Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman have taken a break from the Fantastic Four to focus on raising their son. The Thing has recruited his super-powered girlfriend Ms Marvel as well as Crystal of the Inhumans into the FF to keep the team going (during ALL IN THE FAMILY, 1987). But a recent dose of Cosmic Rays has mutated the Thing even further and transformed Ms Marvel into a She-Thing who’s struggling with her new form. And the Human Torch finds he’s torn between his past feelings for Crystal and his love for his new wife Alicia Masters.
The Thing’s mission to turn Ms Marvel back to human form is about to take the Fantastic Four on an unexpected journey that will bring them into conflict with a whole host of otherworldly foes, the team’s primary nemesis and the biggest threat the universe has ever faced!
Minor Crossover: While the story does veer out of the main Fantastic Four title, the tie-in issues aren’t essential reading; the annual does explain the line-up change, but only the second story actually advances the main plotline.
Must-Reads: Issues in bold in the Core List or marked with a ✔ in the Full Reading Order are must-read stories from this event; in the Fallout section, issues marked with a ✔ are the stories that are most heavily impacted by this event.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- SECRET WARS (1984-1985) – The Beyonder gathers the heroes & villains of Earth on Battleworld
- SECRET WARS II (1985-1986) – The Beyonder comes to Earth; Doctor Doom returns
- ALL IN THE FAMILY (1987) – The Thing forms a new Fantastic Four
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- Fantastic Four #313
- Strange Tales #13 [2/3] (tie-in)
- Fantastic Four #314
- Strange Tales #14 [2/2] (tie-in)
- Fantastic Four #315-317
- Fantastic Four Annual #21 [1/3]
- Fantastic Four Annual #21 [2/3]
- Fantastic Four #318-319
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #313 The Fantastic Four head into Subterranea in search of the Mole Man in the hope of finding a way to turn Ms Marvel (Sharon Ventura) back from a She-Thing to human form. They discover the Mole Man has abandoned his Moloids since the Thing helped destroy Monster Island. After clearing Mole Man’s main chamber of Tyrannoids, the FF find Mole Man skulking in the hottest tunnels but fail to rescue him from Lava Men. Crystal almost dies trying to save him from a lava pool, making the Human Torch realise his feelings for her are still strong despite his marriage to Alicia Masters. |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #314 (pp.1-5) Despite failing to change Ms Marvel back or rescue the Mole Man, the FF continue to search the tunnels of Subertannea and discover that the Mole Man fast-travels across the Earth using portals… |
| Strange Tales #13 [2/2] (tie-in) Doctor Strange has sacrificed his talismans, tomes, friendships, love and even an eye to protect Earth from Urthona. He’s even turned to dark magic to prepare to combat the rising force of immense darkness. Kaluu and Strange transport themselves to the source of the evil, but Kaluu isn’t strong enough to go further. Strange defeats the evil’s agent Arioch, absorbing his power which also alters his own appearance by giving Strange flowing blonde locks. Arioch’s master emerges, revealing itself to be Shuma-Gorath! | |
| Strange Tales #14 [2/2] (pp.1-5) (tie-in) Doctor Strange finds himself engaged in magickal conflict with Shuma-Gorath on his own turf, though Strange quickly proves he’s able to hurt the demon… | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #314 (pp.5-19) While the skies above the Earth are suddenly engulfed in flame. Below the surface, the Thing and Ms Marvel begin to express their love for each other despite their mutated forms. They’re interrupted when they realise Crystal is missing. One of the portals has taken the Fantastic Four to Limbo and Crystal is now in the clutches of the demon Belasco. They rescue Crystal and escape through another portal, emerging in the Land Within where the Thing quickly discovers the Cat-People aren’t as friendly as he remembered last time he was here. Belasco emerges, claiming to be the Cat-People’s master. Their confrontation is interrupted by the flames caused by Doctor Strange’s clash with Shuma-Gorath… |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #314 (p.19) / Strange Tales #14 [2/2] (pp.6-7) (tie-in) Shuma-Gorath has created a mystic image of Earth that is impacted by Doctor Strange’s attacks on him, which is causing the fire that’s spreading over the planet. Strange’s own persona begins to fade away as he attacks the creature, anyway… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Strange Tales #14 [2/2] (p.8) (tie-in) Strange is injured and his pain is felt by mystics across the planet… | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #314 (pp.20-22) The interruption gives the FF the chance to escape through a portal to the planet Arcturus IV where Master Pandemonium is also stranded. |
| Strange Tales #14 [2/2] (pp.9-11) (tie-in) Strange defeats Shuma-Gorath the only way he knows how – by absorbing the entity into himself then committing suicide by piercing himself with a shard of the creature… | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #315 Trapped on the same strange planet that once held Morbius captive (during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS, 1974-1975), the Fantastic Four clash with the demon horde Master Pandemonium expels from his sleeves. The aliens of Arcturus bow to the Thing, believing he has the power to kill them and end their painful lives. Master Pandemonium calls the battle to a stop, believing the only way they can all return to Earth is if they work together. Ms Marvel becomes more comfortable as a She-Thing. The FF’s actions attract the attention of Comet Man and the Fortisquian alien called Max. Comet Man refuses to help the five of them return to Earth until he’s ready to face Superior – the man who killed his wife – but Max kicks a rock and they’re all instantly teleported to Antarctica! |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #316 Master Pandemonium flies away. Alicia Masters arrives in Antarctica by helicopter and is greeted by her husband, the Human Torch. The group all gather where the tropical Savage Land once thrived before it was destroyed by Terminus (during THE WAR TO END ALL SKRULLS, 1985). Ka-Zar and Shanna the She-Devil also arrive, announcing the recent birth of their child, along with troops from a US Army outpost. They all soon come under attack from ice warriors created by AIM scientists who are quickly defeated. The Thing explains that the Fortesquians and Nuwali were both created by an ancient alien race who could travel using portals from Arcturus and were charged with protecting the Savage Land which they did by creating an underground heating system. In the hope of learning who the ancient masters were, the FF dig into the ice to find the remains of the ancient heaters which were recently destroyed by Terminus. To his horror, the Thing finds the word “Beyonder” etched into the colossal heater! |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #317 Alicia Masters reminds the Thing that they encountered alien beings called Beyonders before, so it’s more likely to be them behind this and not the god-like Beyonder who once threatened Earth (during SECRET WARS II, 1985-1986). Max and Comet Man transport the FF and an AIM agent through space via the teleport mechanism aboard their ship. On the journey, the Thing and Ms Marvel finally kiss. The Human Torch explains to Crystal that he can never be with her because of Alicia. The group finally meet the alien Nuwali who confirm they work for the Beyonders, communicating via a Radical Cube – a doorway to the Negative Zone. The AIM agent pays the Nuwali to turn against the FF and bring them down, only for Crystal and Comet Man to beat them all back. Crystal warns the AIM agent that the Fantastic Four will be going into the Negative Zone to find the Beyonders and AIM won’t be able to stop them! |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Annual #21 [1/3] The FF finally return to Four Freedoms Plaza in New York and gain some well-earned rest. A week later, the Inhumans teleport down from the Moon, demanding Crystal return with them to her repentant husband, the now-powerless Quicksilver who blames mind control for his recent despicable behaviour. While the Inhuman Royal Family are on Earth, the High Evolutionary leads a band of Eliminators to the Moon to steal the Terrigen Mists and use them to advance humanity’s evolution. Hearing of the invasion, the FF accompany the Inhumans to the Moon where Quicksilver has been bravely defending Attilan, observed by Uatu the Watcher. The heroes successfully see off the Evolutionary’s forces, meet another Watcher and bid farewell to Crystal when she decides to stay with her family. Also see THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Annual #21 [2/3] When the FF depart, Quicksilver explains to Crystal that it was the Inhuman Maximus who turned him against her and the Avengers. The Inhuman Royal Family seem to trust Quicksilver more than Crystal due to her recent affair with a human. Quicksilver tests his abilities and finds he’s free of the mental blocks Maria Trovaya Pym put in place and he can use his super-speed again. He convinces Crystal not to accompany the Fantastic Four on their mission to find the Beyonders, then heads off to the Inhumans’ comms system and alerts the real Doctor Doom of the FF’s plans. Quicksilver may have his wife and daughter back, but he still wants to see Kristoff Vernard suffer. Also see WEST COAST AVENGERS DISASSEMBLE! |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #318 Doctor Doom assaults the Molecule Man, blasting him into submission and leaving him for dead. He then approaches the Fantastic Four, asking to assist them on their mission to locate the Beyonders in the Negative Zone. The Thing laughs at his request, so Doom uses Mister Fantastic’s doorway to the Negative Zone himself. The FF (now a team of three) fly a ship through the portal to give chase, only for Doom to come to their rescue when Blastaar attacks. Doom demands they join forces and take the defeated Blastaar’s ship, using it to make their way to the Beyonders. Meanwhile, Volcana keeps watch over her beloved Molecule Man who recovers in hospital having survived Doom’s attack! |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #319 Doom and the FF travel through the Negative Zone to the Crossroads of Infinity, arriving at the new universe created when the Beyonder died (during SECRET WARS II, 1985-1986) and find it looks like their own planet Earth but with the Beyonder as the Sun. The Beyonder takes humanoid form again, blasting the FF for hounding him. Doctor Doom approaches the Beyonder and asks him to restore the memories he took from him to avoid a time-paradox. This should help him regain the Latverian throne he recently love to Kristoff (during ALL IN THE FAMILY, 1987). Kubik and the Shaper of Worlds – AIM’s evolved Cosmic Cube and an evolved Skrull Cosmic Cube, respectively – arrive, assaulting the Beyonder in the hopes of preventing Doom from trying to obtain his power. The Molecule Man and Volcana emerge from a portal and side against Kubik who still gains the upper-hand against the Beyonder. The Shaper of Worlds and Kubik explain that the Beyonders are beings who live in a lightless universe intent on all beings growing to become like them. The pure force that comes through rifts in space every 32 years to create Cosmic Cubes comes from the Beyonders. Years ago, one instance of that pure power ended up granting the Molecule Man his abilities while the rest of that energy eventually took the form of the Beyonder. The Molecule Man bids farewell to Volcana and merges with the Beyonder to become a complete Cosmic Cube, ending the threat of the ‘incomplete’ Beyonder. Before anyone can react, Doom touches the Cube and uses it to restore his lost memories. The Shaper teleports Doom, Volcana and the FF back to Earth before he gets a chance to use its power further. Volcana leaves in tears having lost the love of her life. Doom heads off to Latveria. And the Thing and Ms Marvel are finally happy to just be together. 1st appearance: Annihilation Area (unnamed), Crossroads of Infinity |
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| Fantastic Four #321 (1988) A mystery figure starts observing the Fantastic Four; he’s later revealed to be Aron the Rogue Watcher – the second Watcher accompanying Uatu as they observed Attilan’s war with the High Evolutionary. | ||
| ✔ | Marvel Comics Presents #50-53 (1990) Comet Man returns to Earth, learns his enemy Superior is actually his brother Jonathan Gallagher (aka ‘Agent Smith’); Comet Man’s son Benny Beckley discovers his own powers and forces Jon Gallagher to turn his gun on himself and shoot himself in the head. | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #326-333 (1989) The Invisible Woman and Mister Fantastic rejoin the Fantastic Four; exposure to one of Mister Fantastic’s cosmic ray machines transforms the Thing back to human form; Aron the Rogue Watcher emerges, revealing he’s been fascinated with the FF since watching them battle the High Evolutionary; Aron captures the Fantastic Four and replaces them with clones; the clones decide to capture the Mole Man, unaware that he’s a prisoner of the Lava Men; believing he’s been betrayed by the real Fantastic Four, the Mole Man swears revenge on them; the real Fantastic Four escape Aron and defeat the clones. | |
| ✔ | Avengers West Coast #51-52 (1989) Master Pandemonium obtains the final two pieces of his soul which were transformed into the twin sons of the Scarlet Witch; he absorbs the fragments, costing the Witch her children; it’s revealed that the fragments were actually missing parts of Mephisto’s shattered essence which Master Pandemonium was unwittingly gathering on the demon’s behalf. | |
| Avengers West Coast #56-57 (1990) Quicksilver starts to redeem himself again, allying with the Avengers against Magneto. | ||
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Annual #23 (1990) Volcana adjusts to life without the Molecule Man; Doom surmises that the Molecule Man left Volcana with a fraction of his power; the Cosmic Cube made up of the combined Beyonder and Molecule Man evolves to become the female Kosmos. | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #350, 352-354 (1991) Doctor Doom reclaims Latveria from Kristoff Vernard; the Thing is returned to his more-familiar rocky appearance; Ms Marvel finally relents and accepts Doom’s offer to cure her rocky form, betraying the Fantastic Four, leaving the team and ending her relationship with the Thing. | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Annual #24 (1991) The Molecule Man is expelled from the Cosmic Cube that became Kosmos and returned to Earth where he’s reunited with Volcana; Klaw tries to kidnap the Molecule Man, but is defeated when the Molecule Man’s bloodthirsty persona returns; the change in the Molecule Man upsets Volcana and they go their separate ways. | |
| Avengers #337 (1991) Crystal joins the Avengers as a probationary member. | ||
| X-Factor #71-73 (1991) Quicksilver leaves Attilan and allies with X-Factor, becoming an unofficial member of the team and implying issues with his marriage. | MUTANT GENESIS | |
| Avengers Annual #20 (1991) Full-scale war breaks out between the various subterranean races. | SUBTERRANEAN WARS | |
| Avengers #343 (1992) Crystal moves into Avengers Mansion, becoming a full member of the Avengers alongside the Black Knight; the seeds of a relationship between them are sown, causing further problems for her marriage. | ||
| Fantastic Four #358 (1991) ‘Alicia Masters-Storm’ is revealed to be a Skrull; the real Alicia Masters returns, with no knowledge of a relationship between her and the Human Torch. | ||
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Annual #27 (1994) The Molecule Man seeks revenge on the Beyonder for the loss of his relationship with Volcana; he pulls the Beyonder out of Kosmos and the two of them fight; their battle begins to threaten all of space and time, so the Molecule Man returns the Beyonder to his Kosmos form; as promised, Shuma-Gorath returns. | |
| Son of M #1-6 (2006) Having fallen foul of his ambitions and lost his powers once again, Quicksilver returns to the Inhumans on the Moon and steals the Terrigen Crystals himself in an attempt to restore the powers lost by the mutants on M-Day. | ||
| ✔ | New Avengers: Illuminati #3 (2007) In a previously untold tale set during the second ‘Secret Wars’, the Illuminati approach the Beyonder, mistakenly believing him to be a mutant member of the Inhumans; it’s more likely that the Beyonder led them to believe this while experimenting with his own identity or just to mess with them. | |
| Mighty Avengers #27-32 (2010) Quicksilver lies again and tells the Inhumans that it was a Skrull impersonator who stole the Terrigen Crystals from them; he also redeems himself by helping his fellow Mighty Avengers defeat the Inhuman Unspoken. | ||
| ✔ | Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1 (2010) It’s revealed that the actions of the Intelligencia (a band of the smartest villains in the world) attracted the attention of the Beyonder, resulting in the first ‘Secret Wars’. | FALL OF THE HULKS |
| ✔ | New Avengers #24-33 (2015) Doctor Doom allies with the Molecule Man in an attempt to save Earth-616 from the Incursions that are destroying universes, only to discover they had in fact caused the Incursions in the first place; the alien Beyonders are revealed to have intended for the Molecule Man to have become a bomb that destroys his home reality when he dies; Doom begins killing the various versions of the Molecule Man throughout the multiverse; the Beyonder is revealed to be a Beyonders’ ‘child unit’ (or infant). | TIME RUNS OUT |
| ✔ | Secret Wars #1-9 (2015-2016) Doctor Doom uses the Molecule’s Man’s power to save the remnants of destroyed universes, creating his own Battleworld with himself as God Emperor Doom; Molecule Man eventually gives his power to Mister Fantastic, allowing him to restore Earth-616 and rebuild the multiverse. | SECRET WARS |
| Fantastic Four #1-5 (2018-2019) The Thing and Alicia Masters reignite their relationship and get married. | FRESH START |
See how this event fits into the wider Marvel Universe with these reading orders:
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The More Things Change… (vol.18) | Fantastic Four #308-320 Fantastic Four Annual #21 Incredible Hulk #350 Marvel Graphic Novel #29 – The Incredible Hulk and the Thing: The Big Change |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Doctor Strange: Strange Tales | Strange Tales #13-14 |
| Evolutionary War Omnibus | Fantastic Four Annual #21 |
| Secret Wars Battleworld Box Set Secret Wars II Omnibus | Fantastic Four #316-319 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2024
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