SECRET DEFENDERS versus FANTASTIC FOUR
Suddenly... The Secret Defenders (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #374 When: March 1993
Why: Tom DeFalco How: Paul Ryan
The Story So Far...
When Johnny Storm was caught alone in a surprise ambush by Paibok the Power Skrull, Lyja, and Devos The Destroyer -- he unleashed the full force of his nova blast in a last ditch effort to survive!
The desperate tactic left nearby Empire State University in scorched ruins, earning the ire of a public who believes Human Torch's flaming assault was a reckless act of endangerment.
With the rest of the Fantastic Four preoccupied -- and mercenaries taking to the streets to hunt The Torch down -- his old friend Spider-Man seeks the aide of Doctor Strange to assemble a familiar team to bring him in peacefully. With a simple astral projection the erstwhile New Fantastic Four are reunited!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (???)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)
The Secret Defenders are: Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Ghost Rider, with Doctor Strange.
The concept of the original "non-team" was taken to its ultimate conclusion when Doctor Strange began recruiting disparate heroes for missions as the Secret Defenders. Spider-Man seeks his assistance to re-assemble a quartet once gathered to operate as the avenging "New Fantastic Four".
The Fantastic Four are: Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing, with Ms. Marvel.
The long running relationship between Spider-Man and the classic FF has seen him play friend and "frenemy" to the Human Torch. We saw them fight side-by-side in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4, Spider-Man Family #3, and Amazing Spider-Man #600, but rivalry got the better of them in Fantastic Four #543!
The FF also has a legendary history with the Hulk, starting with their first face-off in Fantastic Four #12! Much of the rivalry boils down to testing Hulk's strength against the Thing, who's also developed tensions with Wolverine.
Today's issue is where the true bad blood developed between them, but Thing & Wolverine also shared an earlier exchange in Contest of Champions #3, and extended their battles with an all-out war in Wolverine #22!
The overlapping dynamics between all the players on both teams are almost as intriguing as the general parallels between two versions of the FF.
Hulk and Thing are obvious strongmen, but this is a time when Bruce Banner's brilliant mind controls Hulk. His genius rivals Mister Fantastic within his field, while Spider-Man's webs and Ghost Rider's chains loosely approximate his elasticated reach. Ghost Rider's hellfire draws obvious parallel to Human Torch, but as we saw in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6, its properties are very different.
Spider-Man and Ghost Rider can also roughly approximate the defensive projections of Invisible Woman, but it may be Wolverine who best inverts her role, providing penetrating blades in place of invisible force fields. He can also sniff out any invisibility with his keen senses.
In Wolverine #22 she stopped him cold by blocking his airways, but the same trick didn't work in the alternate reality rematch of What If? Wolverine: Enemy of the State. Sue Storm is on the edge of her Malice personality at this time, so the gloves certainly could come off. We saw her cause a lot of problem for the X-Men as one of Ahab's Hounds in X-Men Annual #14. She was pushed to lethal extremes when defending her family in Fantastic Four (Vol.3) #2, too.
Doctor Strange is here as an astral projection as in Strange Tales #111 and Marvel Adventures #14, but has no magical foe to interact with. That makes Ms. Marvel a bit of an x-factor, adding a second heavyweight to the FF.
Sharon Ventura is a former stuntwoman and Thing's ex-girlfriend who received super-human strength enhancements during her career with Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. She later mutated into the erstwhile "She-Thing", but was cured of her rocky affliction in Fantastic Four #350. She left the group after they encountered Justice Peace in Fanatstic Four #354, but returned as a mole indebted to Doctor Doom for her cure.
Ms. Marvel is double tough, but will that be enough to tip the scales in favour of the classic Fantastic Four? It's about time we just dived in to find out!
The Tape: Secret Defenders Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)
What Went Down...
Pursued by Skrull adversaries and angry bounty hunters: Johnny Storm has had little time to refresh himself. The scent of the chase betrays him as the keen senses of Wolverine detect the young hero hidden within a decrepit building.
The Secret Defenders don't quite share Spider-Man's understanding. Hulk gives the young hero an ultimatum: walk out with them - or be carried out!
Incensed, but knowing he's clearly outgunned, the Human Torch sends a flare out the window to draw the rest of the searching Fantastic Four to his location. He then bursts into flames, leaping into the air to avoid the lashing chain of Ghost Rider, and stray webs slung by Spider-Man!
The evasive maneuvers give Human Torch a chance to return fire. Shocked that his old friend Spider-Man would betray him, he hurls his flame in the web-slinger's direction. Spidey leaps clear and pleads his case for wanting to help.
Hulk is much less concerned, slamming his hands together to send a shockwave that smothers Johnny's flame and knocks him clean out of the air!
The green goliath looms over a smoldering Johnny Storm, wanting to avoid more mindless fisticuffs. The decision is taken out of his hands as a rocky finger taps his shoulder -- followed with the fist of The Thing against his jade jaw!
The Fantastic Four file into the urban space ready to defend their comrade!
Spider-Man again hopes to talk it out, but Wolverine insists the time for diplomacy has passed. His hostility is met with the pliable, bending body of Mister Fantastic, who stretches around him and vows that Johnny will surrender himself peacefully to the appropriate authorities.
Ghost Rider sees Invisible Woman raising her hands and attempts to intervene, but his shuriken flinging chain hits only the force field she was conjuring up.
Her invisible bubbles also form around Wolverine's clawed fists, defending the malleable body of her husband from any unlikely punctures. The married couple share terse gratitude, their own turmoil simmering behind their teamwork.
Leaping to defend his sister: Human Torch ignites again -- and bathes Ghost Rider in an unrelenting stream of flame!
The mortal burning proves ineffective against one who is already engulfed with the unearthly inferno of hellfire. Ghost Rider explains his non-lethal attack as he stares coldly with the permanent grin of his exposed skull.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man does his best to keep one step ahead of the super-strong fists of Ms. Marvel. She swings wildly, smashing through a support pillar as Spidey pinballs from surface to surface -- and catches her with webs!
Thing ducks a wild left from Hulk, and questions how the former rampaging brute could be anything but understanding of Johnny's current predicament.
Hulk retorts that it's his extensive experiences with collateral damage that drives him to prevent anyone else from repeating his unthinking past!
The Thing connects with a right hand deep in the mid-section, but his low stance leaves him vulnerable to an overhead hammer fist! Hulk's powerful blow knocks Thing clean through the floor and sends him plummeting down multiple levels!
Hulk then sets his sights on Mister Fantastic, who's proven capable of stretching around Wolverine's probing adamantium claws. Hulk's massive hand grips Mister Fantastic by the vest and whips him off like a loose sheet from a bed!
The X-Man is quickly besieged by Invisible Woman, who smashes him with an invisible force field that sends him hurtling backwards through the air. It provokes a rapid response as he rushes back with claws at the ready to test the impenetrability of her famous defenses.
Adamantium barely connects with invisible projection as Thing returns to the battle and grabs Wolverine from behind! He uses his incredible strength to powerslam Wolverine into the ground with a single hand. The mutant reacts!
Animal instinct takes over as Wolverine savagely slashes his adamantium claws towards his attacker! The unrestrained assault sickeningly carves through Thing's rocky face. It's like nothing the travelled hero has ever experienced!
The Thing howls in agony -- clutching at his wounded cheek as his body lurches in shock. The chilling scene snaps Wolverine back to his senses. He searches for reason, knowing he's gone too far. Thing responds with an uncaring fist!
The power of Thing's furious blow sends Wolverine smashing through untold walls as his airborne body careens into another neighbouring building.
Invisible Woman, Ms. Marvel, and Mister Fantastic rush to their teammate's side. Reed ensnares Hulk with his elastic body while desperately declaring Thing needs immediate medical attention.
Only Human Torch continues fighting -- caught in Ghost Rider's otherworldly chain!
The Spirit of Vengeance blames the young hero for the burning of Empire State University -- and the subsequent grim fate that has now befallen The Thing.
The chain squeezes The Torch's throat until his flame subsides. Ghost Rider swats him to the ground with the backhand of his fist, and prepares to unleash the torment of Johnny's own sins with the dreaded penance stare.
Suddenly a blast of energy forces the demonic hero away from his target!
Lyja The Lazerfist arrives just in time to defend her ex-husband -- even though she was one of the Skrulls who started his troubles!
She joins the Fantastic Four as they huddle together, standing back to five other backs, with the Secret Defenders closing in to surround them.
It seems battle is about to begin anew when a blinding light suddenly engulfs the Fantastic Four and their allies!
In the blink of an eye the sextet vanishes! Wolverine's sense of smell confirms they haven't been made invisible by Susan Storm. The sudden disappearance leaves Doctor Strange to contemplate their uncertain fate. An end, of sorts.
The Hammer...
Another famous fight goes on the record! It's reputation is largely built on the face-off between the "New Fantastic Four" and their classic counterparts, and the far reaching consequence of Wolverine's savage lapse of care.
His slash will scar Thing for the next few years, but I wonder how many readers know that the fight actually ended with an inconclusive result. Thing is injured, but still standing at the ready with his team, when the issue comes to an end.
If that wasn't tenacious enough: The next issue reveals the Fantastic Four were transported to the moon base of Uatu, The Watcher. There, Thing almost immediately engages in yet another brawl -- taking a face full of metal fist before he clobbers a rampaging alien robot! That's before he even finds the protective metal helmet he'll be wearing for the next year or so!
Fantastic Four #375 is also where we first witness the gruesome disfigurement of his face. The wound is significant, exposing fleshy tissue along his brow and cheek. It isn't stomach churning on the page, but the reality would seem much more shocking. His helmet was unpopular, but at least protects him.
On the one hand, it's an interesting milestone for the characters involved. On the other, it's surprising that such a consequential event would come from an otherwise typical case of superheroes fighting over a misunderstanding.
The reader certainly knows Johnny Storm hasn't gone rogue. Unlike the catalytic event of Civil War; the Empire State University compound wasn't destroyed by negligence. Johnny wrestled with his actions, fighting as long as he could to give students and faculty a chance to clear the area, before he went nova.
Human Torch's predicament came about as a result of long running plotlines involving Lyja and Paibok. FF #374 is the third issue to deal with the fallout, which highlights a general crisis of conscience that won't plague Wolverine.
I have to think Wolverine expressed a sense of responsibility, if not guilt, at some point in his solo series, or another X-title. I just don't remember it happening. I think it might've been absorbed into more general struggles with his animalistic urges and rage, which became a central plot years later.
The most significant follow-up I can recall is Fantastic Four #395: a 1995 issue that promises "payback" and an epic rematch on the cover, but actually delivers a team-up with Ant-Man, and a burying of the hatchet for Thing and Wolverine.
My best guess is that it remained a one-sided issue because of editorial lines at the time. It seems like an idea initiated by the Fantastic Four office with the intent to tell Fantastic Four stories. The X-offices might've given their blessing, but probably had their hands full with other on-going storylines at the time.
1993 was a pretty big year for Wolverine and the X-Men.
The animated series was on a fast track to becoming a global multimedia phenomenon, and in comics you had long and winding storylines happening every month in Wolverine, X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men. Half a year after this, Fatal Attractions begins, and Wolverine has his own wounds to heal when Magneto strips the adamantium from his skeleton in X-Men #25.
It might've been interesting if Thing got his rematch while Wolverine had bone claws, but the brutality of hero-on-hero violence has already been a little weird.
Keep in mind: this is all happening a decade before Marvel heroes were routinely maiming and killing each other. Breaking Wolverine's claws was a moment reserved instead for an uber-nineties arch-nemesis: the metallic Cyber.
Of course, lets not overlook the 90s saturation of the assembly we have before us. The entire concept of the "New Fantastic Four" feels very much of that time, frivolously throwing together popular characters with almost no natural ties.
I'm actually a fan of the restraint they showed by only featuring this quarter a total of four issues, including this one. That always managed to keep the legend of the "New Fantastic Four" special. Going to that well too many times could've been a little tacky. As it stands, their reunion in Fantastic Four #374 would feel completely perfunctory if it wasn't for the on-going story of Thing's injury.
Sue Storm's extensively derided swimsuit costume also glows with the ills of the era, far more offensively than Mister Fantastic's dubious fishing vest.
There's something to be said for the logic of the outfit being rooted in the encroaching persona of Malice, but I was never the biggest fan of frequenting that idea, either. Not to be confused with the other Malice persona that turns Polaris into a screaming she-devil. We get it, guys... Menstruation!
It doesn't look like this issue is currently available in any collected formats, but you can find the first team-up of Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider in the Epic Collection: Fantastic Four - The New Fantastic Four. Use the Amazon link provided for all your shopping and you'll not only get yourself a great deal -- but also support the site at no extra cost!
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 600 fights and ranked more than 950 characters! If you like what its all about and want to make it a little easier to keep the fight going you can get involved with Patreon. The lowest tier unlocks extra updates, poll options, and my eternal gratitude!
You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to battles inspired by the topics of the day. Or deep dive into the Secret Archive to discover every previous featured fight indexed by publisher, series, and issue number! Be sure to like & share your favourite battles on social media!
Winners: Inconclusive (Draw)
#2 (--) Spider-Man
#4 (--) Wolverine
#6 (--) Hulk
#10 (--) Mister Fantastic
#12 (--) Thing
#13 (--) Human Torch
#14 (--) Invisible Woman
#151 (+16) Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura)
#399 (+2) Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch)
#161 (+5) Lyja [+1 assist]
Where: Fantastic Four #374 When: March 1993
Why: Tom DeFalco How: Paul Ryan
The Story So Far...
When Johnny Storm was caught alone in a surprise ambush by Paibok the Power Skrull, Lyja, and Devos The Destroyer -- he unleashed the full force of his nova blast in a last ditch effort to survive!
The desperate tactic left nearby Empire State University in scorched ruins, earning the ire of a public who believes Human Torch's flaming assault was a reckless act of endangerment.
With the rest of the Fantastic Four preoccupied -- and mercenaries taking to the streets to hunt The Torch down -- his old friend Spider-Man seeks the aide of Doctor Strange to assemble a familiar team to bring him in peacefully. With a simple astral projection the erstwhile New Fantastic Four are reunited!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (???)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)
The Secret Defenders are: Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Ghost Rider, with Doctor Strange.
The concept of the original "non-team" was taken to its ultimate conclusion when Doctor Strange began recruiting disparate heroes for missions as the Secret Defenders. Spider-Man seeks his assistance to re-assemble a quartet once gathered to operate as the avenging "New Fantastic Four".
The Fantastic Four are: Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing, with Ms. Marvel.
The long running relationship between Spider-Man and the classic FF has seen him play friend and "frenemy" to the Human Torch. We saw them fight side-by-side in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4, Spider-Man Family #3, and Amazing Spider-Man #600, but rivalry got the better of them in Fantastic Four #543!
The FF also has a legendary history with the Hulk, starting with their first face-off in Fantastic Four #12! Much of the rivalry boils down to testing Hulk's strength against the Thing, who's also developed tensions with Wolverine.
Today's issue is where the true bad blood developed between them, but Thing & Wolverine also shared an earlier exchange in Contest of Champions #3, and extended their battles with an all-out war in Wolverine #22!
The overlapping dynamics between all the players on both teams are almost as intriguing as the general parallels between two versions of the FF.
Hulk and Thing are obvious strongmen, but this is a time when Bruce Banner's brilliant mind controls Hulk. His genius rivals Mister Fantastic within his field, while Spider-Man's webs and Ghost Rider's chains loosely approximate his elasticated reach. Ghost Rider's hellfire draws obvious parallel to Human Torch, but as we saw in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6, its properties are very different.
Spider-Man and Ghost Rider can also roughly approximate the defensive projections of Invisible Woman, but it may be Wolverine who best inverts her role, providing penetrating blades in place of invisible force fields. He can also sniff out any invisibility with his keen senses.
In Wolverine #22 she stopped him cold by blocking his airways, but the same trick didn't work in the alternate reality rematch of What If? Wolverine: Enemy of the State. Sue Storm is on the edge of her Malice personality at this time, so the gloves certainly could come off. We saw her cause a lot of problem for the X-Men as one of Ahab's Hounds in X-Men Annual #14. She was pushed to lethal extremes when defending her family in Fantastic Four (Vol.3) #2, too.
Doctor Strange is here as an astral projection as in Strange Tales #111 and Marvel Adventures #14, but has no magical foe to interact with. That makes Ms. Marvel a bit of an x-factor, adding a second heavyweight to the FF.
Sharon Ventura is a former stuntwoman and Thing's ex-girlfriend who received super-human strength enhancements during her career with Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. She later mutated into the erstwhile "She-Thing", but was cured of her rocky affliction in Fantastic Four #350. She left the group after they encountered Justice Peace in Fanatstic Four #354, but returned as a mole indebted to Doctor Doom for her cure.
Ms. Marvel is double tough, but will that be enough to tip the scales in favour of the classic Fantastic Four? It's about time we just dived in to find out!
The Tape: Secret Defenders Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)
What Went Down...
Pursued by Skrull adversaries and angry bounty hunters: Johnny Storm has had little time to refresh himself. The scent of the chase betrays him as the keen senses of Wolverine detect the young hero hidden within a decrepit building.
The Secret Defenders don't quite share Spider-Man's understanding. Hulk gives the young hero an ultimatum: walk out with them - or be carried out!
Incensed, but knowing he's clearly outgunned, the Human Torch sends a flare out the window to draw the rest of the searching Fantastic Four to his location. He then bursts into flames, leaping into the air to avoid the lashing chain of Ghost Rider, and stray webs slung by Spider-Man!
The evasive maneuvers give Human Torch a chance to return fire. Shocked that his old friend Spider-Man would betray him, he hurls his flame in the web-slinger's direction. Spidey leaps clear and pleads his case for wanting to help.
Hulk is much less concerned, slamming his hands together to send a shockwave that smothers Johnny's flame and knocks him clean out of the air!
The green goliath looms over a smoldering Johnny Storm, wanting to avoid more mindless fisticuffs. The decision is taken out of his hands as a rocky finger taps his shoulder -- followed with the fist of The Thing against his jade jaw!
The Fantastic Four file into the urban space ready to defend their comrade!
Spider-Man again hopes to talk it out, but Wolverine insists the time for diplomacy has passed. His hostility is met with the pliable, bending body of Mister Fantastic, who stretches around him and vows that Johnny will surrender himself peacefully to the appropriate authorities.
Ghost Rider sees Invisible Woman raising her hands and attempts to intervene, but his shuriken flinging chain hits only the force field she was conjuring up.
Her invisible bubbles also form around Wolverine's clawed fists, defending the malleable body of her husband from any unlikely punctures. The married couple share terse gratitude, their own turmoil simmering behind their teamwork.
Leaping to defend his sister: Human Torch ignites again -- and bathes Ghost Rider in an unrelenting stream of flame!
The mortal burning proves ineffective against one who is already engulfed with the unearthly inferno of hellfire. Ghost Rider explains his non-lethal attack as he stares coldly with the permanent grin of his exposed skull.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man does his best to keep one step ahead of the super-strong fists of Ms. Marvel. She swings wildly, smashing through a support pillar as Spidey pinballs from surface to surface -- and catches her with webs!
Thing ducks a wild left from Hulk, and questions how the former rampaging brute could be anything but understanding of Johnny's current predicament.
Hulk retorts that it's his extensive experiences with collateral damage that drives him to prevent anyone else from repeating his unthinking past!
The Thing connects with a right hand deep in the mid-section, but his low stance leaves him vulnerable to an overhead hammer fist! Hulk's powerful blow knocks Thing clean through the floor and sends him plummeting down multiple levels!
Hulk then sets his sights on Mister Fantastic, who's proven capable of stretching around Wolverine's probing adamantium claws. Hulk's massive hand grips Mister Fantastic by the vest and whips him off like a loose sheet from a bed!
The X-Man is quickly besieged by Invisible Woman, who smashes him with an invisible force field that sends him hurtling backwards through the air. It provokes a rapid response as he rushes back with claws at the ready to test the impenetrability of her famous defenses.
Adamantium barely connects with invisible projection as Thing returns to the battle and grabs Wolverine from behind! He uses his incredible strength to powerslam Wolverine into the ground with a single hand. The mutant reacts!
Animal instinct takes over as Wolverine savagely slashes his adamantium claws towards his attacker! The unrestrained assault sickeningly carves through Thing's rocky face. It's like nothing the travelled hero has ever experienced!
The Thing howls in agony -- clutching at his wounded cheek as his body lurches in shock. The chilling scene snaps Wolverine back to his senses. He searches for reason, knowing he's gone too far. Thing responds with an uncaring fist!
The power of Thing's furious blow sends Wolverine smashing through untold walls as his airborne body careens into another neighbouring building.
Invisible Woman, Ms. Marvel, and Mister Fantastic rush to their teammate's side. Reed ensnares Hulk with his elastic body while desperately declaring Thing needs immediate medical attention.
Only Human Torch continues fighting -- caught in Ghost Rider's otherworldly chain!
The Spirit of Vengeance blames the young hero for the burning of Empire State University -- and the subsequent grim fate that has now befallen The Thing.
The chain squeezes The Torch's throat until his flame subsides. Ghost Rider swats him to the ground with the backhand of his fist, and prepares to unleash the torment of Johnny's own sins with the dreaded penance stare.
Suddenly a blast of energy forces the demonic hero away from his target!
Lyja The Lazerfist arrives just in time to defend her ex-husband -- even though she was one of the Skrulls who started his troubles!
She joins the Fantastic Four as they huddle together, standing back to five other backs, with the Secret Defenders closing in to surround them.
It seems battle is about to begin anew when a blinding light suddenly engulfs the Fantastic Four and their allies!
In the blink of an eye the sextet vanishes! Wolverine's sense of smell confirms they haven't been made invisible by Susan Storm. The sudden disappearance leaves Doctor Strange to contemplate their uncertain fate. An end, of sorts.
The Hammer...
Another famous fight goes on the record! It's reputation is largely built on the face-off between the "New Fantastic Four" and their classic counterparts, and the far reaching consequence of Wolverine's savage lapse of care.His slash will scar Thing for the next few years, but I wonder how many readers know that the fight actually ended with an inconclusive result. Thing is injured, but still standing at the ready with his team, when the issue comes to an end.
If that wasn't tenacious enough: The next issue reveals the Fantastic Four were transported to the moon base of Uatu, The Watcher. There, Thing almost immediately engages in yet another brawl -- taking a face full of metal fist before he clobbers a rampaging alien robot! That's before he even finds the protective metal helmet he'll be wearing for the next year or so!
Fantastic Four #375 is also where we first witness the gruesome disfigurement of his face. The wound is significant, exposing fleshy tissue along his brow and cheek. It isn't stomach churning on the page, but the reality would seem much more shocking. His helmet was unpopular, but at least protects him.
On the one hand, it's an interesting milestone for the characters involved. On the other, it's surprising that such a consequential event would come from an otherwise typical case of superheroes fighting over a misunderstanding.
The reader certainly knows Johnny Storm hasn't gone rogue. Unlike the catalytic event of Civil War; the Empire State University compound wasn't destroyed by negligence. Johnny wrestled with his actions, fighting as long as he could to give students and faculty a chance to clear the area, before he went nova.
Human Torch's predicament came about as a result of long running plotlines involving Lyja and Paibok. FF #374 is the third issue to deal with the fallout, which highlights a general crisis of conscience that won't plague Wolverine.
I have to think Wolverine expressed a sense of responsibility, if not guilt, at some point in his solo series, or another X-title. I just don't remember it happening. I think it might've been absorbed into more general struggles with his animalistic urges and rage, which became a central plot years later.
The most significant follow-up I can recall is Fantastic Four #395: a 1995 issue that promises "payback" and an epic rematch on the cover, but actually delivers a team-up with Ant-Man, and a burying of the hatchet for Thing and Wolverine.
My best guess is that it remained a one-sided issue because of editorial lines at the time. It seems like an idea initiated by the Fantastic Four office with the intent to tell Fantastic Four stories. The X-offices might've given their blessing, but probably had their hands full with other on-going storylines at the time.
1993 was a pretty big year for Wolverine and the X-Men.
The animated series was on a fast track to becoming a global multimedia phenomenon, and in comics you had long and winding storylines happening every month in Wolverine, X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men. Half a year after this, Fatal Attractions begins, and Wolverine has his own wounds to heal when Magneto strips the adamantium from his skeleton in X-Men #25.
It might've been interesting if Thing got his rematch while Wolverine had bone claws, but the brutality of hero-on-hero violence has already been a little weird.
Keep in mind: this is all happening a decade before Marvel heroes were routinely maiming and killing each other. Breaking Wolverine's claws was a moment reserved instead for an uber-nineties arch-nemesis: the metallic Cyber.
Of course, lets not overlook the 90s saturation of the assembly we have before us. The entire concept of the "New Fantastic Four" feels very much of that time, frivolously throwing together popular characters with almost no natural ties.
I'm actually a fan of the restraint they showed by only featuring this quarter a total of four issues, including this one. That always managed to keep the legend of the "New Fantastic Four" special. Going to that well too many times could've been a little tacky. As it stands, their reunion in Fantastic Four #374 would feel completely perfunctory if it wasn't for the on-going story of Thing's injury.
Sue Storm's extensively derided swimsuit costume also glows with the ills of the era, far more offensively than Mister Fantastic's dubious fishing vest.
There's something to be said for the logic of the outfit being rooted in the encroaching persona of Malice, but I was never the biggest fan of frequenting that idea, either. Not to be confused with the other Malice persona that turns Polaris into a screaming she-devil. We get it, guys... Menstruation!
It doesn't look like this issue is currently available in any collected formats, but you can find the first team-up of Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider in the Epic Collection: Fantastic Four - The New Fantastic Four. Use the Amazon link provided for all your shopping and you'll not only get yourself a great deal -- but also support the site at no extra cost!
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 600 fights and ranked more than 950 characters! If you like what its all about and want to make it a little easier to keep the fight going you can get involved with Patreon. The lowest tier unlocks extra updates, poll options, and my eternal gratitude!
You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to battles inspired by the topics of the day. Or deep dive into the Secret Archive to discover every previous featured fight indexed by publisher, series, and issue number! Be sure to like & share your favourite battles on social media!
Winners: Inconclusive (Draw)
#2 (--) Spider-Man
#4 (--) Wolverine
#6 (--) Hulk
#10 (--) Mister Fantastic
#12 (--) Thing
#13 (--) Human Torch
#14 (--) Invisible Woman
#151 (+16) Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura)
#399 (+2) Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch)
#161 (+5) Lyja [+1 assist]
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