Hey everybody, welcome to another week right here in Ye Olde School Café! This week we’ll continue with part two of the great tale, Thor: The Black Galaxy Saga! Last week, we saw the groundwork laid as Thor and Hercules battled a menace from space called The Stalker. Now, this week, we will see another epic battle with a number of foes imbued with Asgardian power! Also, we’ll check in on the High Evolutionary out in space, and see what he’s up to!
As the next chapter begins, we see the mighty Hercules having a nightmare about the time the Wrecking Crew nearly beat him to death. He is awakened by Eric Masterson and told he’s only dreaming. Hercules then explains to Eric about that tale, and then how he had to face the High Evolutionary. You see, during that story, Hercules was transformed into a god-like state that made him one with the Black Galaxy. After returning to his normal self, he seems to be lacking his guts. For a superhero to show fear is something that unnerves him to the core. The conversation ends, and then Eric has to put his son Kevin back to bed.
The scene then switches to a barren road in Colorado, where a transportation vehicle is suddenly under attack. The perpetrators are Thunderball, Piledriver, and Bulldozer of the Wrecking Crew. The inhabitants of the vehicle are none other than The Wrecker and Ulik (from Asgard). It doesn’t take long for the group to decide that Hercules is going to be their first victim. They start to deliver a pounding to Herc, but then Eric hears it and drives his cane into the ground, bringing forth the god of thunder himself! Thor sees that Hercules has taken a beating already, but also realizes that his friend needs to feel some real emotions to get himself back into the swing of things. Thor then allows the Wrecker and his crew to beat him down pretty good. As Hercules watches, he becomes overcome with emotion, and then begins to revert back to his old self. He lays an epic beating on the entire Wrecking Crew in a matter of minutes while Thor watches his friend return to the appropriately nick-named Lion of Olympus!
Next, we see a Watcher doing his duty, as we see a world that is light years away from this one. He watches as a world lives, then dies, and that is all he can do. There is also another presence out in the depths of space, and his name is the High Evolutionary! He and his partner, Count Tagar, are near the colony of Rigel, so the Rigellians sent their artificial life form, the Recorder, to investigate. The Evolutionary informs the Recorder that he intends to use the Black Galaxy (a living bioverse) to create a new race of gods. Upon hearing this, the Recorder tries to leave to inform its masters of this plan. The Evolutionary has other plans, though, and uses his powers to stop him. He tells Count Tagar that he’ll use the robot to help his cause after some “reprogramming.” At about this same time, a noble looking, blonde haired figure zips through the spaceways heading for Earth. Suddenly, an evil, helmeted assassin targets the unknowing figure, but then loses him in an asteroid field.
Back on Earth, we watch as Eric Masterson plays baseball with his son Kevin. You see, Eric is in the middle of a divorce, and at first his wife wanted nothing to do with her son, but now all of a sudden she wants custody. The life Eric leads is one that is very strenuous because of his day job, and also being merged with Thor, as well! Not to mention the fact that now Hercules is back to his old whoring ways again! All this is leading to heartbreak for Eric, but let’s stay on task for right now. That blonde-haired figure has finally made its way to Earth and immediately seeks out Thor. Thor confronts this mirror image of himself, and is stunned to find out that it is none other than the Replicoid (an emissary of the Celestials from back in Thor #389). He tells Thor that the Celestials have demanded that he and Hercules return to the Black Galaxy immediately. Thor tells the impostor that he isn’t going to do it, but before the Replicoid can respond, a blast from above flattens both of them. As this same unknown person that almost blasted the Replicoid out in space swoops in for another shot, Thor is left wondering just who this new and powerful enemy is!
Well, that’s it for now, but be right back here next week for more action! Will this new villain destroy the mighty Thor and the Replicoid? Will Hercules travel back to the universe that mentally scarred him? Tune in next week to find out!
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net