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 Written by Bob Gansler |
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Written by Bob Gansler |
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1958. Communists, aliens, terrorists. As the nation faced these many dangers, President Eisenhower brought together the greatest heroes of the day as the Avengers. Together, they protect America from the threats of this world and of others.
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| Marvel Boy (Bob Grayson)
An Earthman armed with the skills and science of the Eternals of Uranus. Gorilla-Man (Ken Hale)
3-D Man (Hal & Chuck Chandler)
Venus
Captain America ('Steve Rogers')
Bucky (Jack Monroe)
Cold Warrior (Will Sinkowitz)
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President Eisenhower dispatched the Avengers to Moreau Island to rescue Nick Fury. The CIA agent was a captive of the Soviet scientist called the Gargoyle and his team of superhumans, the Red Star Brigade. The Silver Bullet was shot down by the Gargoyle's missiles and now the Avengers face the power of the Red Star Brigade. |
ON THE SHORE OF MOREAU ISLAND
The Avengers had matched up in battle with the members of the Red Star Brigade, and pitched battle had commenced. The Avengers were still a bit dazed from the crash of the Silver Bullet, but they were ready for a fight.
Kosmonaut grabbed Marvel Boy by the wrists. "They say you come from planet Uranus. I like go there some day," the former Soviet spaceman declared.
"Sorry," Marvel Boy said as he braced his legs against Kosmonaut’s spacesuit and pushed away with his Uranian-enhanced strength. "Uranus doesn’t care for any type of fascism, even when it’s disguised under the name of socialism."
The Human Robot sized up his mechanical opponent. Matrushka did not appear to be much to his sensors. While her human-like curves might have been pleasing to the human eye, they did not do a thing for the Human Robot.
"I suggest you surrender," the Human Robot declared. "My scanners tell me that you are mechanical like me. My regulator does not prohibit me from destroying other machines."
"You may be more powerful than this one unit is," Matrushka replied in a cold mechanical tone. "However, my calculations suggest that you are not more powerful than all of my units." Matrushka stood motionless for a second and then her whole body pivoted open at her waist. Inside was another smaller version of her. The smaller replica stepped out and opened itself. Inside of it was an even smaller unit. The process was repeated until there were six Matrushka units, each somewhat smaller than the one before it, arrayed before the Human Robot.
The Human Robot’s circuits registered his surprise. He had not expected that Matrushka had such capabilities. He switched into combat mode and calculated a battle plan to deal with the multiple opponents that confronted him now.
3-D Man was ready and eager to tackle Perun. "Let me at that Conan the Barbarian," he exclaimed.
Venus put her hand on his chest to stop the Human Triple Threat. "Hold on, 3-D Man. I think I recognize him." She looked directly at Perun. "Perun, is that really you?"
"Da, I am Perun, god of thunder." Perun brandished his axe and sparks came flying from its head.
3-D Man turned towards Venus. "You really know this guy? Oh, I guess he’s a fellow god. Do your pantheons have cookouts or something?"
Venus paid no attention to 3-D Man’s quips. She continued to stare at Perun. "Perun, it’s me, Venus. Don’t you recognize me?"
Perun’s eyes had a glazed look in them, but there was a sparkle of recognition. "Da, I … do."
Venus smiled. "I’m glad that you do." She exerted her love power. "Why don’t you put your axe down and we can talk about this, deity to deity. You can tell me why you’re fighting for the Communists."
Perun started to put his axe down. Then he shook his head forcefully. "Nyet. I will not fall for your American tricks. I serve the State." He brought his axe back with the intention of cutting Venus down.
"Perun! No!" the goddess of love cried out.
Before he could bring his axe crashing down, he was bowled over by the leaping form of the 3-D Man. "No fair trying to kill the prettiest Avenger, big guy." 3-D Man started peppering Perun with triple-powered punches.
Captain America and Bucky would have rather beaten up an their old foe Electro, but the Red Guardian was in the way.
"Who’re you supposed to be," Bucky shouted as he balled up his fists. "Captain Communism?"
"I am Red Guardian," came the reply in heavily accented English. Red Guardian avoided the onrush of Captain America and Bucky. "Is good to see you again, Captain." Red Guardian vaulted into the air, somersaulted over the patriotic duo and came down on his feet. "This is to be assuming that you are the same Captain America I have been meeting before."
{The Red Guardian met Captain America II in Namor Annual #1}
Cap gritted his teeth. Did this Commie know the original or just one of the posers who took up the shield afterwards? In the end, it did not matter. He would clobber him anyway.
"I’m not telling you anything, you dirty rat," Cap snarled and unslung his shield. He was about to throw it when he thought better of it. There was nothing to bounce the shield off of on the deserted beach. He noticed that the Red Guardian carried some kind of sidearm, and he could not afford to be without protection.
Bucky picked up a piece of driftwood and hurled it with the Super Soldier Formula enhanced strength at Red Guardian. "Sticks and stones will break your bones!" The Communist Crusader easily dodged out of the way.
General Winter squared off against Cold Warrior. "I have been waiting long time to fight you." His long red cape covered his entire body except for his head.
Cold Warrior scowled behind his featureless white mask. "Why is that, you Commie?"
"My powers were derived from technology stolen from you last year by Soviet agents. Only my powers greater now."
"We’ll see about that!" Cold Warrior unleashed a barrage of icicles at General Winter. The Siberian Socialist lifted his arms and swirling arctic winds blew from his cape. The icicles were blown back towards the Cold Warrior. He was able to duck and avoid by skewered by his own missiles.
Gorilla-Man was all tangled up with Electro. The beast-man was able to break the clench and landed a heavy blow to the giant Russian’s chin.
"You know, Sparky." Gorilla-Man landed another haymaker, but Electro just seemed to shake off the blows. "With you here, I’m not the ugliest man on the block."
"I finish you first, Apeman," Electro grunted. "Then I kill Captain America and Bucky." Electro’s hands were now sizzling with electricity.
UNDERNEATH MOREAU ISLAND
In his underground facility, the Gargoyle was back in front of his control panel. He had finished attaching a series of cables to the body of his captive, Nick Fury. The cable led to the large plastic tube that contained a huge man-shaped figure.
"As I warned you before, Mr. Fury, the process of replicating your fighting prowess and tactical knowledge into my creation will be painful." The Gargoyle activated a number of switches and a humming sound began to fill the laboratory. "Don’t worry, I won’t be stealing any of your memories or military secrets. Such things are too deep inside of your mind. I’d likely kill you before I could get anything useful." He laughed. "I’m not a cruel man, at least not an exceedingly cruel man."
Fury strained against his bonds, but there was no escape. "Aw, blow it out yer tail end, freak!"
"Such bravado," the Gargoyle noted. "Completely pointless, but admirable." He threw the final switch. "The transference begins now!"
Pain shot through Fury’s body like a thousand knives plunging into him. His mind felt as if it was on fire. His thoughts were completely jumbled. He just wanted to be free of the pain, one way or the other.
The Gargoyle watched with glee as the transference process continued. The dials in front of him indicated that everything was within expected parameters. The radiation with which the Americans had blanketed this island would now be turned against them. His creation would be imbued with the power and the knowledge of how to use them with deadly effect. One thing troubled the Gargoyle, though.
"I wonder what’s taking the Red Star Brigade so long?"
ON THE SHORE OF MOREAU ISLAND
Marvel Boy sized up his opponent. The spacesuit that Kosmonaut wore looked as if it could withstand even his own powerful blows. He would have to outsmart his opponent. That did not seem to be much of a problem, considering Marvel Boy’s genius-level intellect.
Raising his left hand towards Kosmonaut, Marvel Boy. "I have a trick up my sleeve, Kosmo, or should I say up my wrist band?" His light jewel blazed forth with blinding brilliance.
Kosmonaut stood there unaffected. "Your light show not work, American," he replied in stilted English. "Visor protects from intense radiation, including visible seeing." He raised his arms and directed his air cannons at Marvel Boy. "I have trick, too." His air cannons shot out pressurized streams of air that struck Marvel Boy in the mid-section. The Uranian Wonder stumbled back from the impact.
The Human Robot had his hands full. He only had two, and there were twelve attacking him from every angle. The six Matrushka robots were pounding on his metallic shell, and they were actually beginning to dent it.
"Soviet science exceeds American," the six Matrushkas said stereo and in perfect, if mechanical, English. "You should surrender now before we break all your circuits."
The Human Robot reached out and grabbed Matruska-3 by the neck and hurled her into Matrushka-2. "It seems Soviet robots are just as boastful as their human inventors."
3-D Man’s knees had Perun’s shoulders pinned down. The Human Triple Threat continued to pound on the Slavic Thunderer despite the protests of Venus.
"He’s not in his right mind, 3-D Man," she implored. "We have to get through to him."
Without looking up, 3-D Man replied. "Maybe I can knock him back to his senses. Remember lady, that he just tried to cut your head off."
Perun turned over suddenly and sent 3-D Man sprawling. "Off of me, you garish gnat. You shall pay for laying hands upon the lord of the storm!"
"Perun!" Venus cried out. "If you know who you are, then why are you fighting for an atheistic state?"
A perplexed look came over Perun’s face. "You raise an interesting point, woman. Does Perun know you?"
Red Guardian and Captain America were trading punches. Cap had rushed in to grapple with the Soviet super soldier to protect Bucky from whatever weapon the Russian was carrying at his side. Cap was able to block some the Guardian’s blows with his shield, but he could not break through the Russian’s guard with only one hand free to attack. If only he knew how to use his shield better.
Bucky tried to sneak up on the Guardian from behind, but he was ready for it. A well-placed boot to Bucky’s face sent the youth’s reeling.
Bucky slid back into the sand, bringing his hand up to his now-bloody face. "I tink he bwoke by nose."
The Red Guardian’s attention had been diverted for a split-second by Bucky’s attack, and Cap took advantage of it. He delivered a crushing right upper-cut to the Red Guardian’s chin that sent the Russian flying.
Propping himself back up on his elbows, the Red Guardian rubbed his chin. "Good hit, Captain." His hand went towards his gun-belt. "I think I use gun now."
General Winter was buffeting Cold Warrior with arctic winds and driving sleet. Cold Warrior was creating ice shields to protect himself but Winter’s attacks quickly tore his shield to pieces.
"I can’t let his sleet cut my suit," Cold Warrior thought. "If he wrecks the suit, I’ll be powerless."
"As I said before, American," General Winter cried out confidently, "my powers are greater than yours. I am the Russian winter come to life!"
"Aw, put a sock in it," Cold Warrior replied. He tossed a flurry of iceballs at Winter. A few of them found their mark, though most were blown away by Winter’s winds.
"Hey," Cold Warrior thought. "If his powers are based on mine, then they’re all in the suit."
Electro advanced upon Gorilla-Man. The human dynamo’s hands and eyes sparked with electricity. "Now you die, animal."
Gorilla-Man wound up with a double-fisted punch. He connected with Electro’s chin, but the big Russian was still standing. "Fer crying out loud, how much do I gotta wallop you before you fall down?"
Electro reached out with his sparking hands. "You not strong enough. Nobody strong enough to stop Electro. He grabbed Gorilla-Man’s shoulders. The beast man cried out as the painful current raced through his body.
Gorilla-Man slumped to the ground as Electro continued to pump high voltage amps into the man-ape.
Kosmonaut flew over to the stunned Marvel Boy with the aid of his rocket pack. His air cannons were charged for another blast. He intended to deliver the blasts at point blank range.
Marvel Boy shook off the daze he felt from the previous blast. He looked up to see the armored form of Kosmonaut rocketing towards him. "I have to think fast," Marvel Boy thought, "or he’s going blow me to pieces with those air cannons of his." He sized up Kosmonaut’s suit. Something that bulky and that strong had to have a power source somewhere.
As Kosmonaut was about to fire, Marvel Boy scrambled to his feet. He reached out with his mental telepathy and touched Kosmonaut's mind. With only the barest of probing, he gathered the information he needed regarding the suit. He also knew how Kosmonaut was going to strike.
Kosmonaut fired but Marvel boy was able to leap out of the way. The air streams carried out in the ocean where they churned up the water upon impact. Marvel Boy sent a broad-beam pulse of Uranian poetry into Kosmonaut's head which thoroughly confused the Russian spaceman.
Landing on the ground, Kosmonaut put his hands to his head as he tried to literally shake the foreign thoughts out. Meanwhile, Marvel Boy scurried around Kosmonaut and found the suit’s power source in Kosmonaut’s back pack. With one well-placed tug, Kosmonaut’s suit was motionless and powerless.
Matrushkas 2 and 3 were back up on their mechanical feet, and the Human Robot was once again surrounded by a ring of attacking robots. His metallic shell was beginning to clearly show the scars of battle.
"Too many opponents to deal with," he thought. "Attacks are too coordinated, as if coming from one mind." Then a hypothesis formed in the Human Robot’s circuits. "Perhaps all of them are controlled from one computer mind. Likely source – Matrushka-1."
The Human Robot kicked the annoying diminutive Matrushka-6 away and focused his attention on Matrushka-1. Matrushkas 2 through 5 jumped on his back and attempted to drag him down, but he kept on his feet. Matrushka-1 swung at his but the Human Robot managed to get one hand to grab her. He taxed his servo-motors to the fullest to make sure she could not break free of his grip. If his gambit failed, the other Matrushka’s would be easily able to overpower him.
The Human Robot activated his internal inductor coils. He hoped that they would drain Matrushka-1’s power out of her and into him. His capacitors would probably overload, but not before he shut her down.
"What are you doing?" Matrushka-1 struggled to free herself from his grip. The smaller Matrushkas hammered the Human Robot’s arm, but he would not let go. Power began flowing out of Matrushka-1 and into the Human Robot’s capacitors.
"As the human’s would say, I’m stealing your juice." He could tell that while Matrushkas 2 through 6 were still at full strength, Matrushka-1 was shutting down.
The ampflow from Matruska-1 slowed down to a trickle. Once Matrushka-1’s systems shut down, the other Matrushkas became motionless. While they still had power to act, they no longer had the computer mind of Matrushka-1 to guide them. They stood still waiting for new commands that did not come. The Human Robot’s form collapsed as his systems worked to discharge the excess energy that he had stolen.
The Red Guardian pointed his pistol at Cap. The weapon was unlike anything Cap had ever seen, but he was sure that even his second-rate shield would be proof against it.
"Now you die, American!" the Red Guardian fired the pistol which unleashed a stream of high-temperature plasma. Cap brought his shield up to block the blast. The plasma burst splattered on the shield and deflected away from Cap before falling to the ground, sizzling the white sand below.
Cap’s arm was burning with pain. The heat from the blast conducted through the metal of the shield to the straps around Cap’s left arm. He could feel the skin searing beneath his glove. "I gotta get this shield off of me!" Cap unslung the shield, gripping by the edge with his fingers, and hurled it at the Red Guardian.
Despite the pain that now was in his fingers as well, the shield found its mark and it collided with the Red Guardian’s gun, knocking it into the lapping waves. Cap rubbed his fingers restlessly. "Well what do you know? I did it!"
"Yep, you did, Cap," Bucky called out. "Now we clobber the bum." The youth caught Red Guardian with a flying tackle from behind and began peppering him with blows.
"Save some of him for me," Cap shouted as he rushed to join in the beating.
Cold Warrior had erected an igloo around himself to protect against General Winter’s onslaught. Winter raged against the walls with even fiercer arctic winds and driving sleet. Cold Warrior could tell that his defenses were being worn away by Winter, and he had to struggle to add more ice to the outer layers. However, he had already formed the weapon he was going to use against Winter – one long razor-sharp icicle.
Holding the icicle in one hand while he reinforced the igloo with the other, Cold Warrior was waiting for his opportunity. He figured that General Winter could not keep up such a fierce attack indefinitely. Once he heard the winds die down, he let the igloo explode and leapt out of the crumbled ice.
General Winter brought his hands to his face to protect himself from the exploding igloo. Cold Warrior rushed towards him and sliced across his chest with the icicle. The Frozen Fighter did not want to cut the General himself, just the suit, but he could not be too careful.
The slash had cut through General Winter’s red bodysuit and had also drawn a little blood. The frigid winds that swirled around the General immediately stopped.
"Now it’s my time to batter you," Cold Warrior announced. He added some more ice to the icicle, making it more like a baseball bat, and advanced upon the powerless General Winter.
3-D Man had recovered and was rushing again at the towering figure of Perun. The Slavic god was staring at Venus, confusion written all over his face.
Venus raised her hand towards 3-D Man. "Hold on, 3-D Man. I think I’m getting through to him." She looked again at Perun. "You really don’t belong here, Perun. You belong with all of the other Slavic gods."
In Perun’s eyes, Venus’ shape began to change to that of his beloved Lada, Lady of the Flowers. "Lada," he sighed.
Venus could tell what Perun was thinking. "Yes, Perun, it is I, Lada. I want you to come home. Your father Svarog wants you to come home."
"Da," Perun replied. "This place it too confusing. He reached down to pick up his axe.
"Look out," 3-D Man cried. "He’s going for his axe!"
Venus glared at 3-D Man. "Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing … I think."
Perun held his axe with both hands. He closed his eyes and his entire form was enveloped by lightning. When the bright flash subsided, Perun was gone and the frail form of Yuri Kloskov stood in his place.
"<Where am I>," Yuri asked, fiddling with the shining golden coin about his neck. "<Where has Perun left me this time?>"
3-D Man grabbed Yuri by the collar. "I don’t think this guy is going to give us any trouble."
Electro let go of Gorilla-Man and ceased pumping electricity into the Ape Avenger. "Ha, ha!" Electro proclaimed. "Weak American falls to superior Soviet!"
Gorilla-Man’s hand reached out and grabbed Electro by the ankle. "Not, so fast, Russkie." He grabbed hold of Electro’s other ankle and overturned the giant Russian. "You called me an animal. Well, this ape was playing possum. You didn’t hit me with enough juice. Now I’m gonna hit you."
Pouncing on Electro, Gorilla-Man began pounding the green Russian’s body mercilessly. Despite the beating, Electro managed to get to his feet. He brought his hands up to discharge an electrical blast, but Gorilla-Man rushed forward and knocked Electro back into the water. Electro’s body sizzled and sparked as he splashed in the water for a few seconds. Then Electro fell unconscious.
UNDERNEATH MOREAU ISLAND
The Gargoyle was making the final adjustments on his machinery. Soon his creation would be complete. He had been transmitting the radiation unique to this island into the body inside of the plastic tube. Now he just had to undertake some stabilization procedures in order to ensure that his creation would be able to process and control the radiation properly.
Nick Fury looked up from the operating table to which he was fastened. The pain that he had undergone was beginning to subside, but he felt worse than he possibly ever had before. He noticed that there was some pounding sound emanating from the main locked entrance. "Looks like you got company, Gargle."
The Gargoyle looked up to see the heavy metal door be knocked loose by the combined strength of the Human Robot and Gorilla-Man. The Avengers came inside, dragging the downed members of the Red Star Brigade with them.
3-D Man pointed towards the captive form of Nick Fury. "There he is! There’s Fury."
"We’ve beaten your flunkies, you misshapen creep," Captain America declared. "Now release Colonel Fury and surrender."
Marvel Boy glared at Captain America. The crazed patriot was issuing orders once again and the Uranian Wonder did not like it. The Avengers were his team to lead.
"I am the Gargoyle and I shall never surrender!" He pressed a lever down which raised the plastic tube and revealed the figure within. He hoped that the stabilization procedure had run its course. "Behold the most powerful superhuman on the planet – the Supreme Soviet!"
The man inside of the tube stood about seven feet tall. His body was clothed in a red bodysuit. Hs face was covered with a red mask. His white gloved hands crackled with green energy. A yellow hammer and sickle emblem was emblazoned on his chest.
"Uh oh," 3-D Man gulped. "He looks like one tough customer."
"We’ll take him down," Marvel Boy announced confidently. "Go, Avengers, Go!"
Hey Bob! Well, I loved the most recent issue of Avengers '58! The Gargoyle was always a fun villain, and I'm glad to see him getting some use here before his death. Perun's early appearance here was cool too. Keep up the great work!
TJ Burns
Thanks, TJ. The Gargoyle is a fun villain to write. I hope I came up with a plausible explanation for Perun's presence in this issue.
NEXT ISSUE: Superhumans Versus the Atomic Man
Weary after overcoming the Red Star Brigade, do the Avengers have the strength to conquer the radiation-spawned power of the Supreme Soviet?
Comments, criticisms, and concerns for FLASHBACKWORDS accepted at rgansler@facstaff.wisc.edu
The Avengers 1958 web page is at http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~gansler/avengers58/av58.htm
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