Fantastic Four Annual #1 *spoilers*

[Ravin' Ray]

Remember this?

Because some 20 plus years later, we get to see this little piece of dialog from Fantastic Four vs X-Men #4, way back in the late 80's come to fruition. And how do Sue and Victor fare when the dust has settled?
spoilers:

We see Doom with Val watcing an old-fashioned jousting tournament to mark Latveria's national holiday. They discuss how they are improving the world covertly so as not to draw attention. We read Sue's thoughts as she apologizes to Reed in her mind for not telling him what she's doing. After she makes her not-so-invisible appearance, she appeals to Val saying that her forgiving her parents especially her father would snap him out of his insecurities. But Val wonders if she'll be treated the way Franklin and the others will be, and Doom scoffs at how their concealment of her will pale in comparison to her freedom in Latveria. But the real shocker comes when Val reveals she's using a "Valbot" to talk to her very own mother, and finally steps out to say, in person, that she's staying. Then Sue asserts her right as a mother by saying how she and Reed regret coddling Val, but now it will end and she'll take her home. Doom warns Sue to respect Val's wishes but she won't have any of it as she talks him down and reminds him of that episode when he killed her future self. Then the battle is joined. Sue sends Val out of the castle to safety as she and Doom engage in a no-holds-barred fight. Sue bubbles off his ships, and the debris and weapon ricochet rain down on Latveria. Even as Doom taunts Sue with her vulnerability to his mystical might, he finds his mental probes blocked, by someone else already inside her mind as he claims. And Sue penetrates Doom's field with her own, on an atomic level, to win the war. But at a cost. Doom suspects that the someone in Sue's mind, is Malice. And Val is shocked by what her mother has done and threatens to do, and is scared of her. Thus Sue leaves, heartbroken, alone.

end of spoilers

[Trident]

Wow....I might have to start picking this back up. Great review Ray.

[Cmbmool]

NICE.... I have to say spoilers:

spot on for Robinson having Val call Sue out on her actions in this annual

end of spoilers

[Crimz]

Really liked how Doom and Sue insulted each other, I found the conversation funny.

[scribbleMind]

What Val is doing, and her method of improving the world, reminds me of "Solve Everything" except instead of working with Reeds she's working with Doom. The question is, will that be better or worse? I have heard that Doom is where all hope lies...

[drwho]

The whole thing about Val hanging with Doom is so bad. What parents let their daughter do whatever she wants?

[Zero Hunter]

I have hated what they have turned Val into ever since Hickmans run.

[Kurolegacy]

Man I hate when they do stories where the solicits basically ask 'will x do y?' when it's obvious that it's not gonna happen. What about this issue warranted it being an Annual anyway?

[Vic Vega]

The whole thing about Val hanging with Doom is so bad. What parents let their daughter do whatever she wants?

That she is a genius is irrelevent.

Val is A)still a child and B)Sue's daughter.

It should nave have gotten even that far.

[Kurolegacy]

That she is a genius is irrelevent.

Val is A)still a child and B)Sue's daughter.

It should nave have gotten even that far.

The fact that Val is a genius possibly beyond Reed, has that level of influence over Doom himself and can just get away with all this in spite of only being three, would you say she's at least a bit of a Mary Sue?

[Cap10nate]

Really liked this issue. I was shocked at Sue's actions/responses until Doom realized that she wasn't completely in control because it definitely didn't seem like her. Seeing Sue unleash is always something to behold and she did so in a big way this issue.

side note: are the spoiler blocks necessary in these threads? The thread is designed to have spoilers and it is noted in the title. It is a pain to try to highlight it all on the mobile website.

[vitruvian]

That she is a genius is irrelevent.

Val is A)still a child and B)Sue's daughter.

It should nave have gotten even that far.

She's their daughter, but she's also one that they've lost custody of under US law, recall. So if Sue did get her, her choices would have been a) take her back openly and let her be taken away again, b) take her back openly and fight the US government and any heroes on their side, c) take her back secretly and hide her, or d) take her someplace outside US jurisdiction and not plan on returning any time soon without facing jail time. Given those alternatives, and the evidence that Doom has been protecting her quite well, letting her stay with Victor might be the least bad choice available.

I wonder where she is in New Avengers and if Uncle Victor is consulting her on the Incursion problem? Is this before or after Reed visits?

[yet another]

So Malice is back? Has she been seen previously in this current FF run?

[DjessNL]

I loved seeing Latveria's millitary?

[Hariel0079]

I loved this issue, it's starting to make sense why sue becomes aggressive and joins sheild along the way in NA and probably malice/aggressive sue storm becomes more of a hidden personality that's always beeen there for sue and the inversion brings it to the forfront.