IRON MAN #274: Just as Rhodey is about to meet his final demise, the rest of the dragons arrive—and they want their power rings back from the Mandarin before they conquer the Earth. This rising threat may lead to some strange allies...
...infiltrating the team. But when Thing stayed behind on Battleworld to play “Rocky Grimm, Space Ranger,” Lyja had to improvise and seduce the Human Torch instead. Seven years (real time) pass between the infiltration and the reveal, but because of the “rolling timeline”...
Lyja explains that the switch was made while the male members of the FF were off planet for SECRET WARS, but when Thing opted to stay behind, she had to improvise and make do with the Human Torch if she was going to infiltrate the team.
FANTASTIC FOUR #356: The Puppet Master has noticed an unsettling change in the behavior of his step-daughter Alicia, ever since she entered into a relationship with the Human Torch. Since she won’t return his calls, he makes a puppet of Marvel Boy and forces him to fetch her.
FANTASTIC FOUR #355: The Thing visits his old stomping grounds on Yancy Street; but the Wrecker is in the neighborhood, too, looking to bust his former partner Thunderball out of police protection to get a little revenge.