Black Sun Lives!

Simultaneously, events in the modern age and in the year 1936 are intertwining to a fate that will bridge both eras. In the present, the Thing and Human Torch of the Fantastic Four are visited by Janice Lightner who has come to get their aid in helping her brother Thomas who has undertaken the insane task of reconstructing his ancestor's invention the Sky Cannon, a device that left the family in financial ruin and scandal for decades. While in 1936, Janice's relative Lucinda seeks the aid of detective Doc Savage at his Empire State Building office to ask for his aid to stop her husband from attempting to activate his device.

While Janice tells how her brother turned down grants from Tony Stark and attempted to take control of the long-neglected family manor, Lucinda tells a similar story of her husband's thirst for absolute power. Both men seek to gain all they desire through the Sky Cannon and how both men intend to activate the device that very night. While the Thing and Torch leave from the Baxter Building in the modern day in the Fantasti-Car, Doc Savage and his associates Monk and Renny leave from the Empire State Building in their autogyro. As both crafts head toward the Lightner estate, both Thomas in the present, and Raymond in the past spot the approaching intruders and fire the Sky Cannon at them. The two identical events being done at the same time cause time to bend and bring the two members of the Fantastic Four side-by-side with Doc Savage and his allies. This also causes an unforeseen side effect: both Thomas and Raymond are merged together into a singular being, a powerful living black-hole calling himself Blacksun.

Quickly realizing that they are allies, Doc Savage, the Thing, and the others agree to combine their efforts to stop Blacksun. While Savage, Renny, and Monk find their bullets arc around their foe, the Human Torch finds his flame power equally as useless. The Thing and Doc Savage then try brute force, but as the clouds begin to clear and the stars begin to shine through the night sky, Blacksun finds that his powers are being amplified. Suddenly finding his foes beneath him, Blacksun then tries to ascend into the stars, but suddenly collapses when his body cannot contain the massive flow of energies. With Blacksun defeated his time distortion ends, shunting Doc Savage and his allies back to their own era. With Blacksun needing medical attention, the Thing promises Janice that they will take him to see their ally Doctor Donald Blake.

Recurring Characters

Thing, Doc Savage, Human Torch, Monk, Renny, Janice Lightner, Blacksun

Continuity Notes

• Statements that the modern age portion of this story takes place in the year 1976 should be considered a Topical Reference relative to the date of publication per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. All references to Raymond and Lucinda Lightner being Thomas and Janice Lightners parents should also be considered topical.