Time is on the side of one of the Fantastic Four's most fearsome enemies, Kang the Conqueror in an upcoming story reminiscent of Legends of Tomorrow. Marvel's First Family must fight the many faces of Kang the Conqueror throughout time, including Rama Tut, the Scarlet Centurion as well as his mysterious descendant, Scion. It's all part of a major new story celebrating sixty years of the Fantastic Four!
Fantastic Four #35 is written by Dan Slott and illustrated by fan-favorite John Romita Jr., and also features a story written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Paul Renaud. The 96-page comic celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of the first appearance of the Fantastic Four, with the promise that the team that kicked off the Marvel Age will never be the same. The second story, by Waid and Renaud, also features a new look at the team's cosmic ray-induced origins. The issue will be released on August 25.
It looks like the Fantastic Four will have their hands full as they contend with the entire Kang bloodline over multiple eras. Kang the Conqueror himself taken several different forms over the years, including his heroic past self Iron Lad of the Young Avengers and his possible future version, Immortus. While it's not known if these versions will make an appearance in the tale, it is known the Fantastic Four will be up against at least three other identities of Kang with possibly more to follow. Kang's strategy evokes the first season of the DC/CW superhero show Legends of Tomorrow, which saw time-traveler Rip Hunter and a rag-tag team of heroes and villains attack immortal Vandal Savage through multiple points of his centuries-old lifetime. It seems Kang is employing a very similar strategy, as he and his alternate versions are presumably attacking the Fantastic Four either at their weakest or when they are distracted by another threat. It also appears the threats will be happening simultaneously across multiple lifetimes, with each member of the Kang bloodline targeting one of the Fantastic Four.
Still, it's possible Kang and his various versions may have overlooked two factors — Franklin and Valeria Richards, the children of Reed and Susan Richards. The two have become important members of the team during Dan Slott's run. Presumably the Kang bloodline believes that if they kill either Reed or Susan, Franklin and Valeria will cease to exist, but it's possible the children could find a way to save their parents - and the rest of the family — before that happens.
Either way, the sixtieth anniversary issue looks to be a wild ride for the Fantastic Four and will surely revisit both the high and low points of Marvel's First Family as they contend with their time-traveling antagonist Kang the Conqueror. With fan-favorite creators like Mark Waid and John Romita Jr. attached and a time travel story that brings to mind classic Legends of Tomorrow adventures, Fantastic Four #35 is shaping up to the perfect way to celebrate the team's landmark anniversary.