Thanos #3Thanos #3
Title: “Alone!”
Writer: Jim Starlin
Penciller: Jim Starlin
Inker: Al Milgrom
Colors: Christie Scheele & Heroic Age
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Galactus stands aboard his ship and thinks about how status has been his lot in life from the start of his first and second births. He can only half remember his parents from a long dead reality, but he vividly remembers learning the scientific wonders from the planet of Taa. Expanding on those technological horizons. Taa was a near perfect world, the ultimate in scientific and social achievement. Being alone was not too great a burden and later it became a boon. When the planet Taa ended there was no one for Galan to mourn. He was the first to realize what would happen to their planet. The other scientists scoffed at his findings, but they came to accept what he said when the outer planets start to die. By then, however, the “universe’s march to beyond the great divide was past the point of no return. Galan did all he could to stop it, but eventually he came to accept that he couldn’t. Galan joined with a group of scholars that wanted to study the Cosmic Egg even as it was killing them. The ship flew toward the Cosmic Egg, but when it got there Galan was alone again as everyone else had died. Somehow only he was immune to the devastating radiation that emitted from the Cosmic Egg. The ship plunged into the heart of universal death just as actuality ceased to be. For Galan it was a new beginning. In the final microseconds, a voice spoke reassuringly to him. Galan and the universe would die, but that both would rise from the ashes. “This nightmare was but an interlude in the cycle of universal life and death. The periodic renewal of reality, another in a series of Big Bangs. But in this rotation Galan would become an integral facet of that revival. Thus our current universe came into being.” As Eternity had promised, Galan was reborn. The metamorphosis from mortal to Galactus took a long time. For centuries, Galan incubated and power grew within him as did a great hunger. The hunger was so great that it could only be quieted by devouring the energies of a living planet. Initial guilt was drowned out by rationale. He was the brother of Eternity and Death and the destruction of numerous small worlds was a small price to pay for the new balance he provided the universe. This gave him the comfort he needed as long as he didn’t close his eyes. With his eyes closed he saw the billions of dead accusing eyes. Sleep was abandoned, but then it didn’t matter because he was a consort of cosmic gods and those beyond mortality. Fate had been accepted until one day he discovered something while investigating vibratory energy patterns. The pattern seemed similar and when he referenced it he discovered that the energy was an exact match for the energy he acquired from living planets. It was a chance to escape his dire fate.
The yellow glowing eyes now have a mouth that says, “And so it began.”
Galactus studied for months to confirm the actuality. He has gathered four vital elements and two are left to procure. Galactus says that nothing can keep him from his goal. Suddenly a manifestation of Thanos’ head appears and he greets Galactus. He asks Galactus to forgive his intrusion.
Thanos says that he thought the telepathic communication would be the least intrusive way to contact him and that they have important matters to discuss. Recorder notes that Moondragon is helping Thanos with the mental hook up with Galactus. Warlock asks Recorder if there is a mute setting that he can switch to.
Galactus says that he recalls that Thanos did something with some stolen DNA of his. Thanos says that he admits that was a mistake and says that it shouldn’t interfere with what they have to talk about today. Thanos suggests a meeting on a prearranged mental plane. He says that all he has to do is blink his eyes to join him. Galactus thinks and Thanos adds that he has nothing to fear from him. Galactus says that he fears nothing.
Galactus closes
his eyes and when he opens them he finds himself joined with
Thanos. Thanos tells Galactus not to be put off by their similar
sizes, and that he thought that this would “greatly
facilitate our communications”. Thanos says that the
telepathic summit will allow Galactus to better consider the
truthfulness of his words. Galactus says that it also assures
Thanos’ continued existence. Thanos says, “Truth and
caution are not necessarily opposing motivations”. Galactus
accepts this and says to get to the point. Thanos tells Galactus
about his alliance with the Rigellians above whom Galactus now
resides. Galactus tells Thanos to tell his friends that their
world is doomed. He says that he has given them enough time to
evacuate. Thanos says that was most gracious and an unusual
gesture for him. Thanos says that he notices that Galactus is
well fed right now and that he isn’t set up right now for
devouring. He asks Galactus what his plan for Rigel-18 is.
Galactus asks how Thanos dares to question him. Thanos says that
he meant no disrespect. He says that Galactus may not have heard,
but that he has changed his ways and become a force for good.
Thanos says that he only asks to see if he could be of some
assistance. He says that Galactus’ cosmic wisdom surely
dwarfs his, but that he possesses some arcane knowledge that
might be useful. Galactus asks what the cost would be, but Thanos
says that the experience would be reward enough. Thanos’
fingers begin to twine around Galactus. He says that he now seeks
to grow through knowledge and that he has realized that the
acquisition of power is a futile pursuit. Galactus says that is
true. Thanos repeats that he is no threat to Galactus. He says
that he is nothing and tells Galactus to trust him. He says to
embrace the dreams and open himself to the possibilities Thanos’
offers. Thanos is now fully wrapped around Galactus. He tells
Galactus to tell him his secrets. Galactus fights. He grows to
his full size and breaks loose of Thanos’ entanglements.
Galactus says that for trying to seduce and violate him that
Thanos will die. He grabs at Thanos, but Thanos is gone when he
opens his hand. Galactus says that of course Thanos wouldn’t
be that easy to kill. He says that Thanos doesn’t realize
the full extent of his scheme yet, but that he knows too much to
be allowed to live.
Moondragon says that Galactus was ready for them and that it makes sense that someone must have tried this in the past. Thanos says that Galactus has shown telepathic skills never shown before. He says that Moondragon is now a liability. Warlock asks the Commissioner if he saw all that. The Commissioner says that it did give them the time to evacuate the planet. Thanos says that Galactus might track him through Moondragon. Moondragon starts to interject, but she steps into a portal on the floor. Thanos thanks her for her help and says goodbye. Warlock says that dismissing Moondragon that way will make it tougher for him to procure her assistance next time. Thanos says that might be true if she had any kind of real life. He says that she “heedlessly jumps at any chance to be involved in celestial matters.” He says that she was just a diversion anyway. He says that the only way they are going to win is by getting at Galactus’ archives and data. Pip says not to worry and that he planted all the bugs where Thanos wanted them. He asks if he has ever let Thanos down. Thanos says, “On numerous occasions.” He says that if it works that he will give him a case of his favorite cigars. Suddenly Thanos notices that Galactus has activated his array and that whatever his plans are that they are about to come to fruition.
Galactus says that the retrieval must occur immediately.
Thanos watches as Galactus taps into the volcanic core of Rigel-18. He sees the unidentifiable energies that are released towards a parabolic transmitter. The energy is being converted into something that Thanos can’t identify. The transmitter lets off a beam directly into the heart of Rigel-18’s sun. The star’s structural integrity begins to alter and its mass increases. Thanos says that Galactus wasn’t kidding about how Rigel-18 was a doomed planet. The entire star system explodes as the sun goes nova. Thanos says that it isn’t for nourishment and that pleasure of destruction isn’t in his nature. Thanos continues to watch as Galactus transports himself into the core of the exploding star. Thanos begins a full spectrum scan of the star. Thanos finds Galactus approaching an interdimensional aberration. Thanos realizes that the unique qualities of the star were the reason Rigel-128 was chosen. Galactus reaches into the portal and pulls something out. Thanos wishes that he had a visual. He gets very high energy readings. Galactus takes his prize and teleports back to his ship. Thanos wonders what it could have been that was worth such an effort.
Galactus stands
holding the skeleton of a man in his hand. On the man’s
breastplate there is a tiny red gem.
Thanos says that he failed to save Rigel-18. Pip tells him not to worry about it. He says that he saved lots of Rigellians and that everyone strikes out occasionally. Thanos says that he isn’t everybody. He says that he doesn’t accept defeat with any sort of grace. He says that this isn’t over.
The glowing yellow eyes and mouth says that is correct. Suddenly it notices that it is being watched. He says that “you” being able to see him most unexpected. He thinks about killing “you”, but decides to take advantage of the unique opportunity and talk to us.
Power Cosmic rating: 9.5 out of 10
The book is in full swing now. The back story on Galactus was outstanding. Galactus is finally made human. The art is outrageous. Especially the scenes with Galactus and Thanos in the mental plane. The second to last page gives a big clue as to what Galactus has been collecting, and the fact that he had four out of the six so far indicates that something is off here. Galactus reaches into another dimension and pulls out a dead man with a gem. It’s not addressed specifically, but the body has to be Mar-Vell.
Review and pictures by The Leader