Fantastic Four #586 — Nick Peron

Mar 14

Mar 14 Fantastic Four #586

World-Eater!

The Sub-Mariner has just slain Ul-Uhar, the ruler of old Atlantis and now has the gathered Uhari, Chordai and Mala are ready to strike against him. Sue orders the soldiers to stand down before something rash happens, but she suddenly realizes that Namor set this meeting up. No sooner has she figured this out is the meeting place attacked by Atlantean ships. Not wanting this to end in bloodshed, Sue uses her powers to erect a force field around the facility. While in deep space, the Taa II continues it's the course for Nu-Earth. The Surfer returns with Ted Castle and what appears to be Alyssa Moy, but Reed learns that itis actually a robot constructed to act like her. When Ted asks why Galactus is going to Nu-World, Reed explains that he doesn't know what may happen. Fourteen hours later they find themselves in the right galaxy and see that Nu-World is still being drawn into a black hole.

Back on Earth, the Anti-Priest tells his people to prepare for the coming of their master. Suddenly, members of the Anti-Priest's church teleport in the middle of the Baxter Building, catching both Ben and Johnny off guard. The Torch tells Ben that they have to protect the children. Not far away, the Moloid children are surrounded by more of the Anti-Priest's minions who shed their human forms. Alex Power helps the kids by using his mass altering powers to crush the insectoids. When the Torch and Ben catch up with the kids and see what the invaders turned into, Johnny recognizes them as being from the Negative Zone. The danger is not over, as the corpses reveal that they have egg sacks that are about to hatch. Asking where the rest of the children are, Alex tells them that they headed to Reed's lab.

Orbiting beyond Nu-World, Galactus once more demands to know how the people of Nu-World ended up being here. Reed explains that some 500 years in the future something happened to the sun to cause it to weaken causing the Earth to freeze. The end result was the exodus into the past and onto Nu-Earth. When Galactus asks if there is a way to prevent this disaster from happening, it causes him to think of how he and the Interdimensional Council of Reeds were able to stabilize a star and feed the populations with planets of food. Reed tells Galactus that he could make it so that the people of the future would not have to retreat into the past. Satisfied with these explanations, Galactus then explains that he must consume Nu-World in order to sustain himself. When Reed and Ted protest against this, Galactus points out that they have no means to stop him. With no other choice, Reed, Moy-2515, and Castle go to the surface to try and evacuate the world before Galactus finishes consuming it.

Back below the sea, Sue keeps the force field up while the delegations continue. With negotiations going nowhere, Namor asks to speak with her. He explains why he killed Ul-Uhar: that the three races of Old Atlantis were historically known for killing what they could not possess and were exiled to the South Pole after losing a war against the Atlanteans. Namor goes on to explain that they are engaging in an act called "Ul-Ulgar", wherein they draw a species they have not interacted with previously via an intermediary, and then lure them in to be destroyed and that since Sue is their intermediary, they plan on killing her as well.

Meanwhile, at the Baxter Building, Johnny, Ben and Alex find the rest of the Future Foundation holding off the invaders. Valeria has developed a weapon for Ben to use since he is in human form. As they try to fight off the invaders, Valeria explains that the Negative Zone portal is vulnerable from their side since all the Vibranium on Earth has been rendered inert. Just as she is saying this the insects from the Negative Zone chew through the door, allowing the invaders on the other side to access the Earth.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Future Foundation (Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Dragon Man, Wu, Vil, Korr, Mik, Turg, Tong, Leech, Artie Maddicks, Bently-23, Alex Power), Silver Surfer, Ted Castle, Moy-2515, Sub-Mariner, Andromeda, Galactus, Cult of the Negative Zone (Anti-Priest), HERBIE, Interdimensional Council of Reeds (Reed Richards of Earths 99107 and 12498)