This story kicks off with two members of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants—Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver—discussing the possibility of leaving the group. Quicksilver is quite ready to run off immediately, while Scarlet Witch feels a lingering sense of loyalty to Magneto for saving their lives, even if she doesn’t agree with his methods or goals. A brief discussion leads them to decide to seek out the one group of heroes whose identities and address are public: the Fantastic Four.

Meanwhile, at the headquarters and home of the Fantastic Four, Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) and Ben Grimm (The Thing) are lounging around, having a “lazy day” while Sue and Reed are out. A news bulletin warns them to be on the lookout for Magneto and his Brotherhood, and while they’re discussing how to handle the situation, the aforementioned defecting members suddenly show up. But before any conversation can take place, our heroes leap into action, assuming the worst.

Character’s and Development

It’s often the case in comic books that the antagonists experience more character growth, while the protagonists remain relatively static to maintain the status quo from issue to issue. This is true here, with Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch showing the most development. From the start, we’ve seen the brother-sister duo feeling uneasy about their alliance with Magneto. In this story, they take active steps to break free from his influence. While they don’t succeed here, in the larger context of what’s to come, their actions take on greater significance.

Story

Setting aside the character development of our antagonists and the nods to past events, the overall story is fairly straightforward. It sticks to the basics, focusing mostly on action while leaving us teetering on the edge of whether the protagonists will recognize that they’re being approached for help. One thing I do appreciate is the logic behind why Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch would seek out the Fantastic Four over other Marvel heroes—it makes sense within the context of the story.

However, despite these foundations, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this issue, like many others in solo stories featuring the Human Torch and Thing, feels like filler—an aside compared to the more critical events happening in the main title.

Originality & Continuity

Is the story original, and does it tie into ongoing continuity? Sure, but only at a bare minimum. It doesn’t offer any big surprises or twists. From the perspective of readers invested solely in these solo Fantastic Four stories, it’s easily skippable, even though it hints at the eventual defection of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

Artwork

I was quite satisfied with the art in this issue. The balance between detailed backgrounds and simpler scenes kept the reader engaged and guided the flow of the story smoothly from setup to action to resolution. It kept the pacing tight and helped elevate the otherwise straightforward narrative.