"What Lurks Behind the Beehive?"

[SW3D]

I love writing. And one of my favorite exercises to keep my skills honed is writing a detailed plot summary of some of my favorite comics. In some odd way, I almost feel like the actual author of the original -script, retracing their thought processes and plotting to achieve a truncated version of their orginal -script.

 

This morning I went to the post office to pick up my copy of Fantastic Four 66, which I bought a few years ago from Midtown Comics Grand Central. I bought it at fair market value and I am happy that the grade has come back a respectable 8.0 with white pages. I can't say enough about the Silver Age Fantastic Four run. It is in my estimation the greatest run of any Marvel title, and quite arguably, the greatest run of any Silver Age comic period! What the combined genius of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby wrought with Fantastic Four changed the very face of the comic book universe forever. Anyway... without further ado... I give you "What Lurks Behind the Beehive?"...

 

At the Manhattan apartment of Alicia Masters (the blind beauty, sculptress, and love of Ben Grimm's life), we discover three fourths members of the Fantastic Four (Reed Richards, Sue Storm, and Ben Grimm), pondering her whereabouts. Ben Grimm, in a state of self-pity and self-loathing, rushes to conclusions over her sudden disappearance... foolishly believing Alicia may be betraying his love with another gentleman suitor. Reed, ever the good friend and rational leader of the group, makes an attempt to reason with Ben, but is knocked unconscious when the unthinking brute swats him like a gnat with a mere backward slap of his mighty hand.

 

Meanwhile, in what is described as: "An incredibly complex structure which looms high above a rocky plateau in what is possibly the remotest spot on Earth!"... We witness Alicia Masters and her escort, Dr. Hamilton, phasing through a teleportation portal into the great and secret technological fortress known as The Citadel of Science (COS). Alicia is welcomed and greeted by COS members: Morlak, Master of Nuclear Physics; Mr. Zota, Expert in the Field of Electronics; and Professor Shinski, The Dean of Biology and Genetics Research.

 

Hamilton: "We are all scientists... scientists who have retreated from the world outside to engage in an awesome Earth-shaking experiment!"

 

Alicia: "I... I've heard of all of you! You're World Famous! But, each of you was supposed to have died... in plane crashes, lab accidents... the world doesn't know you're still alive!"

 

Before the mystery behind the agenda of the COS is revealed, Morlak submits the sightless Alicia through a test of her talents, challenging her to sculpt a bust of his own head... an exact replica from a large block of granite. Alicia lays her hands on Morlak's face, feeling the contours of his countenance, where, coupled with her unique abilities, develops a mental picture and begins to sculpt a bust with the use of an "Electronic Blade": a high-tech cutting tool developed by the COS... as a caption reads, "For long, tense, seemingly endless minutes, the fragile fingers of Alicia Masters move as though possessing a will of their own, until... at last." The finished sculpture is remarkable: a life like bust of Morlak's face... much to the awe and delight of the COS.

 

Back in New York City, in what may be Central Park, a brooding Ben Grimm ponders his love life and his "unfortunate situation as The Thing", only to be reminded by a uniformed Police Officer and several admiring New Yorkers, how lucky he truly is. And needing that message of encouragement and outpouring of love, the "Orange Rockpile's" dour mood does a sudden 180.

 

At the Baxter Building, home and headquarters to the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards tinkers on one of his ingenious inventions: a Heat-Image Tracer. He explains to Sue, Johnny, and Crystal (Johnny's current girlfriend and member of the Inhumans): "...It can project a picture of something which happened in the recent past... by means of tracing the heat images which may still be remaining in the area!"

 

In the Citadel of Science, we find Morlak and his fellow scientist leading Alicia through a walking tour of the massive complex:

 

Morlak: "Though you do not see them, there are dedicated men all about you... each participating in the most amazing experiment of all time!!!"

 

Alicia: "But what is that experiment? ...And why do you need me... a blind sculptress to assist you?"

 

Before that question can be answered, the small group is leveled by an unexpected blast of raw energy!

 

Momentarily stunned, Morlak calls upon his security force to secure Lock 41, the site of where the blast originated... the containment zone of the mysterious being simply known as "Him".

 

Unharmed and given a "Vitra-Broth" to help aid Alicia's recovery from the stunning effects of the blast, Morlak reveals the origin of "Him".

 

Morlak: "But, where shall I begin? I will start with our prime purpose... to abolish war, crime, and illness... by creating a perfect race of human beings!

 

Alicia: "Create human beings?? How??"

 

As told in flashback:

 

Morlak: "That was what we had to learn! We came to this remote land and pledged ourselves to this project! We would never leave... never give up... until we had created one perfect human... who would then be the forerunner of a supreme new race! After years of unceasing experimentation, we finally created one embryonic creature... who lives within a Life-Cell Tank... each day he had been nourished... as we watched him thrive and grow... as we added more and more conditioning chemicals."

 

Shinski: "Our instrumentation shows that he in now reaching the stage of adulthood!"

 

Zota: "At last, Shinksi!! At last!!

 

Morlak: "Do you know what that means, Zota?? He's nearly ready!! In a few more days... we'll be able to remove him!! He'll finally emerge... from the tank!"

 

Zota: "It will be a great day, Morlak... for us all!"

 

Caption: "But then... that night... disaster struck!"

 

At the very sight of the Chamber which houses the Life-Cell Tank, four armed guards are summoned by an alarm:

 

Guard 1: "The alarm!! Something's wrong within the tank."

 

Guard 2: "We've got to break in!! Those are Morlak's orders!"

 

A massive vault-like door is opened and the four guards rush into the Chamber to discover...

 

Guard 1: "Look!! Over there!! It... it's Him!!"

 

Guard 2: "It's impossible!! He... did it... by himself!! He's free!! He got out of the tank!"

 

Guard 3: "Don't shoot!! He mustn't be harmed!! Send for the others!"

 

Guard 4: "The alarm is sounding!! They'll be here in minutes!!"

 

Rushing to the scene, Morlak, Zota and Shinski race through a long corridor leading to the Chamber...

 

Morlak: "Quickly! Quickly!! Nothing must happen... to Him!!"

 

Zota: "Morlak!! What if we've tampered with something.... which is too powerful for us to control?"

 

Morlak: "Don't be a fool, Zota! It can't... wait!! Look at Chamber!! It's been wrecked... and the tank... it's empty!"

 

Shinski: "That means he's broken free!"

 

Zota: "It's the one thing I feared!"

 

Guard 1: "You're too late!! Not even you can stop him now! He's free... free!!"

 

Morlak: "Stand aside you quivering cowards! I'll approach Him... myself!! He's out of the tank... but he's still within the Chamber!! There's his shadow... moving within!

 

Zota: "We were wrong! He wasn't ready to emerge yet! He's still too dangerous!"

 

The scientists encounter a wall composed of sheer energy created by "Him"...

 

Morlak: "He's preparing to attack!! Only one thing will stop Him now...!! The Electro-Shock Tube! Let me have it... quick!!

 

Zota: "Here! But hurry... Hurry!!

Aiming the weapon and firing upon "Him"...

 

Morlak: "It's working!! It's forcing Him back!! Quick... put on the lights!! Let's get a look at Him!!"

 

Caption: "But before the switch can be thrown..."

 

Morlak: "He's smashing me against the wall!! Get me out... out... before it's too late!"

 

End of flashback.

 

Morlak further explains the very reason Alicia was brought to the Citadel of Science:

 

Morlak: "We managed to escape from the chamber with seconds to spare!! But, we never did get a look at our supreme creation! And now... we cannot see Him! For he radiates blinding power!"

 

Zota: "Morlak speaks the truth! No human eyes can look at Him!"

 

Shinski: "That is why you alone can help us!!"

 

Alicia: "Now I understand! You want me to get within reach of Him... since my eyes cannot be harmed by the blinding power he generates! And then... you want me to sculpt a statue of Him... so that you can know what he looks like!"

 

Morlak: "Precisely!!"

 

Back in New York City, Ben Grimm returns to Alicia Master's apartment building with a bouquet of flowers. He's told by Alicia's Landlady that his colleagues (Reed, Sue, and Johnny) are in Alicia's apartment. A frantic Ben Grimm rushes into the apartment to witness Mr. Fantastic calibrating the "Heat-Image Tracer". Attempting to piece together the mystery of Alicia's disappearance, Mr. Fantastic aims the camera-like device's "Temporal Lens" and records the heat signatures of her apartment. The imaging is then captured on film, to which Mr. Fantastic transfers the reel into a projector. The captured images are soon revealed: Alicia is seen sitting on a sofa in the comfort of her living room. Suddenly a costumed intruder (Dr. Hamilton from the Citadel of Science) materializes from out of nowhere. He outstretches his hand to guide the sightless Alicia, and the pair seemingly walk through a solid wall and disappear.

 

As the bewildered four contemplate the incredible circumstances of Alicia's disappearance, Dr. Hamilton and Alicia suit-up and prepare for their venture into Lock 41... to encounter the being known as "Him":

 

Hamilton: "I see you have the clay strapped to your back... so you can mold his image on the spot!"

 

Alicia: "Yes, Mr. Hamilton! I'm ready now!"

 

Hamilton: "I am going with you! Remember... whatever you do... stay close to me!"

 

Alicia: "I feel a weapon in your hands! Why are you carrying it? I was told there would be no danger!"

 

Morlak and company interrupt...

 

Morlak: "Hamilton!! Who gave you permission to accompany the girl?? There is still much work to be done here! You cannot be spared!"

 

Hamilton: "I don't care what you may have told Alicia... I won't permit her to go alone!"

 

Morlak: "I warn you!! You're breaking the code of citadel discipline!!"

 

Hamilton: "I was a man before I became a scientist!... now... stand aside!... all of you!!"

 

The monolithic and impenetrable door to Lock 41 is opened, as Hamilton and Alicia enter. Through a seemingly endless tunnel of caverns they cautiously approach, until a "flaming barrier" of pure energy momentarily halts their progress.

 

Hamilton: "Stand back... quickly!! A flaming barrier is shooting across the tunnel walls!! It must not touch you!!"

 

Alicia: "Even from here... I can feel the stifling heat!!"

 

Hamilton: "It's his doing!! He knows we're here! The flame barrier is merely a warning!!"

 

Alicia: "But why? If he's so powerful... why should he bother to warn us??"

 

At the Baxter Building, we find Crystal, Johnny, Sue, and an anxious Ben Grimm, breathlessly pacing outside the closed doors of Reed Richard's laboratory. Their patience is soon rewarded with an answer:

 

Reed Richards: "If you'll all be quite for a moment... I think I have something of interest to show you!"

 

Ben Grimm: "Didja do it?? Didja find her?? What's this?? It this all ya got to show for the time we been coolin' our heels outside yer door?? It's nothin' but a picture... a picture of some blasted bracelet!!"

 

Reed Richards: "Remember the man who led Alicia thru the wall? That's an enlargement of his wrist band which he was wearing. I'm convinced that bracelet as you call it, it the instrument which enabled them to penetrate the wall itself!"

 

Sue Storm: "But... what do we do now?"

 

Reed Richards: "Our only hope is to duplicate the wrist band... and then... use it... to pass thru the wall ourselves... hoping to find Alicia! I've already started analyzing the circuits which the photo reveals! I think I can make an exact copy... which might lead us anywhere!!"

 

Caption: "And even as Reed Richards speaks..."

 

Hamilton: He's coming closer! He's almost upon us!"

 

Alicia: "Even though I can't see him... I can feel his presence... his hatred... reaching out... like a living thing!!"

 

Caption: "Next issue... The Power of... HIM!"

 

See more journals by screenwriter3d

[Jeffro.]

This also could have been used as a cover blurb on one of their 60s romance comics.

 

What Lurks Behind The Beehive (Hairdo)

[Tnerb]

I might have to buy the book just to read together

[thehumantorch]

This also could have been used as a cover blurb on one of their 60s romance comics.

 

What Lurks Behind The Beehive (Hairdo)

 

More logically, What Lurks Beneath the Beehive.......