The splash page to #396 is clearly an homage to John Byrne’s classic, “This Land Is Mine!” story.
But that’s where the similarities end. On the very next page, it’s clear this is another Nathaniel Richards story. He and Sue go fight the monks that trained Victor Von Doom in order to…I really don’t know and don’t care. This is a truly awful run of FF issues.
Then in #397, the rest of the team fight Aron the Watcher while another reality’s Reed…Again, I really don’t know and don’t care. I just want this all to end. But basically, Aron and Uatu discuss whether to break from the rest of the Watcher council to create a new universe.
Dr. Doom’s son teams up with the Fantastic Three + Scott Lang to find Reed Richards (presumed dead) all the while saving the world from The Watcher’s brother, whose name is spelled the same as Elvis Presley’s middle name.
We take a detour into Fantastic Force, the truly awful comic that has “taken the place” of Fantastic Four while the foursome (threesome+Scott Lang) are looking for Reed.
While they’re out there in space, Nathaniel Richards goes to get alternate future Franklin and fights Huntara.
He’s here to deal with…Whatever. It’s Tom Brevoort.
Except…Arg.
And then it’s on to #400.
The conclusion of the Watchers arc. In this one, Uatu gets depowered.
I don’t know when he gets to be a Watcher again. But I’ll let you know.
Look, I’m sorry I’m not doing a better job here but these issues are so bad and it makes me sad that Marvel declined so precipitously.
A back-up feature in #400 shows Reed’s funeral.