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Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. Issue #523 has it all. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to wield cosmic power? Can there be perfection without imperfection? And so on.

Recap: Aliens obsessed with using invisibility to hide from Galactus came to Earth wanting to destroy Sue for her powers. Reed faked them out by switching Sue’s power with Johnny. Then Galactus himself showed up and made Johnny his new herald. While Johnny and Sue adjust to their new powers, Reed, Sue, Ben and special guest star Nova head off into space to confront Galactus and get Johnny back. Using Johnny’s newfound cosmic sight powers, Reed and Quasar concocted a machine to transform Galactus back into his original human form, Galan.

The first page of this issue establishes that Galactus’ cosmic importance still exists, as does his planet-devouring hunger. This is illustrated by Galan in a pool hall trying to eat the 8 ball. Ben has brought him here for a hot dog, and to explore what it means to be human. Reed shows up, putting an end the silliness, saying that Galan is only human temporarily. He says they’ve only got a limited amount of time to teach Galan human empathy before he turns back into Galactus. If they succeed, Galactus might spare inhabited planets from destruction in the future.

Back at the New Baxter Building, Quasar works the machines in Reed’s lab, saying it will take about 24 hours of recalibration to switch Sue and Johnny’s powers back to normal. Quasar adds that Galactus’ power cosmic is floating around the cosmos searching for Galan, and once it finds him, Galan will become Galactus again. Quasar flies off with Sue and Johnny’s thanks, bowing out of this story.

Sue and Johnny have a heart-to-heart chat, with Sue admitting she never realized just how hard it is to control the fire powers. She asks if he will miss the invisibility powers, or the power cosmic. He has a flashback of flying through space, but then says, “Nah. I’ll be fine.”

Later, at Central Park, Ben, Johnny, and Galan are taking the kids ice skating. Galan is unmoved, arguing that the family togetherness is all for show. He calls the kids “germ-ridden,” and Johnny says he’s been calling New York “the worst” ever since he arrived. Galan argues that his homeworld Taa was the pinnacle of technological and spiritual achievement, and NYC is a cesspool in comparison. He says devouring the Earth would be a mercy killing. Johnny and Ben argue that the Silver Surfer once thought the same way but came to appreciate humanity. Then they both realize that the one who taught the Surfer humanity was Alicia.

At the Guggenheim Museum, Alicia and Sue give Galan the tour, with Alicia showing off her smarts about art in all its forms. Galan calls the classic art unremarkable and pedestrian. When they come across one of Alicia’s own sculptures, Galan says he doesn’t understand why someone blind would attempt art and not just “surrender herself.” While Alicia continues to speak eloquently on other artwork, Sue says to Galan, “You wouldn’t understand.” Sue and Alicia continue Galan’s tour of NYC, but he can only focus on how broken society is, and none of its good points.

At Reed’s lab, he’s experimenting with opening portals to other dimensions, hoping there might something in one of them to satiate Galactus’ hunger. He says he’s not giving up, and Galan emerges from the shadows to ask, “Why not?” Reed argues that common trait of intelligent life throughout the universe is ambition, and a natural inclination for achievement and betterment. Even though his lab is on the cutting edge of knowledge, Reed admits there are hundreds of others on Earth just as smart as he is, who have insights he lacks, and future generations will have even more. Every time Galactus destroys a world, Reed said, all this achievement dies with it.

Upon hearing this, Galan locks himself in the portal room. Fearing that Galan is going to open a portal to energies that will destroy the Earth, the FF try to break inside, but Reed’s safeguards are too strong for them. Reed tries to reason with Galan, but Galan only says, “I’ve misjudged you.”

Galan gives a big speech, saying that he’s struck with humanity’s inability to surrender to hopelessness. He says he recognizes that feeling even among cosmic beings, and he says, “Who am I to extinguish in you that which lies within myself?” Instead of destroying the Earth, he is sparing it. He’s voluntarily going through the portal to exile himself in another dimension. Even if the power cosmic finds him there, he says even that will save the Earth. Or, he says, humanity might find a solution to the finality of Galactus. “I have every confidence they will eventually do,” he says. “After all… that is their nature.” With that, he disappears into the portal and it shuts behind him.

Reed says there’s a loose end to tie up, which is switching Sue and Johnny’s powers back. They step into the power-switching device, only for it to go haywire. Reed says there are still small traces of the power cosmic in Johnny’s system. The machine explodes. As our heroes crawl from the wreckage, Reed, Sue and Johnny discover their powers are gone, and Ben is human again. Reed asks where their powers might have gone.

On the next page, we see a boxer with Reed’s stretching power, a firefighter with Johnny’s fire powers, a man on a date with Sue’s invisibility powers, and a nun (!) turning into a big, rocky Thing.

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: Reed’s safeguards around the portal chamber are meant to keep cosmic energy from getting out, but those same safeguards lock the FF out, which seems like a design flaw. The chamber is made of an adamantium-vibranium alloy, which raises a lot of questions. Historically, the only known existence of this alloy in the Marvel Universe is Captain America’s shield, so where’d Reed get so much of it?

Fade out: Sue apologizes to Johnny, saying she’s shortchanged him over the years, and she has a better understanding of who is as a person now she’s experienced his powers.

Clobberin’ time: There’s a lengthy discussion about Johnny volunteering to switch his powers with Ben, so Ben can be human again. Reed says Ben refused, not wanting anyone else to become a Thing in his place. (And then that’s what happens at the end of the issue.)

Flame on: Johnny says he’s still adapting to not having his fire powers, saying he can’t remember the last time he worked up a sweat.

Four and a half: Franklin is apparently a talented ice skater, but not enough to impress Galan.

Our gal Val: It’s hard to tell, but it seems Valeria has gotten even taller. At the very least, she’s definitely grown from baby to little kid.

Trivia time: At the pool hall, Ben cavalierly blurts out, “Matt Murdock is Daredevil!” This is a reference to the Marvel Knights Daredevil series running at this time, when a tabloid revealed DD’s secret identity to the world. This left Murdock with the predicament of publicly denying he is Daredevil, while still secretly fighting evil in back alleys at night as Daredevil.

The pool hall is called Maisie’s, and Ben says it serves the best hot dogs on Yancy Street. You’d think this would be a Marvel mainstay, but according to the wiki, it’s never seen again after this. One customer at Maisie’s is named Lurleen, and is clearly based on Lurleen Lumpkin from The Simpsons.

Fantastic or frightful? Here we have Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo, and their co-conspirator Karl Kesel firing on all cylinders. This is far-out sci-fi with a lot of big ideas, but it’s still a very human story about a family of adventurers wresting with their own thoughts on what it means to be human. This is the type of story that would make a great Fantastic Four movie.

Next: Get thee to a nunnery.

• * * * *

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Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. How do you do a Galactus story different from the original, classic Galactus story? There’s no right answer to that question, but Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo give it a try in issue #522.

Recap: Aliens obsessed with using invisibility to hide from Galactus came to Earth wanting to destroy Sue for her powers. Reed faked them out by switching Sue’s power with Johnny. Then Galactus himself showed up and made Johnny his new herald. While Johnny and Sue adjust to their new powers, Reed, Sue, Ben and special guest star Nova head off into space to confront Galactus and get Johnny back. Johnny, not wanting to lead Galactus to any inhabited planets, confronts Galactus as to why the guy even needs a herald. Galactus gave him a stern, “Go on.”

This issue begins with Johnny recounting Galactus’ origin story. Galactus was originally Galan, a scientist on the planet Taa. Fearing the planet was doomed, Galaen and three others flew into space in hopes of salvation. Something went wrong and they were bombarding with cosmic rays and were transformed. Johnny remarks how similar this is the FF’s origin, and he moves on. Galan’s ship is destroyed, and he’s contacted by the “sentience of the universe” who draws all matter into itself and collapsed the universe, creating the big bang, and naming Galan as its heir. Galan was transformed into Galactus, a being with great cosmic power, and hunger to devour entire worlds.

Cut back to the present, and Johnny says Galactus has forgotten what it means to be human, even though hunger is a basic human need. Galactus zaps Johnny with energy blasts to put him back in his place. The FF and Quasar show up to rescue Johnny, albeit temporarily. Using his newfound powers of cosmic sight, Johnny is able to see his teammates’ memories.

Galactus loses interest in Quasar and starts preparing his converter machine, which he uses to help him devour planets. Johnny comes up with a plan to wreck the converter. Ben, Sue, and Quasar go about trashing the inside of Galactus’ ship, while Reed and Johnny debate whether the cosmic power that transformed Galactus is the same as the cosmic rays that gave the FF their powers. Johnny says it’s the same in principle.

Using the knowledge given to him by Johnny, Reed has Quasar build a machine out of quantum energy. Galactus threatens to remove Johnny’s cosmic power, while Ben and Sue succeed in destroying the converter’s self-guidance system just as the converter heads down to a nearby planet. Galactus comes to the planet to repair the converter. Ben points out that Quasar’s machine is a variation on the one that switched Johnny and Sue’s powers. Johnny uses the power cosmic to fire up the machine, telling everyone to cross their fingers.

A beam shoots out of Quasar’s machine and strikes Galactus. It appears to have no effect at first, but then Galactus seems to disappear and his armor collapses to the ground. Johnny transforms back to normal, losing his cosmic awareness. Then a man emerges from Galactus’ armor. Galactus has transformed back into Galan – human again.

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: In Johnny’s vision of Reed, he sees Reed as a gifted scientist in college, exploring a jungle, and romancing Sue. This further establishes Reed as a Doc Savage-like adventurer, rather than a stuck-up guy never leaving his lab.

Fade out: Johnny’s vision of Sue is only her caring for Franklin and Valeria. It kind of sucks that we don’t see her have any other interests or experiences, but maybe Johnny is bringing his own preconceptions to the vision, as Sue was a surrogate mom to him growing up.

Clobberin’ time: Johnny’s vision of Ben shows Ben as a football star and as a heroic test pilot. It’s telling that Johnny only sees Ben as human and not as a rock monster.

Flame on: Johnny is upset with his teammates because he believes that not only did they replace him so quickly, they replaced him with Quasar of all people. I for one am not seeing any official “welcome to the team” scene for Quasar, so unlike Johnny I’m okay with Quasar being a guest and not an official FF fifth member.

SUE-per spy: The 2019 Invisible Woman miniseries established that Sue has had a double life as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent all this time. Johnny doesn’t see this in his vision of her, though. Either he’s only seeing her life before that, or maybe he somehow already knows about her spy gig.

Trivia time: Galactus’ origin story is sort of like Doctor Doom’s in that there have been so many retellings of it, there’s no way to be sure which version is the real one. Prior to this, the origin was told in Thor #169, and then a longer version in Super-Villain Classics #1. It’ll later be retold again in Ultimates vol 3 #2 and in Fantastic Four: Grand Design.

You might recall that Galactus transformed back into human Galan once before, in the Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Comics Magazine miniseries. But, that part of the story was wiped from everyone’s memories by the Cosmic Cube. This issue suggests that even Galactus himself had his memory wiped of that incident.

Who, exactly, is the “Sentience of the universe” who saved Galan from destruction while also causing the big bang? The Marvel Wiki reports that this was Eternity, the living embodiment of all things. It’s a rare moment of Eternity taking an active rather than passive role in matters regarding creation and existence.

Fantastic or frightful? This is another issue where everything moves a fast pace, setting all the pieces in place so that we get all the good stuff in the next issue. That seems to be intentional on Mark Waid’s part, with one issue being plot followed by one focused on character, then one on plot, and so on. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of fun cosmic Marvel action in this one.

Next: So this is Earth.

• * * * *

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• Reading the Fantastic Four comcis from the start. Issue #521 gets deep into just what it’s like to be a herald of Galactus – something we’ve all thought about from time to time, I’m sure.

Recap: Aliens obsessed with using invisibility to hide from Galactus came to Earth wanting to destroy Sue for her powers. Reed faked them out by switching Sue’s power with Johnny. Then Galactus himself showed up and made Johnny his new herald. While Johnny and Sue adjust to their new powers, Reed, Sue, Ben and special guest star Nova head off into space to confront Galactus and get Johnny back.

While flying through space, Sue worries that becoming a herald has made Johnny cold and inhuman, like the Silver Surfer was when we first met him. Turn the page, and we see Johnny enjoying the perks of being a herald as he flies around in an outer space hot rod. Later, Galactus’ ship appears above an alien planet. The aliens believe their planet is undetectable, and they have seen no sign of a herald. Then Johnny appears before them. They aliens attack him, only for him to easily defend himself. He talks to the planet’s leader, saying he has no intention of delivering their planet to Galactus, but he might have no choice unless he finds an uninhabited planet that can satisfy Galactus’ hunger. The aliens try to convince Johnny to sic Galactus on their enemies, and Johnny won’t have it, saying “People really are alike all over.”

Johnny tries another planet, only for the inhabitants there to fire nukes at him. He uses his invisibility powers to find the missiles’ detonators and then he uses force fields to separate the detonators from the missiles. He remarks that the Galactus’ power cosmic gives him senses and knowledge he didn’t have before. He tries a few more planets until he finds one that seems suitable. But then he’s attacked by the planet’s intelligent larvae.

Galactus teleports Johnny back to his ship, and Johnny realizes that the power cosmic has given the invisibility powers a “cosmic sight” where he can automatically sense anything hidden. He asks Galactus for more time. Galactus zaps him while he pleads for just another day. Johnny says through the pain, “Please, I’m begging you, don’t make me a murderer.” After the pain subsides, Johnny questions why a godlike being like Galactus would even need a herald at all.

It then dawns on Johnny that Galactus needs Johnny for Johnny’s humanity. Galactus only appears humanoid to other humans because that’s how human brains process his appearance. In reality, Galactus is a being so cosmic that human senses are beneath him. Johnny then calls Galactus by his original name, Galen. This gets Galactus’ attention. He turns to Johnny and says, “Go on.” And with that, the story is…

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: While the team flies through space, Reed is so lost in thought that he doesn’t realize Quasar is speaking to him.

Fade out: Although the cover shows Sue possibly losing control of her new fire powers, she doesn’t use them in her one scene in this issue.

Clobberin’ time: Ben and Quasar mention that the heroes had already stopped to get something to eat while traveling through space. I wonder what that scene was like.

Flame on: Johnny uses his cool hot rod only once, using the rest of the issue to fly around on invisible force fields.

Trivia time: The alien planets seen in this issue are Rohnyn III, Silocus, Aquion, Sqaav, and Brum. The Marvel Wiki states that this is the only appearance of the first four, while poor Brum doesn’t get an entry at all.  

Somebody behind the scenes at the Marvel Wiki thinks they’re being cute by listing Sue as “The Human Torch” and Johnny as “The Invisible Man” for this issue.

Fantastic or frightful? A fun solo story for Johnny, that shows him not just learning his new powers, but learning his new powers on a cosmic level. It also shows his heart, in his refusal to kill others. I’m reminded of all the guilt Johnny experienced after he accidentally destroyed part of Empire State University back in issue #371. Marvel editorial no doubt wants to sweep those issues under the rug, but I like that to think that experience helped inform Johnny’s actions in this issue.

Next: Taa-an again.

• * * * *

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Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. In issue #520, Johnny becomes the new herald of Galactus. We’ve got space battles, a special guest star, and even a kissing scene.

Recap: Aliens attacked the Earth in hopes of killing Sue, so they could invisibly hide from Galactus forever without Sue’s power to make them visible again. Reed tricked the aliens by switching Sue and Johnny’s powers. Then Galactus arrived on Earth in person, transforming Johnny with a powerful energy blast.

We begin with Reed, Sue, and Johnny falling from the new Baxter Building, with Ben commenting, “That was a short fight.” Sue tries to fly Ben to safety, but she’s still getting used to controlling the flame powers. Reed instead saves Ben by stretching around him and using his body to bungee-jump Ben to the sidewalk below.

Reed deduces that Galactus has recruited Johnny to become his new herald. Reed blames himself, but a furious Sue says, “It should be me.” The three of them rally, planning to venture into space, in pursuit of Galactus and Johnny. Reed hopes to find them before Johnny unknowingly leads Galactus to an inhabited world.

On board Galactus’ ship, Johnny is pestering Galactus, asking him where the bathroom is. Using his newfound invisible force field powers, he flies around the ship making wisecracks, until Galactus ejects him into space. Johnny says it’s like letting a dog out into the yard. An alien with a flaming sword approaches. He is Karragan the Unforgiving, and he’s come seeking revenge against Galactus after Galactus destroyed his planet.

At the new Baxter Building, Sue is in the shower while flamed on, causing steam to go everywhere. She’s finding it hard to keep the fire in check. She has a flashback to her and Johnny when they were younger and living on their own. He was driving her crazy while bouncing a basketball around inside the house, only for her to find a Mother’s Day gift for her, with a note saying, “For the best sister in the whole world.”

Reed affixes Ben with a “combination deep-space survival suit and flight unit.” Reed adds that he’s called an old friend for help to reach Galactus’ ship. Ben talks with Alicia on the phone. He assures her that the alien invasion was just a “drop-in,” and he asks her to look after the kids while the team in away. Ben has a flashback to his and Alicia’s first date, which is awkward until Johnny flies by outside with a message, “Now kiss her, you lummox.” And he does. Back in the present, Ben says, “I hate ta admit it, but I honestly care about th’ kid.”

On the roof of the HQ, Reed, Sue, and Ben meet up with Quasar. He says he hoped to stop Zius and Galactus on his own, what with him being the official protector of the universe and all, but his “personal priorities” got in the way. With the power his quantum bands, they take off.

In space, Johnny tries to talk Karragan down, but all the alien wants to do is fight. Johnny exclaims “Back off!” as he draws upon the Power Cosmic, which is given to all heralds of Galactus. Johnny then vivisects Karragan in a gory way, only to them put him back together again. Johnny returns Karragan to the wilderness planet where he currently lives, and says he can sense the alien healing already. Overwhelmed, Johnny remarked that he only blinked and unleashed power that Sue never dreamed of. He asks, “What am I becoming?”

Unstable molecule: Reed at one point tells Sue to stop the “hysterics.” I think the idea is to illustrate that the fire powers are affecting Sue’s personality, but this is still not a good look for Reed.

Fade out: Sue’s flashback recalls that she was left to raise Johnny on her own after their criminal father hit rock bottom.

Clobberin’ time: Not counting those times when he turned human, this is the first time we’ve seen Ben and Alicia kiss. It’s also a different side of the normally rough and tumble Ben as he speaks eloquently about her sculptures and about the perfume she’s wearing.

Flame on: Johnny assumed Reed and the others are already on their way to rescue him. He adds that it will be difficult to pull Reed away from all the far-out tech inside Galactus’ ship.

Trivia time: There’s a reference to Quasar being the FF’s former tenant. For most of Quasar’s solo series, he operated from an office in one of the lower floors of Four Freedoms Plaza, the team’s former HQ. This was established in Quasar #3, and it remained that way until his final issue in #60.

What is the personal business that kept Quasar busy during the invasion? Unknown. His last appearance before this was when the Avengers split up in the recent Avengers: Disassembled event.

The Marvel Wiki states that this is the first and only known appearance of Karragan the Unforgiving. I’m curious about the “only known” phrasing. Does someone updating the Wiki think that Karragan might be drawn into a background of some other comic?

Fantastic or frightful? After the last issue with checking a bunch of boxes to get the story set up, the plot properly gets under way this time. There are a lot of great character moments as Waid, Wieringo and Kesel take some time to explore this new premise. Great stuff.

Next: Hot rod.

• * * * *

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Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. A cosmic crisis just keeps getting more cosmic in issue #519, along with some big changes for our heroes.  

Recap: The FF are facing a financial and PR crisis following the Latveria incident (it’s a long story) just in time for aliens to attack New York. The aliens, led by a guy named Zius, are survivors of Galactus. They have perfected invisibility technology to hide entire planets from Galactus’ near-omniscient senses. They’ve come to Earth to find and possibly destroy Sue, who they learned has the power to make the invisible visible. Despite her teammates’ protests, Sue surrenders to the aliens.

This issue begins with Zius strapping Sue to a strange device to prevent her from using her force fields while the other aliens keep the rest of the FF at bay. Zius says he is no murderer, yet this seems like an execution. Sue pleads for one last chance to say goodbye to her children. Johnny tries to fight back but is stopped by the aliens. Zius is about to. Then Reed busts through a wall with one of the aliens’ weapons. Instead of fighting the aliens, however, he turns the weapon on Sue and fires.

Sue collapses while Zius checks his instruments. Reed explains that he didn’t hurt Sue, he merely took away her powers. He says this is preferable to her becoming a pawn in a game played by alien demigods. He tells Zius, “Get off my planet.” Zius uses mind-boggling alien tech to return Manhattan island to Earth, instantaneously repairing all the damage that was done.  

Reed gives a big speech to Zius, saying that the FF have defended Earth against Galactus multiple times and will do so again. He says that if Zius ever returns to Earth, “The Fantastic Four will make you regret it.” Because the aliens are still broadcasting their message to Earth, people all over the world hear Reed say this.

Cut to the roof of the new Baxter Building as the aliens are leaving. Ben insists that Reed use the weapon on him to make him human again. Reed says the weapon actually doesn’t eliminate anyone’s powers. He tells Sue to jump off the building (!). She does (!!) and then she flames on. She now has Johnny’s powers. Reed says the FF’s powers cannot be created or destroyed, but they can be reassigned. Johnny tries it, and he turns invisible, as he now has Sue’s powers.

Reed says the procedure can be reversed. He’s about to give Sue and Johnny their own powers back, when they look up to see a giant hand reach down and grab hold of the departing alien ships. There’s an image in the sky of Zius suffering in pain, and then the hand destroys the ships. Turn the page and we see it’s Galactus, looming large over the city.

Galactus fires an energy beam down at the building, striking Johnny. Johnny isn’t hurt, but instead is transformed. He’s glowing with energy and has a new outfit with a big eye on his chest. Johnny realizes it’s Sue’s powers that both Zius and Galactus are after. As Galactus’ hand reaches for Johnny, he says, “This bites.”

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: I’m a little unclear as to how Reed’s plan works. There’s one panel of Zius checking out an image of Sue on his computer, and that’s all we get to see that he’s been tricked, even though he’s been shown to have nearly godlike power. Let’s just say his weapon also messes with their sensors somehow.

Fade out: Sue says Johnny’s powers have a frightening burning sensation as first, but then it is freeing as the flames make her lighter than air.

Clobberin’ time: Ben is mostly comic relief this issue. When Johnny turns himself invisible, Ben says, “It’s a good look f’r ya!”

Flame on: Sue’s advice to Johnny about how to turn visible is to imagine himself as being seen, and it works.

Trivia time: What’s Galactus been up to since he came back from the dead during the Abraxus storyline? He was a major player in the Annihilation crossover, in which he created the “Galactus event” to counter the deadly Annihilation Wave. Then, in Nova, there was a complicated storyline about Galactus and his conflict with the Proemial Gods, and his fight with a cosmic being called the Harrow. It’s nice that they’ve given him interests other than just devouring planets.

Also, this is the final appearance of Zius, so we can assume that he did indeed die in Galactus’ attack.

Fantastic or frightful? This is issue is fast paced, with a lot of big moments and dramatic revelations told in a short space. I feel like the creators were rushing through this one to check off a lot of boxes in order to set up the good stuff in the next few issues. Such is the nature of monthly comics, I suppose, with a finite number of pages to work with. Mike Wieringo’s artwork continues to shine.

Next: Storm in space.

• * * * *

Want more? Check out my new ongoing serial, THE SUBTERKNIGHTS, on Kindle Vella. A man searches for his missing sister in a city full of far-out technology and hidden dark magic. The first three chapters are FREE, so give it a shot! Click here for a list of all my books and serials.