It’s no secret that despite its inherent naffness, I like Secret Wars II.

Amongst the glut of crossovers, there are a few gems – and in some of them, the Beyonder does more than just wander past a hero and ask about using the bathroom.

Take Fantastic Four #285.

It’s a standalone issue featuring a young fan of the Human Torch who, well…

…does something really stupid.

The story is essentially the Beyonder showing Johnny Storm how the kid’s hero worship was the one bright spot of his life – well, before he went up in flames – and how he isn’t to blame himself.

Sure, it’s basically an old-fashioned morality tale with the Beyonder playing the role of an angel but it’s a damn good one.

The only thing that really detracts from the story for me is that John Byrne’s normally (at this point) crisp artwork is slightly jarring thanks to his tendency to draw all the children in the issue in pretty much the same proportions as he drew Puck.

Other than that, this is still a favorite after twenty-plus years.

Thanks to Chronological Snobbery (which has a far more in depth look at the issue) for the scans.