Aboard the New Wundagore, Nobilus, the first of the
New Immortals, is going on a rampage, easily defeating all of the New Men who
comes against him. The High Evolutionary asks Thor to subdue Nobilus, as he was
created from tissue samples stolen from the Thunder God, though tainted with evil.
As the two battle, Stellaris, who had released Nobilus to provide a distraction
while she searched the ship’s databases, decides that things are getting too
out of control. She armors up, grabs Nobilus and flies out of the ship,
smashing a hole in the bulkhead. Thor creates a whirlwind to stop the New Men
from being sucked out into space and then seals the breach….
High E. is curious about the Red Celestial, assuming it is
readying for some critical experiment; they must also assume that Stellaris,
intent on destroying the Celestial, discovered its location from the ship’s database.
Thor and Hercules, accompanied by Juvan and the Analyzer depart by Quinjet to
question the Celestial. The evolved Count Tagar approaches High E. with some
surprising information….
Sif, Leir, and Caber arrive on Earth via portal (from issue
#418), searching for Thor, who is urgently needed back in Asgard as the place
is under attack from Ymir. Leir destroys a cab which he mistakes for a
predator, eating a victim (the cabbie), who is only mollified by a payout in
gold. The three visitors adopt human appearances and head to the apartment of Eric
Masterson, whom Sif knows to have been merged with Thor, and surprise
Susan
Austin and Jackie Lukus….
The Rigellians detect the presence of a Watcher and the next
developments cause them to abandon their colony world and flee into space. Thor
and company land on the planet where Stellaris and Nobilus are already in
hiding, watching as the Red Celestial builds the armor for a new Celestial
around a white sphere, using a multitude of floating containers around them.
Thor tries to talk to the Red Celestial but Hercules is absorbed into one of the
containers being used to construct the new Celestial. Thor now sees it was a trap
to recapture Herc. Thor tries to break open the structure but the Red Celestial
blasts him, separating Thor and Eric Masterson….
Back aboard the ship, Tagar tells the High E. what is
happening: the Black Galaxy is a giant brain and, as more Celestials arrive on
the scene, it seems that the High Evolutionary has been brought there to
witness the birth of a new Celestial….
“If Defeat Should Come”
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Pencils: Gary Hartle. Inks: Mike DeCarlo.
Colors: Nel Yomtov. Letters: Clem Robertson.
Synopsis: The warriors of Asgard are called to arms to
battle Ymir the ice Demon. One soldier, Arko, says farewell to his pregnant
wife Deilla and joins his comrades on the artillery battery. Heimdall calls to
them to wait until the warriors luring Ymir into the trap are safe. It is the
Warriors Three, and once they are inside the city, Ymir is bombarded with flame
missiles. But the monster is impervious to fire, hurling back rocks to destroy
the cannons. Arko is wounded and rescued by Balder but fears the city is doomed….
Odin frees the Grand Vizier from his crystal prison and
reveals to him his true purpose and visage….