Fantastic Four has become one of Marvel’s best superhero comics currently being published. The Fantastic Four has become more important than ever with One World Under Doom, helping the Avengers and other heroes go up against Emperor Doom. Doom has made their lives difficult, taking away the powers of the Thing. This could lead to the whole Fantastic Four losing their power, and drives the team into the past of other universes in an attempt to get their powers back. When it doesn’t work, the Thing sends them to the past of Earth-616, and his exposure to the cosmic radiation robs the past Fantastic Four of their powers, changing the timeline. Fantastic Four #32 sees the Valeria Richards try to save the day, her mind somehow thrown into her counterpart in this new Earth. When Valeria wonders how the world was saved without the Fantastic Four, she makes a startling discovery — Franklin Richards has his power and has become Galactus.
While this might be a shock to fans who have only recently started following the Fantastic Four, Galactus and Franklin Richards has been linked in many ways over the years. This version of Franklin is very different than the old version, and his transformation into Galactus is a huge part of the story. This isn’t even the first time that Franklin has become Galactus. With the two of them soon to make their Marvel Cinematic Universe — or with Sue pregnant at least — it’s interesting to take a look back at the history of Franklin and Galactus.
Franklin Often Ends up Related to Galactus in Several Alternate Universe Stories
Earth X is one of Marvel’s greatest alternate universe stories. Taking place in a future where everyone on Earth has gained superpowers, thanks to Black Bolt detonating a Terrigen Mist bomb that activates a special sequence in the genes of humanity. Readers are given a primer on some of the major events of the Fantastic Four’s life, and one of them is the fate of Galactus. Reed Richards ended up transforming the cosmic giant into a star. However, Galactus plays a big role in the ecosystem of the Marvel Universe. There has to be a Galactus, and Franklin Richards takes his place. When the Celestials attack the Earth — Earth X is the story that reveals that the Celestials gave humanity the ability to have superpowers as a protection for the Celestial embryo inside of the Earth — Reed Richards does the only thing he can do. He calls Galactus, but he does it by calling Franklin, which draws Galactus to Earth, as much to kill Celestials, which is Galactus’s main purpose in order to keep them from over-populating, as to learn why Richards called him Franklin. Reed can’t tell him the true reason, because if Franklin stops believing he’s not Galactus, he will transform back into a human, and the universe will be without protection from the Celestials. It’s a heartbreaking moment.
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Another major example of the Franklin/Galactus relationship comes in 2015’s Secret Wars. Doom saved the multiverse from the Incursion, bringing together shards from different Earths. Doom creates his own version of the Fantastic Four, saving Sue Richards, Franklin, and Valeria but allowing Reed to die on their Earth. Using his godlike powers, he makes them believe that he’s their father, and they work together to protect Battleworld. Franklin is usually seen meditating and using his powers in the background of most scenes floating above the palm of Galactus. Franklin’s powers are much like the Power Cosmic, allowing him to do just about all of the same things that Galactus can. While Earth X‘s Galactus/Franklin mash-up is a hero, the one introduced in Fantastic Four #32 is completely the opposite.
This New Galactus Is a True Monster
Valeria was wondering how the Earth had survived without the Fantastic Four, and soon learns the truth. Franklin apparently got to the Earth before she did, but instead of his mind taking over his new body, his powers did. Reed and Sue used their infant god to destroy any enemies of the Earth. This warped the young child, and he eventually transformed himself into the biggest, scariest thing he’s ever dealt with — Galactus. Since then, he’s ruled the Earth with a massive iron fist, mindwiping or killing anyone who he doesn’t like.
Valeria has to figure out a way to stop her brother, which is the gist of the issue. She finds allies she never expected —a married Jean Grey and Namor — and is able to come up with a place that needs to be read to be believed. Valeria is able to outsmart this new Galactus, showing that brains can overcome brawn.
Fantastic Four #32 is on sale now.
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