As you would expect, this six-issue miniseries is more of a Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four tale—and will no doubt be covered eventually at new Fantastic Four blog, Here’s the Thing…—but Captain America, as a member of the Avengers, does feature prominently enough to justify a dedicated post here as well. (However, only one of the covers includes him!) I’ll provide as much story context as necessary to understand Cap’s role, but I encourage any fellow Surfer or FF fans to read the series if you have not yet done. (This series is also cited in my new book, Ethics of the Fantastic Four, in which the moral nature of Galactus, the Surfer’s complicity in his actions, and Reed Richards’ feelings of responsibility for it all, are discussed at length.)
Issue #1 begins with the Surfer returning to Earth as Alicia Masters prepares for a huge gallery show featuring her sculptures of the Marvel heroes. At this time, Alicia had recently returned from a long period of time in space with the Surfer, during which they fell in love (Alicia having split with Ben Grimm some time before).
Cap makes his first appearance in stone at the star-studded show in issue #1 as someone announces his statue has sold…
…and someone else has the gall to criticize Alicia’s work on the Silver Surfer “statue.” (This reminds me of “living statues,” the folks who pretend to be statues to freak out passersby, like the Bronze Cowboy.)
Soon the Mole Man attacks the gallery, but lucky for the attendants, many of Earth’s mightiest heroes are there (which was actually his plan, distracting them from his plans elsewhere in the city). For our purposes, though, we learn who bought Cap’s statue (aww) and see Cap try to keep the crowd from hurting themselves.
By the time we see Cap again in issue #2, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers have learned that Galactus is coming to consume the planet, and he says… well, the obvious. (Hey, at least he appeared in the issue!)
By the start of issue #3 Galactus has arrived, and as the Avengers rush there, they review some comics history: specifically, Fantastic Four #262, when Reed Richards stood trial for saving Galactus’ life (in issue #244, in which Cap explicitly agreed with Reed’s actions).
Reed doesn’t remember, but FF readers do (and I discuss it at length in my book, in the chapters about both Reed and Galactus): the cosmic beings of the universe agreed that Galactus is a necessary universal force whose purpose is to cull “weak” worlds so the “strong” ones can prosper, begging the question of what makes worlds weak or strong. (This purpose was elaborated upon just several weeks ago in Ghost Rider vs. Galactus #1—it looks like my book will need a second edition sooner than I thought!)
Reed explains his plan to weaken Galactus—with valuable context added by Johnny—and Cap backs him up.
(If you don’t recognize the woman between Reed and Ben, it’s Alicia, clad in armor given to her in Silver Surfer #144 and triggered in the first issue above when the gallery collapsed on her, which also allows her to see and fly.)
On the next page they confront the Devourer, the sight of whom still makes Cap say darn.
(Galactus’ force field said “right back at thee” as Mjolnir bounced off of it.)
The heroes’ plan fails, and Galactus hurls a ball of cosmic energy at them, overwhelming the Surfer but bouncing off Cap’s mighty shield—or Sue’s forcefield, as it turns out.
(Strange that Cap calls it his “energy shield” when it’s plainly been shown throughout this series to be his regular shield, which was restored in Captain America #22.)
Seemingly weakened, Galactus retreats to his ship and prepares to absorb Earth’s life energies remotely. The heroes mull their limited options, and perhaps it is Cap’s acknowledgment of this that inspires the Surfer to consider his former employer’s strange behavior.
While Surfer goes to talk the Devourer down, the rest of the heroes attack his “energy siphons,” with Cap contributing to their battle plans.
The Scarlet Witch also refers to Cap’s “energy shield,” although it’s not doing anything the regular shield can’t do (with her help).
In the end, Galactus stops his attack only once the Silver Surfer agrees to once again be his herald, giving up his freedom, joy, and Alicia’s companionship to save the Earth and the countless lives it contains. This echoes his original decision to become Galactus’ herald to save his homeworld of Zenn-La, but this time he has a much greater appreciation for what he is sacrificing, as well as what he is agreeing to help Galactus do—although he hopes to influence this by steering him away from worlds containing sentient life, to which he has recently become addicted despite the lesser sustenance it provides him, and back to worlds with a richer and more diverse store of energies.
Cap’s role in this story diminishes significantly at this point; his sole appearance in issue #4, in the very first panel, is in silent commemoration of the Surfer’s sacrifice.
In the rest of the issue, we see the Surfer trying and failing to prevent Galactus from consuming Verdant, a planet rich in plant life that the former Avenger Mantis argues is sentient—and Alicia, who pursued the Surfer in the hopes of saving him, sees it too.
In issue #5, Alicia returns to Earth to find the rest of the heroes celebrating Galactus leaving their world…
…but easily convinces them to fight Galactus once again.
By the end of the issue, the Fantastic Four and Avengers have joined the Silver Surfer on the Shi’ar homeworld, only to be greeted by Majestrix Lilandra, who once led the prosecution of Reed for saving Galactus and now must trust him to do what’s necessary to stop his threat once and for all.
In the sixth and final issue, Reed marshals an intergalactic force against Galactus’ ship, after which Cap and Vision initiate the Avengers’ role in the plan…
…which eventually culminates in the Silver Surfer killing Galactus, whose energies form a second sun for the Shi’ar homeworld. With all due respect to the Surfer, I’m not sure that’s altogether a good thing, although his remorse below is more about betraying his master and the horrors Galactus predicted as he perished.
And what of Cap? His shield once again saved the day.
Our story ends with an even grander celebration, although Reed and the Surfer are off discussing the ramifications of a universe without Galactus…
…which the Watcher eerily forecasts (albeit vaguely, as is his wont).
ISSUE DETAILS
Galactus the Devourer #1, September 1999: Louise Simonson (writer), Jon J. Muth (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz (inks), Christie Scheele (colors), Richard Starkings and Comicraft (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Galactus the Devourer #2, October 1999: Louise Simonson (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz (inks), Christie Scheele (colors), Richard Starkings and Comicraft (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Galactus the Devourer #3, November 1999: Louise Simonson (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz (inks), Christie Scheele (colors), Richard Starkings and Comicraft (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Galactus the Devourer #4, December 1999: Louise Simonson (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz (inks), Christie Scheele (colors), Richard Starkings and Troy Peteri (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Galactus the Devourer #5, January 2000: Louise Simonson (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz (inks), Christie Scheele (colors), Richard Starkings and Troy Peteri (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Galactus the Devourer #6, March 2000: Louise Simonson (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz (inks), Christie Scheele (colors), Richard Starkings and Troy Peteri (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Collected in: Galactus the Devourer and Silver Surfer Epic Collection: Sun Rise and Shadow Fall.
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 
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