Planetary #27 is an issue of the series Planetary (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 2009.
Synopsis for the 1st Story
Following the conflict against The Four resolved and war with inter-dimensional alien conquerors averted, the Planetary organization is harnessing the knowledge of Randall Dowling for the benefit of all mankind. Finished unearthing the mysteries of the 20th century, Planetary is now in the business of solving humanity's problems. As was promised by Elijah Snow, however, one vexing problem remains unsolved – the fate of Ambrose Chase. Planetary's 'Third Man' who was shot and believed to have died. But, Elijah believe otherwise that Chase may have used his powers to stop time and delay his death.
Determined to save his friend at all costs, Elijah Snow urges The Drummer to open a file from Randall Dowling containing a schematic to a time machine; however, starting it could inevitably brings along with it an infinite number of story paradoxes and result in the collapse of reality.
The Planetary organization travels to England at the secret site of Dowling's failed experiment in bringing an individual from a fictional reality and the location of Ambrose's death. The Drummer and a research team comb the area to find a trace of Ambrose's energy field, and found it and is still extant in the hallway where Ambrose fell. Drummer then leads the research team in constructing the time machine.
After the machine is finish, the Drummer powers up his massive creation and Elijah Snow makes the decision to push the button himself. Rather than the end of the world, a series of time vortices open all around them, the side effect of the creation of the time machine, and each vortex emerges unique future versions of Elijah Snow, Jakita Wagner, and The Drummer. According to a version of Elijah Snow, the Planetary teams are "just here to watch." As no non-Planetary teams step out of the portals, The Drummer realizes that Snow had somehow determined that the time machine would not result in the possible catastrophe The Drummer had environed. Without explaining how, Snow affirms this.
As the machine continues to power up, it begin to tear itself apart. Jakita's superhuman strength holds it together just long enough to pull Ambrose Chase out of the bubble, as the medical team run in to help him. Snow looks to one of the Planetary teams visiting from the future. As if sensing Snow's question, one of the future Drummers claims not to know if Chase survives, saying that just switching the time machine on may have created alternate futures. From out of the time vortex comes another figure: a smiling Ambrose Chase, who he thanks to Elijah for saving his life. As the future Planetary teams walk back into their portals, the present field team gathers around the injured Ambrose Chase, and Elijah assures the now stable Ambrose that the adventure is just beginning.
Appearing in the 1st Story
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- Time machine
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is collected in Planetary Vol. 4: Spacetime Archaeology.
- Axel Brass' legs have recovered from the damage shown in Planetary #1.
- Elijah Snow had expressed his outrage at The Four for keeping the vast store of knowledge from the public in Planetary #6. This time, Elijah is outraged that only 20% of the wonders in The Four's database have been explored in the year since their defeat, despite some of the marvels the Planetary organization has managed to derive from the database and give to the world.
- Elijah Snow mentions about the fate of the missing individual that came from a fictional world in Planetary #9, and clarifying that he may be "living in other stories now."
- The time machine is a callback to the non-canon Planetary/JLA: Terra Occulta. The Ambrose Chase in that story tried to use his powers to avoid being thrown into the time machine and thus defeated, while the Chase in this story would be saved by the device. Jakita observing the time machine remarks it to be "weirdly familiar," even though her analogue character from the crossover never saw it.
Trivia
- This issue's cover ranked #47 on Complex.com's 50 best comic book covers of 2009.[1]
- This issue contains a sneak preview to Victorian Undead #1.
See Also