Space-Born Super Hero Part 33: Avengers #95

Hello and welcome to another entry in 'Space-Born Super Hero', which now up to Avengers #95 (1972) and the story "Something Inhuman This Way Comes...!" by Roy Thomas and Neal Adams (inks by Tom Palmer). The previous issue ended with the Avengers battling SHIELD Mandroids outside of their mansion when Triton emerged from the sewers. We now flash back a little to show Triton swimming to New York, commandeering a van, being shot by the police, fleeing into the sewers, and finally emerging in the middle of the firefight outside Avengers Mansion. H. Warren Craddock is watching the progress of the battle gleefully, while Nick Fury is rather glum about sending his agents to attack his friends. Suddenly, the Mandroids go inert as Iron Man thinks up a better plot than 'ram them using my roller-skates': he uses his power-pods (those devices on his armour's hips) to unleash all of their energy at the Mandroids and short out the armour. Thor wonders how he knew this work without hurting the SHIELD agents. "I knew, Thor! Isn't that enough?" This is before Tony began sharing his secret identity with any of his fellow Avengers.

Rick Jones notices the injured Triton and goes to help him; Triton was actually looking for the Fantastic Four, but Rick tells him the F.F. are out of town (huh? they were in town last issue). Triton quickly recaps the events of the Inhumans' stories as Maximus the Mad used his mental powers to seize control of Attilan while the rightful ruler Black Bolt has been lost in San Francisco, amnesiac. Thor encountered the Inhumans during that story and verifies what he can, but the Vision isn't interested. "I vote--no!" the android declares icily. He reminds the team about their present woes in the midst of the interstellar Kree-Skrull War and of Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and Captain Marvel's capture (but mostly, we surmise, he's concerned about the Scarlet Witch's capture). Vision saw for himself how the Super-Skrull couldn't pierce the barrier around Attilan and observes, "Only a fool would attack it--when Thor's hammer could carry us just as easily to the stars." Goliath finds himself having to step in between Vision and Iron Man to prevent a fistfight and points out all of them want to help both groups, the Inhumans and the kidnapped heroes. Captain America asks the Vision to pick the division of teams to handle these separate problems; Vizh asks Cap, Rick and Goliath to go with Triton to San Francisco while he, Thor and Iron Man head to the Andromeda Galaxy. Just as Cap's team departs, the inert Mandroids are revived by remote control while the armours' operators remain unconscious.

In San Francisco, Black Bolt and his young friend Joey are about to be fired upon by a gang of criminals when Captain America comes to their rescue. Black Bolt's memory has returned and he's happily reunited with Triton, then (through sign language) urges Goliath, Rick and Cap's help in returning to Attilan. They even bring Joey for some reason; I guess Rick used to tag-along with the Avengers in his younger days, so it isn't too ridiculous. Anyway, while they travel Black Bolt remembers when he was younger and discovered Maximus was plotting an alliance with the Kree (with Ronan the Accuser, no less). Black Bolt used his sonic scream to destroy the Kree starship with Maximus' allies aboard, but it crashed upon Bolt & Maximus' parents, crushing them both to death.

Back at Avengers Mansion, Iron Man disables the Mandroids for good, while Vision has a change of heart; he now wants to help Triton. Thor uses Mjolnir to open a portal to the Great Refuge just outside of the barrier which surrounds Attilan (he doesn't explain why he didn't simply open the portal inside Attilan). Vision can't phase through the barrier and although Mjolnir can pass through, it simply circles around and back to Thor without creating an opening. The team from San Francisco arrives and Black Bolt utters one word; the barrier falls before his voice and Black Bolt is reunited with the Inhumans, drawn in that crazy style which is signature Neal Adams.

The Inhumans are under Maximus' control and forced to attack the heroes while Maximus has resumed his alliance with the Kree, promising to aid them in the war with the Skrulls. As the heroes fight Maximus and his allies, Rick is snatched aboard a Kree vessel which departs immediately for the Kree Galaxy. Maximus is otherwise easily beaten and Black Bolt regains his throne. Elsewhere, we see the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver & Captain Marvel: prisoners of the Skrulls! We see the Supreme Intelligence stating obliquely: "The players are all in place. Let the final phase begin!" And finally Captain America declares "We're coming for you--Kree and Skrulls alike! And nothing can stay our hand from vengeance--nothing but death!"

Thoughts: Although Thomas & Adams were primarily concerned with tying up loose ends from their Inhumans story (to the benefit of both of the Inhumans' fans), the Inhumans did, at least, have a natural link to the Kree and by making Maximus a Kree ally the story isn't as much of a diversion as it could have been. The Vision's rising temper about their situation is also a good touch, as he rightfully--but, very heatedly in an unusual fashion for his character--points out the team is already in the middle of a conflict with enormous stakes and their friends' lives on the line.

Next: The Avengers take the fight to their enemies in Avengers #96!