrulls says that everyone is distracted and that now is their chance.  He says that when the egg hatches that the first thing it sees becomes its master. He says that they swore to recover the egg or destroy it. He holds a device that will destroy it and that unlike the egg’s protective devices that they cannot be deactivated. Thing asks if anyone heard that. Hulk says that he heard enough to wish he was back in Vegas. Wolverine asks if it is too late to rethink this. The egg explodes and the technotroid sees the giant female monster. De’Lila says that it is too late and that she has been robbed. The monster tells the technotroid about the bomb and the technotroid throws itself on the bomb and the captain. Hulk remarks at how fast the technotroid bored into the rock. The bomb explodes and the “mother” monster screams. She starts going after the rest of the Skrulls, but then the technotroid climbs out of the hole unharmed. The two monsters start cooing for the technotroid as if it were their first child.

De’Lila tells Reed that it is time to go before anyone notices that they’re gone. Reed starts to object, but De’Lila turns back into Sue and reminds Reed that she will be more to him that Sue ever was. She says that as a sign of good faith that she releases the mental blocks that prevents his power. Reed wraps his arms around De’Lila and kisses her. Just then Sue, Thing, Torch, and Ms. Marvel arrive in shock. They say that it isn’t possible. De’Lila says that it isn’t only possible, but that it is true. She says that Richards is hers forever. Sue says that she doesn’t know what De’Lila has done to Reed, but that she will make her suffer for the rest of her short life. De’Lila says that is wishful thinking and that the FF can’t even move unless she wills it. She says that her husband is about to become a widower. She says that she will see to it that Reed doesn’t even remember her in his dreams. She is about to blast Sue with her disruptor, but then she notices that it is gone. Reed is holding the disruptor and says that it isn’t exactly gone. He says that their engagement is off and punches De’Lila unconscious. He says that once he realized she was a telepath that he starting thinking things that would appeal to her to hide his deeper concerns. He says that he knew she would slip up, and that thanks to his wife she did. He says that freezing the FF freed him from her hold. He tells Sue that he loves her and that he has since they first met. They kiss and Thing says, “Disss… gustipatin’!”

De’Lila says that no one remembers her, but that soon she will make Reed kill his wife. Ghost Rider tells her to turn and gaze into his Penance Stare. De’Lila falls to the ground trembling. Spider-Man asks him what he did. Ghost Rider says that she has committed many acts of terror in her life and that now she has to live them forever. The Skrull commander asks what of them. Wolverine tells them to go. He says that whatever they are going to do that it can’t be worse than what she is going through. Mole Man asks if they have forgotten him. Spider-Man tells Mole Man to face it. He says that Mole Man has subterraneans, but that they have the FF, Hulk, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider. Mole Man says that he will take them back to the surface.

Punisher follows one of the flying monsters back to Monster Isle. He arms his weapons, but then sees the FF, Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider. He realizes that he isn’t needed there. He turns around and heads toward Medellin, Columbia.

First Family rating: 7 out of 10

Review and picture by The Leader

RETURN TO ISSUES PAGE

RETURN TO FIRST FAMILY

RETURN TO LEADER'S LAIR