| AVENGERS 1958 #1"In the Grip Of The Claw"
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| AVENGERS 1958 #1"In the Grip Of The Claw"
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Marvel Boy - Super-powered youth armed with Uranian science
Venus - The goddess of love
3-D Man - The triple-powered protector
Gorilla Man - A human mind in the body of a beast
Human Robot - The mechanical marvel
Together, they protect America from the threats of this world and of others.
THE TIME: 1958
On a private golf course just outside of the nation's capital, the President of the United States, Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower, was lining up for his second shot on eleventh hole. His ball rested on the finely manicured fairway, about two hundred yards from the pin. He straightened his pinstriped shirt as he gauged the wind. A trio of Secret Service men stood behind the nation's leader. Although they were dressed as golfers, they were not interested in playing. Their job was to ensure the President's safety. To play the round as well would compromise his safety.
Eisenhower walked back to the golf cart to retrieve the club that he had chosen for the shot. As his hand went into the bag, he could see another golf cart rapidly approaching. He turned to his guards. "I thought that the course was supposed to be cleared."
The agents were already responding. Two of the agents dashed guns drawn towards the incoming vehicle while the third agent directed the President to the floor of the cart. The agent then stood over the President and pointed his gun at the intruder as well. He called out "Halt and identify yourself." The two other agents had reached the other cart now. The cart came to a stop and its driver climbed out of the vehicle with his hands above his hand.
"Ease up, I'm one of the good guys," the intruder said. He was a man of Oriental features and average build. He turned his head to towards the badge that he was carrying in the pocket of his shirt. "Check out my badge. I'm FBI."
Eisenhower slowly got up from the floor of his cart. He thought that he recognized the voice of the intruder. He poked his head above the seats, much to his protector's chagrin. Once he saw the face of the intruder, he knew that he was correct in his assumption. The intruder in question was Jimmy Woo, an FBI agent that the President had met before.
The President brushed his protector aside. "Take it easy, boys. I know this agent." He approached Jimmy and shook the agent's hand. "Good to see you, Jimmy. What brings one of Mr. Hoover's finest out here unannounced?"
Jimmy smiled graciously. "I'm flattered you remember me, Mr. President. Unfortunately, we have news to report. We have a situation."
"Confound it!" Eisenhower grimaced. "I was having the best round I've had in years. This better be good."
"It's bad, Mr. President. That's why we had to inform you personally. We didn't want to take the chance of anybody intercepting a radio transmission to you." He accompanied the President to Jimmy's golf cart with the Secret Servicemen following close behind. The five of them piled into Jimmy's cart and drove off.
Twenty minutes later, Eisenhower and Jimmy Woo burst into the Oval Office. Already seated inside were the Vice-President, Richard Nixon, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, J. Edgar Hoover. The two men rose from their seats as the President entered.
Eisenhower raised his hand at them. "Sit down, gentlemen. Let me take a seat, and then you can fill me." He sat down behind his massive oak desk. Once he was seated, Nixon and Hoover took their seats as well. Jimmy stood, not exactly at ease, behind Hoover.
"Well?" Eisenhower tapped on his desk impatiently. He had formed a number of bad situation scenarios in his head on the way over to the White House. Jimmy would not provide him with any details.
Nixon was about to talk, but a quick look from Hoover cut him off. The Vice-President stared at the FBI Director for a moment and then acquiesced.
Hoover straightened up in his seat. "We just received word that a cache of atomic weapons has been stolen out of an atomic research base out in the Nevada Desert."
Eisenhower raced through his mental files about research facilities. In the space of a split-second, he was able to make the connection. "Schomburg Research?" he exclaimed. "That's supposed to have the toughest security in the nation. Bob Frank was in charge there. I was assured that it was impenetrable."
"Someone has penetrated it, Mr. President," Hoover replied grimly.
"Who? Was it the Soviets?" Nixon spoke up. Hoover had not told him anything besides the crime and location.
"Base personnel couldn't tell us." Hoover explained. "However, this tape arrived at the White House door minutes before my agent came to get you."
Eisenhower was concerned. This situation was worse than most of those that he had envisioned. "Well, play it already. Somebody has enough power to level a state. I want those bombs back."
Hoover turned around to look at Jimmy. The agent reached down to the floor to lift a small tape player. He took a few steps forward and placed the device on the President's desk. He pressed the "play" button and then returned to his spot behind his Director.
After a few seconds of a hissing sound, a voice came booming out of the tape player. "Good day, President Eisenhower." The voice exuded a sense of overwhelming evil.
The President gasped. "My God, that's the ." It had been a few months ago, but Eisenhower would never forget the sound of that voice.
The voice on the tape continued. "I'm sure you remember me, if perhaps you don't remember my voice. This is the Yellow Claw. As I'm sure you've been notified, I have acquired a supply of America's best atomic weapons. I don't intend to use the weapons. That is, as long as my demands are met. Previously, I had demanded that control of the entire nation be ceded to me. This time, my needs are much more reasonable. I simply require that the State of California become my personal domain."
Nixon slammed his fist upon the arms of his chair. "The monster! He can't get away with this."
Hoover turned to the Vice-President and scolded in a calm voice. "Sit down, Mr. Vice-President and be quiet."
The tape played on. "My agents are diligently placing the atomic bombs at strategic locations along the California border. If my demands are not met, I shall detonate the bombs. California will . secede . from the Union and plunge into the Pacific Ocean. You have forty-eight hours to submit to my demands. Residents are free to leave the state. If California is given to me, any who remain will become citizens of my domain. That is all. You have forty-eight hours."
Jimmy stepped towards the President's desk in order to stop the tape. As his hand descended towards the "stop" button, the tape player suddenly stopped. Jimmy looked down to see that the tape was dissolving itself. In a few seconds, all that was left of the tape was a liquid sludge that dripped out of the player. "I guess that eliminates any chance of getting some clues from it," Jimmy sighed.
Hoover stood up and straightened out his coat. "I have my top FBI teams ready to go, Mr. President. They'll find those bombs and stop the Claw." He started to turn to leave the room.
"Edgar," Eisenhower called out. He was angry with the FBI Director's arrogance. However, he was not going to let that anger get in the way of making an executive decision. He knew what the right course of action was. Once Hoover had taken his seat again, the President continued. I don't want your top teams. I want our top agent, period, on this. I want Fury in on this now."
"Fury?!?!?" Hoover was clearly incensed. "But he's CIA! This is an internal affair. That means my FBI!"
"Don't get uppity with me, Edgar. I'm still the President, and I'm still your boss, technically." Eisenhower knew that there would be no way that he could remove Hoover. Still, he was President, he was the leader of the country. No matter how much power Hoover amassed, the FBI Director still was nominally under executive control.
Woo bent over and whispered something in Hoover's ear. The Director smiled when he heard the message. He folded his hands in front of him and addressed the Commander-in-Chief. "The point is mute, Mr. President. Fury is out of the country right now. He's been investigating that island . Moreau, I think . out in the Pacific. CIA HQ hasn't heard from him in over a week."
"Damn," Eisenhower exclaimed in frustration. "He was a super agent and a damn good soldier. Back when I was the Supreme Commander during the war, he and his Howlers got some pretty dicey missions done for me." Eisenhower made a mental note to check up on whatever this Moreau situation was, once the current situation was resolved. He remembered that Moreau was the site of some atomic tests a few years back, but beyond that, he could not recall anything noteworthy.
"So who do we bring in on this mission?" Eisenhower thought aloud. He was determined to not cave into Hoover's desire. As good as the FBI was, the Bureau was no match for the Yellow Claw. His words, `super agent,' rang a bell in the President's head. "Super agents. We had some once. Woo, where's that Interplanetary Cosmic Radio?"
"Intercosmic what?" Hoover asked, not believing that the President was asking for something as silly as it sounded."
"A special type of radio, given to me by Marvel Boy after he and his fellow Avengers rescued me from the Claw," Eisenhower replied. He looked to Woo, who was busy rummaging through a closet to find what looked like a fanciful short wave radio set.
Hoover was incredulous. "You can't be thinking of bringing those freaks in. They're probably Communist agents or worse."
"They're our only hope." Eisenhower's tone was earnest.
Woo placed the device upon the President's desk. He looked around the device for a plug. Shrugging at finding none, he flicked the lever which seemed to be the "on" switch. He was surprised when the device hummed to life. Woo offered the microphone to the President and stepped back from the desk.
Eisenhower pressed a button on the microphone and spoke clearly and slowly. "Calling Marvel Boy, calling Marvel Boy. This is President Eisenhower. Emergency. Please respond. Calling Marvel Boy. Emergency."
The men in the Oval Office waited for a response. Seconds tuned to minutes and no response came. There was only static. Eisenhower clasped his hands together and rested his hands upon them. Apparently, he would have to entrust the mission to Hoover's men. He was about to switch off the Interplanetary Cosmic Radio when a voice came blaring from it."
"Calling President Eisenhower, this is Marvel Boy." The voice startled the President. It brought a smile to Woo's face but a frown to Hoover's. Nixon clapped his hands together enthusiastically.
Eisenhower fumbled to push down the button on the microphone. "Marvel Boy, thank heavens you responded."
"Sorry about the delay, Mr. President. I'm currently in transit from Uranus. Intergalactic cosmic radio can only travel about three times the speed of light, so it took a few minutes for your message to get to me." The voice paused momentarily. "Don't try to respond, because it will be a few minutes before I receive it. I've changed course to land in Washington. ETA is 10:30 am. You can fill me in with all the details then. Marvel Boy out."
Hoover looked at his watch. It was 10:12. "10:30 am? How fast does that rocketship of his go?"
Eisenhower pushed the microphone away. "He claims that it was built using the technology of a super-scientific race on Uranus. Who knows how fast it can really go?" He motioned to Woo. "Jimmy, go let the Secret Service know that we'll receiving a visitor near the White House in a few minutes. Have them escort Marvel Boy directly to this office."
"Right away, Mr. President." Jimmy raced out of the office to complete his task.
Eisenhower began to talk to Nixon and Hoover about contingency plans. Hoover was adamant about sending his agents in, but the President dismissed those ideas. Eisenhower was more interested in developing evacuation plans. The conversation was becoming very heated when a pair of Secret Service agents and Jimmy Woo escorted Marvel Boy into the Oval Office.
Marvel Boy looked anything but a boy in his red tunic with blue short sleeves. The appellation might have been true when the hero began his Earthside adventures as a seventeen-year old back in 1951. However, seven years had seen the champion grow into a strapping young man. The golden bracelets about his wrists seemed to make his arms appear even stronger.
"Marvel Boy!" Eisenhower exclaimed. "We didn't even hear your ship land. How far away did you have to park your rocketship?"
Marvel Boy walked past Nixon and Hoover and went over to shake the President's hand. "Not far at all, Mr. President. If you'll take a look outside your window ."
The President was joined by Nixon and Hoover at the window behind his desk. Woo stood silently in the doorway. Standing gracefully on the White House lawn was the sleek shape of Marvel Boy's rocketship, the Silver Bullet. Eisenhower turned around in surprise. "We didn't even hear a thing."
"The wonders of Uranian technology, Mr. President," Marvel Boy replied. "Now, about this emergency?"
The President sat down and motioned for Marvel Boy to do the same. The costumed champion took the seat that Hoover had previously occupied, much to the FBI Director's consternation. Hoover had to stand while Eisenhower debriefed Marvel Boy on the situation.
Marvel Boy rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I'm glad you called me, Mr. President. This thing sounds like something right up the Avengers alley. I'm sure my old teammates would relish the chance to take a whack at the Yellow Claw."
"How are you going to assemble the Avengers, Marvel Boy?" Hoover's tone was quite icy.
"I'll go find Gorilla-Man in Africa. The FBI can find Venus and 3-D Man here in the capital." He snatched up a pen and paper from the President's desk. He scrawled some information on the paper and handed it to Woo.
Woo looked over the paper. Apparently, Marvel Boy had been keeping better track of the former Avengers than the FBI had. The Agency did not even know that Venus and 3-D Man were active, much less where they could be found in the capital. Woo noticed that one hero was missing from the list. "What about the Human Robot?" Woo asked.
Marvel Boy was already halfway out the door. He turned back and smiled. "I have an idea of how to contact him."
Eisenhower was joined by Nixon and Woo at the window. They watched Marvel Boy dash into the Silver Bullet. Hoover seated himself in the chair that the hero had usurped and rested his head in his hands. His expression was quite livid, until a particular idea popped into his head. Without asking the President's leave, he quickly walked out of the office and headed for FBI Headquarters.
Marvel Boy apparently needed only a few moments to prepare the Silver Bullet for takeoff. The engine quietly hummed to life and the cigar- shaped rocket launched into the air. In a few seconds, it was gone from sight.
"Godspeed, Marvel Boy," Eisenhower whispered loud enough for the others to hear. "The nation is depending on you and the other Avengers."
In 1978, Marvel Comics published issue #9 of WHAT IF?. The title story was "What If The Avengers Had Fought Evil During The 1950's?" It featured a number of 1950's era characters grouped under the banner of the Avengers. The group fought to save President Eisenhower from the clutches of the Yellow Claw. After defeating the Claw and his minions, the group disbanded at the President's request.
At the end of the tale, the narrator of the story, the enigmatic Watcher asked, "Did this adventure occur in your reality or in some other parallel cosmos? And did those Avengers of a bygone day ever return to fight once more together?"
I believe that the tale occurred in mainstream Marvel Universe. I further believe that the Avengers of the 1950's banded together again to champion the cause of justice.
AVENGERS 1958 will present tales that chronicle the exploits of those brave heroes - Marvel Boy, Venus, Gorilla-Man, 3-D Man, and the Human Robot. Future issues will feature amazing guest stars from the days before the dawning of the Marvel Age. There will be heroes from the Golden Age, albeit slightly older. There will be characters from the Marvel Age, although slightly younger.
I'll be working closely with Jess Nevins, author of ALL-WINNERS SQUAD and LIBERATORS, to keep our pre-Modern Age continuity in synch.
COVER CREDITS: Yellow Claw from Yellow Claw #5, Gorilla-Man from What If #9, Venus from Venus #12, Marvel Boy from Marvel Super Action #3; 3-D Man from What If #9; Human Robot from What If #9
NEXT ISSUE: "Avengers Re-Assemble" Marvel Boy gathers his former teammates and brings them to Washington. Will the team reform as per the President's request, or will internal problems doom them and California?
Comments, criticisms, and concerns are gratefully accepted at rgansler@facstaff.wisc.edu