The Summons

Deep within the cosmos, a Watcher observes an sentient microbe race called the Calishee. He watches as they evolve and become a highly advanced civilization in the matter of moments. Ultimately, the Calishee fall into jealousy and pettiness and wipe themselves out in nuclear war. Moments after the race has wiped itself out, the Watcher teleports away to turn his attention elsewhere…

Sometime later, the Rigellians detect the appearance of the Watcher near the Black Galaxy, home to the bio-verse. Deciding to investigate things further, the aliens send their Recorder robot to investigate and find out what could have piqued the Watcher’s interest. The Recorder soon finds Wundagore II, the massive starship piloted by the High Evolutionary. The Earth born geneticist invites the Recorder in and introduces himself and his assistant Count Tagar to the robot. The Evolutionary explains that he has come to the Black Galaxy in order to examine the cosmic soup that is the bio-verse and use the information gathered to help him birth a brand new race of gods.[1] When the Recorder decides to report this back to his Rigellian masters, the High Evolutionary cuts him down with his eye-beams. He then instructs Tagar to repair and upgrade the Recorder as its highly advanced scanners could assist them in their plans. While the High Evolutionary continues his mad schemes, he is unaware that a Celestial on a nearby planetoid has turned its head to observe his ship.

Meanwhile, the Replicoid — a clone of Thor created by the Celestials — heads toward Earth on an important mission for his masters.[2] As approaches his destination, he is unaware that he is being followed a warrior in a high tech suit of armor. They have an absolute hatred of the Celestials and intends to hunt down the Replicoid and destroy it before it can complete its mission.[3]

On Earth, Eric Masterson is out playing baseball with his son Kevin. The two have a fun time, but as they head back home, the two talk about how Eric’s ex-wife Marcy wants to get full custody of Kevin now. The pair don’t want to be split up and Eric wonders what has changed to make Marcy want to have her son full-time. When they split up, Marcy left Kevin in his care because raising a child didn’t fit with her goals in life.[4] Outside Eric’s apartment they meet with his assistant Susan Austin who reminds Eric that he has a meeting with Jerry Sapristi at a construction site later that morning. When the two head upstairs, Eric peeks inside his apartment and spies Hercules entertaining a bunch of female guests and quickly slams the door and suggests that they all go visit Jerry together.[5]

As the trio go to visit Jerry Sapristi, the Replicoid arrives on Earth and — seeking to get Thor’s attention — assumes the thunder god’s old Sigurd Jarlson, Thor’s former alter-ego.[6] Jerry welcomes “Sigurd” to the site and after an awkward encounter with Eric, the Replicoid departs. Wondering who this impostor is, Eric makes an excuse that he has another appointment and races off to change into Thor. The thunder god catches up with “Sigurd Jarlson” in a neighborhood slated for demolition as part of an urban renewal project. There, the Replicoid reveals its true form and explains that it has been sent by the Celestials to bring both Thor and Hercules back to the Black Galaxy. Before it can explain why, the pair are ambushed by the warrior that followed the Replicoid to Earth. With the weapons built into their sky-cycle to raze the buildings around them to the ground.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Eric Masterson, Stellaris, Recorder, Count Tagar, High Evolutionary, Red Celestial, Replicoid, Susan Austin, Jerry Sapristi

Continuity Notes

1. The High Evolutionary has been obsessed with learning the secrets of the Black Galaxy since he was abducted to this region by the Celestials. See Avengers Annual #17 and Thor #406-408.

2. The Celestials created the Replicoid back in Thor #398.

3. The alien hunting the Replicoid is unidentified here. Her name is revealed to be Stellaris next issue. The reason why she hates the Celestials is apparently they judged against and wiped out her people some time in the past. However, her profile in Annihilation: The Nova Corps Files #1 states that her recollection of events have been called into question.

4. Marcy has been trying to get full custody of Kevin since Thor #392. In Thor #438 it is revealed that Marcy’s motivations were instigated by her new husband Bobby Steele who wanted to adopt Kevin as his own son.

5. Here, Susan mentions the strange dreams she has been having recently. They are of her experiences when enslaved by the alien vampire known as the Dark Dweller. See Thor #416-417.

6. After Thor gave up the ability to change into Don Blake in Thor #339, he had SHIELD create a fake identity for him, that of Sigurd Jarlson in issue #341. Thor all but abandoned this identity in Thor #379 due to neglect. Kevin mentions his previous meeting with Sigurd Jarlson, this was in Thor #392.

Childhood’s End

In the land of Jotunheim, a group of Frost Giants led by Utand chase a wizard named Bellos of the Bold Eye. The sorcerer murdered the Frost Giants’ children in their sleep for some kind of arcane sacrifice. Bellos runs for his life and is pleased when he reaches the so-called Crack of Doom, a huge cut in the ground. There, Bellos explains to his pursers that killing the children was necessary as he needed blood to consecrate something called the Endless Circle. Uninterested in the wizard’s mad ravings, Utand and his fellow giants shove Bellos into the bottomless chasm of the Crack of Doom.

Dismissing the old legends regarding the crack, Utand and his followers are shocked when the ground begins to quake. Moments later, a massive icy hand bursts out from the ground proving that the legends are ture.[1]

Back in the kingdom of Asgard, Odin is well aware of what happened and knows that the Endless Circle will bring about the end of the universe. In fact, this is what the All-Father has planned for all along and gloats over his impending victory to the Grand Vizier whom he has trapped in a small transparent cube. The Vizier pleads with Odin to let him free, but the All-Father refuses. Placing the cube back on his shelf, Odin then leaves his bedchambers to make sure that the Endless Circle completes its course uninterrupted.[2]

Recurring Characters

Odin (possessed by Surtur), Grand Vizier, Utand

Continuity Notes

1. We will learn in Thor #421 that creature emerging from the Crack of Doom is Ymir the first of the Frost Giants. Ol’ Yimmy has been imprisoned since he was defeated by the Avengers in Avengers #61.

2. Odin has foreseen the return of Surtur and Ymir who will bring back the threat of Ragnarok as we’ll see in Thor #425.