WHAT HAS COME BEFORE: Galactus and Morg have come to Asgard, each intent on consuming the power contained in the Golden Realm. However, while Asgard's greatest warriors started to defend the city, a far greater threat materialized—Infinity! Although Morg lies defeated by the Absorbing Man, Galactus and Infinity prepare to do battle for the fate of Asgard!

“I have never felt such power!” the energy leech comments, with an almost gleeful exuberance, intoxicated on power unlike any he has ever experienced. “The mere physical proximity to Asgard had made this world rich with power and cosmic energy. I am renewed on a level I have never before achieved. Never have I felt so filled with energy…as if nothing could stand in my way.”

“A pity for you, energy addict, that you do have one standing in your way from your mad designs,” the massively powerful Infinity corrects Galactus with a casual comment.  

“You do not understand,” Galactus seeks to explain. “For eons, since my galaxy was destroyed by the cosmic plague, and I was doomed to exist in this form, I have sought such a power stash…one that could keep my needs met…and my hunger sated. If so much can be taken from this world—which was merely in close proximity to Asgard—than how much greater would be the power contained in the consumption of Asgard itself!”

“There is no doubt that much power exists in Asgard,” Infinity responds dryly, watching Galactus continue to shake with the effect of the energy surging through his veins. “But do you think I would allow a mongrel such as yourself—ever seeking a new high, and debasing yourself in the process, murdering and stealing from the rightful owners of those worlds to get your next fix—to claim that energy for your own? Long have I known you to be mad, and this merely confirms my belief.”

“I need not explain myself to you, Infinity,” Galactus returns, defensively and defiantly, self-assured with his renewed energy. “For I am Galactus! This energy I have just consumed, great though it is, merely makes me desire a far greater prize—and, with the power now surging through me, making me far more powerful than I have ever been, no one can stop me.”

“Loki!” Absorbing Man calls out, stepping on Morg's unmoving form. Annoyed, he kicks Morg aside, and the former Galactus herald's body soon disappears into the cosmic darkness.

A moment later, Loki appears before the Absorbing Man. His upper body has some solidity, but it quickly trails off beneath his shoulders, taking a ethereal form beneath his shoulders. “Yes,” Loki responds, waving Creel off. “What doth thou want, Creel?

“What do ya think, Loki?” the Absorbing Man responds in a challenging tone. “Ya brought me up here…”

“Silence thyself, fool!” Loki demands, looking around to insure that no one is within earshot—or (in the case of Heimdall) was otherwise distracted. “Art thou mad?!”

“Damn right I'm mad!” Absorbing Man calls out. “I didn't come here to fight some wimp of a herald! If you don't need me any more, send me home!”

“Thou art a fool!” Loki responds, annoyed at Creel's impatience, and his interference with Loki's plans. “The time is not yet nigh for that plan to reach fruition. ‘Tis bad enough that the unthinking Destructor hath turned ‘gainst my efforts, and battles Thor and the others too soon. I hath neither the time nor the patience for thy wrangling!”

“And I'm sick and tired of twiddling my thumbs up here in never-neverland,” Creel retorts, glaring at Loki's ghostly form. “Either give me some action, or send me back home!”

“I thought thou had plenty of ‘action' last evening,” Loki replies, “with those Asgardian barmaids.”

“Oh yeah,” Creel replies, a smile crossing his face, as his mind harkens back to the night before. “But I'm tired of waiting.”

“Very well,” Loki responds. “I cannot deal with thou causing any more problems here. If thou doth continue running thy mouth, others are bound to hear thy whining.”

“Whining…!” Creel interjects, angered by the suggestion. He swings his ball and chain, but the ball merely goes through Loki's phantom form, harmlessly. “I oughtta…!”

Loki sends out an energy blast at Creel, who suddenly disappears from sight. Loki then materializes fully on the Rainbow Bridge, shaking his head in dismay. “That fool,” Loki silently considers. “Had he waited a while longer, he may have had more wealth than he would be able to imagine. Not that he wouldst know what to do with such wealth…” Loki then lets a sinister smile cross his lips. “Or, perhaps, that he would be alive to spend it thus.”

Destructor sends out a mighty blow that sends Volstagg flying back into the walls of Asgard, where he lands unceremoniously in a puddle, after his girth bounces off the outer walls. “Coward!” Volstagg calls out from the puddle, as his clothes drip with mud and dirty water. “Had I not misstepped, ‘twould be thee in this puddle!”

Speaking of Galactus, we now turn our attention back to the orbit of the planet that was recently consumed by the cosmic instrument of mass genocide. Although they stand just outside of the planetary orbit, Infinity and Galactus can see the swath of destruction on the planet below. Its atmosphere has largely been destroyed, and once flowing rivers and seas are now dried husks, with large cracks along their former surfaces. Aquatic creatures, which once swam in the waters now lie dying along the cracked and muddy dirt.

Loki's ethereal form floats over the scene of Thor's conflict with Destructor, even as Heimdall rushes over to assist the thunder god, if necessary, against their common foe. “Destructor's brainless brawn could be used to my advantage if only it could be properly focused,” Loki silently considers, watching the continuing conflict. “He is a good physical foe for Thor, although he is immune to energy attacks. Had the Surfer fought him physically, the Surfer would have perished quickly. The Surfer himself is no match for Thor. Had I not added my powers to his, and kept him away from Thor's blows*, he might well have had a short career, and Thor sensed this, not even trying to hurt the silver-orbed Zenn-Lavian.”

In the imperial palace, a resounding THOOM! can be heard, as Odin's royal chamber double doors slam outward, his room radiating with power, as the two guards empowered to guard the palace are sent flying forward from the impact of the energy flash.

Even as Balder walks out of his chambers, cured by Odin's power, and Odin prepares to do battle for the fate of Asgard, Thor continues to battle the Destructor. Destructor kicks Thor in the chest, driving him from atop the powerful villain, and sending him flying back.

Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge, shakes and rocks, causing Loki to have to concentrate on keeping his footing…as the powerful Destroyer comes his way. Loki notices his approach, but makes no note of it, knowing that Hogun the Grim is encased in the suit of armor.

---

“Odin!” Infinity comments, his memory returning. “I knew I had reason to know your name.” Below them, on the planet that they are even now hovering over, Galactus has shrunk to a mere twelve feet in height, as energy continues to leak out from his armor. His face is bloody from the blows Infinity inflicted upon him, and he is too stunned to get to his feet. Instead, he falls face-first into a mud puddle, the dirty water splashing his face.

“Aye,” Odin agrees. “That thou do. Thou art but a shadow of me, brought out by Nightmare's mingling with my dreams. Though, even asleep, I did dispatch the villain, the damage was done. I sense that thou hath wrought much destruction since thy return. This pains me.”

“Pains you?” Infinity retorts. “Do you know how it is to be trapped within you, unable to be free from the confines of your existence? That is true pain, and I will not allow you to make me disappear once again.”

“Thy existence should not be,” Odin responds. “Thou art all that is dark within me. With thy power—half of my own—thou couldst well do much damage, and have. I cannot allow thee to reign free, loosing a swath of destruction everywhere thou goest.” So saying, the two grapple, arm in arm, struggling for supremacy, even as energy from their attack lights up the skies around them, and causes scientists light-years away to believe that a new star has formed in the heavens.

As Thor reaches the point of the crater, he sees that three trees are covering the large crater, which is just barely visible from the ground, obscured by the mammoth trees. Thor walks forward, looking towards the crater below. Realizing that it is impossible to see into the crater, he pulls one of the massive trees—weighing several million tons—to one side.

When the tree has been pulled aside, but still lying for as far as the eye can see through the forest, Thor looks down into the crater, seeing the unconscious form of the Destructor. Thor nods with satisfaction, as he enters the crater, content on getting the villain out of the crater and returning to Asgard.

Before he reaches the Destructor, however, the villain slowly opens his eyes, stunned by the sight of Thor. As Thor prepares to strike the villain in the darkness of the crater, his fist merely goes through the villain's form, as the Destructor disappears from sight. Thor uses his hammer's energy to create light, lighting up the entire crater. But, the Destructor is gone. Thor climbs back up from the crater, walking through the dense forest, but can find no sign of the villain.

“He hath disappeared,” Thor comments, taking to the air to return to Asgard. Thor does not see the ethereal form of Loki floating in the treetops around him.

“A pity that I had to teleport the Destructor away,” Loki silently considers. “But the risk of him staying—and perhaps revealing how he came to be here—was far too great.”

“Thou didst seek to consume Asgard,” Odin comments, glaring down at Galactus, as he hovers above the defeated villain. “And thou did also lay waste to a world that I cherished. This must be fixed.” So saying, Odin makes a casual wave of his hand. Galactus' eyes bulge with pain and weakness, as he falls to his knees.

As Odin waves his hand, power surges from Galactus' body, racing back towards the planet he had recently consumed. Soon, the planet has been totally restored to its former beauty by the power Galactus stole, and by Odin. Galactus falls to his hands and knees, his armor falling off of him, as he shrinks to human size.

For the first time in eons, Galactus is human again, though his body shakes from withdrawal pains. He looks up, painfully, at Odin…perhaps seeking mercy, perhaps understanding from the lawgiver of Asgard.

“I understand that thou did claim that I testified on thy defense in a court presided over by the Sh'iar woman, Lilandra,” Odin remarks. “Thou did cloud the minds of the lesser beings present, did thou not?”

Galactus, who is now Galan once again, looks up at Galactus. “You do not understand, how could you understand?” Galactus asks. “The plague…it has made me hunger for power.”

“I know,” Odin responds simply. “Well do I know of thy weakness, and the fact that thou did merge with the plague that consumed thy galaxy. However, thou hath since made a life's existence of lies—claiming to be the brother of Eternity and Death, claiming that I did support thy grand delusions of cosmic purpose…! There is no cosmic purpose in mass genocide, Galactus!”

“My hunger consumed me,” Galactus replies, looking up at Odin, as he tries to get to his feet. “I could not control my urges.”

“Despite thy imagined superiority,” Odin responds sharply, “you would now claim to be a helpless victim. It is of no matter. Thou hath now been freed of the plague, and thy hunger.”

“I still hunger,” Galactus interjects, “but I can't consume.”

“Aye,” Odin replies. “That is right. Nor shall thee again.” Odin gestures towards Galactus. “Thou hath caused much death and destruction o'er the eons that thou hath lived, and ruined the lives of many more in thy wake. Thou hath even clouded the mind of Earth men, such as Reed Richards, to save thee when thou should have instead perished.”

“I cannot perish,” Galactus responds. “I am Galactus.”

“Indeed thou art,” Odin agrees. “And that is why thou must be judged…but not by me.” Galactus looks up, terror suddenly appearing in his eyes. “Some time ago, thou did consume the Skrull throneworld. Since that time, the Skrulls hath lived, scattered across the cosmos.” So saying, Odin transports Galactus across space, where he lands on the new Skrull throneworld, as military officers quickly surround him. “Now, ‘twill be up to the Skrulls, as victims of thy mad quest for power, to exact their punishment on thee.”

A terrified Galactus, now human and unclothed, looks up at his captors, who drag him away. He hears screams from behind him, as others face the Skrulls justice. Even as he is led away, a shadow crosses the ground, covering part of Galactus' face. The shadow is that of the cosmic gallows…and final justice.

EPILOGUE 

However, he turns his attention to the back of the store, located on his left as he enters and walks into the store. It is late at night, and no one else is in the store. Creel is pleased with this. It will make his…shopping that much easier.

With determination, Creel walks through the candy isle, heading straight back for the beer coolers. After a brief inspection of the products available, Creel opens a cooler door, and pulls out a case of Budweiser, letting the door close behind him, as he returns down the candy isle, heading straight up towards the cashier.

When he reaches the cashier, Creel lifts up the case of beer, putting it on the table, even as the cashier looks Creel over, looking back at the sign behind his head that says “Shirts and shoes required for service”. Creel is not wearing a shirt, and has his stripped pants, with black boots on his feet. As Creel looks up, the cashier quickly looks away, trying not to be obvious in his inspection of Creel.

“I need this beer,” Creel comments in his roguish way. “And everything in your cash drawer.”

The cashier involuntarily takes a step back, then a smile crosses his face briefly. He nods in understanding. “Uh, sure,” he replies. “But first, I need your ID for the beer.”

Creel is not amused. Anger burns in his eyes as he looks directly at the cashier, a young man of perhaps 19. “What—are you crazy, or just stupid?!” Creel bellows, placing his powerful hands on each side of the large case of beer. “Let me show you something.” So saying, Creel slants the case, where the handle at the top is pointing towards the cashier, who looks on with some surprise and concern. Creel applies pressure at the sides of the beer case, causing several of the beer cans to explode, showering the cashier with beer, which coats his face, his shirt, his smock, and starts to run down his pants. The lottery ticket case is also showered with beer, as is the wall behind him, and much of the counter.

“Now, do you still want to be funny, boy?” Creel asks, in a contemptuous tone. The cashier, his hands shaking, cannot open the cash drawer fast enough. Though his hands are trembling, he pushes the necessary buttons, and the cash drawer slams out. “Good, boy,” Creel says. “Now, put it in a bag so I can carry it easier.” Then, Creel turns his attention to the case of beer, which is flooded. He tosses it aside, and the cashier has to move out of the way to avoid being hit over the head with the tossed case. “Damn! Now I'm going to have to go get more beer.”

As Creel walks towards the back of the store, the cashier quickly tosses money into a bad, emptying the cash drawer with trembling hands. “Have it ready when I get back, boy,” Creel commands. “I don't have time to play around.”

When Creel comes back, carrying three cases of beer under his right arm, he looks at the cashier, who cautiously offers the bag, filled with bills and change, at the Absorbing Man. “Here…sir,” the cashier offers, trying to control his body's involuntary shaking, which is making his teeth chatter.

“You know what,” Creel comments. “This ain't much money. Give me the lock box too.”

“But, I can't get it out,” the cashier whines, stammering with fear. “It's bolted in.”

“Really?” Creel remarks. “That ain't a problem, is it?” Creel sets down the cases of beer at the foot of the counter, and delivers a powerful punch onto the top of the counter, causing it to split in two, and causing the lottery ticket box and the various tacky displays to fall on both sides of the now destroyed counter. Creel leans in, grabbing the lock box, which he rips out the side of the already destroyed counter. Creel puts the lock box into the bag, and leans over, picking up his beer. He looks over at the cashier, who is soaking wet, and still trembling with fear.

“I guess it was a bad day for business, boy,” Creel says, then turns and walks through the automatic door again, leaving a cowering cashier behind. As Creel walks down the darkened allies, he can hear the distant sounds of police sirens. He lets a slight smile of satisfaction cross his lips, knowing that he'll be long gone before they arrive…not that they could stop him anyway.

THE HAMMER STRIKES!

Welcome, everyone to Thor #13. This culminates in the Infinity/Galactus/Morg storyline, which probably was a surprise to newer readers, but I thought it important to re-establish power levels that have been really ignored for too long. Hopefully, it made for some interesting reading. For now, I'll respond to the comments I've received on #12. 

Though it took me a while to warm up to Jeff's approach on the title, this issue definitely sold me on his vision of the Asgardians.  This is big Kirby-style action in fanfic form, and Jeff's writing definitely sells this aspect well. Plus, # 12 has one of the coolest fight scenes (between the Absorbing Man and Morg) that I've read in quite a while!

Chris Munn

Thanks, Chris. This is what I was shooting for, and I'm glad you liked the Creel/Morg fight scene. I like the larger than life fight scenes the best.