Issue(s): Fantastic Four annual #18
Cover Date: 1984
Title: "Ten lunar orbits ago / Something old, something new!"
Credits:
John Byrne - Plot
Mark Gruenwald - Script
M.D. Bright - Penciler
Michael Gustovich - Inker

Review/plot:
So, as the cover says, "at long last" this is the wedding between Black Bolt and Medusa. I had forgotten that they weren't actually married already.

But we can't just have a nice wedding. Someone's always got to interrupt our pleasantries. The good news is that this time, for once, it isn't Maximus (who apparently wasn't invited to the wedding). No, it's Raksor and Bel-Dann. Sure, you remember them. They were the Kree and Skrull characters who couldn't contain themselves at the solemn occasion of Phoenix's death and got into a fight with each other. Well, apparently, ridiculously, the fight is still going on. With the help of the Watcher, the Inhumans, and the Fantastic Four, they're finally convinced that their insanely long battle is a draw.

It's a very silly issue. The credits tell me John Byrne plotted it, but i don't believe it.

I'm also suspicious of the Watcher in this issue. He shows Raksor and Bel-Dann messages from Supreme Intelligence and Queen R'Klll telling them that whoever wins their fight will determine the winner of the longstanding Kree/Skrull War.

But Queen R'Klll has been dead for some time at this point, eaten by Galactus along with her planet, and the Watcher knows it. So why choose to show them the message now? Because their fight was interrupting his "watching", that's why. At the end of the issue, Raksor is sent back home, which may very well mean a pile of rubble floating in space.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 3 - wedding of Black Bolt and Medusa

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this between Fantastic Four #268-269. It also has to take place before She-Hulk's appearance in Avengers #246; she goes directly from that Avengers issue to FF #269.

References:

• The opening scene repeats and then expands on a scene from Uncanny X-Men #137.
  
• It's said that the transmission the Watcher shows Raksor was sent before Fantastic Four #257.
  
• The Supreme Intelligence and Queen R'Klll say that the Kree-Skrull War, shown in Avengers #93-97, proved that the two empires were too evenly matched.
  
• The Fantastic Four helped the Inhumans move to the moon in Fantastic Four #240.
  
• The Inhumans inquire after the Thing, and Johnny says he's "off in deep space playing explorer" with a reference to "current issues of The Thing".
  
• Crystal tells Sue she's sorry for her miscarriage. Feels a little blunt to me. "I, uh, heard about your misfortune. I'm so sorry.". No footnote, but that was from Fantastic Four #267, ofc.
  
• She-Hulk reminds the Human Torch that she already visited the Inhuman's home recently, when the Avengers were called in by the UN to address the fact that the Fantastic Four moved the Inhumans up here without permission or even notifying the world's governments. That was depicted in Avengers annual #12.
  
• A couple of people (including Quicksilver) wonder why the marriage of Quicksilver and Crystal in Avengers #150 wasn't as elaborate as the wedding between Medusa and Blackbolt, but come on, people! Blackbolt is the king!

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

M.D. Bright renders the Wolverine vs. Colonel Bel-Dann scene better than Byrne.

Amazingly, Bel-Dann holds his own against Raksor. Imagine if the Kree had received their evolutionary upgrade before this.

I had also assumed Black Bolt and Medusa were already married, and Medusa was Queen, but the Guide to the Marvel Universe from around this time lists her as single, and her occupation as "royal translator."

Boy the Critter-esque creature Raksor turned into sure looked way more vicious and formidable when Bryne drew him. It was pretty cool learning about those two have that little 'whut' moment from the Dark Phoneix saga.

Fnord, the scene where the Watcher shows Raskor and Bel-Dann the messages takes place "a few months ago"- I always assumed "a few months ago" meant before the destruction of the Skrull homeworld.

Michael, the footnote says that the "transmission was sent" before Fantastic Four #257, which makes it sound like the flashback scene itself took place later than that (otherwise why not just say "this scene takes place before..."?). But you could be right.

The Skrull empress in the transmission is not Princess Anelle, it's her mother, Empress R'Klll, who was killed by Galactus at the same time as Anelle.

Thanks Don.