Introduction to the Galactus Trilogy

Cover of Fantastic Four #48 (1966) by Jack Kirby, with the text “The Coming of Galactus!” and the Watcher and the Fantastic Four surrounded by the public as they all react with apprehension to an unseen threat.

“The Galactus Trilogy” by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby appears in Fantastic Four #48-50 (1966). It introduces the godlike planet-eater Galactus and his cosmic herald the Silver Surfer. It also emblematizes the revolutionary quality of Silver Age Marvel. 1/13 #Galactus #FantasticFour

A page from Fantastic Four #48, in which the Watcher explains that he was using a matter manipulator to try and hide Earth from the Silver Surfer.

In Fantastic Four #48, “The Coming of Galactus!” the FF arrive home following an adventure with the Inhumans. They find the sky filled with fire, then rocks. The Watcher tells them these are efforts to hide Earth from Galactus’ herald, the Silver Surfer. But they fail. 2/13

A page from Fantastic Four #50, in which Galactus battles the Silver Surfer and Reed Richards threatens Galactus with the Ultimate Nullifier.

In FF #49-50, the compassion of Alicia Masters convinces the Silver Surfer to rebel against his master. And the Watcher helps the Human Torch retrieve a device called the Ultimate Nullifier. This threat to end all life in the universe convinces Galactus to leave Earth. 3/13

A page from Fantastic Four #48, in which Kirby uses a photographic collage to try and represent the cosmic threat of Galactus.

The Galactus Trilogy is routinely cited by comics fans, professionals, and academics as the Fantastic Four’s most iconic story and one of the pinnacles of Silver Age superhero comics. This iconicity is located in the story’s artistry, storytelling, impact, and influence. 4/13

Cover of Fantastic Four #3 (1961), in which the team debuts their colourful costumes and the Fantasticar, with cover copy calling it “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine”!

Since their debut in 1961, the Fantastic Four embodied a generally optimistic view of space age technology complicated by elements of anxiety, including the unpredictable effects of the “cosmic rays” (aka radiation) that transformed the team into sometimes-monstrous forms. 5/13

The concluding page of Fantastic Four #1 (1961), in which the team defeats the Mole Man.

Yet at the end of the day (or more specifically, the end of each issue), the FF always found a way to combine their physical powers with Mr. Fantastic’s scientific know how to defeat a variety of Soviet infiltrators, aliens, power-mad supervillains, and monsters. 6/13

A page from Fantastic Four #50, in which Galactus performs cosmic feats that are “unfit for human eyes.”

Galactus was a new type of antagonist, partly through his insurmountable physical power, which far outclasses the FF. But Galactus’ godlike nature also has an aspect of amorality, existing beyond the good vs evil dichotomies that typically inform superhero stories. 7/13

The first on-panel appearance of Galactus, at the end of Fantastic Four #48, in which he declares he will drain the Earth of all sustaining energies.

While Galactus’ attempt to consume the Earth is obviously bad for humanity, Galactus does not view his own actions through any moral lens. He holds no animus toward Earth or its denizens. He is simply required to feed to maintain himself, and he happens to feed on planets. 8/13

A page from Fantastic Four #49, in which the Watcher confronts Galactus, and Reed Richards observes that humanity is of no consequence to them.

Thus, in both the original Galactus Trilogy and subsequent stories revisiting it, Galactus represents both the imminent threat of mass death and an existential threat. Confronting Galactus means facing humanity’s smallness in the face of an unfeeling cosmos. 9/13

A sequence from Fantastic Four #50. After travelling into infinity to collect the Ultimate Nullifier, the Human Torch realizes humans are “just ants.”

In a 1987 interview, Kirby described some of what inspired him to create Galactus: “My inspirations were the fact that I had to make sales and come up with characters that were no longer stereotypes. In other words, I couldn’t depend on gangsters…” 10/13

The cover of Fantastic Four #11, “If this be Doomsday!” depicting the Fantastic Four running from Galactus and the Silver Surfer.

“…For some reason, I went to the Bible, and I came up with Galactus… [Galactus and the Silver Surfer] were figures that had never been used before in comics. They were above mythic figures. And of course they were the first gods.” 11/13

A panel from Fantastic Four #49, in which Galactus assembled his technology atop the Baxter Building, declaring he will strip the planet Earth of all consumable energy to sustain himself.

In 1993, Lee contributed his own spin: “We didn’t want to use the tired old cliche about him wanting to conquer the world… Why not have him not be a really evil person? After all, a demi-god should be beyond mere good and evil. He’d just be (don’t laugh!) hungry.” 12/13

Covers of the stories Silver Surfer: Parable, Marvels, and The Last Galactus Story, which we will discuss in future threads.

In the weeks ahead, we’ll be exploring various artistic & thematic aspects of the Galactus Trilogy, reckoning with its significance and some of the ways we can interpret it. We’ll also be exploring notable retellings by other writers and artists. Stay tuned! 13/13