Galactus Confirmed?

BY MATT TUCK

The Devourer of Worlds is coming to the MCU, and The Eternals’ screenwriters all but confirmed it in a recent interview.

It would seem that Marvel Studios is paving the way for Galactus, and the latest news may be the most direct reference to his arrival yet. Speaking with The Direct, Eternals writers Ryan and Kaz Firpo were asked about the fan speculation, to which Kaz replied, “Galactus is an amazing, amazing character and villain. We are, you know, obviously setting the stage for intergalactic, cosmic, megalith confrontations, especially when you kill a space god. And then the space god comes and kidnaps you and plans to judge Earth, I think the door is very much open for world-eating villains.”

Does this mean we will see Galactus in an Eternals sequel? Possibly, but Kaz Firpo explained to The Direct that it’s still too early to see. “There’s definitely conversations about these post-credits sequences, about who we’re introducing, where we’re going. Galactus is one of those iconic figures of the Marvel Universe that we’re excited to see. But sometimes I think you leave yourself open, you leave these doors open, and who knows what’s happening in number two?”

Adding Galactus to the Eternals franchise is counterintuitive to most fan theories. The character has long been established as a Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer villain, and most comic fans assumed he would appear alongside those faces. The thing is, we’ve seen that already. Fox introduced Galactus as a cosmic cloud in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Marvel typically doesn’t like to rehash previous ideas - Spider-Man: No Way Home being the exception - so it would fit the mold for Galactus to appear outside the FF to give the concept a fresh coat of paint.

THE LOKI REFERENCE

Kaz Firpo’s comments will add fuel to a blazing fire for those Galactus keys. It started in the summer when the fifth episode of Loki quite possibly introduced the Power Cosmic to the MCU. With so much happening in the cinematic world of superheroes, July feels like ancient history. If you recall, that episode featured Loki travelling to the Void. He ran across one Easter egg after another, including the Thanoscopter, but many fans missed the bigger connection.

The name “the Void” is the dark force that gives Sentry his immense power. It manifests itself as one of his personalities, and Sentry must battle it for dominance in his mind. But there’s more to the story. During Dark Reign, it was revealed that the Void’s actual name is Galactus. That leads me to believe that Loki’s Void is connected to the Power Cosmic and the World Eater.

WHAT IF…?

Months later, What If…? made a more direct allusion to Galactus. 

When the Infinity Stone-powered Ultron discovered the Watcher, their battle raged across time and space. Eventually, Ultron steals Uatu’s gimmick and appears as a giant face in the sky. The view then panned out to the cosmos, and Ultron opened wide as if to consume the galaxy. In doing this, his face was framed by his helmet, giving Ultron the distinct look of Galactus and his giant purple helm. 

Nothing else Galactus-related came from the What If…? Easter egg, but it was a huge moment for the character’s longtime fans. Add that to the Void in Loki and now Kaz Firpo’s comments, and it is painting a picture of Galactus looming over the MCU. 

THE KEYS

With so many World Eater references this year, there is no doubt that Marvel Studios is planting the seeds for Galactus to arrive in all his CGI glory. If you don’t have your Galactus keys, it is time to go shopping. Lucky for you, there is more to his history than just the holy grails.

FANTASTIC FOUR #48

Speaking of holy grails, this has long been one of the most sacred among Silver Age Marvel collectors. Why would it not? FF #48 marks the beginning of two of the company’s most popular characters, Silver Surfer and Galactus. These two are forever connected, and it is hard to imagine one appearing without the other. Whether it’s Eternals or the Fantastic Four or another franchise entirely, if we see Galactus, then we can expect Silver Surfer as well. With all the rumors and innuendo, that makes this an even more important key issue for the future of the MCU.

On Halloween, a 2.0 sold for a record $1,450, and another brought $1,200 on November 7. The same day, a 4.5 netted $2,407.

FANTASTIC FOUR #49

While FF #49 is not on par with #48 in terms of FMV, it is reaching holy grail status all the same. This comic is the exception to the rule for first appearances. In many cases, the first cover appearance overshadows the character’s in-story debut. Here, you have both Silver Surfer and Galactus in their cover premieres, not to mention it’s the first full appearance of the Devourer of Worlds. Still, it is a distant second to FF #48 in terms of price tags.

At one point, this issue was the consolation prize to collectors without an FF #48. While it is still the cheaper of the pair, the rising values have escalated this to bordering on holy grail territory. Take the 6.0. Two years ago, it averaged $650, and it showed a modest increase to $727 in 2020. This year, it’s been a much different story. That same 6.0 has an FMV of $1,800 for the past 12 months, and it has sold for a high of $2,880. Most recently, one brought $2,000 on November 4.

THOR #160

This could be a hidden gem. While all the attention will be on collecting the aforementioned holy grails of the Galactus Trilogy, Thor #160 may provide the basis for Galactus entering the MCU. In this issue, the World Eater is on the hunt for Ego, the Living Planet. Considering that Galactus eats planets and Ego is a planet, these two would appear destined for a showdown. Of course, the MCU’s Ego died in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but this is Marvel; characters only stay dead for as long as the story calls for it.

There hasn’t been much action for Thor #160, but that is good news for buyers. The only graded copy to sell this month has been the 4.5 when it brought $120 on November 8. Earlier this week, a raw copy that was advertised as “very fine” hit $295.

THOR #169

The connection between Thor and Galactus has come full circle as of late. When Donny Cates took over writing duties for Thor, he established the God of Thunder as a herald of the Devourer of Worlds for a short time. The two had a shaky alliance that lasted until Galactus was killed by Black Winter, which was first established as the Creeping Plague in this issue. 

The other reason to collect Thor #169 is it continued the story of Galactus’ origin. After delving into the character’s past from Thor #161-162, this comic gave readers their first look at him before he gained the Power Cosmic. It tells the story of the scientist, Galan, and how he essentially became a cosmic god.

After Eternals, Thor #169 is becoming increasingly popular among collectors. Several raw copies have been bought and sold on eBay, though most are earning in the $40-$60 range. A graded 6.5 was purchased for $260 on November 9. 

THE COMING OF...GALACTUS

By logic, the World Eater is on a path of destruction into the Multiverse. Will he be the next Thanos-level threat to the MCU? Only Kevin Feige knows for sure, but there is no denying the sheer impact Galactus would have on movie audiences. After seeing how impressive Arishem looked in Eternals, the studio could do wonders with a character as awe-inspiring as Galactus. At this point, it seems like a given that he will be in the MCU in the future.

Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is a professional writer, avid comic collector, former teacher, and an international man of mystery. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog, or on Instagram at matt.tuck.writer.