FANTASTIC FOUR #272

"COWBOYS AND IDIOMS"
Story & Art: John Byrne | Lettering: Ken Bruzenak | Coloring: Glynis Wein
Editing: Michael Carlin | Editing-in-Chiefing: Jim Shooter

The Plot: The Fantastic Four and Wyatt Wingfoot use the time machine constructed by Reed’s rather to transport themselves to the same parallel dimension where Reed believes the elder Richards was stranded a decade earlier. They find themselves in an wasteland with a small town nearby. Sue explores the town, which appears to be out of the Old West save for the advanced weaponry utilized by its denizens. When the town’s leader, Colby, spots Sue with his futuristic six-shooter, she returns to the rest of the FF, but is pursued by Colby’s men.

Sue’s teammates take out the hi-tech cowboys, but their victory is short-lived as a gigantic tri-legged robot arrives and attacks. The FF defeat the robot as well and Colby shows up to make peace with them, explaining that the robot serves a warlord who arrived ten years earlier and conquered this world.

Elsewhere, an armored woman observes the Fantastic Four’s arrival and changes into the raiment of a demure wife. She then goes to visit her husband — Nathaniel Richards.