Heroes Reborn: The Return #3

Background

In the wake of the Onslaught crossover, the Avengers, Hulk, and Fantastic Four were seemingly destroyed saving the world. In actuality they were transported to an alternate dimension by Franklin Richards, son of Reed and Sue Richards. For the last year, they have lived a life similar to their previous one with minor alterations. The time has come to bring the heroes back to the Marvel 616 universe.

Ashema of the Celestials has arrived on Earth and explained to Franklin that her race is aware of the alternate world he created to save his parents and their friends. Impressed as they are, they have decreed that only one world may survive - and he must choose which one.

Dr. Strange has retreived Franklin's blue ball which contains the Heroes Reborn universe from the Florida swamp. When he brings it back to New York, it makes its way toward the Hulk and pulls the Hulk as well as the unsuspecting Spider-Man into the Heroes Reborn world.

Story 'Third Dimension'

Marvel 616-verse: Ashema follows Franklin's trail through the jungle and finds that the child has fallen off a cliff. He is not moving and is barely breathing. Ashema is disappointed at this outcome, but is prepared to let him die. She is telepathically contact by another of the Celestials and ordered to save him. In doing so, she comes into contact with his soul and receives a crash course in human emotion. The experience overwhelms her and is changed by it. When Franklin revives, she agrees to take him back to his parents.

Franklinverse: Iron Man arrives at the Baxter Building and agrees to run some tests for Richards. Iron Man gathers some rock samples from one mile below the surface. Carbon dating shows nothing abnormal, which is why Richards wants Iron Man to run those same tests in the Negative Zone to see if they match. When he returns, the results prove that their Earth are less than one year old. At this point Ashema arrives and reunites Franklin with his parents.

At the George Washington Bridge, the two Hulks attack each other. Spider-Man leaps out of the way to avoid being crushed between the two monsters. Their fight eventually takes them over the edge, plunging them into the river. While Spider-Man decides what to do the Avengers arrive, accompanied by Thing and the Human Torch. Spider-Man is understandably shocked at this development.

Doom arrives in a large spacecraft and extracts the Hulks from the river with an energy bubble. He then announces that Richards has requested his presence - as well as Banner's - to help solve their latest crisis. He explains that the "other" Hulk is emitting some sort of trans-dimensional energy that is being kept in check by his energy bubble. The heroes - and Doom - meet at the Baxter Building where they update everyone on the situation. Doom justifies his ship by stating that he prefers to be prepared in case another catastrophic event befalls Earth; after all he must survive. Ashema tells them that their only option is to climb inside Doom's ship and allow the destruction of this dimension.

She then explains that the "fireballs" Richards detected is actually a Celestial. They are prepared to make the decision if Franklin does not.

General Comments

Still no master plan for the destruction of one world. One issue left, c'maon PAD, don't let me down.

Overall Rating

3 webs. Not great, not bad, just average. Here's hoping the next issue has something cool.