Fantastic Four #546
Aw, That's Just Crude
With Galactus on the verge of consuming Epoch, the Black Panther and Michael Collins are speeding back to Earth because T'Challa has a countermeasure for Galactus waiting there. En route, T'Challa contacts Taku, his minister of war and tells him he prepare the Galactus Contingency Plan as well as King Solomon's Frogs. When Michael questions if they will be able to get this weapon back before the others are killed, and the Black Panther assures him that he has planned for every contingency.
Light years from Earth, the Fantastic Four witness as the Silver Surfer and Stardust prepare to square off the recently resurrected Gravity, who has just been empowered to be Epoch's protector of the universe. However, the Fantastic Four intervene and Gravity is star struck when he realizes that the Fantastic Four are there. They explain to him that he was dead and his grave had recently been robbed. Gravity is surprised by this but explains that he is some kind of cosmic chrysalis. The Surfer and Stardust tell the heroes to depart while they can as Galactus is about to consume Epoch. Gravity explains to them that he cannot as he has been assigned protector by Epoch and will defend her. When Gravity tries to go to Epoch he is blasted aside by Stardust. Thinking that Gravity was killed, Storm attacks Stardust, seemingly destroying her. But Gravity is still fine, and when Storm goes to confront the Surfer, she discovers that Stardust survived her attack as well.
Meanwhile, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman are spending their second honeymoon on the moon of Titan. They are walking along the beaches of the moon and enjoying it. However, Sue takes the conversation to the equation that Reed was working on to save the world. She has already figured out that there is still more work that Reed needs to do and that Tony Stark no longer needs to be involved. He goes on to tell his wife that while the immediate crisis has passed, much works needs to be done so that good can come out of the recent turn of events. When Sue tells him that he sounds her husband he sounds like Doctor Doom but assures her that they aren't the same. He promises Sue that from now on he won't keep any secrets from her moving forward. They are suddenly interrupted by Titan's world computer ISAAC who tells them a strange object is heading toward Earth. When it asks if they care to investigate, Sue allows Reed to go off and find out what this thing is about but insists on coming along.
Back on Earth, Black Panther and Michael Collins arrive in Wakanda to pick up the device T'Challa plans on using against Galactus. Collins is surprised about the weapon being in a single wooden crate, but Taku explains that the full plan also involves the full Wakandan air force, a shape-shifter, and the cooperation of the Hulk. The Panther also collects King Solomon's Frogs, despite the protests of Taku. The black Panther explains to Michael Collins that it will take too long to travel back to the others and uses the frogs to teleport themselves back to the scene of the battle. At the scene of the battle, both men find that everyone is relatively okay. T'Challa then puts on a rig that allows him to absorb the Surfer's Power Cosmic.
T'Challa then hands the rig over to the Human Torch to use against Stardust while he fights the weakened surfer in hand-to-hand combat. While Stardust is caught off guard, Gravity uses his boosted powers to open an event horizon to send her to another part of the universe. With the heralds accounted for, the heroes notice that Galactus has finished constructing his device atop Epoch's head. With the heralds gone, Gravity attacks Galactus heads on, at full strength his gravitational powers actually recharge Galactus. Brought back to full strength, Galactus decrees that he will not consume Epoch and departs after agreeing not to attack Epoch in the future. Epoch thanks Gravity for helping, but he refuses to become her protector. Since he defended her from Galactus, Epoch agrees to allow Willis to return home to reconnect with his life. After Epoch departs into space to find a new champion. With no ship to return them home, the Black Panther uses King Solomon's Frogs to return to Earth. There, Gravity thanks the Fantastic Four for their help before heading back home to Wisconsin under his own power.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Black Panther, Storm, Human Torch, Thing), Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Gravity, Epoch, Michael Collins, Galactus, SIlver Surfer, Stardust, Taku, ISAAC
Continuity Notes
The device that the Black Panther uses against the Silver Surfer is based on a similar invention created by Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four #57.
This story takes place before the events of Black Panther Vol 4 #27, although the last page of this issue takes place after the first page of Black Panther Volume 4 #27.
