Fantastic Four #522
Rising Storm: Part 3
With his powers swapped with his sister, Johnny Storm was forcibly made a Herald of Galactus in order to seek out worlds that are invisible to Galactus. Along the way, Johnny attempts to appear to Galactus by trying to see if there is any humanity left in him. Johnny recounts how Galactus was one a mere mortal named Galan from the planet Taa, a world that was in its death throes during the collapse of the previous universe. Johnny talks about Galan and a brave crew flew through space toward a collapsing star even as their universe began to collapse, unwilling to succumb while the mysteries of the universe still remain unanswered. Johnny draws parallels to Galan's final flight to the flight that birthed the Fantastic Four. Johnny then recalls how the Sentience of the Universe saved Galan and transformed him into a being of great power that will be a fundamental foundation of the new universe. Eons later Galan was reborn in a new universe and then went into gestation for centuries before he emerged as Galactus.
Johnny finishes his tale by pointing out that after five billion years Galactus has lost touch with his humanity. When Johnny suggests that Galactus explore this side of himself he lashes out at Johnny. Suddenly he is rescued by the rest of the Fantastic Four and their ally Quasar. While Quasar fends off Galactus, Johnny is reunited with his friends. With his Power Cosmic, Johnny is able to see into the fundamental essence of his teammates and is completely blown away by the embodiment they see there. However before he can communicate this, Quasar is blasted back by Galactus. With Galactus about to consume the planet below them, Johnny tells them to stall Galactus. While Sue, Ben, and Quasar damage the equipment Galactus needs to consume the Earth, Johnny devises a device that will channel the Power Cosmic given to Johnny back into Galactus. While Quasar uses his Quantum Bands to create the ion converter they need. In the meantime, Galactus lands his ship on the planet's surface.
However before Galactus can consume the planet, Johnny channels all his cosmic power into the Ion Cannon which in turn fires upon Galactus. Suddenly Galactus' armor collapses to the ground, and Johnny is restored to normal. As the Fantastic Four recover from the battle, they are shocked when Galan emerges from the empty armor of Galactus.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Quasar, Galactus
Continuity Notes
Johnny recaps the origin of Galactus as it was originally told in Thor #169 and Super-Villain Classic #1. It is further expanded upon in Ultimates Vol 2 #2.
Johnny mentions how Galactus has lost touch with his former humanity. This is not entirely true as Galactus was briefly reverted back to Galan once previously, as seen in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #10-12. However at the end of that story Reed erased everyone's memories of events with the Cosmic Cube, as such Johnny would not recall these past events.
