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).

Neutral Evil: Mr. Rasputin

An early adversary of Dr. Strange was Mr. Rasputin, a magician who sought to use defensive secrets from two warring nations for his own personal gain. In combat against Dr. Strange, Mr. Rasputin proved to be the weaker magician. To gain the upper hand, Mr. Rasputin drew a pistol, an action Dr. Strange deemed as a sign of cowardice. Be that as it may, Mr. Rasputin's criminal pursuit of power—without regard to political alliance—would align with Neutral Evil in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

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

This image of Mr. Rasputin comes from Strange Tales #145, reprinted as a flashback in Giant-Size Defenders #1.

Chaotic Neutral: Bernard the Poet

The original X-Men frequented Coffee A Go-Go in Greenwich village. Entertainment at the coffee house regularly included readings from a beat poet named Bernard. Decidedly unconventional, Bernard and his fans would surely embrace the the Chaotic Neutral alignment from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

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

Bobby Drake (Iceman) and Hank McCoy (Beast) hear Bernard's poetry for the first time in X-Men #7 (Sept. 1964).

Cover Versions: Chalk in Hand

Sight gags were commonplace on comic book covers featuring Patsy Walker. In this regard, Patsy Walker #30 (Sept. 1950) and Miss America (Apr. 1954) make for an interesting pair, as both covers show Patsy and boyfriend Buzz Baxter at a chalkboard when a teacher enters the classroom.

Chaotic Evil: Plodex

No sooner did Marrina join Alpha Flight than the implications of her alien ancestry surfaced. Though raised by the good-natured Smallwood family in Canada, Marrina was born Plodex, an extraterrestrial species genetically programmed to conquer life on other worlds. Because of their adaptability, the Plodex varied wildly from planet to planet while retaining an instinctive tendency toward Chaotic Evil. Marrina, at her best, was the exception that proved the rule.

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

Marrina's latent instincts shocked her teammates in Alpha Flight #2 (Sept. 1983).