Aboard his spaceship New Wundagore, the High Evolutionary
sends probes throughout the Black Galaxy, hoping to understand its
creator’s purpose. His aide Count Tagar is concerned about the power that might
be unleashed but the High E. is set on creating a new race of gods. A problem has
arisen: the first of his new gods, Nobilus, is mentally unstable and must be
secured with chains as he often fights against his keepers, the New Men. High
E. returns to the lab where another new immortal, a female called Zon who is
much more mentally stable than Nobilus, is raised from the Pool of Knowledge.
And then word comes to the High E. that a ship is heading their way; he orders
the Analyzer sent out to assess the risk….
The ship heading their way is an Avengers Quinjet modified
by Tony Stark to run on the power of Mjolnir. Thor and Hercules are aboard and
they receive a visit from their old friend the Recorder who has been modified
into the Analyzer, who decides to escort Thor and Herc to see the High E….
Back on Earth, Jerry Sapristi stops by to talk to Susan Austin
and meets her sexy new roommate Leena Moran. Susan wonders why Eric Masterson gave
up custody of his son Kevin and then vanished from the face of the Earth. Jerry
thinks he knows why….
The Quinjet is brought aboard the New Wundagore but
no one notices that Stellaris has hitched a ride on the Earth ship and is now
loose aboard the big one, her armor modified for stealth. The High E. invites
his two visitors to dine with him and he introduces his two new immortals, Zon
and Juvan, mankind having been evolved to worship only itself. Then the High E.
learns that one of his probes has discovered the Red Celestial and transmitted
its coordinates before the Celestial destroyed it. And then Stellaris frees
Nobilus; while the New Men try to recapture it, the mad scientist reveals to
Thor that Nobilus was created using cells stolen from Thor himself (in issue #409)
but Thor tells him that he was bewitched by Loki at that time and his cells
would have been infused with evil….
While everyone else is occupied, Tagar goes to the Pool of
Knowledge and immerses himself. He rises greatly evolved and claiming to know
the “final, terrifying answer”….
“The Secret of the Endless Circle!”
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Pencils: Gary Hartle. Inks: Mike
DeCarlo. Colors: Nel Yomtov. Letters: Jim Novak.
Synopsis: The Warriors Three have discovered that Ymir, the
Ice Demon, has returned and intends to destroy Asgard; they decide to return to
Odin to inform him of this development….
Odin reveals to Heimdall the secret of the Endless Circle:
it’s just another name for Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods, heralded by the
destruction of the Rainbow Bridge (which happened in issue #351), Odin’s battle
with Surtur (in issue #400), and Thor’s defeat of the Midgard Serpent (#381),
ending with the destruction of Asgard. Since the first three have recently
happened, it can only be stopped by the defeat of Ymir. Heimdall summons the
warriors to battle and rides out. Odin reacts with a surprisingly demonic laugh….