Fantastic Treasury

The first comic book I remember perusing was Marvel Treasury Edition #2 (1974). It must have been a gift from my parents. Starring the fabulous Fantastic Four, the oversized publication reprinted the team's early encounters with Dr. Doom, Sub-Mariner, the Impossible Man, Silver Surfer, Galactus, and the Watcher. I was just starting to read at the time, however, and had a hard following the stories collected inside. Even so, the visuals introduced me to some science fiction themes and two foundational members of the Defenders.

Aligning with Galactus

Charged with saving the life of Galactus, Mr. Fantastic found himself on trial in an extraterrestrial court room (Fantastic Four #262). In his defense, Mr. Fantastic made an appeal to alignment, more ore less. Because there is order in the universe, he argued, Galactus must be part of that order and therefore is truly Neutral. If that is the case, Galactus' actions as a devourer of worlds are not Evil but part of some greater Good. With the Watcher as defense counsel, Odin testified on behalf of Mr. Fantastic, comparing Galactus to a natural force like a super-nova or the solar wind.

I have a hard time seeing Galactus as Neutral in this way. It was Silver Surfer, a former herald of Galactus, who discovered that Mr. Fantastic was apprehended (#261). Silver Surfer could not attend the trial, however. As the Surfer reminded Invisible Girl more than once, he remained trapped on Earth due to the will of Galactus.

I could understand of Mr. Fantastic had argued that all sentient beings, including Galactus, have a right to live. But Silver Surfer's own words would contradict an interpretation of Galactus as naturally Neutral.

Lawful Good	Neutral Good	Chaotic Good
Lawful Neutral	True Neutral	Chaotic Neutral
Lawful Evil	Neutral Evil	Chaotic Evil

This page comes from Fantastic Four #261 (Dec. 1983).

The Return of Over-Mind

Upon the destruction of their homeworld (a.k.a. Earth-S), the surviving members of the Squadron Supreme escaped to the dimension where most of Marvel's superhero comics take place.

The Squadron's arrival had an unusual effect on Over-Mind, who had once enslaved the team (Defenders #113).

Although six psychics collectively known as the Chorus had subdued Over-Mind, he returned to his original personality of the warlord Grom and soon regained mental control of the Squadron Supreme (Quasar #13-14).

The mysterious Stranger, a former enemy of Over-Mind, intervened to stop the powerful foe yet again. Numerous members of the Watchers witnessed the battle, as did the admittedly outclassed hero called Quasar (#15-16).

Mark Gruenwald wrote Quasar #13-16 (August-November 1990). Mike Manley penciled those issues.

True Neutral: Libra

The old-school Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide described True Neutral not as an alignment of detachment (characteristic of Uatu the Watcher) but rather as an alignment that actively enforced balance between opposing sides. Libra from the android version of the Zodiac embodied this take on True Neutral.

Morally complex, Libra closely observed the well-matched battle between the villainous Zodiac and the heroic non-team to evaluate whether his intervention was necessary (Defenders #50).

Later, when a television documentary prompted numerous heroes to temporarily join the Defenders, Libra sensed an imbalance between the scales of law-and-order and chaos. To restore the equilibrium, Libra joined teammate Sagittarius in recruiting a throng of super-villains to to commit crimes while calling themselves Defenders (#64).

Lawful Good	Neutral Good	Chaotic Good
Lawful Neutral	True Neutral	Chaotic Neutral
Lawful Evil	Neutral Evil	Chaotic Evil

Beware the Over-Mind

Breaking his oath of noninterference, Uatu the Watcher warned the Fantastic Four of the impending threat of Over-Mind (Fantastic Four #113).

The Watcher later described how Grom, champion warrior among the extraterrestrial Eternals, underwent a scientific procedure long ago to gain the mind power of one billion people and become the evil Over-Mind (#115).

Soon after arriving on Earth, Over-Mind telepathically coerced Mr. Fantastic to turn against his teammates before they could formulate a plan to stop Over-Mind's wave of destruction.

Intent on conquering the world himself, Dr. Doom became an unlikely ally to the remaining members of the Fantastic Four. Yet even the psionic-refractor that Dr. Doom invented did little to halt Over-Mind.

A form of deus ex machina occurred with the arrival of the mysterious Stranger. A composite being from the planet Gigantus, whose ancient inhabitants were enemies of the Eternals, the Stranger had power enough to shrink down and imprison Over-Mind within a mote of dust (#116).

Archie Goodwin wrote Fantastic Four #113-116. John Buscema pencilled those issues.

The Defenders Yet to Come

This promotional image for Point One tipped off fans that an upcoming cast of Defenders would factor into the 64-page one-shot.

Framed as a series of possible realities observed from the Watcher's home on the moon, each story within the issue held together on its own—while setting the stage for comics slated to release in 2012.

A tale of particular interest found Stephen Strange in uncharacteristically good spirits, at home in his role as "The Shaman of Greenwich Village."

But Dr. Strange fell sullen as he tried to help a man named Joe Mitchell who was trapped in a state of waking-sleep. Entering Joe's mind, Dr. Strange saw a one-panel vision of Silver Surfer, Red She-Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Ant-Man, Nick Fury, and Iron Fist, who delivered a word of warning.

Iron Fist: We either shut the engines down, or the universe will break. Doc. The impossible is everywhere now…

Certain that the vision came from the future, Dr. Strange set out to decipher stacks of notebooks that Joe had kept over the years while writing "The Compleat History of Greenwich Village."

Point One. November 2011. The Defenders tie-in occurs in "The Shaman of Greenwich Village." Matt Fraction (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Sonia Oback (colorist), VC's Clayton Cowles (letterer), John Denning (asst. editor), Arbona & Brevoort (editors).

Six other stories foreshadowing comic books of 2012 also appear in Point One.

The Silver Sacrifice

One of the first objectives of the Defenders was to free the Silver Surfer from the cosmic barrier that trapped him on Earth. To much chagrin, the attempt failed (Defenders #3).

But why was the Silver Surfer trapped on Earth in the first place?

While working as the herald of Galactus, the Silver Surfer had scouted the Milky Way for a planet with the energy and resources necessary to sustain his master (Fantastic Four #48).

Soon after he arrived on Earth, a chance encounter with sculptress Alicia Masters persuaded the Surfer that it was wrong to let Galactus devour the planet (#49).

So in defense of humanity, the cosmic champion turned against Galactus (#50).

Silver Surfer: These are not ants, master! They think … they feel … they have even created the primitive civilization which we see all about us!

Unapologetically regarding himself as the top of the cosmic food chain, Galactus accused his herald of betrayal.

Silver Surfer: Betray you?? Never! But in truth I should betray myself if I did not fight to prevent the annihilation of a people! For here … on this lonely little world … I have found what men call … conscience!

All this time, the extraterrestrial Watcher had been observing the battle. At last, he decided to break his code of neutrality and intervene. With the Watcher's assistance, Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four stepped in and unveiled the Ultimate Nullifier, a weapon so powerful that it drove off Galactus.

As far as Silver Surfer was concerned, however, the eater of world got the last word.

Galactus: Since you shall be herald to Galactus no longer, I remove your space-time powers! Henceforth, the Silver Surfer shall roam the galaxies no more!

The Silver Surfer had been ready to die to spare the Earth. But for all his nobility, could he endure the emotional shortcomings and ethical lapses he might find among humankind?

Fantastic Four. Vol. 1. No. 50. May 1966. "The Startling Saga of the Silver Surfer!" Stan Lee (script), Jack Kirby (art), Joe Sinnott (inks), S. Rosen (lettering).