Artifacts of Infinity

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: 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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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 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 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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Episode 13: Galactus Boogaloo Today we’ll be covering Thor 160 - 162, the first major encounter between Thor and Galactus.

Dramatis Personae: PROTAGONISTS Thor - Thor Odinson Asgardians Odin - Odin Borson Sif Heimdal Fandrall the Dashing Hogun the Grim Volstagg - The Lion of Asgard Torger - The Cosmic Counselor Balder - The Brave Karnilla - The Norn Queen Rigellians Tana Nile Rigellian Grand Commissioner Recorder The Wanderers

ANTAGONISTS Unnamed Taurian Galactus Ego - The Living Planet

Preface: The last time we covered Thor we saw Galactus buzz past on his way to find the Dark Galaxy This episode is very relevant to the first arc of Thor (2020)

Thor 160: “And Now… Galactus!”

• Something crashes onto a nearby roof so Thor investigates, suspecting a spaceship (what a life to lead!)
• He’s greeted by Tana Nile of the Rigellian Colonizers who explains that she is seeking help, Thor heads to Rigel with her
• At this same moment Recorder entreats Odin to allow him to return to Rigel because they have need of him, Odin agrees
• Sif also entreats Odin to allow her to join Thor, Odin refuses
• We’re reminded of Galactus not being evil or good, but a force of the universe
• A Taurian smashes into the spaceship. Thor and Tana team up to stop him. The Taurian begs mercy and explains that it was being controlled by Galactus
• Thor is enraged when he sees the desolation that Galactus has left behind. He and Tana complete the voyage to Rigel where Thor agrees to help stop Galactus. Recorder joins him!
• Thor and Recorder hop in their cosmic hot-rod and head off to stop Galactus.
• Galactus has found Ego and the battle begins, destroying the cosmic hot-rod… pour one out

Thor 161: “Shall a God Prevail?”

• Thor and Recorder float in space between Galactus and Ego
• Ego strikes with the power of an entire world but Galactus is unmatched in the universe
• The Wanderers rescue Thor and Recorder with Thor vowing vengeance
• Thor strikes Galactus injuring him!!!
• Thor rigs up a shrine for Mjolnir which releases the sum totality of its Asgardian Energy, driving Galactus off
• Everyone is trapped on Ego, but Ego transforms the surface to be hospitable and lets the Wanderers know that they have found sanctuary. Ego, is a darn liar though, I am salty… but that’s a story for another day.

Thor 162: “Galactus is Born!”

• Thor and Recorder return to Rigel
• The High Commissioner almost makes an unforgivable mistake by removing Recorders memory bank but Thor steps in, rejecting the notion that the Rigelians have the right to do this. He’s defending his friend!
• Tana Nile gives Thor a big ol’ smack on the cheek. It’s cute
• Thor returns to Earth and is met by the Warriors Three and Heimdall. Odin has summoned Thor
• Torger, the cosmic counselor has been tracking Galactus, who is still a threat
• Odin looks Kirby AF and it’s rad!
• Odin looks into the past, to Galactus’ origin: In an age of Space Wars Galactus Incubation Cell floated into the gravity well of a planet at war. They realized he could bring doom upon the planet, but decided it was worth the gamble to awaken whatever was inside the cell, that they may gain an edge in the war. It was not worth it.

Creators of these issues: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta, & Sam Rosen

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Episode 12: Kree-Skrull War pt3: All’s Fair in Kree and Skrull Today we’ll be covering Avengers 95-97, the conclusion to the Kree-Skrull War

Dramatis Personae: PROTAGONISTS Anelle Captain Marvel - Mar-Vell Carol Danvers Rick Jones

Avengers: Captain America - Steve Rogers Goliath - Clint Barton Iron Man - Tony Stark Jarvis Quicksilver - Pietro Maximoff Scarlet Witch - Wanda Maximoff Thor - Thor Odinson Vision Wasp - Janet Van Dyne Yellowjacket/Ant-Man - Hank Pym

S.H.I.E.L.D.: Dum Dum Dugan Nick Fury

Rick’s Simpler Heroes: Captain America - Steve Rogers Human Torch - Jim Hammond Namor the Sub-Mariner Blazing Skull - Mark Todd The Vision - Aarkus Fin - Peter Noble Angel - Thomas Halloway Patriot - Jeffrey Mace

Inhumans: Black Bolt Triton

Kree Empire: Supreme Intelligence

ANTAGONISTS H. Warren Craddock Mandroids

Skrull Empire: Emperor Dorrek VII Super-Skrull - Kl’rt

Kree Empire: Ronan the Accuser Sentry 459

Inhumans: Maximus the Mad

Preface:

• We’ve been covering this story in three parts, this is part two
• If you’re new, we recommend starting with the prior episode
• Empyre is coming up and all of that drama starts with the Kree-Skrull War

Avengers 95: “Something Inhuman This Way Comes”

• Best opening splash page in a long time, Triton looks EXCELLENT
• Unfortunately, he gets chased by a mob
• Triton arrives at Avengers Mansion as they are fighting the Mandroids
• Vision has conflicting emotions
• Flashback of Blackagar and Maximus parents being accidentally killed because MAXIMUS IS EVIL and this, somehow, is how we ended up with Mad Max
• Vision’s group rejoins the rest of the Avengers to rescue Black Bolt
• Black Bolt regains the crown
• Rick Jones is abducted by the Kree

Avengers 96: “The Andromeda Swarm”

• The Avengers, fully reunited, land at a S.H.I.E.L.D. Space Base where Nick Fury gives them a ship to intercept the Skrull Armada
• Tony tries to gossip about Vision and Wanda but nobody has time for that
• The Avengers use a trick where their ship visually looks like a whole armada but it ends up only showing as a single ship on radar, so a single Skrull ship investigates
• Iron Man thirst poses aggressively at the Skrull
• Thor, Vision, and Iron Man take on the lone ship
• Meanwhile, Captain Marvel has agreed to work on the Omni-Wave Projector for the King Dorrek VII in order to save Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch
• Mar is tricksy and instead made a holographic projector, and ambushes the guards. Dorrek panics and orders “Execute Plan Delta”
• Vision has a TNG: Data moment and nearly beats a guard to death, but Iron Man and Thor pull him off
• Leather Daddy Clint is the sole Avenger left in a fightercraft so he boards the ship, but runs out of ideas
• Ronan villain monologues to Rick Jones but Rick is teleported to the Supreme Intelligence
• Supreme Intelligence explains that it’s been behind everything the whole time…
• Supreme Intelligence then shunts Rick back to the Negative Zone

Avengers 97: “Godhood’s End!”

• Rick ponders life in the Negative Zone, visually excellent
• Annihilus attacks
• Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch buy Captain Marvel time to use the Omni-Wave
• Anelle tries to convince Dorrek to chill, but he’s never been chill about anything
• Mar destroys the Omni-Wave
• Rick escapes the Negative Zone through a portal, the Supreme Intelligence informs that it’s now time for Rick to glow up
• Ronan, Public Accuser tries to murder Rick and the Supreme Intelligence but Rick summons a ton of old Marvel heroes to fight for him
• Rick then deus ex machina’s all Kree and Skrull by freezing them all in place
• G.W. Craddock was a skrull all along and when that is revealed the crowd vents their rage, tearing him limb from limb
• Supreme Intelligence tells Rick that Rick isn’t important, any ol’ human would have done
• Captain Marvel thinks about Anelle. This brief moment is the entire basis for Empyre… one sentence… that’s it
• Supreme Intelligence teleports everyone home, real Craddock clears the Avengers of all charges and… that’s it

Creators of these issues: Roy Thomas, Neal Adams, John Buscema, Tom Palmer, Sam Rosen, Alan Weiss, Gil Kane, Bill Everett, Stan Lee

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My recording sounds like it's in a tincan and we couldn't get it fixed in time to release. Sorry about that. -Jonathan

Episode 11: Skrulled into a False Sense Today we’ll be covering Avengers 92-94, the confrontation of the Kree-Skrull War

Dramatis Personae: PROTAGONISTS

• Anelle
• Captain Marvel - Mar-Vell
• Carol Danvers

• Rick Jones Avengers

• Captain America - Steve Rogers

• Goliath - Clint Barton
• Iron Man - Tony Stark
• Jarvis
• Quicksilver - Pietro Maximoff
• Scarlet Witch - Wanda Maximoff
• Thor - Thor Odinson
• Vision
• Wasp - Janet Van Dyne

• Yellowjacket/Ant-Man - Hank Pym S.H.I.E.L.D.

• Dum Dum Dugan

• Nick Fury Rick’s Simpler Heroes

• Captain America - Steve Rogers

• Human Torch - Jim Hammond)
• Namor the Sub-Mariner
• Cat-Man (from Holyoke Comics)
• The Heap (from Hillman Comics)
• The Green Lama (from Prize Comics)
• Fighting Yank (Bruce Carter III) (from Nedor Comics)

• Fantoman (from Centaur Comics) Fantastic Four

• Mr. Fantastic - Reed Richards

• The Thing - Ben Grimm Inhumans

• Triton

ANTAGONISTS

• H. Warren Craddock

• Mandroids Skrull Empire

• Emperor Dorrek VII

• Super-Skrull - Kl’rt
• Skrull Posing as a Cow & Human Torch
• Skrull Posing as a Cow & Mr. Fantastic

• Skrull Posing as a Cow & The Thing Kree Empire

• Ronan the Accuser

• Sentry 459

Preface:

• We’ve been covering this story in three parts, this is part two
• If you’re new, we recommend starting with the prior episode
• Empyre is coming up and all of that drama starts with the Kree-Skrull War

Avengers 92: “All Things Must End!”

• Wanda flirts with Vision by dressing like him
• Normal life at Avengers Mansion is interrupted when Jarvis bursts into the room. He announces that someone leaked the Kree plot to turn back Earth’s evolution (see last episode)
• Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are definitely Mutants
• Goliath and his fabulous outfit come in and they are a whole lot. He thought everyone had agreed to keep those events a secret.
• The Avengers turn on the TV and see that H. Warren Craddock has been appointed head of the Alien Activities Commission, a comic counterpart to Joseph McCarthy’s House Committee on Internal Security. Also, with modern history for context it’s even more uncomfortable
• Mar-Vell and Rick Jones walk in and Mar offers to give himself over to the authorities. No one agrees except CLINT FREAKING BARTON… freaking guy…
• Vision, however, is having none of it and rightly points out how wrongly detaining anyone injured everyone
• A helicopter flies in piloted by Carol Danvers, as she crashes first Captain Marvel then Vision breaks her fall.
• Basically this scene is a mess. Captain Marvel’s powers are wildly inconsistent. A lot is happening and none of it really works
• Carol is saved but Wanda is concerned about her boy-toy Vis. Vision, however, as after pausing for dramatic timing, he re-emerges unscathed.
• SHIELD planes buzz Avengers Mansion searching for Mar-Vell. Carol and Mar slip out and head to Upstate NY to hide out.
• Mar is concerned that running will only confirm his guilt but Vision points out that he’s already been found guilty in the court of public opinion
• SHIELD tries to pursue but the Quinjet is too fast.
• Craddock yells at Fury for letting them escape in a prescient call-out of President Bush Sr. after his appointment to UN Ambassador in 1971
• Fury chastises Craddock in the most important exchange in this issue
• Rick Jones has feelings about the complication of modern heroes. I find this really interesting having been through the 90’s emergence of Image comics and how the lack of this greyness was a large argument for the creation of Image.
• Clint sees a fight break out outside the mansion and heads out to break it up but it was staged to be able to serve a court summons.
• The Avengers head to court where Craddock is the worst…
• The testimony of Craddock’s witnesses is… slanted… to say the least.
• Reed Richards gives some good advise but BEN FREAKING GRIMM slags the Avengers hard
• Vision tries to testify but Craddock dismisses him out of hand for just being a robot… what a jerk
• Rick Jones gets a telepathic whammy from Mar-Vell, he’s under attack and Rick races off to help
• When they arrive at Avengers Mansion they find Jarvis distraught and the mansion trashed
• Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor show up and declare the current Avengers unfit, and disband them.

Avengers 93: “This Beachhead Earth”

• Vision staggers into the Mansion and collapses, begging for help before shutting off
• Ant-Man shows up and explains that Vision isn’t dead, just needing some help
• There is a great bit where Ant-Man faces off against Vision’s immune system, Adams is an artistic LEGEND for a reason!
• As Vision wakes up he chastises the founders for breaking up the team but they have no memory of doing that. A mystery is afoot
• Team Drama because Vision/Wanda/Pietro each being too dramatic
• Remember the cows from Episode 1? The Skrull Cows we swore would never show up again? THEY SHOW UP AGAIN! WE ARE LIARS YA’LL! Skrull-McDoubles pose as the F4 and attack
• Captain Marvel and Carol Danvers have been captured by some Skrull
• Mar tries to escape. He recognizes that even though he’s been banished he’s still got to report whats going on with the Skrull on Earth.
• Our heros demolish the Cow-Skrull like some Double Doubles and then fail to stop the Skrull ship from escaping as it flees the farmhouse.

Avengers 94: “More than Inhuman!”

• Super-Skrull nukes the Inhuman’s home but a forcefield protects it. He’s ticked
• Kl’rt decides to trade Mar-Vell for an end to his banishment
• Emperor Dorrek is afraid that Kl’rt is trying to usurp the throne…
• Anelle continues to be our favorite
• Emperor Dork tortures Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to get Captain Marvel to fold which works, he’ll help build the Skrull a powerful weapon with Kree tech
• H. Warren Craddock is also the worst
• He unveils the Mandroids, basically people piloting armor suits to fight the Avengers. Iron Man uses his superior Roller-Derby tactics to demolish the Mandroids though, fear not.
• As all of this is going on, Triton climbs out of a manhole seeking help!

Creators of these issues: Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, John Buscema, John Romita Sr. Neal Adams, George Roussos, Tom Palmer, Sam Rosen, and Stan Lee

Find us on Twitter @ArtifactsOfI and ArtifactsOfInfinity.com

Episode 10: How do you Solve a Problem like Muh-Kree-A Today we’ll be covering Avengers 89-91, the opening act of the Kree-Skrull War

Dramatis Personae:

• Captain Marvel - Mar-Vell
• Rick Jones
• Dr. Donaldson
• Mordecai P. Boggs
• Annihilus
• The Kree Supreme Intelligence
• Ronan the Accuser
• Sentry 459
• Super-Skrull - Kl’rt (Flashback)
• Medic Una (Flashback)
• Avengers
• Quicksilver - Pietro Maximoff
• Vision
• Scarlet Witch - Wanda Maximoff
• Captain America - Steve Rogers
• Thor - Thor Odinson
• Iron Man - Tony Stark
• Goliath - Clint Barton
• Jarvis
• Wasp - Janet Van Dyne
• Yellowjacket - Hank Pym
• Fantastic Four
• Mr. Fantastic - Reed Richards
• Human Torch - Johnny Storm
• Invisible Woman - Susan Richards
• The Thing - Ben Grimm
• Inhumans
• Randac (Flashback)

Preface:

• We’ll be covering this story in three parts.
• Everett is really good a planning this stuff out, our prior episodes lead perfectly to this
• We’re heading into Empyre this spring and this is where it all starts

Avengers 89: Chapter One - The Only Good Alien…

• This issue is potentially confusing as it contains a flashback but doesn’t let on right away. The issue opens in-medias-res, which means we’re in the middle of the story.
• Captain Marvel skulks through the Florida night. Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Vision of The Avengers catch up with him and try to convince him to come with them but he won’t
• Mar fights them off but refuses to hit Scarlet Witch because of his acquired Earth prejudice of not hitting women.
• Rick Jones kill steals from the Avengers, blasting Mar with a ray gun.
• The Avengers & Rick bring Mar to the Quinjet where Wanda and Vision have a discussion on how Mutants and Aliens are both unwelcome on Earth which bums Vision out
• They land at Cape Kennedy Hospital where the Avengers rush Mar to see Dr. Donaldson. Mar is strapped into the chair. Rick feels responsible for the situation and as the machine crackles to life, BEGINNING THE FLASHBACK.
• While Captain Marvel was trapped in the Negative Zone he witnessed Reed Richards escape back to our world. These events are from Fantastic Four 109.
• Mar convinced Rick to go to the Baxter Building.
• Rick and the Captain swap bodies and Captain Marvel breaks into the Baxter Building because the Fantastic Four aren’t home (they are off fighting Psyklop) but the break-in summons the Avengers.
• Mar manages to activate the portal to the Negative Zone and frees Rick Jones so they are both back Earthside.
• While the portal is open, Annihilus escapes into our world but he’s quickly tricked back through the portal.
• While that was going on, Captain Marvel escaped in the Quinjet and headed to Miami.
• Quicksilver notices a radiation sensor that Captain Marvel was standing near is reading through the roof. It seems Captain Marvel has absorbed a huge amount of Negative Radiation. He’ll die, or worse, blow up the world, if he doesn’t get treatment soon! They only have three hours to resolve this before catastrophe. END OF FLASHBACK
• They made it in time.
• They fire up the machine but it doesn’t have the power to decontaminate Mar, so Vision straps into it to boost its power with his Solar Energy. It works but both Vision and Mar-Vell are exhausted from the ordeal.
• As this is going on, in the hall of the Kree Supreme Intelligence Ronan the Accuser overthrows the Kree, becoming the Emperor. He’s extremely Pro-Kree Ethno-Fascist. This is very bad you guys.
• He activates Sentry 459 to try to kill Captain Marvel again… It’s really hard being Sentry 459 and we feel bad for it, but 459 can’t resist orders and thus begins trashing Cape Kennedy.

Avengers 90: Chapter 2 - Judgement Day!

• Shout Out to one of the best Title Pages we’ve covered yet, Sentry 459 breaks through the Bleed and into the panel as we see the hospital room where Captain Marvel remains unconscious. Negative space draws your eye in immediately and highlights the title. GREAT!
• Sentry 459 is hesitant to attack, it doesn’t know what the Avengers are all about so Scarlet Witch capitalizes by blasting the ceiling. As it collapses on 459 Quicksilver assaults it but gets caught with a backhand
• Android battles Android as Vision begins battling. They crush through the floor but Sentry 459 flies up through the hole and scoops up Captain Marvel as they then teleport away declaring that it is activating Plan Atavus!
• Carol Danvers shows up asking the avengers to sign paperwork. It’s an excuse to recap what’s happened before. If you’re curious, listen episodes 1-9, lol
• Vision comforts Rick saying that superheroes are often misfits: Captain America is an Anachronism, Thor is a Space-God, Iron Man hides his true identity
• The Avengers head home long enough to receive a message from Goliath, he got a call from Hank and Janet Pym about trouble in Alaska. The Avengers spring into action, running over Jarvis on the way out
• In Alaska, Goliath finds Jan, who is besides herself explaining that while they were investigating the effects of oil-drilling on Alaskan Wildlife (hint: it’s bad)
• FLASHBACK BEGINS
• A foot long dragonfly buzzed by and Hank took control of it. He and Jan discover a large structure in the middle of a section of tropical jungle.
• They reach the outskirts of the jungle but Hank says that he’s figured out what’s going on and HE KNOCKS JAN OUT WITH A BACKHAND, STRAPS HER TO THE DRAGONFLY, AND SENDS HER BACK TO CAMP!!! DARNIT HANK!!!
• FLASHBACK ENDS
• Clint then condescends to Jan who claps back that the dragonfly, who perished in the attempt to save her, isn’t a bad dream. Go Janet Van Dyne!
• Goliath heads to the jungle and is attacked by a large monster. He knocks the beast out but gets shot in the back by Ronan’s Universal Weapon! OH SNAP!
• The Avengers arrive with Janet and get surprised by an attack by Sentry 459. Goliath has been brainwashed off-panel and they attack the Avengers.
• Wasp gets knocked out again, man, she’s going to need a ton of brain-scans. Ronan monologues to Captain Marvel who he has in the structure, and explains that his plan is to wind the clock back on humanity by returning them to caveman status

Avengers 91: Chapter 3 - Take One Giant Step Backward!

• A savage Hank Pym, under effect of the devolution beams, clubs Jan… I can’t even with this nonsense… he declares Janet pretty and drags her off
• Ronan believes that Cave-Hank want to mate, Captain Marvel chides Ronan into further monologues covering stuff we’ve covered before
• Meanwhile, Rick throws a rock at Sentry 459 which Wanda turns magnetic, confusing the Sentry and giving everyone time to take out Goliath, despite Quicksilver being terrible at fighting
• Sentry 459 recovers and takes out Vision and Scarlet Witch forcing Quicksilver and Rick to flee
• Sentry 459 gets some pathos recounting how he doesn’t hate the Avengers and he isn’t proud but he has to obey.
• Ronan binds Vision and Wanda in power nullifying energy shackles. They start to kiss but Vision is way too emo for that
• Ronan ships WandaVision
• We’re returned to Cave-Hank and Jan. A bunch of other cavemen want to steal Jan and Cave-Hank fends them off
• Ronan reveals that he actually plans on turning everyone back to amoebas.
• Quicksilver escapes and Ronan tortures Wanda to punish Vision… should I get a refrigerator yet?
• As the climax builds and the Ronan, Avengers, Captain Marvel confrontation builds to a head, they are interrupted by a message to Ronan. The Kree Galaxy is under attack by the Skrull Galaxy.
• Sentry 459 is left behind here while everyone else returns home. Hank is shaken by everything and quits the Avengers, Janet follows suit, and they depart.

If you want to read the issues we covered today you can find them collected in:

• Avengers: Kree/Skrull War
• Avengers Masterworks Vol. 10

Creators of these issues: Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, Sam Grainger, Sam Rosen, Mike Stevens, Artie Simek, and Stan Lee

Find us on Twitter @ArtifactsOfI and ArtifactsOfInfinity.com

Episode 9: Never a Skrull Moment! Today we’ll be covering Fantastic Four 37, Thor 142, and the backup story of Thor 146 & 147

Preface:

• We’re prepping for Kree/Skrull War
• This is a grab-bag episode
• Fantastic Four, Super-Skrull, Thor, Kree Sentry

Fantastic Four 37: Behold! A Distant Star!

• Ben and Johnny get blasted by Reed’s Power-Ray while prepping for Reed and Sue’s wedding
• Alicia tells Reed that Sue is distraught over the death of her father in issue 32/Episode 1
• Reed decides that they need to go seek vengeance for Franklin Storm’s death
• On the Skrull Capital World, Princess Anelle and Warlord Morrat talk. Annelle is upset at how terrible Morrat is but she thirsty
• Reed convinces NASA to let the FF borrow a rocket, which is way better than Grand Theft Saturn
• They use the Power-Ray to punch a hole into subspace and arrive at the Skrull homeworld.
• The FF are immediately beset upon by Skrull soldiers, and their powers are out of control!
• Morrat captures the FF, Anelle tells him that he must inform her father, the Emperor. Morrat says he will but shifty dudes gonna shift.
• Anelle mentions to her father about Morrat capturing the FF and Emperor Dorrek suspects treason.
• Reed zaps Ben, Johnny, and Sue with the Power-Ray before Morrat can stop him, then Reed gets blasted with it, but now it’s revealed that the FF have all their powers back. Reed is quite heroic and smart in this scene
• The Emperor arrives with the Royal Guard and executes Morrat but Anelle is caught in the crossfire. She’s saved by Sue.
• The Emperor is grateful that his daughter is safe so he grants the FF a boon, they ask for Skrull responsible for Franklin Richards death and the Emperor is delighted because that was Morrat’s fault and Morrat is already dead.

Thor 142: The Scourge of the Super-Skrull

• Loki is banished to another space-time continuum and decides to seek vengeance on Thor by tricking the Super-Skrull to attack him
• Kl’rt rushes to Earth and initiates a brawl with Thor
• Sif is awesome and doesn’t get enough respect, but she’s a LEGIT BOSS
• Super-Skrull threatens to go full on nova level so Thor hits him with some hurricain level rain and wind to knock him down a peg, see the visual companion for this rad image!
• It’s Hammer Time and Thor pummles Kl’rt before using Mjolnir to generate an Anti-Force to banish Super-Skrull from Earth
• Loki is extremely salty and it’s great

Thor 146 Backup: The Origin of the Incomparable Inhumans

• This is a longer story but we’re only covering the first two bits
• In prehistoric times some humans developed faster than others and formed an advanced civilization. They called it Attilan, the hidden city
• Randac, the King of Attilan discovers the Terrigen Mists and through the process of Terrigenesis develops superpowers

Thor 147 Backup: The Reason Why

• A Kree Sentry remarks that it’s time for the Second Phase as it’s heading to Attilan and being pelted by some of the primitive humans
• Sentry reflects that it’s been tasked to guard a Kree Base, even if it takes 1,000 years
• He finds Attilan and is glad that the Kree experiment of speeding the development of a group of humans was successful
• The Attilanians hope the Sentry comes in peace so they can learn from him. King Randac emerges from the Terrigen mist unharmed but with powers
• Turns out, the Sentry is none-other than Sentry 459!
• Randac blasts Sentry 459 with an energy blast from his hands and it has 0 effect on Sentry 459
• Sentry 459 dubs these people Inhumans
• Randac establishes that every Inhuman citizen of Attilan will undergo Terrigenesis and that Attilan shall remain hidden

If you want to read the issues we covered today you can find them collected in:

• Essential Fantastic Four Vol. 2
• Marvel Masterworks Fantastic Four vol 4
• Fantastic Four Epic Collections vol. 3
• Fantastic Four Omnibus vol. 2
• Essential Thor Vol. 3
• Marvel Masterworks Thor Mighty Thor Vol 6
• Thor Epic Collections Vol 3
• The Mighty Thor Omnibus vol.2
• as well as digitally on Comixology

As for Backups, however, they aren’t on Comixology in the Thor Volumes but are collectible in:

• Marvel Masterworks The Inhumans Vol 1
• Marvel Unlimited
• Ask your local library.

Creators of these issues: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Chic Stone, Stan Goldberg, Artie Simek, Sam Rosen, Vince Colleta, and Joe Sinnott

Find us on Twitter @ArtifactsOfI and ArtifactsOfInfinity.com