Space-Born Super Hero Part 31: Avengers #93

Welcome back to 'Space-Born Super Hero', which is currently knee-deep in the Kree-Skrull War epic! Today I'm up to Avengers #93 (1971) and the story "This Beachhead Earth". Once again the writer is Roy Thomas but he's now joined by the superbly dynamic Neal Adams (with inks by Neal Adams). I love Sal Buscema's artwork a lot, but Adams brings in a new vitality. We open at Avengers Mansion where Captain America, Iron Man and Thor are surprised by the Vision, who staggers into the room and collapses. Although the 'Big Three' aren't sure whether he's dead or alive, they're joined by Ant-Man, who offers his scientific expertise. You might recall that in issue #90, Hank Pym said he was retiring as Yellowjacket -- apparently he meant he was just retiring that identity, for here he is, back in his original costumed identity. Although Pym doesn't know too much about the Vision, he observes he did create Ultron and Ultron then created the Vision, so he has a decent shot at figuring out Vizh's problem.

Ant-Man crawls down the Vision's throat with his ants and begins his exploration. Pym discovers Vision's body has defensive measures similar to those found in a human body. Pym doesn't miss an opportunity to compare the experience to that of the film Fantastic Voyage ("Only thing missing so far is an assistant who's built like Raquel Welch"). Pym has suddenly become very well-versed in pop culture, remarking "What it looks like is a left-over movie set from Metropolis. Fritz Lang's, not Clark Kent's! Just the place for an old E.C. Fan-Addict like me!" In fact, the weird landscape of the Vision's interiors does look like something Wally Wood might have conjured up for Weird Science. Pym also finds tiny spheres which cause him to phase when they touch him, as they transmit Vision's density-altering powers. Ant-Man cleverly uses the bubbles to help him evade another of the body's defense systems and activates a plexiglass seal around his helmet to supply himself with air as his voyage continues (a new addition to Ant-Man's outfit).

Ant-Man reactivates the Vision's brain and sees something which gives himself momentary pause, but has to exit Vision's body before he can explore it further. It's an extremely disguised clue, but the first of many references which will lead to the Vision being established as the recreated original Human Torch. As the Vision awakens, Ant-Man takes his leave of the team. Vision still feels hurt by the 'Big Three' for disbanding the Avengers, but the trio are puzzled; they came to Avengers Mansion because Tony Stark received a letter from Jarvis mentioning the team's disbansion. Thus, the three men who disbanded the Avengers last issue weren't the real Captain America, Thor and Iron Man. Hm.

Vision explains how he, the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Goliath left town in an ordinary car to seek out the farm upstate where Carol Danvers had brought Captain Marvel. While Goliath simply steps over the perimeter fence, Vision offers to help the Scarlet Witch over, which upsets Pietro, increasing the growing tension between them. Vision flies over the fence alone, when suddenly something strikes him and he falls into the pasture, next to three cows. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch investigate and discover the three cows are shapeshifters who assume the appearances of Mister Fantastic, the Thing and the Human Torch! Vision phases below ground while the other two Avengers are taken prisoner by the shapeshifters. Eventually, Vision hovered back to Avengers Mansion. As Vision finishes his story, the other Avengers agree to help their teammates.

Inside the farmhouse, Captain Marvel is being held prisoner by the Skrulls, who were (of course) the three cows. Strangely, they're dressed in red & blue instead of the typical Skrullian purple & blue. Carol has also been placed in restraints, but they forgot to capture Goliath (how on Earth do you overlook Goliath, of all the Avengers?). Goliath has met up with Rick Jones by now and the two are attacked by the three Skrulls, again as three of the Fantastic Four. The Skrulls recount how they were beaten by the Fantastic Four way back in Fantastic Four #2 (the first appearance of the Skrulls) and the three of them were hypnotized to assume the forms of cows: "Until a Skrull hyperbeam from space revived us". Left unattended, Mar-Vell is able to activate his Uni-Beam and break out of his restraints, then releases Carol Danvers. Recalling the news that his people are at war with the Skrulls, Mar-Vell (due to some prompting from Carol) resolves he should warn the Kree of the Skrull presence on Earth. He quickly begins assembling an omni-wave projector: "That alone can send out an instantaneous message to the Kree Galaxy--across the void of hyper-space!"

The other Avengers arrive to battle the three Skrulls, but just as Mar-Vell is about to use the Omni-Wave Projector he stops, having realized it could also be used as a weapon and that the reason Carol has been guiding him to build it is because she's not 'Carol' at all-- she's the Super-Skrull! Mar-Vell hasn't seen him since way back in Captain Marvel#3! The Super-Skrull knocks Mar-Vell unconscious and reveals he's still got Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch in his hands and the three heroes are what he's been after all along. The Super-Skrull's spaceship was hidden inside the barn all along and he activates the ship to return to the Skrull Galaxy (abandoning his three comrades). Goliath tries to grab the ship and stop it, but runs out of his size-changing ability just at that moment; the Skrull ship escapes and the Avengers are left dejected at having lost three of their allies to the Skrulls, and by Goliath's sudden power loss. And they still don't know what the Skrulls are after...

Thoughts: We're five chapters in to the Kree-Skrull War and it's getting more and more interesting by bringing in the Skrulls on Earth to increase the paranoia the heroes are experiencing. With Goliath's powers gone and the Vision angsting over Wanda, the regular cast are at a pretty intense moment, so the return of Thor, Iron Man & Captain America to the book helps ground the team.

The Omni-Wave Projector figures in a few more Kree stories over the years; considering how powerful it is, you'd think it would be an even bigger deal in Kree lore, especially considering how easily Mar-Vell builds one from inside the Skrull ship.

Next: The Kree-Skrull War heats up in Avengers #94!