His father was the greatest of Heroes, saving the entire universe from subjugation time and time again! Now he must continue that tradition , his powers are the same, but his outlook is different. He wields the mighty Nega bands and has the Celestial insight of Cosmic Awareness. The universe is his inheritance, for he is its Protector as he struggles to find his place amidst the Heavens, his buds call him Genis, but he's known and feared by his enemies as........ Captain Marvel !

Captain Marvel # 74

"Dealings with the devil"

By Ralph L. Angelo Jr

Splash page : Genis stands ready, in a fighting stance as energy glows from his Nega-bands. His opponent is Thanos!

Recap dept. : Last issue Captain Marvel made a successful strike against the sentient star and his greatest enemy, " Black Sun". After returning home to Titan, Genis encountered an uninvited guest in his very quarters! The gentlemans name by the way is...

Genis : "THANOS!"

Page 2

Thanos: " As I have already said Captain, I am not here to do you harm of any kind. Rather I am here to offer my aid with your current......problem."

Genis : "Why would I need your aid big blue? Over the years you've done nothing but give my family and friends , as well as the universe entire, disasters on a cosmic scale."

Thanos: " Ah, but I have changed Captain. Just ask anyone who knows me of late."

Genis: "No. I don't need your help. I'm doing fine in my fight with.......my enemy."

Page 3

Thanos: "You mean "Black Sun" don't you ? He is your enemy Captain, not I."

Genis : "Cut to the chase Thanos, what do you want? What's in it for you?"

Thanos: "Heh . Is it so difficult for you to believe I'd be doing this out of the goodness of my heart?"

Genis: "Yeah, that would impossible. I have it on good authority you're heartless."

Thanos: "Interesting, boy. You are in many ways it seems like your long departed father, but in many other ways totally opposite his more...controlled demeanor."

Page 4

Genis : "Yeah well, you know us Vells, difficult , stubborn, and determined to do the right thing to a fault."

Thanos: "Perhaps so boy, but my offer still stands."

Genis: "Look Thanos, there's nothing you could offer me that would be enough to accept you as an ally."

Thanos: "Then you are a fool boy, something I have not thought of you as before this moment."

Genis: " Why are interested in this war I'm having with Black Sun? What's it got to do with you?"

Page 5

Thanos: " He stands in my way on several matters, and you do not possess the sufficient power to defeat him in direct combat."

Genis: "And you do?"

Thanos: "But of course! Am I not Thanos?"

Genis: "Yeah you are. and that says it all. No deal tough guy. I don't want your help, nor do I need it."

Thanos: "That's where you are wrong boy, that's where you are wrong."

And in a burst of light Thanos disappears from sight!

Page 6

Suddenly Genis' door bursts open as Mentor , Eros and several security personal enter!

Mentor: "He was here , wasn't he?"

Genis: "Yeah, he was. I'm assuming you're meaning Thanos."

Eros: "Yes Genis, that is exactly who he means."

Genis: "Well what took you guys so long to get here?"

Mentor: "He somehow blocked the door. In an effort to stop our entering."

Page 7

Genis: "Well that explains that. I wonder what the deal here is?"

Eros: "What do you mean Genis?

Genis; "What I mean is why was he so willing to offer his help against Black Sun? He obviously has his own agenda here."

Mentor: " Do not be tempted here Genis-Vell. Thanos is a murderer and a madman. He would callously kill everyone in this entire sector of space if it furthered his own dark goals."

Genis: "I know Mentor. But still I wonder what your son has up his sleeve."

Page 8

Mentor: "It's best not to even think on it Genis. He is evil personified."

Genis : "Yeah, I know Mentor, believe me I understand and have no interest in his offers, so don't worry about it."

Cut to.... An unknown world where Black Sun walks amid technicians with his ever present aid, Noctu , walking at his side.

B S : "So it seems that finally I will have the tests I require. The universe will be mine Noctu, and none can stop me!"

Noctu: "That is so my master. You must stand here, within the trans-solar induction field. There you will be linked to the test........subject."

B S : "Yes. Let us finish this test so that I can go on subjugating the Universe entire."

Page 9

Black Sun enters the square cut glass case as blue energies begin to fill the box. Suddenly Black Sun begins to float in the case, his massive figure seemingly weightless.

Noctu: "Are you well master?"

B S : "Yes Noctu, very much so indeed."

Noctu : "Then we will begin Black Sun. Now close your eyes and open your mind....to the universe."

Black Sun does as his aid says and suddenly his mind is floating free amidst the stars.

B S : "YES ! I see everything ! And there is my.."Sister". Soon she will be dead."

Page 10

Before us is a solar system , its bright sun giving life to one of the worlds , five planets out. Its life giving rays supporting a world filled with millions upon millions of intelligent individuals. Individuals who are about to die.

Black Suns consciousness flits around the yellow orb as another voice begins to question his presence.

Voice : "Who awakens me from my slumber? Why are --YOU?!?"

B S : " Yes, it is I . Awaken my little sister. Your brother has come calling."

She answers, sleepily.

Star: "What? Why are you here? You were banned from the continuum. You are not wanted here. Leave now. My solar system does not want or need your foul presence."

Page 11

B S: "Ahh, you misunderstand young one. I shall not be the one leaving, you will. Permanently."

With a tearing sound that shreds the soul, the evil known as Black Sun grapples with the spirit of this far away star, ripping her from her glowing orb, decimating her very being and casting her screaming to the cosmic winds of infinity!

B S : "Ah, so much better."

His consciousness moves into the now vacant star, he makes himself one with it.

B S : " Now for the final play of my little game here."

With a casual and callous thought he increases the stars radiation output while collapsing its enormous mass. The resultant implosion sends waves of gamma and beta radiation exploding outwards. The fifth world watches as death approaches. Its monitoring satellites relay the grizzly details of the peaceful worlds upcoming death hours before their world rips itself to atoms.

Page 12

Black Sun exits the transferal chamber.

Noctu: "Are you well Black Sun?"

B S : "Yes Noctu. All went perfectly. The stars soul died violently while I supplanted her rule totally. Now the heavens themselves will know Black Sun is coming. And none can stop me, least of all the insignificant Captain Marvel.

Page 13

Back on Titan Captain Marvel suddenly cries out, as waves of agony tear through his mind. He drops to his knees in the Gymnasium he was practicing in and screams savagely!

Eros flies in as Genis falls forward, sweat soaking him.

Eros:" Genis! What's wrong? What happened?"

Genis: "I-I don't know. S-suddenly I was overcome by pain and t-terror like I've never seen before! I heard so many voices crying out....then nothing. So much pain..so much pain."

Mentor along with Elysius enter the room.

Elysius: " Genis! What happened? "

Mentor: "He must be relapsing from his previous near death brush*. I will call the medics."

See issue #72

Page 14

Genis: "No, wait a minute, I'm fine."

He stands up, shakily as Eros helps steady him.

Genis: "I felt it. He killed them all, including a kind old soul. I felt her screaming in my mind for vengeance, for help and then nothing. Then moments later, I felt their cries. More voices then I could ever make out. Gods of us all! He killed an entire solar system , and the first to die was the star itself."

Mentor: "Who was it, Thanos? It must be him!"

Genis: "No mentor, not this time. It's Black Sun. This is his plan. This was a test. I know what he's doing now. I understand. By Cronos, he's got to be stopped. "

Elysius: " What is he doing my son? What is it?"

Page 15

Genis: "He's going to kill all the stars mom. Kill them all and then take their places. He wants to become God."

The stunned silence that greets his announcement is signal enough that they understand.

Eros: "How will we find him? Your cosmic awareness doesn't register him."

Genis; " No, it doesn't. But he's not ready to make his move yet. This was a test. I still have time. I'm going to keep hitting him at places that matter to him."

Elysius: "What do you mean? What could matter to this evil being? "

Genis: "He's very vain. He likes his big operations with his name plastered all over everything. I hurt him when I took apart the Galactic Gem*, I know I did. He's playing it safe right now, not getting all bent about it, but that bothered him. Time to do it again. Eros, where's the data on his shipping company? That's the next target. And this time I'm doing it up close and personal."

* see last issue

Page 16

A world sits, basking under the glow of its star , as the planets surface is covered from one end to the other with machinery and ships. The entire planet is the Relden shipping company. One of Black Suns holdings. Here billions of tons of merchandise is shipped all over the known Galaxies. Relden does business for the Shi'ar, the Skrull, and before they became part of the Shi'ar , the Kree. As well as countless other un aligned worlds.

Everything is shipped from this world, everything legal and illegal. And no one asks questions . As with all of Black Suns holdings, the legal and illegal are done side by side, while the sheer scope of the operation hides the unpleasant nature of certain...transactions.

Captain Marvel suddenly bursts into "real" space from "Hyper", his photon trail blazing he streaks in and attacks a row of warehouses.

Page 17

Genis: (This is the first one, he's hiding something vast and evil here, but no more!)

Captain Marvel hovers in mid air and fires a pulse of photonic power into the warehouse, incinerating it instantly!

Genis: (One down, hundreds more to go.)

Suddenly a half dozen fast attack fighters rise up from behind several buildings and vector in at Captain Marvel

Genis: (Whoa! He's sending out some heavily armed toys now. Good. This should be fun.)

The fighters attack in a "V" formation, all six firing lasers that could gouge river beds into rock !

Genis dives and swoops, avoiding every weapon discharge.

Page 18

Genis: "C'mon guys, you gotta do better then that. Either you jokers need more training or your boss is building some damn lousy ships."

In answer another brace of energy tears through the air at Captain Marvel, again he deftly avoids it, only this time...

Genis: " My turn boys! Say good night!"

Rocketing in towards the first ship , he punches it under its sharp pointed nose. Instantly the fifty foot vessel tumbles backwards , out of control and into two other ships , which explode simultaneously.

Ba-ROOM!

Genis: "Okay rocket boys, there're three of you left, who's first?"

Page 19

The three ships split up and surround Genis.

Genis: "Your kidding right?"

In answer the three ships fire their weapons as one, seeking to fry Captain Marvel in the cross fire.

Genis: "Sorry losers, There's always a big problem with cross fires."

He rockets upwards as the weapons discharge.

Genis : "You're always in each others sights! "

Sha-krow!

The three ships disintegrate as Genis zips along the planets surface , destroying row after row of

warehouses. Then after miles of this is over he touches a com-link on his wrist.

Page 20

Genis: "Strike one to strike two and three. I have complete success. Nothings going to be leaving this sector for a long time. Every space faring freighter owned by Black Sun is destroyed in this area. How are you two doing?"

Eros' voice crackles on the communicator

Eros: "Drax is in one of his foul "Destroy everything" moods, and I've been pretty productive as well. There are several hundred warehouses containing cloned body parts that are now open to inspection, and the sat-cam we brought along is feeding that vid right to the local authorities as well as any neighboring world that cares to watch. Good job Captain Marvel ! This should get his attention !"

Voice from behind Genis: " It already has whelp."

Sharraack!

Genis is blasted from behind, thrown through the air and through a solid steel warehouse from the energy discharge.

Genis: "Arrrgggh!"

Page 21

Genis: "Who?"

The figure floats in the air above Captain Marvel, his wand like weapon coruscating energy as he hovers, an evil gleam on his face.

The wrist com chatters with Eros' concerned voice.

Eros: "Genis! What was that? Are you alright? Genis!"

Figure: " Use your vaunted cosmic awareness boy. Be like your father. The difference here is that you won't succeed against me like he did. You'll fall before the power of STELLERAX!

Next : Captain Marvel Vs. Stellerax

Link To our next incredible issue

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Kree Lore C/O [email protected]

YESSSSSS! Finally, Thanos is back in Captain Marvel...excellent, Ralph! Your best issue yet...can't wait to see the next one. Hurry up and write.... :) Barry

Yes he is Barry! And just because he wasn't in this one for very long, doesn't mean he won't be back real soon. How soon you ask? How about next issue for starters.

Matt Turnage said....

Captain Marvel #73 - I really like where Ralph's taking this title. The current arc is really interesting, and I got a kick out of the setting for this one. Highly Recommended. If you haven't been reading Capt. Marvel, shame on you!!

Thanks Matt, I hope you liked this issue as well. Next issue should be chock filled with slam bang cosmic action that'll light up the spaceways as never before. By the way , how do you like Black Suns master plan?

That's it fopr letters this time gang. I need more mail here, so c'mon people, WRITE!

-----Ralph-Vell