FANTASTIC FOUR versus EGO
Four Against Ego! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #235 When: October 1981
Why: John Byrne How: John Byrne
The Story So Far...
A peaceful day is violently interrupted by sudden tremors rippling across the entire planet! Brilliant scientist Reed Richards quickly deduces an unnatural force is enacting its will upon the Earth from beyond the atmosphere!
Where: Fantastic Four #235 When: October 1981
Why: John Byrne How: John Byrne
The Story So Far...
A peaceful day is violently interrupted by sudden tremors rippling across the entire planet! Brilliant scientist Reed Richards quickly deduces an unnatural force is enacting its will upon the Earth from beyond the atmosphere!
Without a second thought the Fantastic Four rocket into space to confront this newest threat! Navigating long, decaying tendrils they discover the horror beyond that shakes their very world to its core: Ego - The Living Planet!
With the roar of a "grinding" world Ego booms his ominous warning: He has followed a trail of dead worlds in search of his enemy. It has brought him to the "third planet" and now he means to destroy it -- and all of its inhabitants!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Ego 7 (Omnipotent)Intelligence: Ego 6 (Genius)
Speed: Human Torch 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ego 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Invisible Woman 4 (Trained)
Energy: Ego 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Ego 38 (Cosmic)
The Fantastic Four are: Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch and Thing.
Collectively they're the stars of the World's Greatest Comics Magazine! The first family of Marvel Comics! The beginning of the modern Marvel Universe, and a jewel in the comic book crown! The Fantastic Four have traversed the weirdest frontiers of space and reality -- but can even they overcome an entire planet?!
Ego, The Living Planet is exactly what the name suggests!
Globe given form: Ego is a sentient entity in control of equivalent phenomena we associate with other known astronomical planetary bodies.
Ego can terraform his surface to create a multitude of environments, as well as manipulating the elements that command them, such as electro-magnetic and gravitational pull. Avoiding Ego simply isn't an option once you enter his gravity!
Consider the deadly peril humanity faces from extreme environments found on our own planet: Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, lightning strikes, gas emissions, mudslides, freezing cold, searing heat -- you name it! If you thought climate change was a scary concept, just imagine the world has a mind of its own - and it really is out to get you!
Ego personifies by generating a massive humanoid face on his surface, but also possesses psionic capabilities that allow him direct access to the minds of those who dwell upon him. His consciousness is facilitated by massive internal organs, namely a gigantic brain housed deep beneath his surface.
Like other living things; Ego can defend himself from foreign infection with "Anti-Bodies" that manifest as humanoid creatures. If he uses more energy than his planetary body can sustain, Ego is also capable of absorbing it from sentient life on his surface, or surrounding ambient sources. He can also traverse space thanks to a giant engine attached to his south pole by arch-nemesis: Galactus!
This confluence of planetary powers has been enough to cause nightmares for the likes of Thor, Silver Surfer, Iron Man, Beta Ray Bill, Nova, and more!
The FF are famous for taking on some of the biggest super-heavyweight threats in comic book history! They've told Galactus to go eat worms; turned the tides against Namor and Atlantis; forced Mole Man and his subterranean hordes back underground; and even given Doctor Doom plenty to think hard about!
In Fantastic Four #358, we saw the FF overcome significant cosmic odds when they defeated Paibok the Power Skrull, and a legion of Skrull soldiers! Not quite the combined might of an entire planetary body -- but still a sizeable chunk of an inter-galactic empire who was beaten on their own imperial ship!
Individually, the members of the Fantastic Four are among our highest ranked combatants: Mr. Fantastic and Thing currently round out the Top 10 at numbers 9 and 10. Their comrades aren't far behind with Invisible Woman at a very respectable #12, and the Human Torch at #14!
Mister Fantastic ranks among Marvel's most brilliant minds, and that's always a key asset when the FF take on dangers from outer space! Invisible Woman's force-fields make her an asset against the unknown, keeping distance from volatile elements, and trapping oxygen if needed. Thing's phenomenal durability and strength will no doubt come in handy against Ego. The Human Torch is an ace in the hole against the organic Living Planet.
How do they beat Ego? The variables are a vast many, but the easy answer is always some kind of technical gizmo cooked up by Mr. Fantastic. There's also the remote potentials for cosmic intervention from the FF's allies, such as Uatu The Watcher, who helped them drive Galactus from the Earth.
The odds are arguably against them, but the Fantastic Four have an uncanny knack for defying even the most overwhelming force. Let's quit the guessing game and find out what happened when they faced The Living Planet!
The Tape: Fantastic Four Ranking: Mister Fantastic (#9)
What Went Down...
Invisible Girl is able to deflect the brunt of a devastating force beam suddenly fired from one of Ego's "eyes"! The Living Planet has come to the Milky Way in search of his nemesis Galactus - and now he means to destroy the one planet that escaped The Devourer of Worlds' cosmic consumption!
Some of the awesome energy still manages to smash against the Fantastic Four's vessel! It costs them artificial gravity - as well as their orientation beyond Ego's surface! The FF are going down - and fast!
While The Thing desperately applies his skills as a pilot to level the ship's sinking trajectory; Human Torch escapes in a streaking blaze to scorch Ego's bizarre surface. He's their only hope of creating something approximating a runway!
Their incredible landing brings the Fantastic Four upon Ego's strange land. Over the horizon - a gargantuan feat of engineering: the propulsion engine that allows Ego to travel through space! The strangely familiar tech becomes their target as Mr. Fantastic desperately devises a means to stay Earth's grim fate!
An uncanny psychic blast diverts the foursome from their desperate mission. Human Torch is able to catch his sister and brother-in-law, but the rocky Thing plummets from his sky-cycle like a rock! He's unfazed by the crash-landing, but Ego quickly spawns living Anti-Bodies to swarm and attack!
Thing scatters the Anti-Bodies like skittles with a thrust from his mighty limbs!
Meanwhile, Invisible Girl quickly discovers translucency is meaningless when the very world she walks is her enemy! A quick adjustment in tactics launches her out of reach of the threat thanks to a rising force-field!
The Anti-Bodies crowd around the column-like platform, smashing against its invisible sides. Their clustered proximity allows Mister Fantastic to surround them with his stretchable body - and fling the creatures into outer space!
Before Ego can manifest more defense, the FF scrambled for the gigantic propulsion engine -- an inorganic addition to Ego that will not spawn any more attacks. A perimeter of flame buys them time, but thousands of Anti-Bodies continue to plough into the fire in an effort to reach them!
Meteor-like shards of bone rain upon the foursome as they remove part of the inner workings of the engine. Recognizing Galactus' technology, Mister Fantastic has a plan. Sue Storm's force-field protects them from projectiles, and carries three of the four into a nearby pore that takes them beneath the surface!
Their journey beneath the surface of The Living Planet brings the Fantastic Four to what appears to be a brain!
Reed Richards means to detonate a power pack removed from Ego's engine, but the pressure of the inner chamber is insufficient to be anywhere near the planet's core. Though there emits a "psychic stimulation" -- Mister Fantastic detects a decoy! Human Torch burns it and Ego is heard roaring with anger!
The heat and pressure build as the Fantastic Four journey deeper towards the centre of the planet! Remarkably, Reed Richards's malleable rubber-like body is the first to succumb to the mounting force. More sensitive to the pressure, he is to weak to lead his teammates further - forced to remain behind!
An hour later, the mounting heat and pressure are making it hard for the Invisible Girl to catch her breath. Despite the struggle, she is determined to accompany her allies -- fearful they may have need of her force-fields!
The Thing isn't buying it, though. He and The Human Torch are uniquely suited to handle the heat. Knowing she cannot resist, Thing scoops Invisible Girl into his arms and launches her back toward the recovery of a cooler area!
Before long, even The Human Torch is struggling to think clearly. With the pressure mounting, he has no choice to bid his old friend farewell. The entirety of their mission now literally resting on the shoulders of The Thing!
Even the mighty Thing finds himself struggling as he ventures ever deeper into Ego's planetary core. He wants to stop, but he dare not! So deep beneath the surface, the great hero has no way of knowing how close the Earth is to peril!
Pressing on The Thing is confronted by an image shocking enough to stop him in his tracks even after all he has seen! Before him: the gigantic, moon-sized neural network that is Ego's one true brain!
Without warning, images of the cosmos wash over Ben Grimm. Psychic flashes offering insight into Ego's past!
His travels through space, encounter with Thor, and the brief inhabitance of The Wanderers upon his body's surface. Events that drove The Living Planet mad, and led Thor to stand with Galactus when attaching a propulsion engine to his surface. It was meant to send him to the darkest corners of reality, but instead powers Ego's mad lust for vengeance.
Thing strains to hurl the volatile power cell at Ego's vulnerable brain - but misses! It hardly matters to Ego, however. The close call sends him into a rage, activating his south pole engine to plot a course for Earth's final doom!
Only - the engine is left half-powered. Ego's trajectory becomes an arc, sending him dangerously in the direction of the Sun!
Time spent travelling through deep-space has deprived Ego of much energy. His surface stinks of decay, and in the clutches of solar embrace -- he cannot resist the gravitational pull! The Living Planet is being torn apart!
Trapped deep within Ego's core - Thing's fate is no longer his to control, but all is not lost! The loss of planetary integrity is a blessing in disguise for the hero!
As Ego is torn asunder - Thing is expelled with the stuff of The Living Planet's very being! The incredible forces leave him stunned, but the Fantastic Four have already escaped the planet, and can see their courageous friend!
A final daring flirtation with death sees their rocket arc precisely toward the mayhem. Just close enough to rescue their unconscious friend without being sucked into the carnage of Ego's defeat!
The Hammer...Aaaaand exhale! For a second there I thought I was about to run out of oxygen! Dare I say it? A space epic worthy of Stan & Jack?
I don't think I'm blazing a trail in rating Fantastic Four #235 a classic issue! It's one of many memorable adventures from John Byrne's storied association with the characters. The kind of story that almost makes me think of Ego as a Fantastic Four villain -- even though he technically belongs to the Thor camp.
If you read this week's Hero of the Week: you already know Ego will be causing trouble for Star-Lord and The Guardians of the Galaxy when Guardians Volume 2 hits theatres, May 5th!
To celebrate the occasion, we're getting the drop on the space action a month early! Battles throughout April will all feature the cosmic exploits of characters starring in the movie -- and plenty who aren't, too!
Case in point: When I heard Ego was going to be bad guy in the movie, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to break this story out! It's a great representation of what Ego is like in the comics, but it was also a nice opportunity to revisit the erstwhile Fantastic Four.
It's kind of unbelievable to think we're living in a time when the FF aren't part of the Marvel landscape! Sure, Human Torch and Thing are floating around the mish-mash of Avengers, and other degrading brands, but the bona fide "World's Greatest Comics Magazine" hasn't been in print for around two years!
Between dodgy runs in the late 2000s, and total inactivity, it's disheartening to think the joys of Marvel's "First Family" may be lost on a new generation of fans. Particularly as properties like the modern day Guardians of the Galaxy arguably owe a lot of their cosmic comedy, and family dysfunction, to the FF.
Back in The Tape section, we posed the question: Can even the Fantastic Four beat an entire planet? Our answer appears to be: kinda...
Thing was already minted as the beating heart of the Fantastic Four, but I tend to think of the early eighties as a time that really reinforced him as the never-say-die, courage-under-fire hero we all know and love.
In 1982, Thing makes one of his all-time famous final stands against Champion of the Universe in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 [see also; Champion vs Thor].
I tend to think of today's feature fight as being a companion, but it's interesting to note that, although Thing completes the trek to Ego's core, and delivers the destructive payload: he doesn't actually succeed in hitting the target!
We like to spend time on The Comic Book Fight Club debating and defining the terms of victory. That's what shapes our world famous character rankings!
It was actually the mere removal of the would-be explosive power pack (from Ego's propulsion unit) that was his ultimate undoing! It meant only half of the unit was firing, and his trajectory arced unevenly into the sun!
That means Mister Fantastic and Thing played the most pivotal role in defeating Ego, but they couldn't have done it without Invisible Woman and Human Torch helping fight back the defenses of The Living Planet. In other words, if you're here for a result, you can count the entire Fantastic Four as shared winners!
It's interesting to ponder how the story may've unfolded if it were written today.
I wouldn't question John Byrne's grasp of the classic Fantastic Four. His story feels appropriately tinged in the hues and sci-fi trappings of early FF adventures, courting those Lee & Kirby comparisons I mentioned earlier.
I do, however, wonder if super-malleable Mister Fantastic would be the first to succumb to the immense pressures inside Ego. One might suspect he could handle the effects better than the rest of his team. Then there's Invisible Woman, who doesn't appear to be using her force-fields to any great advantage. Her steely resolve is undermined by the stresses of heat, but it's a thought.
Oh, and if you're wondering -- don't worry! Ego isn't completely destroyed by the encounter! He was back a few years later to take on Rom and The Spaceknights. I'm sure we'll revisit The Living Planet some time in the future.
If you're missing the Fantastic Four as much as the rest of us, you can always dive into the Secret Archive to go straight to many more battles starring the team! You should also follow links littered throughout this post (or below) to discover more from characters and creators!
Want to read this battle in its entirety for yourself? You can pick it up in collected edition via the Amazon link provided [right]! Doing so helps support the site at no extra cost and ensures the wars remain infinite! You can also follow, like & share daily fight links on Facebook and Twitter!
Winners: Fantastic Four
#9 (--) Mister Fantastic
#10 (--) Thing
#11 (+1) Invisible Woman
#13 (+1) Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
#836 (new) Ego (The Living Planet)
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