Episode 16 - Artifacts of Justice

Episode 18- Defenders of the Galaxy

Today we're covering a crossover between the Defenders and the Guardians of the Galaxy. This episode is about the Badoon who are extraterrestrial Bad-Dudes from our first Guardians of the Galaxy Coverage back in Episode 14. We’ve got a Time Travel Team-Up for you that goes into excruciating detail about how terrible the Badoon are!

Dramatis Personae: Protagonists

• Defenders
• -Dr. Strange - Stephen Strange
• -Hulk - Bruce Banner
• -Nighthawk - Kyle Richmond
• -Valkyrie
• -Aragorn
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• -Vance Astro - Vance Astrovik
• -Charlie-27
• -Martinex
• -Yondu - Yondu Udonta
• -Starhawk
• Jack Norriss

Antagonists

• Eelar - YESSSS!!!!!!!
• Brotherhood of the Badoon
• Zoms

Hard to Judge but… Good Grief

• Sisterhood of the Badoon
• -Queen Tolaria

Giant Size Defenders (1972) 5 “Eelar Moves in Mysterious Ways

• Hulk is a whole mood in these issues and I love it. I don’t normally enjoy Hulk so much but Steve Gerber has a really fun voice for him throughout
• Why… why are the Defenders fighting… fish? Hulk doesn’t know, but he’ll do it!
• Eelar is kinda rad looking, actually
• These goons straight up shank someone in the beginning of this issue, and that’s surprising
• Charlie-27 sure is a slab-o-beef
• Going into this, my prediction is that Nighthawk is Starhawk
• I actually really like that the spaceship falling from the sky isn’t hidden from anyone. All the time in these stories they act like no one notices these things, but in this issue everyone notices, is kinda alarmed, then goes about with life as usual… which seems way more realistic to me
• Dude! Is it ever explained why the fish are involved?
• This kid… I feel bad for him and want Valkyrie to punch his dad in the stomach real good once
• I like this Vance Astro costume a lot
• Gerry Conway’s art in this is quite dynamic
• Hulk Punch Fire, not Fish… I’m crying!
• Getting the band back together to Mess Eelar Up!
• Oh boy, this kid is gonna cause trouble

Defenders (1972) 26 - “Savage Time”

• So, I gotta talk about this Valkyrie/Jack Norriss situation for a moment. There’s certainly backstory I’m missing but I feel terribly for everyone involved here. It honestly ripped me up reading this whole saga. I can’t imagine coming home one day and my wife legit didn’t know who I was. I’d probably act similarly to Jack here, honestly. Trying anything you can think of to spark a memory. At the same time Valkyrie is an entirely different person and has no memory. His forceful kiss is definitely line-crossing in very uncomfortable and bad ways… that said, again, were I in his shoes…

It’s heartbreaking and tragic and I want the best for both of them and in 616, I just don’t expect it…

• All that said, Valkyrie is good peeps, she saves him without a second thought even after so remarkably uncomfortable a moment
• The Enterprise… I mean Captain America… nah, I mean Enterprise, is even more wrecked than it looked before and the News is covering it
• Oh man, an alien emerging from a space ship with a human kid… how are you still alive Martinex?
• Strange with the save!
• Major Vance Astro’s early recap is… pointed… at us… still…
• Humans raised as food, SNAP INTO A SLIM JIM!
• I had to go back to Two-in-One to see if Killraven was Wundarr. I’m still not sure, but refuse to google it
• Techno-Barrons is my new 80’s retro band
• Why is Aqua-Man in this issue?
• Dude, these Mercury dudes look Rad AF
• So… much… recap…
• Jack does need to back the heck off though
• The Enterprise is repaired and ready to head back to Stardate 1312.4

Defenders (1972) 27 - “Three Worlds to Conquer!”

• The Badoon are the worst
• Hulk is suspish of transport… AS HE SHOULD BE, DON’T YOU WATCH CGP GREY?!?
• Chill Jack, you still aren’t helping
• I kinda dig the half lizard half ape design here though
• Why is Valkyrie getting weaker? What the heck is happening?
• Woah… glowy person
• Planet of the Stereotypical 60’s
• Seriously, this issue has big Star Trek vibes
• I dig this robot design, and the bond between mama and babies
• Hulk don’t care though, HULK SMASH
• Dr. Strange-Tech is a thing I hope to see more if going forward
• So… how will it reveal that Nighthawk has become Starhawk?
• Oh good, it’s Denethor....
• Wait, the Badoon Eliet Guard is 90% Zoms?!?! What the heck?

Defenders (1972) 28 - “My Mother, the Badoon!”

• Excellent Opening Scene
• Hulk, I mean Charlie-27 SMASH
• So, Night enhances Nighthawks Powers? Cool! Will it enhance Starhawk’s powers though? How is this tied together?
• Digging future Nighthawk though
• Woah! Badoon Sisterhood City looks awesome
• At least we know the Badoon aren’t into corpse stabbing
• Techno-Bondage Hulk Action Figure!
• LOVING Super-Death Sweepstakes and ABSOLUTELY getting a Running Man vibe from it
• Yondu is one tough cookie
• The Badoon backstory is… yikes
• Starhawk is OUT

Defenders (1972) 29 - “Let My Planet Go!”

• The Battle Royale between the Badoon and the Guardians and Defenders kicks off while Hulk and Yondu are still MIA
• Damsel is in distress and Hulk will SMASH (hyuck)
• Starhawk’s family is… normalish
• Hulk is indeed the strongest there is
• Hulk being teleported mid punch and absolutely leveling a Badoon is HILARIOUS slapstick comedy
• I really love how the battle royale begins at the start of the issue and just builds and builds throughout. It’s mostly just a fight issue but it’s so well done that it’s a ton of fun to read
• Strange and Jack to save the day! I’m starting to suspect that Nighthawk and Starhawk aren’t related
• That’s some cool eye-effect though with Starhawk

Creators of these issues: Steve Gerber,Gerry Conway, Roger Slifer, Len Wein, Chris Claremont, Scott Edelman, Don Heck, Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, Jim Mooney, Dave Hunt, Vince Colletta, Frank Giacoia, John Tartag, George Roussos, Irene Vartanoff, Glynis Wein, Al Wenzel, Dave Hunt, Artie Simek, Gaspar Saladino, Karen Mantlo, John Costanza, Joe Rosen, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Ron Wilson, Al Milgrom, Danny Crespi, Gil Kane, John Romita, Danny Crespi, Frank Giacoia, Gaspar Saladino

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Episode 17 - They/HIM

Episode 17: Episode Title Today we’ll be covering an introduction to HIM/Adam Warlock. This won’t be in depth because although we think of Warlock being Cosmic, that aspect of his character doesn’t develop until later on. We’ll be covering Thor (1966) 165-166 and Marvel Premiere (1972) 1

Dramatis Personae: PROTAGONISTS

• HIM - Adam Warlock
• The High Evolutionary
• Sir Raam
• Hulk - Bruce Banner
• The Watcher - Uatu
• Fantastic Four
• -Mr. Fantastic - Reed Richards
• -Thing - Ben Grimm
• -Human Torch - Johnny Storm
• Counter-Earth Disciples of Adam’s
• -Jason Grey
• -David Carter
• -Ellie Roberts
• Alicia Masters

ANTAGONISTS

• Asgardians
• -Thor
• -Sif
• -Balder
• -Odin
• -Karnilla
• -Haag
• Man-Beast
• Kohbra

Preface:

• HIM was created by scientists to be a “perfect being” in Fantastic Four (1961) 65-67
• Pluto mentions that a powerful being is inside the Advance Science Research Center in Thor (1966) 163-164
• Jack Kirby had intended HIM to be a perfect Objectivist. Roy Thomas was inspired by Jesus Christ Superstar to try and create a messiah figure. This likely explains some of the weird facets of the character in these early portrayals as well as possibly being one of the early dividing wedges between Kirby and Stan Lee.

Thor (1966) 165: “HIM!”

• Thor, Sif, and Balder have defeated Pluto’s armies
• Thor and company investigate the Atomic Research Center, Thor is concerned because of Pluto’s foreboding
• Karnilla, still an absolute QUEEN, pines for Balder and is upset that Balder has spurned her love. She’s salty that Odin has protected Balder from her magic so she turns to Haag, the seeress
• Haag is prepared to snatch Balder directly to Nornheim but Karnilla bids her wait
• The Atomic Research Center begins quaking and all is engulfed in light. A figure emerges from a cocoon
• It’s HIM
• He recaps his origin and concludes with launching himself into space and cocooning himself.
• Uatu sees the cocoon, bemoans his interference in human affairs, then interferes again, returning the cocoon to Earth
• Thor criticizes HIM for despising mankind but HIM rebuts that he is a law and truth unto HIMself
• Thor is ticked off because he and Sif are in a relationship. Unfortunately for everyone he’s angry enough that he isn’t listening to reason as Sif entreats him to de-escalate.
• HIM runs off with Sif… not cool dude
• HIM teleports away with Sif but Thor and Balder catch up with them quickly.
• Haag takes this opportunity to strike, snatching Balder in her gigantic hand which Thor blasts out of existence.
• As Thor returns his attention to HIM and Sif he finds them gone. Completely enraged, Thor swears Vengeance against HIM!

Thor (1966) 166: “A God Berserk!”

• Thor opens the issue pitching a fit and shattering mountains in the process. He has given in to Warriors Madness, a High Crime in Asgard
• Thor teleports himself and Balder to HIM again.
• Karnilla snatches Balder again but this time Thor, lost to Warriors Madness, ignores his entangled half-brother
• Thor and HIM begin brawling. Thor is so enraged that he sets down Mjolnir so he can beat HIM to death with his own bare hands
• Belder begs Thor to relent but Thor ain’t having that
• HIM is defeated and thus cocoons himself again, launching HIMself into space.
• Thor sobers up now that the conflict is over and Sif is back in his arms and is overwhelmed with guilt at the shame he’s brought upon himself
• Thor, Sif, and Balder return to Asgard and Thor prepares to face justice at the throne of Odin

Marvel Premiere (1972) 1: “And Men shall call HIM… Warlock!”

• The opening page of this issue is an excruciatingly messianic image of HIM floating in space surrounded by roiling vapors of power with the High Evolutionary’s head in the bottom corner looking on
• An asteroid floats past the Earth, then the Moon but it’s no mere asteroid, it’s the hidden base of the High Evolutionary
• He recaps his prior adventures in Thor 134-135 and Tales to Astonish 94-96. He was a scientist named Herbert Wyndham who created a race of Nu-Men who were animals transformed into furries. Unfortunately his wolf furry was evil and became the dred Man-Beast, besmirching the good name of wolves the world over
• Thor overcame the Man-Beast so High Evolutionary exiled himself and the New-Men off planet where they revolted against him
• Facing his destruction he summoned the Hulk to defend him but High Evolutionary was ultimately forced to evolve into a form of pure energy which then merged with the eternal cosmos
• Later, loneliness overwhelmed him and his energy possessed his signature armor which catches us up to the present
• Sir Raam, one of the Nu-Men, informs H- E- that he’s found a strange thing floating through space. They bring the cocoon in and begin inspecting it enroute to the far side of the sun
• They telepathically communicate the Thor issues we just covered and H- E- is about to return HIM to the void but HIM asks what H- E- is upto and so he explains that he’s going to use his incredible power to create a Counter-Earth on the other side of the sun and populate it with peaceful, loving people.
• We then are treated to a dazzling fast-forward montage of the start of Counter-Earth
• At the critical moment where H- E- is going to purge mankind’s killer instinct, he’s overcome with exhaustion and falls asleep
• Man-Beast makes an appearance and corrupts the new mankind and then teleports to the planet below with some fellow evil Nu-Men
• High Evolutionary decides to just obliterate the new planet when HIM chimes in and says that he needs a chance to save Counter-Earth from Man-Beast’s influence as well as from their corrupt selves
• Before he departs, High Evolutionary grants HIM two gifts. The first is the glowing green gem which adorns his forehead and the second is a new name, Warlock! Warlock pops down to Counter-Earth ready to save them all

Creators of these issues: Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Jack Kirby, Gil Kane, Vince Colletta, Dan Adkins, Artie Simek, Sam Rosen

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Episode 16 - Artifacts of Justice

For this episode, we have added a page to our site with resources for you to explore. There is a lot there to process and take in. Also, we will be adding to this as we come across works we believe are valuable to the conversation.

https://artifactsofinfinity.com/social-justice-resources

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Episode 15 - The Galactus Palaver

Episode 15: The Galactus Palaver Today we’ll be covering Thor (1966) 167-169 which covers Thor’s second encounter with Galactus, but what does Galactus want?

Dramatis Personae:

PROTAGONISTS

• Thor
• Odin
• Sif
• Balder
• Heimdall
• The Warriors Three
• • Fandral the Dashing
• • Hogun the Grim
• • Volstagg the Lion of Asgard
• The Watcher

ANTAGONISTS

• Galactus
• Loki
• Karnilla
• Haag

Preface:

• We’re covering 167 even though it’s mainly Asgardian deity stuff because it’s vital to the story
• Thor has fought HIM for the sake of Sif, but committed the ultimate Asgardian sin of slipping into the Warrior Madness
• Sif is a self actualized warrior of Asgard who is awesome, not a prize to be won.

Thor (1966) 167 - “This World Renounced!”

• Thor is drumline marched to the throne of Odin for committing the sin of giving into The Warrior Madness--fighting for revenge instead of justice alone
• Thor pleads guilty and proclaims that he will accept whatever punishment Odin metes out
• Sif pleads for Thor but Balder restrains her. Sif insists that she should share in the burden since Thor was acting on her behalf. Sif is awesome
• Odin sentences Thor to an act of restorative justice, Find Galactus!
• Balder meets Heimdall at the Rainbow Bridge and heads to Earth to serve in Thor’s stead. Karnilla-The Queen of the Norns spys on Balder and thirsts. She’s a babe!
• Loki wants to take advantage of the situation so he enlists Karnilla’s minion Haag. Haag uses a voodoo doll to injure Balder’s brain.
• Odin and Thor talk. Odin begins unveiling the burden of leadership to Thor. Odin presents Thor with a sweet spaceship equipped with a device called Odin’s Eye which will let Thor find what he seeks. Thor recognizes that the fate of the Realm Eternal is on the line and shoulders the responsibility
• Thor heads to Earth and finds Balder unconscious and thus changes back into Dr. Donald Blake to treat him but is immediately beset upon by Loki.
• Odin pops up and explains to Loki that though he earned Mjolnir fairly, if he wishes to keep the hammer then he must seek Galactus. Loki is no fool and nopes out
• As Donald Blake saves Balder and takes to the sky to begin his quest, we see Galactus consuming a planet, wreathed in smoke.

Thor (1966) 168 - “Galactus Found!”

• Odin urges the Odinship to depart
• Balder is discharged from the hospital and is surprised to find The Warriors Three waiting for him. They vow to right the wrongs of the world
• In the B-Plot there is a lot of Yellow Scare going on but we aren’t covering that in this episode. It’s a bad look every time but is certainly a sign of the times it was written in
• The art in this issue is so good
• Thor finds Galactus and attempt to enjoin battle but Galactus holds him back with his Galactian Barrier.
• Galactus then uses telepathy to show Thor a vision of a Watcher who witnesses the crash of an interstellar ship. The Watcher, and thus Thor see that the crew has succumbed to plague. Thor begins thrashing in the visi-haze
• Galactus explains that he’ll release Thor from the vision but Thor must cease the enmity between them. Thor agrees and Galactus begins explaining who he actually is.

Thor (1966) 169 - “The Awesome Answer!”

• At the start of the issue, Galactus is tired of avoiding people who fight him
• Galactus explains that the plague ship only contained one survivor, himself
• Galactus is angry at his lot in the universe, there is only hunger and the gnawing memories
• Galactus explains Taa, his homeworld, was incredibly advanced.
• Galan of Taa (Galactus) has been seeking an answer for the growing radiation that’s been plaguing their universe, he has found that there’s no escape
• Even their vast space fleet has been overcome by this radiation plague
• The few remaining Taa scientists board the last ship and head towards the center of the calamity, flying the ship into the largest sun in their universe
• Everyone died in the radiation except Galan but he was transformed
• A Watcher observed all of this and saw the opportunity to stop Galactus before he became a threat, but didn’t act
• Thor is conflicted, he sees that Galactus doesn’t attack with malice and that he’s just feeding but that whole planets have been devoured. Before he can act however, Odin teleports Thor to Earth.

Creators of these issues: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta, Artie Simek, John Romita Sr., George Klein, & Morrie Kuramoto

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Episode 14 - Phantom of the Galaxy

Episode 14: Phantom of the Galaxy Today we’ll be covering Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) 18, and Marvel Two-in-One (1974) 4-5. This is a more relaxed episode so we can try to get caught up.

Dramatis Personae: PROTAGONISTS Guardians of the Galaxy Charlie-27 Major Victory - Vance Astrovik Martinex - Martinex T’Naga Yondu - Yondu Udonta Fantastic Four Mr. Fantastic - Reed Richards Thing - Ben Grimm Medusa - Medusalith Amaquelin-Boltagon Avengers Captain America - Steve Rogers Sharron Carter Namorita - Namorita Prentiss

ANTAGONISTS Brotherhood of Badoon Drang - Supreme Commander of the Eastern Sector Monster of Badoon Misc Badoon Zoms Saturnian Hound-Hawks

Preface:

• This is the first few appearances of the Guardians of the Galaxy
• To clarify, this isn’t the GotG from the movies, this is the original team.
• They are no longer in existence

Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) 18 - “Earth Shall Overcome!”

• Charlie-27 is fifth generation Jovian. He’s been on Space-Militia Duty and returns home after six months to find it overthrown by Badoon
• He flees death, taking the Living Matter Transmitter in a mad frenzy, ending up on Pluto
• Again he is attacked by Badoon, chased by Saturnian Hound-Hawks
• Martinex is a crystalline human Pluvian.
• Charlie-27 and Martinex work together to escape Pluto
• Yondu and Major Vance Astro are captured, in the Badoon throne room on Earth
• Major Vance Astro is the first human to leave Earth for a distant star, Centauri. He’s in a full body copper suit which protects him from aging but if it’s ever breached then he’ll age and die instantly
• When he arrives at his destination, due to advances in technology there’s already human colonists there, celebrating him as a hero
• Yondu is from Earth’s first non-solar system colony on Centauri-IV
• Having teleported again using the Pluvian Tele-Tran, Charlie-27 and Martinex appear in the throne room on Earth and help Vance and Yondu fight their way out to a Jump Tube and land on Planet New New York to begin the fight to defeat the Badoon

Marvel Two-in-One (1974) 4 - “Doomsday 3014!”

• Much of this issue is setup, I’ll skip that here
• In the Baxter Building there is a scream in the lab. Thing, Sharron Carter, Medusa, Reed, and Captain America respond and find a woman who’s been teleported there
• She’s from the future and is shocked to discover Captain America and the Fantastic Four, fainting
• Her name is Tarin and after getting the info on the Badoon invasion Steve knows they need to travel to the future to help
• Cap, Sharron Carter, and Thing escort Tarin to the future with Medusa and Reed staying behind to run the time machine
• They’re immediately beset by Zoms, enslaved humans under Badoon control
• The Monster of Badoon attacks and makes short work of the team, Tarin flees for further help

Marvel Two-in-One (1974) 5 - “Seven Against the Empire!”

• The Monster of Badoon and Zoms bring our heroes before Drang in the throne room
• Drang mind-probes Cap learning the back story
• The heroes awaken and begin to fight back
• Ben may not know how to drive alien cars, but he knows how to smack a baboon with one!
• Sharron Carter is dope and she does dope stuff
• Thing is definitely struggling with anger throughout these two issues
• Tarin gets to the Human Resistance, once they are caught up on events they summon the Guardians back to help
• Their starship, named the good ship Captain America is absolutely a Star Trek Galaxy Class ship, dead ringer
• With all the heroes combine they fight a fraught battle but defeat Drang and his forces
• Sharron, Thing, and Cap return to their home time

Creators of these issues: Arnold Drake, Gene Colan, Mike Esposito, Stan Goldberg, Herb Cooper, Stan Lee, Steve Gerber, Sal Buscema, Frank Giacoia, Petra Goldberg, Charlotte Jetter, Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, and Joe Sinnott

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