CoverGalactus: The Devourer #2
Published by Marvel Comics, Oct. 1999
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"RED SHIFT"

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: John Buscema
Inker: Bill Sienkiewicz
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Letterer: RS & Comicraft
Assistant Editor: Brian Smith
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Editor in Chief: Bob Harras

Original Price: $2.50

History Behind Issue: Continued from Galactus: The Devourer #1, this issue is the first with John Buscema doing the art, as he replaces Jon J. Muth for the rest of this six part mini-series.

Preview by AnotherUniverse.Com: The Devourer of Worlds has gone mad-and Earth's on his menu! The Silver Surfer and Alicia Masters rocket into space to stop Galactus-only to be attacked by the planet eater's latest and deadliest herald: Red Shift! And even if they can defeat him, will they return in time to save our world from becoming a smoking husk?! Find out in the second secret-shattering issue of this cosmic adventure-now penciled by the legendary John Buscema!

Click here to skip spoilers in issue synopsis and go to review.

Issue Synopsis by James "Marvelite" Pedrick:

The story starts with the Silver Surfer and Invisible Woman bringing the wreckage of the alien craft that crashed on earth in the last issue to Pier Four, where the Fantastic Four can analyze it. The Fantastic Four are concerned with getting Mole Man, who escaped last issue, but are more concerned for finding out what the alien who crashed on earth was trying to warn earth’s heroes of.

Meanwhile, Alicia tries to fix one of her sculptures destroyed last issue, but finds she cannot feel anything in her armor and that she cannot get out of it. Later the Silver Surfer comes to see Alicia. She explains that she cannot get out of her armor. The Silver Surfer says a something is quickly heading toward earth, and that Alicia’s armor is protecting her from it.

They both travel to space to see what it is. The Surfer senses a ripple in hyperspace moving toward them like a wave, which hits them and then wraps around them, trapping them. They discover that they are trapped by Red Shift, which is the term for how we perceive light over vast distances.

Red Shift cuts a dimensional rift, using his two cosmic swords, and sends a meteor, which he sent from another place and time, toward them. The Silver Surfer blasts the meteor into small pieces. Red Shift’s energy is very recognizable to him. Red Shift then shows the Surfer an image of Galactus far away and explains that he is his new herald. The Surfer notices that Galactus looks very ill. Red Shift explains that the life force Galactus is consuming is poisoning him, yet he has to devour it in increasing quantities. Red Shift has to find more and more planets for Galactus to devour just to appease his constant hunger and that earth will soon be his stop.

The Silver Surfer attacks Red Shift, by sending a blast his way, but Red Shift deflects it by sending it into one portal and then sending it against Alicia.

Alicia falls back. Her armor begins to dissipate, as she begins to die. Red Shift then cuts another portal, which has a black hole in it. The Surfer responds by creating a force field around him and his dying Alicia Masters, which stops the gravitational force sending them into it. The Silver Surfer then re-energizes the nano-technology that creates Alicia’s armor and sends her on his board back to earth.

With Alicia heading back to earth, the Surfer then shoots a blast toward Red Shift. Red Shift assumes the Surfer aimed a bad shot, but the blast was really meant to create a wave to send Red Shift toward him and then both of them though the portal into the black hole.

Meanwhile, the board stops, leaving Alicia to think the Surfer dead. She then flies back to earth where she warns the Fantastic Four of the coming of Galactus, while the Surfer and Red Shift continue to fight. In the battle, Red Shift claims he serves two masters, who will destroy himself, but that he accepts that fact.

Red Shift then cuts another portal, where he attempts to escape and leave the Silver Surfer forever. The Surfer fights back and attempts to grab the sword from Red Shift’s hand. Using an energy blast, he destroys one sword while grabbing one in his hand. But the portal begins to shrink making it hard for the Surfer to escape. He shrinks his size so he can enter the Microverse and makes it through the closing portal.

Meanwhile, earth’s heroes gather together to form a defense against Galactus, while warning earth’s citizens to stay in their homes. And then the Silver Surfer, back on his board, arrive at earth, just in time for Galactus’s arrival.

 

Review by James "Marvelite" Pedrick:

STORY: The story is excellent. Louise Simonson offers the same excellent dialogue as she did in issue #1. And though I was not a big fan of Alicia being a super heroine, I must admit I am starting to like the developments with her seen in this mini-series. While Alicia hasn’t been able to see before, she can in her armor, but she loses her feelings of touch and her control of the armor is not much. Galactus’s new herald, Red Shift, also shows a lot of potential. And I enjoyed the battle between the Surfer and Red Shift. Both actually used intelligence along with their powers! I’d be willing to give this issue the five star rating.

Art: The art improved with this issue as veteran John Buscema jumps on board for this issue. Though it is different than his style in the 1960's on Silver Surfer Volume 1, it still is great. I’ll give it four stars.

Overall: 4½ stars, this is a good book and the series promises to just keep getting better!

Click here for pictures of Marvelite's favorite and least favorite scenes from Galactus: The Devourer #1!

Continued in issue #3!

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