MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #18; Jan. 1969; Marvel Comics Group; Stan Lee, editor;
featuring the tryout debut of the Guardians of the Galaxy in "Earth Shall
Overcome!" The strory is scripted by Arnold Drake, who was working for a
time as a third-string Marvel scripter after having been blackballed from
DC. (I recall as a fan at the time I was somewhat intrigued by Drake's
writing style because it was a bit different from the styles of Stan Lee or Roy
Thomas, but I didn't realize then that Drake had been the writer and co-creator
of the DOOM PATROL series which I had liked when I was a DC reader.) The
art is by Gene Colan, with inks by Mike Esposito under his "Mickey Demeo" pen
name. The cover depicts the four members of the new group marching
forward; a man in a purple bodysuit that completely covers his body and head, a
big blocky guy in a yellow space suit, a crystalline humanoid and an orange
alien carrying a bow and arrow.
Review by Bill Henley. I
decided to review this comic in honor of the upcoming "Guardians of the Galaxy"
movie-- even though, as far as I can tell from the trailers I've seen, the
membership of the movie Guardians is entirely different from the characters of
this comic book series.
Our story opens in the year 3007 AD, when all of
humanity and its colonial offshoot races are united under the banner of the
"United Lands of Earth" and the "ULE Federation". "Wars among nations long
ago ceased-- but the war of the STAR SYSTEMS has only begun..." A
"space militiaman" named Charlie-27 is coming in for a landing on his home world
of Jupiter after a six-month tour of solitary patrol duty. (It takes the
first three pages of of this 22-page story just for Charlie to finish
landing. Gene Colan was a fine artist, but sometimes his large panels and
leisurely storytelling meant that the stories he drew were skimpy on story
content compared to other Marvel comics.} Charlie is a big, bulky, kind of
obese-looking guy, but it's not that he's been hitting the snacks too hard out
on solitary duty. He's a fifth-generation Jupiter colonist, "adapted at
birth to withstand Jupiter's conditions of ELEVEN times the mass and THREE times
the GRAVITY of Earth. (But science says you're wrong if you believe that humans
could survive on Jupiter just by adding some extra bulk and muscle. As far
as is known, the planet has no atmosphere breathable by any Earth-type life
form, and it's not even certain if Jupiter has a solid surface rather than a
continuously thickening atmosphere.) Charlie has mysteriously lost radio
contact with Jupiter during his tour of duty, but his only concern seems to be
whether he will get the big party that is traditional "when a MIL-MAN returns
from SPACE SOLITARY". Once he finally touches down and emerges from his
spaceship, he shouts, "HELLO OUT THERE, FELLOW JOVIANS? HOW ABOUT A FEW
ROUSING CHEERS FOR THE CONQUERING HERO?" But the space port is eerily
empty and silent, and the only ones present to give Charlie a reception are a
pair of armed, green, scaly, lizardlike aliens. They are members of the
Badoon, an alien race which has schemed to conquer Earth since clear back in the
20th century, when they were stopped in their first assault by the Silver Surfer
in issue &2 of his original comic. Alas, the Surfer is no longer around to
help out. One of the Badoon says to the other, "There will be a MEDAL for
us, Maz! We are about to capture the LAST FREE JOVIAN!" The shout,
"HALT! In the name of the glorious EASTERN ZONE COUNCIL!" finally gives
Charlie-27 a clue as to what has happened to his world and people. But
though he may be slow on the uptake, he's not as slow physically as his bulk
might suggest. He manages to dodge the raygun fire of the two Badoon and
shove them into an "incendi-drop" garbage disposal. Charlie seeks out
"Command HQ", hoping to find other troops still fighting, but HQ is
deserted. Now his only hope is to find his own family and help them to get
off Jupiter, but this hope too is dashed when he spots his father onboard a
Badoon prison transport, being sent to a labor camp to mine deadly radioactive
"high-intensity harkovite". Before he can attempt a rescue, he is
confronted by more Badoon troopers. Charlie momentarily resolves to "die
HERE- and NOW" rather than being caught and dragged off to a death camp, but
changes his mind and decides to try to make it off-plent to join the human
forces he hopes are still fighting elsewhere. He makes for a "tele-port
depot" from which he can beam himself anywhere in the Solar System-- if he can
make it there before the Badoon get him. "Like a 20th century commuter
running to catch the 4:57, the 30th century Jovian dives for a beam that
will TRANSMIT him though space!" He is in so much of a hurry that he has
no time to set the "directional guide", but takes his chances where he will end
up, since "ANY place will be better than THIS!"
Sorry, Charlie! He
lands on the cold outer planet Pluto, which was targeted by the Badoon even
before Jupiter. Donning an "atmo-suit" to protect him from Pluto's harsh
conditions, Charlie finds Pluto as deserted of free humans as was his
homeworld-- but there are Badoon. They are tracking the one Pluvian known
to remain on the planet, with the aid of "Saturnian hound-hawks," and they are
startled when the beasts indicate there are now two "non-Badoon scents," rather
than just one. With the hawks in pursuit, Charlie tries to get back to the
teleport depot, but the hound-hawks are about to bring him down when a
crystal-covered arm reaches out and pulls him into a hidden tunnel. When
he gets a good look at his rescuer, Charlie exclaims, "BY KARSUS! You're a
CRYSTAL MAN-- a PLUVIAN!" (Well, duh. You're on Pluto, so who would
you expect to find but a Pluto inhabitant?) This Pluvian, whose name we
learn later is Martinex, seems to have a crystal chip on his shoulder.
"You mean 'rock head,' don't you? Isn't that what you always call
us? Despite the fact that we, like you, are descended from
EARTHMEN?" Charlie-27 reminds Martinex that "This is no time to fight a
RACE war!", and asks what is happening on Pluto. Martinex explains that he
stayed behind when the rest of the planet was evacuated before the Badoon
advance, in order to blow up some industrial complexes. He was about to
make his own escape through the tele-port when Charlie's arrival attracted
Badoon attention. Charlie offers to surrender to the Badoon so that
Martinex can get away, but the crystal man declines the "unnecessary
heroics". Instead, he uses a radio control to activate a horde of "robot
servants" (made to resemble Earthly butlers and maids) to attack the
Badoon. Though the robots are not built for combat, they manage to
distract the Badoon long enough for Charlie and Martinex to reach the
tele-port... this time with a defihite destination in mind. "Next stop
MOTHER-PLANET EARTH... and let's hope that it is still FREE!"
But yet
again our heroes' hopes will be dashed. For at that moment on Earth, a
human prisoner is being dragged to the throne of "Drang, the SUPREME COMMANDER
of the EASTERN SECTOR of the BADOON EMPIRE!" But not just any old
human. This man is named Vance Astro (later Guardians stories established
that this cheesy sci-fi name was actually short for Astrovik), and he has
a life story so unusual that he is known even to the Badoon. The Badoon
want to hear his story from his own lips, and when he angrily refuses, Vance
Astro is subjected to a painful memory probe. Back in the year 1988 (I
somehow missed hearing about all this in the news at the time), as a young and
eager volunteer, Vance Astro was selected to be the first man to attempt travel
to the stars. But even at maximum travel speed of ten million miles an
hour, a trip to another star will take lifetimes. Astro agrees to be
sealed in a copper foil "bio-suit" and placed in an icy coffin-like device in
order to make the thousand-year trip in suspended animation! He will
have to leave his girl friend and everyone else he knows behind (he tells his
girl, "It'd never have worked! I'd always be REACHING FOR THE STARS!
You LIVE, sweetie! LIVE! Otherwise you'll HAUNT me for 1,000
years!") and after he arrives he will have to spend the rest of his life
sealed in the purple bio-suit; if it is even punctured he will age 1,000 years
instantly and crumble to dust! But his reward will be to be the very first
man to reach the stars.
Except it doesn't work out that way. When
Astro lands his ship and emerges on an unnamed extra-solar world, he finds that
he has NOT gone where no man has gone before. He is greeted by cheering
human crowds! It seems that some 200 years after his departure, the
discovery of "Harkovian physics" supplanted Einstein's physics with its
limitation on traveling past the speed of light, Other humans have
beat Astro to the stars by centuries, and his hero's welcome is no
consolation. "Laughing hysterically, Astro shouts, "It was all for
NOTHING! My HOME-- my GIRL-- my FRIENDS-- HA HA HA-- all thrown away for
NOTHING!!" (This concept of the sub-light space traveler who is
outstripped and turned into a human relic by the development of
faster-than-light travel didn't originate with this story. There was a SF
short story, I think by Poul Anderson, on the theme, and later Bill Roper wrote
a memorable filk song based on the idea.)
And now Vance Astro is a
prisoner of the Badoon conquerors. They are intrigued not only by his
"bitter yet funny" story, but by "the special knowledge of a man who has lived
FORTY generations" (even if he slept through most of those generations).
Because of this, Astro is offered the privilege of being the only human allowed
to live under the Badoon without wearing a "psyke-disk" to turn him into a
zombie-like slave. The price will be betraying his own people, but Astro
says that as a castaway in time, he doesn't really have a "people". The
Badoon note that he does seem to have "one people"-- a blue-skinned alien
(rather than orange as on the cover), a native of the planet on which he first
landed. "DUMBEST people that ever LIVED! I kept him just for
LAUGHS!" Okay, then, say the Badoon; Astro can show his new loyalty to
them by killing his alien companion, who has been judged too primitive and
inferior to live even as a Badoon slave. The embittered Astro agrees
with no hesitation, but "It'd be interesting to do it with his OWN weapon"-- a
primitive-looking bow and arrow. Astro aims and fires; "Sorry, my blue
friend! But like we used to say BACK IN 1988, that's the way it
MOVES!" "You called me-- FRIEND! You were LIAR, copper-man!"
But as Astro pulls back the string and shoots the arrow, the alien whose name is
Yondu begins a strange whistling-- and instead of piercing his heart, the arrow
swerves and begins flying around the room threatening the Badoon! The
arrow is made of "sound-sensitive metal" and can be commanded by Yondu's
whistling, and it emits energy which blasts through a wall, enabling Astro and
Yondu to make their escape! Astro soars through the air thanks to a
"psyke-pusher" power he somehow developed in his centuries of suspended
animation, with Yondu clutching his heels. The primitive alien complains
about the "ugly things" the "copper-man" said about him, but Astro explains that
it was all a ploy to get his hands on Yondu's unique weapon.
Astro
and Yondu make their way to the nearest tele-port station-- where Charlie-27 and
Martinex are just arriving! In the great tradition of Marvel heroes past,
present and future, the two pairs mistake each other for enemies and fight with
each other briefly, until Charlie has a chance to explain, "We're the LAST FREE
MEN of Jupiter and Pluto-- and we're looking for a FIGHT-- but with the
BADOON!" One of whom gets Vance Astro in his ray-gun sight, but Martinex
uses his ability to focus energy through his crystalline body and melts the
ray-gun with a heat beam. Our new band of heroes reaches the tele-port
station, but where to go, with even Earth conquered? Vance Astro has heard
rumors that somewhere a "free colony" still exists, and he is determined to find
it. He wants to go to "New New York", the colony world that "took the
worst pasting from the Badoon," but which is also rumored to be where the "free
colony" started. The others are skeptical, but Astro declares, "My
friends-- I'm the OLD MAN here-- by about TEN CENTURIES! And I say we can
FIND the FREE COLONY!" And he leads the others in a rousing chorus of an
old "struggle song" from his own time, adapted to the new circumstances; "EARTH
SHALL OVERCOME! EARTH SHALL OVERCOME! EARTH SHALL OVERCOME--
SOMEDAY!"
Maybe so, but it would take a while. Though I recall that
I was intrigued by this story when I first read it, the Guardians of the Galaxy
didn't immediately win an ongoing series of their own. It wasn't until
1975 that they turned up again as guest stars in Steve Gerber's DEFENDERS, and
then got a series in MARVEL PRESENTS, initially written by Gerber. That
ended after a couple of years, and other than guest shots the Guardians didn't
show up again until they got a series starting in 1990 written by Jim
Valentino. But at that time I had largely abandoned Marvel comics, and I
never read that series at all. (Should I?)
As I watched the movie trailers I
wondered if the movie makers took nothing from the actual "Guardians of the
Galaxy" comic but the name, but I see by looking at the Grand Comicbook Database
that a 2013 revival of the Guardians title (which I didn't read and have no
great interest in reading) replaced the original lineup of Vance Astro,
Charlie-27, Martinex and Yondu with the characters who appear in the movie
such as Star-Lord, Drax, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, etc. (But was the movie
already in the works by then, and did the new comic follow the movie script
rather than vice versa?)
To cover the rest of MSH #18 briefly; the
"Marvel Mailbag" lettercol is devoted to comments on the Phantom Eagle, the
double-identity World War I aviator-hero who appeared in MSH #16. All the
comments are complimentary, but the Eagle seems to have been the biggest flop of
any of the tryout features appearing in MSH. All of the rest turned up
somewhere again sooner or later, but I only recall one further appearance
of the Phantom Eagle, as a guest star in a HULK story involving time travel, and
he certainly never got a series of his own.
The rest of the issue is
devoted, as usual with MSH at this time, to superhero reprints from the 1940's
and 50's. A three=page segment of the "Adventures of Sub-Mariner When He
Was a Boy" from SUB-MARINER #36 (1954) depicts young Namor learning the
meaning of "Courage" as he fights a pack of wild dogs on an ice floe.
Otherwise, the reprint section is devoted to the second half of the All-Winners
Squad story (Timely/Marvel's shortlived JSA imitation) from ALL-WINNERS
#21. (The first half was reprinted in MSH #17, but I'm not digging that
issue out to review the story in detail. Per the GCD, the story is scripted by
Otto Binder, with various artists involved.) The Squad is battling a
time-traveling villain known as Future Man (and his femme-fatale assistant
charmingly named Madame Death) with each Squad member assigned to protect one
continent from Future Man's plots. Sub-Mariner prevents Future Man and his
allies, the "Pacific Pirates," from unleashing a tidal wave that will
devastate Asia. Miss America, the flying patriotic heroine, defends Egypt
and the continent of Africa from a horde of marauding mummies unleashed by
Future Man. The original Human Torch and kid sidekick Toro save North
America from being devastated by Future Man's "atomic fire," which can consume
anything, by discovering that it can be extinguished by its own ashes.
Finally, the team unites to stop Future Man from summoning a whole army from his
predatory future society to conquer the 20th century. (I'm surprised that,
with his continuity mania, Roy Thomas never retconned this story to establish
that Future Man was another incarnation of Kang.) Future Man flees to his
time machine to escape back to the future, and Captain America orders the other
heroes to let him go. It turns out that Cap has sabotaged the time machine
so it can no longer travel to the future; instead, Future Man and his assistant
are doomed to an endless trip into the distant past. "I don't think future
men will tackle the 20th century again, after one of their greatest scientists
failed to return! THE WORLD IS SAFE AGAIN! (caption) And the world
will ALWAYS be safe from any sinister plot, while the mighty All-Winners Squad
stands guard over it!" If that was so, then the world was soon in trouble again,
since the All-Winners Squad seemingly disbanded after that story.
The archives of the Silver Age Reviews Yahoo Group, celebrating that classic era of comic books published between 1956 and 1972! (And occasionally beyond!)
Showing posts with label Marvel Super-Heroes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marvel Super-Heroes. Show all posts
Marvel Super-Heroes #13: "Where Stalks The Sentry!"
Marvel Super-Heroes #13
"Where Stalks The Sentry!"
March, 1968
STAN (The Man) LEE
Lovingly Lords It Over A
ROY (The Boy) THOMAS
and
GENE (The Dean) COLAN
Culmination Of Co-Creation!
Embellished By: Lettered By:
PAUL REINMAN SAM ROSEN
Reviewed By:
STEVE CHUNG
Within the confines of a dingy hotel room... not far away from one of
America's missile-testing bases... a being from the Kree galaxy is
constructing a device which will prolong his survival on Earth... The
uni-beam wrist-blaster is almost finished. If he is to battle against
more of the planet's forces... Captain Mar-Vell will be in possession of
a far mightier weapon than ever before.
A conflict is inevitable, for he is of the Kree... an alien race which
contains thousands upon thousands of solar systems under its control...
and as a soldier of the Kree, he is honor bound to dispatch any threat.
If this is not his world, then why should he care what will happen to it?
It had been the Earth men who have caused the destruction of the Sentry.
The uni-beam has now been converted from handgun to wrist-blaster. He
will continue to carry the pistol frame in the cylinder... in case it is
needed again. His right wrist now carries the perfect, all-purpose
weapon... On his left wrist is the monitor band... which enables Yon-
Rogg to communicate with him at any time. Such is the colonel's hatred
of Mar-Vell, that he has sent him on a solo mission... in hopes that the
captain would meet his death. With only one capsule of breathing potion
left, he must drink it... and return to the starship for more.
The hotel clerk watches as the guest heads off in the middle of the
night. He eyes the strange suitcase, and wonders if the silver-haired
man works at the cape. After perusing the register, he sees the name of
"C. Marvel" and wonders what type of name is that for a common man. The
inquisitive clerk then remembers that the guest left without paying his
bill. The man from another planet continues on his way for the ship...
where Medic Una will be giving him more of the breathing potion. She is
the one he loves, the one from which Yon-Rogg has sent him away from.
Mar-Vell can only wonder when the mission will end, so that they may be
together once more. Outside of the small town, the starship has been
contacted, and is about to leave orbit. At its current speed, it should
arrive in moments. The captain decides to put the time to good use by
checking out his new wrist lens.
RRRRAKK!! The regular blaster is too bulky a weapon, especially if he is
traveling in disguise as an Earthling. With modifications, the
wrist-lens is readied for testing. BTAP! A tree which has stood in the
same spot for years... now stands no longer. SPTAK! A large boulder
shatters into a thousand pieces. Mar-Vell is certain that none on the
planet has ever felt the feeling of wielding such power. The time has
come for a test of a different kind. As the pieces continue their
outward motion, the lens is adjusted for the opposite effect...
In that moment, an artificial magnetic core is created at the point which
the uni-beam strikes. The core pulls with such strength that the
metallic contents of the pieces are halted... then pulled together
towards the center... and are reformed... into the shape of the former
boulder. The lens has passed the test and Kree science is shown to be
second to none. Surely no other star-spawned race has ever come up with
such a device. When used in a certain manner, the damage done can be
undone -- and be put right. The monitor on his wrist senses the approach
of the starship. The captain dons helmet and battle suit... so that he
may meet the spacecraft in person.
The cylinder is buried within the soil. It will not be found by the
Earthlings. The jet-belt has also been modified, and should operated as
well as the blaster. VROOOOOOOMM The Kree ship has leveled off and is
now hovering. No Earthman may see it through its aura of negatism, save
for those with the eyes of... a Kree. Mar-Vell is anxious to have his
reunion with Medic Una... and to hold her in his arms once more. Even as
the captain speeds on his way... the cold eyes of Yon-Rogg follow his
every move... The colonel plans to lean on the laser-beam activator...
so that the death of Captain Mar-Vell may be deemed an accident. Una
sees what Yon-Rogg is up to... and screams for him to stop.
Unfortunately for her, the other crew members have been told by the
colonel that she is suffering from the strain.
Yon-Rogg orders the poor girl to be locked in her room... and while she
insists in him being a murderer, she is dragged away by the crewmen. Now
alone in the forward cabin, the colonel watches as Mar-Vell's position is
at three deutrons distance... slightly less than an Earth mile. In a few
more seconds the captain will be in the proper range. At that exact
moment... a private plane comes swooping out of the clouds... With the
Kree starship invisible to it... the pilot has enough time to stare at
the flying figure heading towards him...
BUH-ROOOOM! The destruct-laser.... has been beamed from the starship...
just as the small plane has flown between them. The plane is torn apart
and the concussion sends the captain hurtling downwards.
Yon-Rogg sees that Mar-Vell was only stunned, while the private plane
took the brunt of the destruct-laser. A second strike is unlikely...
since the colonel wants the incident to appear to be an accident. He can
only do one thing... and he will. Seconds have past, with the Kree
soldier once again on solid ground... The starship has gone... back in
orbit above the Earth. Yon-Rogg will no doubt claim that the mission had
been compromised... and will not be blamed for abandoning Mar-Vell on
Earth. SWOOOSH! The captain goes to see if the pilot of the small plane
is still alive. Although he was the intended victim... it was the pilot
who paid the price. After sifting through the wreckage, the captain
finds the body, and some identification. The man's name was Walter
Lawson... a missile guidance systems expert... who was on his way to the
base on reassignment. If the papers were to be subtly changed, his
mission could continue... and he would be able to enter the cape itself.
With his breathing potion gone, the Kree soldier can only survive less
than an hour without the aid of his helmet.
Within the Kree starship... Medic Una has created more of the breathing
potion, knowing that Mar-Vell had been on his way for more of it. After
administering some morpheo-gas through a ventilator shaft, the gas takes
effect within a minute. SSSSSSSS The colonel and his crew are unable to
stay awake. The girl uses the transferral machine to beam the breathing
potion to Mar-Vell, wherever he may be. The captain has removed his
uniform in order to return to his hotel room... and don his helmet once
more. He sees the glowing circle appear... and with it, a capsule of the
breathing potion sent by Medic Una. With this in his possession, the
next part of his mission on Earth may begin.
The following morning finds a sergeant inspecting the altered papers of
Walter Lawson. As the officer pores over the papers, he comments on the
strange happenings which occurred on the previous evening. Doctor Lawson
is allowed entry, and when asked if he needs help with his heavy bag, he
declines the kind offer. The following days find Captain Mar-Vell
adjusting to life at the cape... He sees that the Earthlings are behind
the Kree... in nearly all aspects of missile research. Although they are
as infants when it comes to space travel... their rate of progress in
technology may prove to be a challenge to the Kree... if they are not
prevented in time. Thanks to the coffee break, "Walter Lawson" is able
to take his "medicine" once every hour. A week after his masquerade has
begun... General Bridges, the commander of the cape wants Doctor Lawson
to accompany him.
They head for a reinforced hangar... which is under constant heavy guard.
He had been trying to come up with a way to enter, and now, Mar-Vell has
been granted entry by the base commander himself. Once inside, the
general shows Doctor Lawson the reason for the heavy security. A
thirty-foot robot from another world, to be exact. "Lawson" recognizes
it as Intergalactic Sentry #459... whose subsequent disappearance was the
reason for his solo mission on Earth. General Bridges and Doctor Lawson
are greeted by the head of security. The general regards Miss Danvers as
among the finest when it comes to matters of security. She is pleased to
meet the doctor... but would rather speak with him face-to-face.
"Lawson" admits that he has a hard time taking his eyes off the robot.
He learns that it was found by pearl divers near an island in the South
Pacific. Mar-Vell realizes that General Bridges wanted him for "Walter
Lawson's" skills in robotics. The experts are unable to determine what
metal the robot is composed of. After finishing his work on improving a
space-gyroscope, he would like a closer look at the inert automaton, and
learn why Miss Danvers didn't want him to see the robot. Her security
division are still inspecting his dossier, and have heard of his
reputation as an eccentric recluse. After seeing his briefcase, the
rumors have been clinched, too. As both men leave, Carol Danvers wonder
what Walter Lawson could be hiding. If he is up to something, she'll
know the reasons why. Those aboard the Kree starship now know that the
Sentry is still intact... and is seemingly undamaged. Yon-Rogg's
constant monitoring of Mar-Vell have yielded much in so short a time.
Sentry #459 has grown in size, no doubt due to its exposure to Earth's
atmosphere.
The Kree are now aware that the Sentry has been repairing itself. Now
grown larger than before... the repairs are almost complete. KLIK A dial
is twisted and the colonel sends constant streams of ionized electrons to
the prone figure... replenishing its artificial life force. With the
Sentry reactivated, it will be a small matter for it to confront Captain
Mar-Vell... and to destroy him. The next second finds a sleeping giant
coming once more to life. It is no longer some motionless automaton...
It is... a Sentry. SSSSHOOOM! It was created and trained for
destruction... to rend any who would dare to oppose the Kree... or those
who coveted their interstellar empire. Its fist strikes down on the
steel floor with such force, that it knocks out the startled guard.
BRAKKA! Soldiers perched on a catwalk begin to open fire... RRAAKK!
The bullets do no good, and the catwalk is torn apart. RRIIPP! The
Sentry lays waste to the metal structure. Neither weaponry... nor mere
flames will be enough to contain its approach. It is... a Sentry!!
PTAK! General Bridges is on the phone with the field gate, and asks if
they are having an earthquake... After learning that the robot has come
to life, he orders his men to stop it at once. He then calls the base
air patrol for some jets, and when asked what this is about, the general
insists that they'll know what it is when they see it. Bridges next call
is to Doctor Walter Lawson, in hopes that he'll know how to stop the
robot. KWAM! The Sentry's fist smashes through a hangar, as if it were
made of butter. The hotel clerk has received the call... He hasn't
heard of Walter Lawson, but as the only hotel in town, he realizes that
they must mean the silver-haired guest.
RRINNG Mar-Vell can only wonder who could be calling him, especially
since he's not registered as Walter Lawson. After hearing the tone of
General Bridge's voice, he learns about the robot running loose. After
changing into his battlesuit and helmet, the captain pauses only to
realize the strange coincidence he now finds himself in. Mar-Vell is
about to head for the very base which is part of his mission, and where
Yon-Rogg undoubtedly hopes that he'll meet his end at the hands of the
Sentry. The Kree captain must perform his duty... the Sentry must be
stopped. His orders to study the inhabitants of the planet in order to
determine its fate must be followed. PUH-WING! Sentry #459 continues to
defend itself and as part of this imperative, the base must be destroyed.
The soldiers continue to fire their rifles, and watch as it heads for
the nuclear warhead testing center.
Traveling through the air on a modified jump-belt... Mar-Vell wonders
what he can possibly do against the nigh-indestructible Sentry. Those
onboard the starship listen as Yon-Rogg speaks of Captain Mar-Vell's
bravery in representing the Kree, and fighting the deadly Sentry. The
colonel continues his display of concern... unless the crew suspect his
true motives. Soon, the captain will be gone... and Medic Una will be
his alone. The girl weeps... having been freed from her confinement...
and now forced to witness the death of her beloved. Back at the hotel,
the night clerk heads up the stairs for the guest's room. Figuring that
this Lawson used the name of "Marvel" in order to spy at the cape, the
elderly man uses his pass key to enter the room. Not having heard any
sound from the room, he finds it empty, and figures that the strange man
must have sneaked out. The inquisitive clerk decides to search the room
for clues...
SWOOSH! At that very moment... the Kree Captain confronts the main
threat... as a menace standing at about thirty feet turns towards his
direction. Sentry #459 senses the approach of a human, then perceives
that it is one of the Kree themselves. It asks the newcomer if he has
arrived to aid in its programmed attack? If not, then those who oppose
it... will be destroyed! Mar-Vell's fears are fully realized! The
Sentry is following its original orders... orders which command it to
destroy all potential foes. When it comes to the conclusion that he has
arrived to stop it, will they meet as allies... or as the deadliest of
enemies?
With all the discussion and renewed interest in Captain Mar-Vell in both
of his incarnations, I figured that the time was right for this
particular review.
I first read an alternate version of this story in What If #17: "What If
Ghost Rider, Spider-Woman, and Captain Marvel Had Remained Villains?"
(October, 1979), by Steven Grant (Script), Carmine Infantino (Pencils),
Pablo Marcos (Inks), Bob Sharen (Colors), and Tom Orzechowski (Letters).
The Kree soldier costume is quite striking and resplendent in color and
imagery.
In this, the second story of Captain Mar-Vell, the character is already
receiving a weapons upgrade.
Mar-Vell bears some resemblance in appearance and function to Michael
Rennie's character of Klatuu from "The Day The Earth Stood Still."
Roy "The Boy" Thomas does a good job of tying in events from Fantastic
Four #64.
The night clerk at the hotel resembles Doctor Sivana with his own
bespectacled appearance.
When the uni-beam BTAPs the tree, the rays emitted from the weapon
resemble bolts of lightning.
Like the Black Condor, Mar-Vell comes across a character whose
identification papers furnish him with a new life, and a identity.
In the case of Wonder Woman and Diana Prince, the two came to an
agreement which was not posthumous in nature.
Carol Danvers would know the life of a super-heroine, in her identities
of Ms. Marvel, Binary, and Warbird.
Sentry #459 suffers through some growing pains and self-repairs, before
lashing out at an unsuspecting world.
General Bridges bears a strong resemblance in appearance to Walt Disney.
This Review Is Dedicated To F.O.O.M. (Friends Of Ol' Mar-Vell)
Steve Chung
"Where Stalks The Review!"
"Where Stalks The Sentry!"
March, 1968
STAN (The Man) LEE
Lovingly Lords It Over A
ROY (The Boy) THOMAS
and
GENE (The Dean) COLAN
Culmination Of Co-Creation!
Embellished By: Lettered By:
PAUL REINMAN SAM ROSEN
Reviewed By:
STEVE CHUNG
Within the confines of a dingy hotel room... not far away from one of
America's missile-testing bases... a being from the Kree galaxy is
constructing a device which will prolong his survival on Earth... The
uni-beam wrist-blaster is almost finished. If he is to battle against
more of the planet's forces... Captain Mar-Vell will be in possession of
a far mightier weapon than ever before.
A conflict is inevitable, for he is of the Kree... an alien race which
contains thousands upon thousands of solar systems under its control...
and as a soldier of the Kree, he is honor bound to dispatch any threat.
If this is not his world, then why should he care what will happen to it?
It had been the Earth men who have caused the destruction of the Sentry.
The uni-beam has now been converted from handgun to wrist-blaster. He
will continue to carry the pistol frame in the cylinder... in case it is
needed again. His right wrist now carries the perfect, all-purpose
weapon... On his left wrist is the monitor band... which enables Yon-
Rogg to communicate with him at any time. Such is the colonel's hatred
of Mar-Vell, that he has sent him on a solo mission... in hopes that the
captain would meet his death. With only one capsule of breathing potion
left, he must drink it... and return to the starship for more.
The hotel clerk watches as the guest heads off in the middle of the
night. He eyes the strange suitcase, and wonders if the silver-haired
man works at the cape. After perusing the register, he sees the name of
"C. Marvel" and wonders what type of name is that for a common man. The
inquisitive clerk then remembers that the guest left without paying his
bill. The man from another planet continues on his way for the ship...
where Medic Una will be giving him more of the breathing potion. She is
the one he loves, the one from which Yon-Rogg has sent him away from.
Mar-Vell can only wonder when the mission will end, so that they may be
together once more. Outside of the small town, the starship has been
contacted, and is about to leave orbit. At its current speed, it should
arrive in moments. The captain decides to put the time to good use by
checking out his new wrist lens.
RRRRAKK!! The regular blaster is too bulky a weapon, especially if he is
traveling in disguise as an Earthling. With modifications, the
wrist-lens is readied for testing. BTAP! A tree which has stood in the
same spot for years... now stands no longer. SPTAK! A large boulder
shatters into a thousand pieces. Mar-Vell is certain that none on the
planet has ever felt the feeling of wielding such power. The time has
come for a test of a different kind. As the pieces continue their
outward motion, the lens is adjusted for the opposite effect...
In that moment, an artificial magnetic core is created at the point which
the uni-beam strikes. The core pulls with such strength that the
metallic contents of the pieces are halted... then pulled together
towards the center... and are reformed... into the shape of the former
boulder. The lens has passed the test and Kree science is shown to be
second to none. Surely no other star-spawned race has ever come up with
such a device. When used in a certain manner, the damage done can be
undone -- and be put right. The monitor on his wrist senses the approach
of the starship. The captain dons helmet and battle suit... so that he
may meet the spacecraft in person.
The cylinder is buried within the soil. It will not be found by the
Earthlings. The jet-belt has also been modified, and should operated as
well as the blaster. VROOOOOOOMM The Kree ship has leveled off and is
now hovering. No Earthman may see it through its aura of negatism, save
for those with the eyes of... a Kree. Mar-Vell is anxious to have his
reunion with Medic Una... and to hold her in his arms once more. Even as
the captain speeds on his way... the cold eyes of Yon-Rogg follow his
every move... The colonel plans to lean on the laser-beam activator...
so that the death of Captain Mar-Vell may be deemed an accident. Una
sees what Yon-Rogg is up to... and screams for him to stop.
Unfortunately for her, the other crew members have been told by the
colonel that she is suffering from the strain.
Yon-Rogg orders the poor girl to be locked in her room... and while she
insists in him being a murderer, she is dragged away by the crewmen. Now
alone in the forward cabin, the colonel watches as Mar-Vell's position is
at three deutrons distance... slightly less than an Earth mile. In a few
more seconds the captain will be in the proper range. At that exact
moment... a private plane comes swooping out of the clouds... With the
Kree starship invisible to it... the pilot has enough time to stare at
the flying figure heading towards him...
BUH-ROOOOM! The destruct-laser.... has been beamed from the starship...
just as the small plane has flown between them. The plane is torn apart
and the concussion sends the captain hurtling downwards.
Yon-Rogg sees that Mar-Vell was only stunned, while the private plane
took the brunt of the destruct-laser. A second strike is unlikely...
since the colonel wants the incident to appear to be an accident. He can
only do one thing... and he will. Seconds have past, with the Kree
soldier once again on solid ground... The starship has gone... back in
orbit above the Earth. Yon-Rogg will no doubt claim that the mission had
been compromised... and will not be blamed for abandoning Mar-Vell on
Earth. SWOOOSH! The captain goes to see if the pilot of the small plane
is still alive. Although he was the intended victim... it was the pilot
who paid the price. After sifting through the wreckage, the captain
finds the body, and some identification. The man's name was Walter
Lawson... a missile guidance systems expert... who was on his way to the
base on reassignment. If the papers were to be subtly changed, his
mission could continue... and he would be able to enter the cape itself.
With his breathing potion gone, the Kree soldier can only survive less
than an hour without the aid of his helmet.
Within the Kree starship... Medic Una has created more of the breathing
potion, knowing that Mar-Vell had been on his way for more of it. After
administering some morpheo-gas through a ventilator shaft, the gas takes
effect within a minute. SSSSSSSS The colonel and his crew are unable to
stay awake. The girl uses the transferral machine to beam the breathing
potion to Mar-Vell, wherever he may be. The captain has removed his
uniform in order to return to his hotel room... and don his helmet once
more. He sees the glowing circle appear... and with it, a capsule of the
breathing potion sent by Medic Una. With this in his possession, the
next part of his mission on Earth may begin.
The following morning finds a sergeant inspecting the altered papers of
Walter Lawson. As the officer pores over the papers, he comments on the
strange happenings which occurred on the previous evening. Doctor Lawson
is allowed entry, and when asked if he needs help with his heavy bag, he
declines the kind offer. The following days find Captain Mar-Vell
adjusting to life at the cape... He sees that the Earthlings are behind
the Kree... in nearly all aspects of missile research. Although they are
as infants when it comes to space travel... their rate of progress in
technology may prove to be a challenge to the Kree... if they are not
prevented in time. Thanks to the coffee break, "Walter Lawson" is able
to take his "medicine" once every hour. A week after his masquerade has
begun... General Bridges, the commander of the cape wants Doctor Lawson
to accompany him.
They head for a reinforced hangar... which is under constant heavy guard.
He had been trying to come up with a way to enter, and now, Mar-Vell has
been granted entry by the base commander himself. Once inside, the
general shows Doctor Lawson the reason for the heavy security. A
thirty-foot robot from another world, to be exact. "Lawson" recognizes
it as Intergalactic Sentry #459... whose subsequent disappearance was the
reason for his solo mission on Earth. General Bridges and Doctor Lawson
are greeted by the head of security. The general regards Miss Danvers as
among the finest when it comes to matters of security. She is pleased to
meet the doctor... but would rather speak with him face-to-face.
"Lawson" admits that he has a hard time taking his eyes off the robot.
He learns that it was found by pearl divers near an island in the South
Pacific. Mar-Vell realizes that General Bridges wanted him for "Walter
Lawson's" skills in robotics. The experts are unable to determine what
metal the robot is composed of. After finishing his work on improving a
space-gyroscope, he would like a closer look at the inert automaton, and
learn why Miss Danvers didn't want him to see the robot. Her security
division are still inspecting his dossier, and have heard of his
reputation as an eccentric recluse. After seeing his briefcase, the
rumors have been clinched, too. As both men leave, Carol Danvers wonder
what Walter Lawson could be hiding. If he is up to something, she'll
know the reasons why. Those aboard the Kree starship now know that the
Sentry is still intact... and is seemingly undamaged. Yon-Rogg's
constant monitoring of Mar-Vell have yielded much in so short a time.
Sentry #459 has grown in size, no doubt due to its exposure to Earth's
atmosphere.
The Kree are now aware that the Sentry has been repairing itself. Now
grown larger than before... the repairs are almost complete. KLIK A dial
is twisted and the colonel sends constant streams of ionized electrons to
the prone figure... replenishing its artificial life force. With the
Sentry reactivated, it will be a small matter for it to confront Captain
Mar-Vell... and to destroy him. The next second finds a sleeping giant
coming once more to life. It is no longer some motionless automaton...
It is... a Sentry. SSSSHOOOM! It was created and trained for
destruction... to rend any who would dare to oppose the Kree... or those
who coveted their interstellar empire. Its fist strikes down on the
steel floor with such force, that it knocks out the startled guard.
BRAKKA! Soldiers perched on a catwalk begin to open fire... RRAAKK!
The bullets do no good, and the catwalk is torn apart. RRIIPP! The
Sentry lays waste to the metal structure. Neither weaponry... nor mere
flames will be enough to contain its approach. It is... a Sentry!!
PTAK! General Bridges is on the phone with the field gate, and asks if
they are having an earthquake... After learning that the robot has come
to life, he orders his men to stop it at once. He then calls the base
air patrol for some jets, and when asked what this is about, the general
insists that they'll know what it is when they see it. Bridges next call
is to Doctor Walter Lawson, in hopes that he'll know how to stop the
robot. KWAM! The Sentry's fist smashes through a hangar, as if it were
made of butter. The hotel clerk has received the call... He hasn't
heard of Walter Lawson, but as the only hotel in town, he realizes that
they must mean the silver-haired guest.
RRINNG Mar-Vell can only wonder who could be calling him, especially
since he's not registered as Walter Lawson. After hearing the tone of
General Bridge's voice, he learns about the robot running loose. After
changing into his battlesuit and helmet, the captain pauses only to
realize the strange coincidence he now finds himself in. Mar-Vell is
about to head for the very base which is part of his mission, and where
Yon-Rogg undoubtedly hopes that he'll meet his end at the hands of the
Sentry. The Kree captain must perform his duty... the Sentry must be
stopped. His orders to study the inhabitants of the planet in order to
determine its fate must be followed. PUH-WING! Sentry #459 continues to
defend itself and as part of this imperative, the base must be destroyed.
The soldiers continue to fire their rifles, and watch as it heads for
the nuclear warhead testing center.
Traveling through the air on a modified jump-belt... Mar-Vell wonders
what he can possibly do against the nigh-indestructible Sentry. Those
onboard the starship listen as Yon-Rogg speaks of Captain Mar-Vell's
bravery in representing the Kree, and fighting the deadly Sentry. The
colonel continues his display of concern... unless the crew suspect his
true motives. Soon, the captain will be gone... and Medic Una will be
his alone. The girl weeps... having been freed from her confinement...
and now forced to witness the death of her beloved. Back at the hotel,
the night clerk heads up the stairs for the guest's room. Figuring that
this Lawson used the name of "Marvel" in order to spy at the cape, the
elderly man uses his pass key to enter the room. Not having heard any
sound from the room, he finds it empty, and figures that the strange man
must have sneaked out. The inquisitive clerk decides to search the room
for clues...
SWOOSH! At that very moment... the Kree Captain confronts the main
threat... as a menace standing at about thirty feet turns towards his
direction. Sentry #459 senses the approach of a human, then perceives
that it is one of the Kree themselves. It asks the newcomer if he has
arrived to aid in its programmed attack? If not, then those who oppose
it... will be destroyed! Mar-Vell's fears are fully realized! The
Sentry is following its original orders... orders which command it to
destroy all potential foes. When it comes to the conclusion that he has
arrived to stop it, will they meet as allies... or as the deadliest of
enemies?
With all the discussion and renewed interest in Captain Mar-Vell in both
of his incarnations, I figured that the time was right for this
particular review.
I first read an alternate version of this story in What If #17: "What If
Ghost Rider, Spider-Woman, and Captain Marvel Had Remained Villains?"
(October, 1979), by Steven Grant (Script), Carmine Infantino (Pencils),
Pablo Marcos (Inks), Bob Sharen (Colors), and Tom Orzechowski (Letters).
The Kree soldier costume is quite striking and resplendent in color and
imagery.
In this, the second story of Captain Mar-Vell, the character is already
receiving a weapons upgrade.
Mar-Vell bears some resemblance in appearance and function to Michael
Rennie's character of Klatuu from "The Day The Earth Stood Still."
Roy "The Boy" Thomas does a good job of tying in events from Fantastic
Four #64.
The night clerk at the hotel resembles Doctor Sivana with his own
bespectacled appearance.
When the uni-beam BTAPs the tree, the rays emitted from the weapon
resemble bolts of lightning.
Like the Black Condor, Mar-Vell comes across a character whose
identification papers furnish him with a new life, and a identity.
In the case of Wonder Woman and Diana Prince, the two came to an
agreement which was not posthumous in nature.
Carol Danvers would know the life of a super-heroine, in her identities
of Ms. Marvel, Binary, and Warbird.
Sentry #459 suffers through some growing pains and self-repairs, before
lashing out at an unsuspecting world.
General Bridges bears a strong resemblance in appearance to Walt Disney.
This Review Is Dedicated To F.O.O.M. (Friends Of Ol' Mar-Vell)
Steve Chung
"Where Stalks The Review!"
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