—ThorThe power within Mjolnir doth rage like the winter storms bursting upon the shore in furious assault!
Appearing in "Visit to a Large Empire!"
Featured Characters:
- Fantastic Four
- ⏴ Mister Fantastic ⏵
- ⏴ Invisible Woman ⏵
- ⏴ Ben Grimm ⏵
- ⏴ Human Torch ⏵ (Possessed by Kang Nebula)
- ⏴ Ms. Marvel ⏵
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- ⏴ Kang Nebula ⏵ (Possesses Human Torch)
- Black Celestial ⏵ (First appearance)
- electronic intelligences serving the Black Celestial
- Prime Complex Overthot
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Earth-8810
- Bubble at the Heart of Time
- Shi'ar Empire
- Shi'ar planet (Unnamed)
- Heavy Weapons Pit 39
- Thurstist VII (location of a rebel base) (Mentioned)
- Shi'ar planet (Unnamed)
- Earth
Items:
Vehicles:
- Time-Sled
- Shi'ar starships
- multiple Shi'ar Heavy Weapons Pits
Synopsis for "Visit to a Large Empire!"
In the heart of the Time Bubble, the Fantastic Four have discovered that it is caused by Galactus trying to consume the entire universe. They soon find their Time-Sled being sucked into the massive maw of the device feeding Galactus. Loose from the ship is the Human Torch who Reed manages to pull back aboard before he can be drawn into the black hole Almost pulled into the hole, the Fantastic Four and their allies Thor and Iron Man struggle to get free. Ultimately they manage to free themselves when Thor and Iron Man channel their weapons power into the Time-Sled, giving them enough thrust to blast free from the pull of the black hole. However, they are far from safe because they have attracted the attention of mysterious electronic entities who begin to monitor their activities to determine if they will disrupt the future that has been planned for Galactus. Also, Sue checks on her brother who seems to be all right, unaware that he's actually been possessed by the mind of Nebula who is seeking to take control of the powerful Celestial weapon said to be hidden within the Time Bubble. However, Sue suspects that there is something wrong with her brother, and Reed suggests that she keep an eye on him.
Free from the danger, the Fantastic Four and their allies begin putting their heads together to try and figure out how they can destroy Galactus before he consumes the entire universe. Sharon comes up with a solution: Using the weapons of the Shi'ar. Remembering how in their own time that the Shi'ar were in the midst of a civil war, she suspects that they would have sufficient firepower to destroy Galactus. Without further delay, Thor teleports them to the Shi'ar galaxy. There they arrive among massive warships in orbit around a planet. Since they are out of synch with time within the Time Bubble, everything appears to be motionless, allowing the Fantastic Four to travel unseen among the massive galactic battalion. They descend to the planet that has massive weapons dumps and they begin loading explosives into shuttles that will be taken to starships that will be hurled at the massive weapon that Galactus is using to consume the universe.
However, after working for over a fortnight, their efforts are finally noticed from afar by this era's Gladiator who, while travelling at hyper-speed, is able to use his telescopic vision to observe intruders working in Heavy Weapons Pit 39. Upon arriving at the weapons pit, Gladiator immediately attacks, leading to an all-out brawl between he and Thor that continues until Sharon suddenly intervenes and stops it by pointing out that they are battling in the middle of billions of tons of live explosives that could annihilate them all if a stray blast were to set them off. With a temporary truce called, Reed explains what they are doing. After Gladiator uses his Hyper-Vision to confirm Reed's claims, he agrees to help them end the menace of Galactus. Gladiator leads them all to a massive weapons pit that he reveals is actually one of many complexes that are starships and commandeers them for this task in the name of the child emperor Charles I. Even though doing so leaves the Shi'ar with less weapons to defend themselves, Gladiator insists that they must be used against Galactus because preventing the destruction of the universe overrides the needs of the empire.
As they are making the final preparations, Nebula -- using Johnny's body -- questions why Gladiator has never overthrown his emperor and taken over. This line of questioning does not impress Gladiator who says he is a loyal servant and suggests the Torch reunite with his teammates. No longer seeing Gladiator as a useful ally and concerned that he has detected a fusion within the Torch, Nebula uses Johnny's flame powers to damage his ship. Soon enough, all of the weapons pits on the planet launch from the surface and, with Gladiator commanding them from the bridge of one of them, the entire fleet enters a warp zone that carries them from the Shi'ar planet to just outside the great machines of Galactus.
Having been monitoring events from the future Earth, the disagreement between the observing electronic intelligences ends when the Prime Complex Overthot causes the circuit that had been urging direct intervention to burn out, and then intervenes itself by activating the primary revival function in Celestialization mode. Beneath the Diablo Mountains, a burst of energy is released that awakens the Black Celestial who then burst through the surface of the planet and rises, finally awake and ready to carry out his intended mission.
Notes
Continuity Notes[]
- The Time Bubble, according to Marvel Encyclopedia: Fantastic Four, is designated in the future of Earth-8810. In this story Reed states that the Time Bubble exists between the years 2005 and 2020. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 this should be considered a topical reference. As the Sliding Timescale moves forward, then the dates that the Time Bubble exists should change and should be generalized in the context of this story. The Time Bubble exists 15 years in the future relative to this story [1]. This story was published in 1990, thus 15 years from that perspective is the year 2005. 1990 falls under "Year Eight" of Marvel time. Per the rules of the Sliding Timescale, new comics are considered to have been published 2016 are part of "Year Fourteen". New comics are also considered as happening "today". That said, in the year 2016 this story took place in 2010 per the Sliding Timescale. Based on that calculation the Time Bubble would exist 15 years from 2010 in the year 2025. When Marvel time rolls over into "Year Fifteen" in 2018, this story would have taken place in 2011 and the Time Bubble will in turn exist in the year 2026.
- Johnny was possessed by the mind of Nebula last issue.
- The beings that are remotely monitoring events (Prime Complex Overthot and its unnamed subordinate) are electronic intelligences serving their creator, the Black Celestial, as revealed next issue.
- The plot includes the "Kurtzberg engines" on Reed Richards's vehicle, which may be related in-universe with one of the partners of the firm Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway. Kurtzberg was the real surname of Jack Kirby, artist and co-creator of the Fantastic Four.
- Sharon mentions that how in their native universe the Shi'ar are in the middle of a civil war. As of Uncanny X-Men #162, Shi'ar ruler Lilandra was usurped from the Shi'ar throne by her sister Deathbird. Since then, Lilandra and the Starjammers have been trying to overthrow her rule. Ultimately the X-Men help Lilandra regain her throne during the events of Uncanny X-Men #274–277.
- Sue asks Reed if he regrets previously saving the life of Galactus in their home time. She is referring to when he saved Galactus in Fantastic Four #244.
- The Black Celestial in this story is Earth-8810's analogue to Earth-616's Dreaming Celestial who at the time of this story is still slumbering in the Mount Diablo ranges on Earth-616 as seen in Eternals (Vol. 2) #1–12.
See Also
Links and References
References
- ↑ The year of publication was 1990 - 2005 = 15 years