ABSOLUTE GALACTUS — Fantastic Four #74
Wednesday, November 15th, 2006If you play the odds long enough, you’re bound to run up on an unexpected Comics scenario! Fantastic Four #74 is off the hook when, “The fabulous F.F. learn that humanity faces ARMAGEDDON…When Calls GALACTUS“.
(Click the cover for a larger version!)
With a serious type title like that, you get the impression that GALACTUS is once again about to get his devour on. The surface level of the story is that GALACTUS is starving. His number one ace and herald supreme, the Silver Surfer — placed in exile on Earth by GALACTUS, has been summoned by the great devourer and he needs the herald to find him a planet to consume immediately. GALACTUS sends in the PUNISHER, another one of his heralds to find the surfer.
The real hustle and flow of Fantastic Four #74 for me though has nothing to do with my man GALACTUS about to starve in deep space, desperate and with his oculars set on planet Earth. The forreal deal going on is the straight up emo factor running rampant throughout the book. The FF’s ever lovin’ blue-eyed THING sets off the mega-emo-fest from the get go:
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The Silver Surfer, a.k.a. herald in hiding clearly wasn’t feelin’ Ben’s new punk status and lays down the verbal hammer on the thing (who is still reelin’ from a cosmic surfboard to the dome):
“Does your all-to-human jealousy blind you to a danger which may DESTROY THE HUMAN RACE?!!”
..clearly my man is upset! Silver Surfer clues Ben & Alicia Masters in on the danger that approaches and both heroes set off to find the rest of the FF. When Johnny Storm gets the news, Mr. Flame On! himself turns the emo-faucet on pretty strong as well:
(Click the scan for a larger version!)
I dig how Johnny is quick to let the Silver Surfer get down with givin’ up the ghost! Flame ON! indeed. Nearly five pages of action-packed fisticuffs ensues when the Thing and Johnny go toe to toe with GALACTUS herald, the punisher. Meanwhile..where is the rest of the FF?
Susan Storm, the Invisibile Woman is pregnant and full-on emo. She is SO emo that they can’t even let her catch a view of the ground-shakin’ goin’ on with the Punisher:
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Five more pages of action in effect as Mr. Fantastic puts in work against the Punisher. Some solid dialog comes into play here as well as Reed is getting his natural cap twisted all the way back to the negative zone:
“..it’s no good! — he’s much to powerful!! He’s twisting me around like a RUBBER BAND! GALACTUS designed him — WELL! No LIVING being — could strike — with such SPEED — such limitless FORCE–! I haven’t — the power — to DEFEAT him!”
..I could go on, but clearly you see the Punisher is makin’ short work of stretch!
“Meanwhile, in the remote unchartered vastness between the galaxies –”
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LOOK at his face! Is he really all busted because the Silver Surfer isn’t around to lead him to the table? He is (AND GALACTUS is the one who exiled the herald to Earth in the first place!!). “Uhm, Surfer? I know I left you hanging on Earth, but, you deserved it. Still, i’m HUNGRY bruh! Hook me up at the buffet. Please? My man? Norinn?“. I have to issue a C’MON BRUH! to my man GALACTUS on that there!
I thoroughly enjoyed this joint, even the emo. It truly added to the whole format of the book for me! What good is a Comic if you can’t enjoy even the subtexts of how the characters are gettin’ down? What a man won’t do for a never-satiated growl of the intestines:
On the prowl for the surfin’ mouse who’ll lead him to the cheese, GALACTUS sets his scanners on Earth. Where is the Silver Surfer hidin’ out? Stay tuned.
Bahlactus has spoken.
