Trader

Overview

The Trader is an Elder of the Universe and has survived for billions of years. He is devoted and obsessed with commerce and trading.

He was involved in the Elders plot to kill Galactus. They believed they would become Galactus-like beings themselves when a new universe was born. This plan was foiled by Silver Surfer and Nova. She created a black hole, and the Trader fell inside. He found himself in a new universe, the Magick realm, ruled by Chaos and Order. He was accompanied by Astronomer and Possessor.

They developed a plan to recover the Infinity Gems, which had fallen in with them. The Silver Surfer, Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman travelled to the realm to retrieve the gems in order to save Galactus. When Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman were possessed by order and chaos, Sue betrayed the Surfer. She used a weapon she had made invisible to incapacitate him. She traded the Surfer for the gems.

The Silver Surfer was now in Trader’s possession. He enveloped the Surfer in a field to contain him and did not allow the Surfer the use of his board. He believe he could use the Surfer to escape the realm. Mr. Fantastic told them that they were no long immortal in this realm, for Death had no power there. They agreed to trade the Surfer for their release, even though Trader did not believe this to be a good trade, he was pressed by the Astronomer.

They had already arranged a deal with the In-Betweener, and he helped them to escape. Once out of the Magick Realm, they asked In-Betweener to kill Galactus as promised. But he did not wish to do so because he did not want to start a new reality. When they arguesd with him, In-Betweener called upon Death and she killed Trader along with Astronomer and Possessor. It is assumed she released them once In-Betweener was sent back to his own realm, for she had agreed to bar them from her realm forever.