2009, THE WORLD AT WAR! From the ashes of long dead Soviet Russia arises a new threat. Its mission? World domination! One by one countries have fallen in line behind the flag of the one globe, through either force, coercion, or bribery . The United States and its few remaining allies are pushed into a corner, but our first line of defense, as always are The Mighty Avengers, Earths Mightiest Heroes! This is their story in the worlds darkest hour! This is

AVENGERS 2009: THE WAR !

Avengers 2009: The War Part X

"To Save The SAVAGE Land"

By Ralph L. Angelo Jr

Splash page :

The Mid states Avengers stand shocked as a red haired boy of fifteen to sixteen years stands atop a hut holding a knife to the unconscious and bleeding from the forehead Firebirds throat.

Quick recap dept. Last issue the Mid states Avengers traveled to the Savage land after the East coast team received a garbled plea for help from the Savage Lands lord. After being shot down by One Globe Forces, they made their way to this nearby fall people village, to find it deserted and destroyed. Firebird was sent to scope out the village and disappeared herself, that brings us up to now.

Black Widow : ( This will not be tolerated. I won't have the Avengers held at bay by a post pubescent teen .)

Page 2

Suddenly Firebird flares to life! A corona of heat flares around , burning the boys hands!

Boy : "GAAAH!"

Firebird: " I am sorry Nino, but once you caught me by surprise with your rock and slingshot and that was one time to many!"

She flies away as the youth leaps from the roof top, rolling and tumbling to the ground, he evades Rages' lunge and kicks him between the legs.

Rage : "Ouch! C'mere you little rat!"

Page 3

Boy: "You one globe punks aren't going to get your hands on me.!"

The boy rolls forward and pulls a boomerang from his belt . In one motion he hurls it at The widow.

Widow: "Enough boy, this foolishness ends here!"

She fires her widows bite at the boomerang, destroying it in one shot

Page 4

Boy: "Wha? How'd ya do that??"

Thunderstrike slams his mallet into the ground, with earthshaking results

Boom!

Strike: "Easy kid, We're the Avengers! We make the impossible happen everyday!"

Boy: "What ?? The Avengers? You're the Avengers??"

Vixen grabs the boy in an unbreakable grip

Vixen: "Yeah , we are Tarzan Jr, and who are you?"

Page 5

Boy : "Not Tarzan Jr, Ka-Zar Jr!"

Cannonball flies overhead and around circling the boy and Vixen

Cannonball: "WHAT!?!"

Tasha: "Everybody STOP!"

As one they all halt and look towards her.

Tash : "Better. Now "Ka-Zar Jr" or what ever you call yourself, your father called us , that's why we're here. Where's he and your mother Shanna?"

Page 6

Boy: "My names Matt, or like I call myself "Ma-Zar". And as far as mom and dad. They didn't call you, I did. "

Widow: "Why didn't they call us Matt? Where are they?"

Matt: "They- They're dead."

Tasha suddenly softens, seeing the boy who obviously had to become a man before his time.

She walks over and sits down next to the boy, who has started to get red eyed, as he tries to hold his composure, but his eyes are welling up with tears.

Tasha: "It's okay Matt. What happened here, please tell us. I know it must be painful, and I can understand your reluctance, but please. What happened to your parents?"

Page 7

The boy looks around and gets up slowly .

Matt: "Follow me."

Tasha looks at Sam, both shrug their shoulders and walk into the thick brush with the boy leading on.

Matt: " I'll try to keep my speed down so you guys c'n keep up."

Vixen: "We appreciate the care your taking for us old timers sonny boy."

Moonstone has been quiet for some time now, after her argument with the Widow, she's kept to herself*. For years she's tried to make up for her past crimes, first as a solo Villainess, then as a member of the masters of evil, and finally as a member of the now defunct "Thunderbolts". But there are times when the anger returns and she says things she shouldn't. She's still a "bad girl" at heart, but she's trying to fit in. Just sometimes , it's so damn hard...

*See last issue

Page 8

Moonstone: "T-Strike, I want to speak to you a moment, no arguing this time okay?"

Strike: "Since you asked so nicely..."

Moonstone: "I want to apologize for my attitude before. I-I was wrong for what I said."

Strike: "You're right, you were wrong.....But I understand how things've been for you too."

Moonstone : "Then you accept?"

Strike:(With a grin) "Yeah Moonie, I guess."

The Avengers suddenly pop out onto a clearing, where they see two crude grave sites, with gnarled wooden sticks in a cross pattern on each grave.

Cannonball: "What happened here Matt? How'd these one Glober creeps get yer parents so fast?"

Matt: "Fast? They killed Mom and Dad two years ago. It was a long time ago for me man."

Page 9

Cannonball: " What?"

Vixen: "Sammy, relax. Matt, what do you mean two years? How?"

Matt: "They came here and invaded South America through here. Dad and Mom tried to stop 'em, but they destroyed all our radios and stuff before they could call fer help. Dad got all the tribes together and tried to kick their butts, but in the end they just beat everybody. mom and Dad even tried to stampede the Dinos, but the Globe creeps just killed 'em."

Rage: "Kid, you mean you been here fightin' this punks by yourself for two years?"

Page 10

Matt: "Yeah, hey, I'm tougher then I look ya big ape! The Globe bums can't catch me and they hate me almost as much as I hate them."

Tasha: "Okay Matt, but what did you want of us, and how did you contact us after you just told us all the equipment was destroyed?"

Matt: "The Everlutionaries stuff."

Cannonball: "Huh? Whatsat?"

Matt: "The High Evolutionary had a castle here a long time back. Dad and him hated each other, so they din't talk. But he went away a long time ago. The place was 'bandoned for years. I been hidin' there fer a while, but now the Globe geeks 're using it as a base for their Vibranium mining.."

Rage: "Say WHAT!?!"

Page 11

Tasha: "They're mining Vibranium?"

Vixen : "That would explain things, why the world wide scene got so quiet where the Globes been concerned the past few months."

Cannonball: They failed in Wakanda*, so they came here and started to mine the stuff."

*See issues 5&6

Tasha: "Well that's going to stop here and now Avengers! Ma-Zar! Where's this castle of the Evolutionaries?"

Matt: "This way lady. Who are you anyway? What're your names?"

Tasha; " You may call me Natasha. While these One Globe dogs will remember to call me the Black Widow!"

Page 12

The Avengers are staring down from a ridge, lying low in the brush as One Globers continue to pack huge transports with mined Vibranium.

Cannonball(Whispering) : "Tash, what do we do here? Frontal assault, or distraction?"

Tash: "I think here my co-commander, a little of both."

Sam smiles,

Cannonball: "Ah like your style there Widow lady."

Tash: "Yes, and I yours Samuel."

Page 13

Cannonball: "Okay then , ahm a gonna take Moony and Strike and cause us a ruckus then. "

Unbeknownst to Sam and Tasha, Matt watches them speaking and surreptitiously turns and disappears into the forest.

Vixen : "Our little Jungle Boy just took off on us Avengers."

Rage : "Let 'im Vix. This ain't no place for a kid anyway."

Moonstone: "As I remembered it Rage, you were younger then him when you first started out."

Rage: "Yeah , but I'm almost in Hercules league, this kids still a kid."

Tash: "Can it Avengers. Sam, do it. Ten minutes until fireworks time exactly, got it?"

Cannonball: "Yes ma'am, ah got it . Lets rock here troops."

Page 14

Cannonball, Moonstone and Thunderstrike creep into the brush, as they move away from the line of site before blasting away.

Firebird: "Okay Natasha, what do we do?"

Tash: "We wait , until the fireworks begin."

They don't have to wait long, as ten minutes later the scream of Cannonballs blast trail ignites, and all hell breaks loose!

Cannonball: "Okay troops, lets do it!, Avengers Assemble!"

Cannonball rockets down, smashing through the nearest transport plane, as suddenly One Globe troops run for cover as Thunderstrike hurls his Mallet through yet another Plane.

Strike: "Yo dudes! Time to par-Tay with the Mighty Mid West Avengers!"

Page 15

Off panel voice: "Kid, you're doin' your old mans memory proud, but I'm still gonna havta stop ya!"

Strike: "Who?"

Strike spins, there in front of him and racing towards him are the Absorbing Man and his wife, Titania.

Strike: "Creel! What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're working for these scum?"

Creel: "A'course I am you idiot. The cash is good, and that's all that matters."

Cannonball: "You'd sell out yoah country ta make some cash? What's the matter wit you?"

Cannonball rockets around to slam into the Absorbing man, knocking him flying.

Creel: "OOF! Good shot hayseed, try mine!"

He throws his ball and chain , which Sam deftly avoids.

Cannonball: "No thanks traitor. Ah don't want nothin' from you, ceptin' yer sorry butt unconscious in fronna me!"

Titania charges Cannonball, and throws a section of a plane at knocking him from the sky.

Cannonball: "Unngh!"

Page 16

Moonstone races in from behind Titania and slams into her with a powerful haymaker

P-KOW!

Moony: "Leave the hick alone witch, he's a pain, but he's OUR pain."

Creel: "Babe! You're gonna pay fer that one Moonstone."

Strike: "Naahh, I don't think so Creel, besides , none of us brought our wallets in these suits."

Thunderstrike throws his mallet into the Absorbing man, knocking him flying.

THOOM!

Creel: "Bad move kid, I just absorbed yer hammers power, I guess you weren't readin' Thors or yer old mans notes on me."

Page 17

Strike: "Says who baldy?"

Creel: "Says me punk!"

Creel throws himself at Thunderstrike, who rocks him with a powerful blow from his mallet.

Ta-KOW!

Creel: " Ouch! Ya punk ! I felt that."

Cannonball rockets into The Absorbing man from behind , sending him flying.

Prang!

Creel: "Hey whata you mooks doin' ta me?"

Cannonball: "What's it look like Benedict Arnold, we're kickin' yoah butt big time!"

Page 18

Cut to the Widow and her squad...

Widow: "Okay, we're inside now, the others did their part, now it's our turn. These planes aren't going anywhere, , and we must get to a communication device of some kind to get more Avengers here."

Voice from behind them:(Heavily accented with Russian) "You will do no such thing traitorous witch!"

The Avengers spin as they see three Guardsmen suited One Globers , as well as Vanguard and the Red Guardian.

Rage: "Oh man, I got the hammer and sickle guy. The rest 're up to you guys."

Rage throws himself into Vanguard, who takes the charge and delivers a stunning blow

Toom!

Page 19

Tasha leaps into the red Guardian in a flying kick, sending him tumbling.

Tasha: "You wear my late husbands uniform fool, did you think this would please me?"

Red G : "Bah, do you think I care woman?"

He throws a strong right at her, which she easily ducks, then she counters with a palm blow to his chin.

Pak!

Tasha: "This facility will be shut down you dog"

Firebird blasts her heat beams at the nearest Guardsman to her, forcing him back, while Vixen grapples with another .

Shraack!

Firebird: "Tasha, we have to destroy those planes. We cannot dally here."

Rage : "Unngh, no ones "Dallyin" here 'Bird we're doin' our best."

Vanguard delivers another blow to Rage, dropping him to the ground.

Vanguard: "Well American fool, then your best is just not good enough."

Page 20

The Avengers are beaten back, slowly but surely.

Firebird: (This does not go well for us, I must turn up the heat as it were.)

Suddenly flaring white hot ,Firebird momentarily blinds everyone nearby, then lashes out at Vanguard with a blast of white hot fury!

Shrakkow!

Vanguard : "ARRGHH!"

Rage : "Thanks Bonita, I got it from here."

Rage throws a powerful right into his foe

Poom!

Firebird: "No Eldon, take one of the Guardsmen, hurry! I will handle this enemy!"

Page 21

Rage: "Okay Firebird, I don't like it, but I'll do it."

Widow: "You see imposter? The Avengers never quit, rather against all odds, We win! Do you hear ? WE WIN!"

As she speaks she fires a blistering Widows sting at the Red Guardian, stunning him.

R G : "Unngh, N-no witch the Globe is all that matters. You will fall against our superior forces."

Vixen ducks under the Guardsman she's fighting, as he leaps overhead. He spins in mid air, igniting his boot jets to rocket towards her.

Page 22

Vixen: "Oh boy."

Guardsman 1: "Feel the power of the Globe wench."

Vixen: "Feel the power of my fist Ivan!"

She slams him under the chin as he gets close , sending him careening out of control towards the Widow.

Vixen: "Widow! Heads up!"

Again the Red Guardian swings at the Widow, who deftly drops low and kicks his leg out from under him in one sweep, then she takes him in a shoulder throw and hurls him into the out of control Guardsman.

Thoom!

Widow :"Two down."

Page 23

Rage : "Make that three boss lady."

He slams the Guardsman he's battling into the concrete ground by the face, then repeats it twice more .

Boom! , Boom,! Boom!

Vixen: "RAGE! Enough! He's out of it, you won."

Rage slowly relaxes as his anger ebbs.

Firebird again blasts at the Vanguard, this time he's ready for it, blocking the energy with his weapons.

Vanguard: "You have proven yourself a valiant adversary woman, but being valiant is never enough!"

Firebird : "No my enemy but teamwork is ."

Rage : "You got that right 'Nita."

Page 24

Ta-kow!

Rage blind sides Vanguard , knocking him into Vixen .

Vixen : "Batter up people!"

She kicks him back towards the Widow with a side thrust kick that knocks him flying towards Natasha

Widow: "Yes and Vanguard, in case you didn't know, three strikes and you're out!"

Widow fires both her widows stings at their enemy, dropping him unconscious in his tracks.

VRRAAATT!

Rage: "Hey , waitaminute, wasn't there three of these Guardsmen geeks?"

Cut to outside, the battle rages on as Thunderstrike and Cannonball continually evade all of Crusher Creels attacks, while striking at him repeatedly.

Page 25

Cannonball: (This ain't gettin' us nowhere fast. He cain't hit us and we're not really hurtin' him. Gotta try somethin' else here.)

Rocketing skywards, Sam sees a lake of some kind a mile or so off.

Sam : (There's the ticket .)

Looping around he comes from behind Creel, just as the Absorbing Man had knocked Thunderstrike flying with a powerful blow from his ball and chain.

Toom!

Creel: " Ha! Gotcha ya punk!"

Cannonball: "And ah got ya ,ya bald headed freak!"

Bam!

Sam slams into the absorbing man, carrying him in an eye blink to the aforementioned lake.

Cannonball: " Here chrome dome, take a bath."

Page 26

He drops the Absorbing Man into the lake As Thunderstrike flies up to him.

Cannonball: "Now 'Strike! Electrify that sucker! Now boy NOW!"

Strike : "Stop yellin' Sammy boy, I got you covered."

With a blistering blast of energy he ignites the lake Creel stands in with electricity, stunning Creel into unconsciousness.

Shhrraacckk!

Cannonball: "Good Job man, let's go help out Moonstone."

Suddenly a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex thunders into their path , a Guardsman in his teeth. Besides him trots a slightly old looking Sabertooth tiger, and on the Giant Dinos back, the boy known as Ma-Zar.

Page 27

C-Ball: "Matt! Ya caught one, or rather yoah buddy here did."

Matt: "Yes, this creep is the one who got my Dad. I recognized the number on his suit. I had "Benjy" here snap him up. "

Just then the loud shriek of Moonstones laser blasts cut through the conversation.

Shreeiiikk!

C-Ball : "Whoa , she's blastin' at full power ! Strike! Grab Baldy ovah there and meet me at back at the battle sight."

Without another word he rockets off towards Moonstone.

Moonstone is hammered by the more powerful Titania.

POW!

Titania: "Did you think you could take me you stupid cow? I'm the strongest woman in the world!"

Moonstone: "Unngh....Maybe so you gawk, but strength isn't all that matters."

Page 28

Titania throws another haymaker at Moonstone, who phases herself as the fist passes through her. Thrown off balance , Titania careens through the now immaterial Moonstone, right into the rocketing Cannonball.

Crooommm!

Titania: "Y-you think that's gonna stop me? You Avengers got a lot ta learn."

Moonstone: "No you witch, I think it's your turn to go to school, and here I'M the teacher."

T-Kow!

She flies in and delivers a devastating punch that finishes Titania off

Page 29

Later.... The Avengers stand inside the High Evolutionaries former citadel and speak to Iron Man back at Avengers Bunker in New York.

Tasha: "The good news Iron Man, is that we have stopped the One Globe from exporting any more Vibranium, but the bad news is that they've been mining it here for months now. We have to assume they've been taking it from this land since they failed in Wakanda."

I M : "Yes Widow, I would assume that safely. We have to move up our schedule now. Anything else Tasha?"

Widow: "Yes Iron Man, some bad news I'm afraid, two of our friends down here are no longer with us. We lost Ka-Zar and Shanna ,I'm afraid."

The Widow looks at a young boy in the distance, he runs from the Citadel he now calls home. With him runs an aged, but Mighty Sabertooth named "Zabu"

Page 30

I M : "I....see. What about their son? Do you want to take him out of there and bring him home?

Tasha: "No my friend, he is ....already home. "

Outside the citadel the other Avengers watch as a fifteen year old boy runs into the distance, inheriting his fathers legacy, he has become the Lord of the savage Land. Ma-Zar, the Savage!

Next issue: This is the wind up folks, the penultimate issue. Secrets are revealed, including, what happened to Thor? Where is Guardian? And finally....the face of the master mind revealed (And you'll never guess who it is!) All in "Battle lines!"

Letters from the front....

None this time gang, I think I lost 'em all. Sorry! But send more and they'll be up in the next issue

----Ralph