Major Marvel Cosmic Hero [SPOILER] Returns to Help the Inhumans

The following contains spoilers for Death of the Inhumans #3 written by Donny Cates, drawn by Ariel Olivetti, colored by Jordie Bellaire, and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Marvel's Death of the Inhumans has certainly been living up to its name. A rogue faction of soldiers has overthrown the Kree Empire, using the mysterious Vox, an Inhuman that looks remarkably like an evil Black Bolt, as their main weapon. The aim is a simple one; to bring every single Inhuman back under Kree rule so they can conquer the galaxy. Of course, those who refuse... will die.

That's why Black Bolt's Royal Family has been targeted, with the likes of Maximus and Lockjaw already killed by Vox, and the resistant Midnight King and Karnak subsequently taken off the table. With their species being annihilated, Queen Medusa is left no choice but to recruit a weapon of her own, which Issue #3 reveals is none other than Beta Ray Bill.

If you're familiar with Bill, you know that the Korbinite is one of Marvel's most powerful heroes. He's also of the best character, as the alien is one of the few people besides Thor to lift Mjolnir. Since then, he's basically been a son of Asgard, fighting for them alongside the Odinson, even given his own weapon to rival Mjolnir's power, Stormbreaker. Thus, he's definitely the heavy-hitter Medusa requires to exact revenge on Vox and Co., as she makes it perfectly clear this new war needs experienced soldiers.

This issue shows her traveling across the cosmos to Markus-Centauri, a planet that's basically barren thanks to the battle we recently saw between Galactus and Frank 'Ghost Rider' Castle in Cosmic Ghost Rider #2. She arrives there with Gorgon, her sister Crystal, and Karnak, whom they rescued from the Kree after a near-fatal clash which saw Vox slit Black Bolt's throat and take him prisoner.

When they get there though, they find Bill, heavily wasted and surprisingly out-of-shape. Being drunk is quite uncharacteristic for him, because throughout all his adventures with Thor, he seems to handle his ale pretty well. As for not being chiseled like we're accustomed seeing him, well, we'll await that explanation from Donny Cates, who's coincidentally writing the Cosmic Ghost Rider as well.

Bill doesn't seem too keen to join Medusa's attack-unit -- until, that is, he learns Lockjaw has been murdered by Vox. Bill's friendship with Lockjaw was something Medusa planned to use to coax Bill in from the very start, and it works. He may be hungover and out of shape, but he has Stormbreaker right at his side and the news of Lockjaw's death has clearly riled him to avenge his comrade.

The last time we saw Bill he was helping Squirrel Girl earlier this year face the Silver Surfer, albeit in a quirky cameo. Prior to that, he and Thor retrieved Old Asgard from the Collector in 2017's The Unworthy Thor. How he ended up in a hut on this decrepit planet remains to be seen, although Cates did make it abundantly clear Markus-Centauri was home to some of the galaxy's best bars. Maybe a few barkeeps survived the Galactus battle and lured Bill over with their reputations.

With that in mind, Bill teaming up with the Inhumans on this conquest throws back to 2011's Annihilators, where he joined another cosmic supergroup boasting the likes of Silver Surfer, Gladiator, Ronan the Accuser and Quasar, to save the Kree from Blastaar. Now, he'll have to go up against the very species he once helped protect.

Even with Bill enlisting, Medusa's ranks do look thin compared to Vox's, but the good news is they'll have backup. This issue reveals Black Bolt is still alive, barely, and he has some use of his vocal powers. Medusa's prayers have been answered and hopefully, she, Bill and the rest of Royal Guard meet him up sooner rather than later to lay waste to these Kree rebels, because as Vox has made it known, his genocide is only just getting started.

CBR

A Major Marvel Cosmic Hero Returns to Help the Inhumans