Fantastic Four #603 — Nick Peron

Mar 14

Mar 14 Fantastic Four #603

Forever: Part 4

Galactus is facing off against the Mad Celestials, demanding that they return to their native universe. The Celestials tell Galactus to leave as this situation does not concern him. However, Galactus knows why they have come to Earth and refuses to leave. Soon the Celestials attack Galactus. As the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man look on in awe, the Kree are ordered to retreat by the Supreme Intelligence. Detecting that the Kree are fleeing, the Black Bolt orders his people to follow after them. Aboard the Pestilence, the Fantastic Four are contacted by Valeria who already knows what is happening, as told to her by her grandfather Nathaniel Richards. She explains that the last Interdimensional Reed provided her with a device that will help them stop the Celestials, all they need to do is go to a place called the Hub.

Outside, Galactus continues to battle against the Mad Celestials. When he appears to have killed one of the Celestials, they respond by merging together into a single being that manages to overpower the world-devourer, sending him crashing down onto the planet surface below. Elsewhere, the Fantastic Four reunite with the children of the Future Foundation at the Hub. There they find the device that may well mean their salvation: Sol's Anvil. As the Celestial gestalt approaches the planet, the Fantastic Four get Sol's Anvil up and running. Using power drawn from Old Atlantis, the Blue Area of the Moon, the Negative Zone, and the Future City they power up the weapon and fire. The powerful blast serves only to separate the Mad Celestials.

One Celestial tries to blast Franklin, but the Thing pushes him away and takes the shot himself. The Human Torch then retaliates, his powers enhanced by the Cosmic Control Rod are able to melt through the Celestial's armor but he too is blasted aside. Sue erects a force field around the others to buy Reed time to get Sol's Anvil operational again. Valeria tells Franklin that it's time for him to act, but Franklin insists that it is too soon.

The three Celestials blast through Sue's force field, but she isn't down just yet. She fights back against the Celestials, but soon she too is brought down. The Celestials are about to land their killing blow when suddenly there the very Earth begins to shake. Suddenly, from a portal behind them, the future Franklin and Valeria Richards have arrived to save the day.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing) Future Foundation (Spider-Man, Nathaniel Richards, Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Bentley-23), Inhumans (Black Bolt, Medusa, Maximus), Future Franklin and Valeria Richards, Galactus, Mad Celestials, Supreme Intelligence