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....
What has gone before dept: Last issue Captain Marvel saved Angie (The girl he met
several weeks earlier in Mexico) from a horrifying death, to find out that she , too was
unchanged by the mysterious occurrence that has reshaped reality. He was soon attacked by
Quasar, and beaten unconscious. As Quasar was about to deliver a killing blow, Captain Marvel
was saved by the timely intervention of Warlock! And that's where we are right now folks!
Quasar floats in space, holding the unconscious Captain Marvel in a quantum grip, ready
to squeeze the life out of his helpless form. Floating twenty feet away is Adam Warlock,
soul gem glowing with unbridled power, the golden gladiator addresses Quasar once more.
"Release him I said Quasar. Captain Marvel is not the enemy here. You must be made
to remember who you are, what you stand for."
Instantly a bolt of golden energy leaps from Warlock brow, seeking to engulf Quasar in
its glow, but Quasar is to fast. He immediately erects a quantum shield with his left hand
,that splatters the energy, while attacking with his own power from his right Quantum
band.
Za-KOW!
"I don't know who's pulling your strings here Warlock, but you've got it all
wrong. I'm here at the will of the "God of us all." He wants this blasphemer
destroyed. Join with me while I end his evil."
Warlock shakes off the effects of Quasars attack, then quickly, he rockets towards
Quasar, faster then the hero can react, Warlock delivers a crushing right.
Bam!
"It's not as cut and dried as you may think Quasar, your perceptions have been
altered , as has all of reality. It seems only myself and Captain Marvel , at least at
this point, are free of this contamination. Let me help you."
"Help me?" Screams Quasar, "You think I'm going to fall for that? Guess
again golden boy."
As he speaks, Quasar releases energy blasts that tear towards Warlock, but two can play
these games! Warlock fires a golden beam from his soul gem , that splits the quantum
energy in two, as he deftly flies between it, to hammer at Quasar once again.
Pow!
"Unngh," Grunts Quasar, as Warlock rams another left cross into his face, but
then Quasar reacts, creating a Quantum energy nunchaku to smash Warlock across the jaw!
Pak!
"This could go on all day Warlock, I have no problems taking your worst, and
returning it in kind."
Suddenly a voice behind Quasar causes his head to snap around!
"What are you kidding me Q-Man? You may've been able to hold your own against me
before, but that was when I was still treating you as delusional. But guess what ? No more
games tough guy!"
"Captain Marvel!" Blurts out Quasar!
"Yes" Smiles Warlock.
Genis blazes into Quasar, his photon trail burning the black of space as he fires two
quick blows, a right and then a left in quick succession .
Pow!
Pa-kow!
Quasar immediately encases himself in quantum armor and begins to attack Captain Marvel
with blasts of energy, but then Warlock is there, his powerful left almost cracks the
quantum suit.
"That's it Warlock keep him busy. This should only take a minute."
Genis-Vell suddenly releases energy from his Nega-Bands, but it's not photon blasts,
rather it is an energy that wraps itself around Quasars quantum armor, and suddenly begins
to absorb it!
"Wha-what are you doing?"
"Something I've done only once before*, but something that works I tend to stick
with! I'm absorbing and assimilating your Quantum energy poser, try building an armored
suit now!"
*The classic issue #77
Genis streaks in and hammers Quasar with a powerful right, his Nega bands dispersing
the Quantum energy before Quasar can change frequencies .
Ba-KOOM!
"Arrggh!" Growls Quasar between gritted teeth.
"What's the matter tough guy? Don't like being on the other side of the fence?
Tough luck."
Quasar stammers, seeking to create an attack. But then Warlock is there , enveloping
him in a blast from his soul gem!
Shh-KOOWW!
"That's it Warlock, together we can take 'im down ."
"Yes Captain, presumably without damaging him along the way."
As they speak, Captain Marvel fires a blistering barrage of photonic power , slamming
Quasar, as Quasar seeks to protect himself with yet another Quantum shield, that again
Captain Marvel shatters, now almost effortlessly.
"Stop talking about me like I wasn't here!" Shrieks Quasar.
"After the way you tried to kill me Q-Ball, you're lucky that's all I'm
doing!"
Genis streaks in at the disoriented Quasar , and launches a devastating left, that
immediately knocks Quasar unconscious!
Ba-KOW!
"Nighty-night Q-Ball."
Warlock floats over towards Captain Marvel and the now motionless Quasar.
"What do we do with him now Warlock? We can't just leave him here, he'll end up
coming after me again."
Warlock stares at Quasar a moment silently, then acts!
"No my friend, he will not. Instead, he'll be joining with us."
Before Genis' amazed eyes, Warlock engulfs Quasar in a bright beam of energy from his
soul gem, causing Quasar to spasm painfully!
"Wha-what are you doing to him?" Asks a wide eyed Genis
"I am cleansing his soul Captain."
An instant later Quasar awakens with a shudder.
"Where? What th- what's going on here? Captain Marvel? Warlock? What is this, a
cosmic convention?"
Warlock approaches Quasar.
There is much going on here my friend, and all will be explained to you
momentarily."
Suddenly Quasars Quantum bands scream to life as a holographic image leaps unbidden
from his wrists!
"Kill them Quasar! Kill them both!"
"Eon?? Eon? But your....dead?!? "
"Kill them Quasar, the God of us all commands you to kill them!"
Quasar stares momentarily at the image floating before him and then mentally shuts the
image off, through his control of the Quantum bands.
"No one's getting killed here today Eon, or whoever you are."
Captain Marvel speaks next, while approaching Quasar directly.
"That's not what you were saying a few minutes ago Q-Ball."
"I'm sorry about that Captain, I feel like someone who just awoke form a long
surreal dream. It's like I know everything that was happening, but it- I don't know, it's
like I was watching a movie of someone playing me, and God help me, it was enjoyable in a
sick way!"
"Don't worry about it my friend." Speaks Warlock, "We all have our dark
sides to keep in check."
"Speaking of which Adam," Genis asks, " how'd you manage to stay
you?"
"I was never changed in any way Captain. I believe it was a result of my being
touched by an entity known as the in-betweener many years ago* . Since then I have existed
between all abstract purposes and realities. I suppose it was an after effect of his
changing my destiny."
*See Starlins classic Warlock stories in Strange Tales, circa 1976-77
"Well the next question is, does anyone know what really is happening here? Who
the real enemy is?"
"No Genis-Vell," Begins Warlock, "I do not, and from Quasars perplexed
look I can safely guess he doesn't either."
Quasar nods in agreement while rubbing his sore jaw.
Genis smiles slightly, then continues "Well besides we three, the only other
person I know who's still herself is a girl I met just before I left for Titan a few weeks
ago, her name is Angie."
Genis snaps his fingers suddenly, "Angie! I have to check on her I left her alone
in a cave when you attacked us Quasar."
As he speaks , Genis' face begins to reflect the cosmos, as he activates his Cosmic
Awareness, and then just as suddenly, he streaks towards Earth, his last word echoing in
the minds of the other two heroes "ANGIE!"
Warlock and Quasar exchange looks and race after the quickly disappearing Photon trail,
towards the cavern in Colorado.
Ahead, Captain Marvel unleashes a powerful blast of photonic energy, blasting through
solid rock, decimating the cliff face and turning it to rubble as he streaks through it
towards the labyrinthine caverns where Angie was last seen. He rockets through the maze,
coming upon a scene he never expected. There , Angie sits at a makeshift fire, roasting a
huge piece of meat on an impromptu spit. Seeing him, she leaps upwards and runs toward
him.
"Genis !"She shouts joyously, her eyes bright, as her smile is large,
"You're okay! Thank God!" She wraps her arms around him and holds him tight.
"A starved bear attacked me, and I ran into a cleft in the cliff face, he couldn't
reach me, but I knew it wouldn't be long before he found a way. And then your friend
appeared like magic, he stopped the bear with one blast of fire, it was amazing, he saved
my life."
"Waitaminute Angie, my friend?? Who is it? Where is he?"
Just then both Warlock and Quasar finally catch up , as another cloaked and hooded
figure enters the cave from the other end, carrying some fresh kindling, immediately
Genis' face reflects the cosmos once more, as his Cosmic Awareness stabs out towards the
startled figure, who drops the kindling in his tracks. "You!", yells Genis as he
instantly flies towards the man, tackling him and slamming him to the ground, as he rears
his fist back to bury it in the strangers face.
The man struggles, and as he does his hood falls away, and long silver hair falls out
from beneath the hood. "You've gone to far this time Noctu* !" Shouts
Genis-Vell, "But your presence here at least tells me who my foe is, and you can take
this message back to Black Sun, tell him Captain Marvel is coming for him! And this time
I'll finish the job I started months ago!"
*Remember Noctu , the "Silver Dragon" from the already classic Captain Marvel #'s 73-77 ?
Both Warlock and Quasar are at Genis' side, as Noctu continues to struggle futilely in
Genis' grip
" No Captain," He grunts painfully, "you misunderstand. It is not Black
Sun who is your enemy this time , but another."
"No more lies mister!" Captain Marvel growls menacingly in Noctu's face
."I've had it with this madness for the past month. If it's not Black Sun, then who?
And you better be DAMN sure you're telling the truth here!"
"I am Captain, I assure you. "
"Genis!" Screams Angie, as she wrings her hands next to him, "Leave him
alone, he saved me before! "
"It is another, Captain, a master schemer and strategist who many times before has
sought to control or dominate the universe. Only this time, he has succeeded."
Then, the cave shudders and shakes , as if it were being ripped apart, Simultaneously,
Captain Marvel gets a massive spasm , as his face shows his cosmic awareness once more. He
doubles over in agony , as Noctu stands, but is immediately pinned in a cage of Quasars
Quantum power, even as he sees to Genis' safety.
"Captain, what is it? What's wrong?"
" I-I d-don't know Quaze. I have no idea, but it's starting to subside, but
---Chaos and Order! I feel death, everywhere! All at once ! What in Uweys name is
happening here?"
From his Quantum cage Noctu speaks. "So, it has begun at last. She comes, and now it is to late."
Warlock flies over to the cage and stares into it intently. "Who is coming Noctu, what is happening here. Who is our enemy."
.
Noctu stares sadly at Warlock before answering, "You already suspect Warlock, and
your suspicions are correct. It is .....THANOS!"
"What? "Shouts Genis,"Thanos? But who is coming, who is this mysterious
"She"?"
Noctu stares at Captain Marvel and sadly, slowly answers. "Death is coming
Captain. And she is coming to do war against the living. A war that will last throughout
eternity, one that will be fought on every planet, every world throughout the universe.
Your reaction moments ago was to her first attack, her first volley against Thanos'
immortal warriors."
Now it's Warlocks turn to pace and angrily throw his arms about. "What is he
thinking? Why would he seek to battle death?"
Noctu continues, "Because she spurned him. Now he will throw all of creation into
a war that cannot be won by either side. He seeks revenge against her, no matter what the
cost. He seeks to prove himself her master."
Genis storms forward, Nega-Bands glowing, "Well he's wrong, This madness is going
to end, he didn't count on me making it back to this time, that's why I was untouched by
his recreating of reality. Now he's going to have to deal with me, and when I'm done with
him, either everything will be back the way it should be, or one of us will be dead!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next: To battle the dark Lady
Link to our next exciting issue!
Kree-Lore C/O [email protected]
Wow! Just when I think that this storyline can't get any better, another
twist
comes and leads us off into unknown levels of greatness. Quasar's
presence here
was great, especially setting him against Captain Marvel. Eon's
ressurrection in
the restructured universe is pretty cool as well. Adam Warlock's
surprise
appearance at the end there was amazing! I still have no idea what's
going on,
but this story is epic enough for me to not care. I just hope Angie is
all right.
Whatever it was that got her didn't seem too friendly. Anyway, keep up
the
amazing work buddy! I can't wait for the next issue!
TJB
I hope this issue explains things to your liking TJ, and rest assure, there's more
where this came from.
�