Eons ago, we were all hotly anticipating the release of Marvel
Studios Fantastic Four: First Steps. Mere millennia ago, the movie debuted
on Disney+ and now, just centuries late, I would like to finally deliver
this post about everyone’s favourite planet-devouring, eternally hungry space
giant. This is Galactus in the MC2.
The prerequisite backstory: Galactus made his debut
in Fantastic Four #48 after being preceded by his herald Silver
Surfer, a figure of fear among the shape-shifting
Skrulls
which causes even Uatu the
Watcher to break his vow of non-interference by attempting to hide the
entirety of planet Earth from Galactus and warning the Fantastic
Four of the space titan’s threat. Fantastic Four #48-#50 form a
trilogy of issues known colloquially as ‘The Galactus Trilogy’.
Galactus’ origin would be first detailed in the pages
of Thor #168 and #169. This story would be largely reprinted in Super-Villain
Classics #1, reworked and combined with material from other prior
appearances, albeit with altered and additional panels which changed the
original context to harmonise and update elements of the story. This version of
the tale is the one consistently referenced in future retellings, establishing Galactus
(formerly a scientist Galan) was a survivor from a universe before the
current Marvel Universe came into existence before becoming a universal threat
with insatiable hunger.
It's possible that Galactus’ last MC2niverse-relevant
appearance in the Main Marvel Universe (prior to the two universes branching
into divergent realities) is 1996’s Fantastic Four #414, wherein Galactus
clashes with powerful foe Hyperstorm, leaving the two trapped in a
dimensional void. Alternatively, Silver Surfer (vol.3) #144 which was
published in 1998 depicts the space-god Galactus’ return from this
void.
Now let’s look at the Galactus of Universe-982
aka the MC2. During the events of the Last Planet Standing
mini-series, Galactus is poised to destroy the entire universe in
an attempt to rid himself of his never-ending hunger, having stockpiled the
energy from planets across various galaxies. A gathering of the Great
Powers of the Universe took place to discuss the threat posed to
reality. The cosmic forces in attendance included Master Order, Lord
Chaos, The In-Betweener, The Shaper of
Worlds, The Stranger, The Gardener, The
Collector and of course The
Living Tribunal (Last Planet Standing #2).
The Great Powers of the Universe’s attempt
to reason with the World-Eater one last time fails. Ultimately deciding they
must destroy Galactus using a combined destructive bolt strong
enough to wipe out the Earth and the entire Milky Way
Galaxy, the Great Powers are halted in their attempt
when Reed Richards is forced to use his Transdimensional
Cannon's single shot on the cosmic beings (Last Planet Standing #3).
With Galactus enacting his final solution on Earth,
the combined forces of the superhero community work to penetrate his force
field and combat his doomsday weapon’s launch. When Spider-Girl, Stinger and American
Dream manage to reverse the polarity of the device’s flow, the
resulting backlash causes Galactus to be overloaded with
enough energy to kill him and destroy the entire galaxy. As his end
approaches, Galactus perceives the presence of Death coming to embrace him.
However, at the last moment, Galactus’ former Herald,
the Silver Surfer encases them both within an indestructible
ethereal force cocoon. Soon after the assembled heroes of Earth witness
the birth of a new gestalt entity composed of the Silver Surfer and Galactus which
could harness a new form of energy known as The Power Essential (Last
Planet Standing #5).
Fortunately, the newly birthed gestalt being composed of Silver
Surfer and Galactus harnesses The Power Essential
to reassemble The Vision,
resurrect others killed during the battle and repair the mass destruction
before departing the Earth with a new mission of restoration (Last Planet
Standing #5).
I think it is important to mention at this point that the concept
of reforging Galactus into a kind of cosmic ‘life bringer’ first
appeared in the Last Planet Standing series written by Tom Defalco,
pre-dating by nearly a decade a similar storyline in the Main Marvel
Universe in the pages of Ultimates (vol. 2) series by writer Al
Ewing. Just another example of the MC2 being ahead of the Main Marvel
Universe!
I’d love to read suggestions for new names for the new being
birthed in Last Planet Standing #5, and here’s hoping we see the silver
celestial sentinel again some day.
Until I satiate my own endless hunger, I remain
frogoat