Marvel's evil Maker has traveled to Earth-6160, and has set about altering its timeline to neutralize the heroes who might otherwise stand in his way.
Having stopped Peter Parker gaining powers last issue, a preview of Ultimate Invasion #2 - from Jonathan Hickman, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Alex Sinclair, and Joe Caramagna - sees the Maker unraveling the histories of other heroes. The Fantastic Four's maiden voyage is delayed, stopping them from gaining powers, and Howard Stark is seemingly saved from death, preventing Tony from becoming Iron Man. However, the hero who suffers the worst fate is Thor. Not only does the evil Reed Richards shatter the Byfrost, trapping Thor on Asgard, but he also raises Loki up to the throne, leaving the God of Thunder bowing before his evil brother. This is no temporary takeover - as the heroic Warriors Three side with Loki and Fenris the Wolf looks on, it's clear that Thor will now spend his life under Loki's thumb.
Reed Richards' Maker Brings Thor to His Knees
Fans know that the Maker is attempting to shape his own reality, however they don't yet know why. The Maker is a version of Reed Richards whose super-intelligence continued to evolve with his elastic body, until he no longer had any moral center. After crimes against the multiverse, he ended up on Marvel's mainstream Earth-616, where he was imprisoned by the Illuminati - a secret group of Marvel's most influential heroes. After further increasing his intellect, he broke free, and his next plan hinges on having an entire universe shaped to his will - one where superheroes either serve his interests, or never existed at all.
Reed Richards' Maker Humbles Gods for Fun
Interestingly, Reed does allow the creation of the Hulk - who he's used as a minion before - and there's a note of hope as he's unable to find and kill Captain America, however the Maker's plans otherwise go unopposed. Interestingly, this isn't the first time the Maker has begun a grand plan by targeting Asgard. In his native Earth-1610, Reed had his hyper-evolved Children of Tomorrow raze Asgard, proving his technology was stronger than the gods. Now, as he enacts even grander plans, it seems he wants to make the same point before getting started. For Reed Richards, the first step in improving the world is bringing its gods to heel - first among them, Thor.
The Maker is among the deadliest mortals in Marvel canon, to the point where the mainstream Reed Richards fears him more than Doctor Doom, and this preview shows why, as he near-effortlessly rewrites the history of Asgard and brings Thor to his knees in eternal servitude. With all Reed Richards' intellect and none of his heroism, one thing is clear so far - humbling Thor is just the overture to what the Maker has planned for this reality.
Ultimate Invasion #2 is available from Marvel Comics July 26.
