Fantastic Four #14 *spoilers*

[Ravin' Ray]

We've come to the last renumbered issue of Fantastic Four before it reverts to the continuation of the aggregate issues with next month's ominously named "The End is FourEver" with #642. Reed is captured, Franklin's being experimented upon, while Sue, Ben and Johnny start investigating the cause of all this.
spoilers:

Cully, Reed's captor, calling himself the Quiet Man, reveals his infatuation with Sue, his regret at Reed reaching her first, his scientific work in the background and his nanite-based facial reconctruction tech that enabled him to pose as different persons in different situations, including prosecutor Tolivar. He also insinuated that he's behind at least some of the attacks on the FF over the years. Franklin is the key to him to finally reveal himself; and Onome tries to reach out to Bentley to do something; but while Bentley shows signs of concerns for Franklin, he relents and tells the FF children to hold their tongue. In the meantime, HR Captain America frees HR Hawkeye from police custody as Spider-Man and Johnny arrive too late to intervene. And, Sue and Ben's probing around the Baxter Building is interrupted by Sam Wilson Captain America, Hulk, Namor, and SHIELD agents, witch Jim Hammond at the two's side.

end of spoilers
So we've got another battle on our hands, but sans knowing what started it and why.

[Hariel0079]

We've come to the last renumbered issue of Fantastic Four before it reverts to the continuation of the aggregate issues with next month's ominously named "The End is FourEver" with #642. Reed is captured, Franklin's being experimented upon, while Sue, Ben and Johnny start investigating the cause of all this.
spoilers:

Cully, Reed's captor, calling himself the Quiet Man, reveals his infatuation with Sue, his regret at Reed reaching her first, his scientific work in the background and his nanite-based facial reconctruction tech that enabled him to pose as different persons in different situations, including prosecutor Tolivar. He also insinuated that he's behind at least some of the attacks on the FF over the years. Franklin is the key to him to finally reveal himself; and Onome tries to reach out to Bentley to do something; but while Bentley shows signs of concerns for Franklin, he relents and tells the FF children to hold their tongue. In the meantime, HR Captain America frees HR Hawkeye from police custody as Spider-Man and Johnny arrive too late to intervene. And, Sue and Ben's probing around the Baxter Building is interrupted by Sam Wilson Captain America, Hulk, Namor, and SHIELD agents, witch Jim Hammond at the two's side.

end of spoilers
So we've got another battle on our hands, but sans knowing what started it and why.

Had gotten the old school Dr Doom feel vibe from QM after reading this issue.

[Diamond]

Man, the villain's motivations are soooo generic. I expected more of Robinson, but I'll stick with the series. QM could have a lot of potential.

[Moriarty]

yeah, not crazy about what was revealed today. guy gets his toe stubbed, blames Reed. begins giant game of chess with EVERYTHING and EVERYONE in FF history.

[xMatt]

Anyone have a scan of the Quiet Man over the Fantastic Four's history collage? Love the way they did that.

Also, maybe there's another man standing behind the Quiet Man! But, while I enjoyed the issue, I also thought that he was pretty generic. But everything else about him is great! The face changing thing! That he was also the lawyer! Would've been cool if they revealed he was Johnny's most recent producer/agent for his music.

[Iron Maiden]

I was a bit disappointed with this. It really makes such a sweeping change that I really think it diminishes the originals. I am a bit fussy about any writer messing with the first one hundred issues since that was Stan and Jack creating and expanding the MU.

[runguy]

I was a bit disappointed with this. It really makes such a sweeping change that I really think it diminishes the originals. I am a bit fussy about any writer messing with the first one hundred issues since that was Stan and Jack creating and expanding the MU.

I agree. I also didn't like how Robinson interjected Johnny into Reed's failed attempt to change Thing back into Ben. This current run for me has been kinda meh, too old school (this from someone that picked up his first FF with issue 46)

[Marvel Forever]

I wonder if the Quiet Man was behind some of Sue's abductions in the early years?

[Thundershot]

So.... Is it just me or is Robinson completely ignoring the fact that the Heroes Reborn Earth is the current Counter Earth? In fact, unless I missed something, Jolt is still living there...

[phantombassist]

...guy gets his toe stubbed, blames Reed. begins giant game of chess with EVERYTHING and EVERYONE in FF history.

I agree on the initial motivation part, it just seemed either too shallow as it was explained or simply generic. However, as a character I think QM has enough potential to be the Moriarity to Reed's Sherlock. Doom has always been the kind of antithesis to Reed and what the FF stand for; he's selfish, egotistical, and obsessed with control. QM, on the other hand, is almost a perversion of what makes Reed and the FF who they are. QM isn't outside the equation like Doom and his magic, he's the one UNKNOWN variable that is just as elusive and cunning as Reed is thorough and methodical. I hope he gets a chance to grow into his potential in future stories.

[phantombassist]

So.... Is it just me or is Robinson completely ignoring the fact that the Heroes Reborn Earth is the current Counter Earth? In fact, unless I missed something, Jolt is still living there...

Huh, I wasn't even aware Counter Earth still existed. Didn't Franklin somehow "will" it away when the heroes returned? I'm remembering an old Young Avengers story with the female Counter Earth Bucky talking with Patriot and mentioning her home being 'gone', or something to that affect.

[jackolover]

Why bring in this character at this time in All New Marvel Now? This guy had 600 issues to get to Reed Richards, when he could have done this in Civil War, or Authoritive Action. This tells me this guy knows the end is near and his manipulative window is closing, otherwise he would remain hidden indefinately.

[ShaokhaN]

yeah, not crazy about what was revealed today. guy gets his toe stubbed, blames Reed. begins giant game of chess with EVERYTHING and EVERYONE in FF history.

I was a bit disappointed with this. It really makes such a sweeping change that I really think it diminishes the originals. I am a bit fussy about any writer messing with the first one hundred issues since that was Stan and Jack creating and expanding the MU.

I agree completely. There was really no need to involve him in the entire past of the FF to make him a menacing villain.

[vitruvian]

Huh, I wasn't even aware Counter Earth still existed. Didn't Franklin somehow "will" it away when the heroes returned? I'm remembering an old Young Avengers story with the female Counter Earth Bucky talking with Patriot and mentioning her home being 'gone', or something to that affect.

That was actually the Onslaught Reborn world Franklin also created, but that one was never really a Counter-Earth because it was never actually moved from its own pocket dimension to the 616 reality on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth.

Meantime, the Heroes Reborn world, without the heroes (who returned to their proper Earth and selves), was Planet Doom for a while, and so far as we know continues to exist there as the third Counter-Earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter..._Counter-Earth

[phantombassist]

That was actually the Onslaught Reborn world Franklin also created, but that one was never really a Counter-Earth because it was never actually moved from its own pocket dimension to the 616 reality on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth.

Meantime, the Heroes Reborn world, without the heroes (who returned to their proper Earth and selves), was Planet Doom for a while, and so far as we know continues to exist there as the third Counter-Earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter..._Counter-Earth

Ahhh that makes sense, thanks for clearing that up. Man, for a kid barely out of grade school Franklin's really making his mark in the world building business. No wonder the Celestials won't invite him to their cosmic lunch table....