Written by Bob Gansler

A  Title

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.

Cast of Characters

Previously

Marvel Boy (Bob Grayson)  An Earthman armed with the skills and science of the Eternals of Uranus.  Gorilla-Man (Ken Hale)  A man cursed to to live in the form of a powerful gorilla. 3-D Man (Hal & Chuck Chandler)  When Hal dons a special pair of glasses, his brother Chuck emerges as the triple-power 3-D Man. Venus  Olympian goddess of love  Captain America ('Steve Rogers')  A man so devoted to original star-spangled patriot that he became him. Bucky (Jack Monroe)  A fiercely patriotic boy endowed with the Super-Soldier Formula. Cold Warrior (Will Sinkowitz)  A brilliant scientist who designed a suit that grants him the power to generate cold.

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 the Avengers overcame the super-powered Soviet team, the Red Star Brigade. Now the Gargoyle has released the atomic-powered Supreme Soviet upon the Avengers.

In the heart of the Gargoyle’s underground base, the Avengers stood momentarily in awe of the impressive creature that the Gargoyle had released from a large plastic tube – the man that the Gargoyle called the Supreme Soviet

"We’ll take him down," Marvel Boy announced confidently. "Go, Avengers, Go!" He brushed past Captain America and took the point position for the inevitable charge at the Soviet superhuman.

"Okey-dokey," 3-D Man replied as he stared at the powerful form of the Supreme Soviet. "Only I don’t like the looks of that energy crackling around his mitts."

The other Avengers fell in behind Marvel Boy – Gorilla-Man, Human Robot, 3-D Man, Bucky, and (reluctantly) Captain America. Venus went over to release the captive Nick Fury from the operating table, while Cold Warrior hoped to apprehend the Gargoyle.

Gorilla-Man put up his dukes. "Make sure you leave a piece of him for me, Spaceboy. I got some pains that Electro put on me that I plan on taking out on old Bruno here."

The Human Robot quickly checked his data tapes to try to understand Gorilla-Man’s reference. Once he found the reference, he allowed himself the electronic version of a giggle. To the outside world, it just sounded like a bit of radio static.

Thinking the Avengers’ attention focused on the Supreme Soviet, the Gargoyle tried to escape from the laboratory. Cold Warrior was already in pursuit. A well-placed sheet of ice formed under the Gargoyle’s feet brought the diminutive Soviet mad scientist crashing to the ground.

The Supreme Soviet stood his ground, his hands still crackling with energy. He appeared unsure of what to do.

Marvel Boy powered up the light jewel on his wristband. "I can glow, too, but I know what to do with my power." He unleashed a blinding beam of light at the Supreme Soviet’s face. The giant shielded his eyes with his hands. When Marvel Boy ceased the ray-beam, the Communist Colossus slowly lowered his hands. Now his eyes were also glowing with green energy.

"I think you just made the big ape mad," Bucky shouted. "Sorry, G-Man, no offense," he added after Gorilla-Man shot him an annoyed look.

Venus was busy unbuckling all of the straps and the other apparatus that held Nick Fury fast to the operating table. His entire body felt like it had gone through hours of abuse, although that pain was nothing to the pain that was wringing through his head.

As Venus helped the weakened Fury to his feet, he looked at her with glazed eyes. "Old Gargle must have really messed with my mind, cuz my eyes tell me that you’re the most beautiful woman that ever lived on the planet."

Without an ounce of embarrassment or unseemly pride, Venus responded. "That’s because I am. I’m Venus, goddess of love. Let’s get you out of here while the boys deal with the Gargoyle’s monster. I can tell that he’s an artificial creation. My power of love won’t be of any use against him."

The Gargoyle struggled to rise to his feet, but the Cold Warrior kept the ice beneath him slick with ice. "<Attack them, you fool!>" the Gargoyle ordered in harsh Russian.

With that, it was as if a light went on inside of the Supreme Soviet’s head. He unleashed the green energy that had been swirling around his hands. An intense beam of gamma radiation flowed from his hands and at the Avengers. Captain America put his shield up to protect himself and Bucky.

Marvel Boy’s arms were still up after firing his light beam. The radiation flowed right into his wristbands into which it disappeared, Marvel Boy none the worse for wear.

"What happened?" 3-D Man exclaimed. He had expected to be buffeted by the Supreme Soviet’s energy.

"What the heck did you do, Spaceboy?" Gorilla-Man demanded. "You got some tricks up your sleeve that you didn’t tell us about?"

The Human Robot’s sensors analyzed the Soviet’s energy beam and had determined it to be gamma radiation. It would not have harmed his metallic shell but it would have been harmful to his fellow Avengers. He was as surprised as the rest when the radiation disappeared into the wristbands.

"I don’t know what happened," Marvel Boy cried out in confusion. "They never did anything like that before."

{Marvel Boy’s wristbands are actually the Quantum Bands bestowed by Eon upon the Protector of the Universe (Quasar in the present day). Marvel Boy does not know their true power nor how they came to be on Uranus.}

The Supreme Soviet’s thoughts were becoming clearer now. He was able to tap into the tactical skills that the Gargoyle had copied from Nick Fury’s brain. He realized that Marvel Boy was somehow able to absorb his energy. In the cramped quarters of the laboratory, Marvel Boy would likely be able to protect the Avengers from his powers. He needed to spread things out. He raised his hands and blasted a whole through the ceiling of the laboratory up to the beach of Moreau Island above. With a powerful leap, he shot up through the hole to the outside.

"Back to the stairs," Marvel Boy ordered as he turned around. "Cold Warrior, keep an eye on Gargoyle. Venus, watch over Fury."

"I’ll keep him on ice," Cold Warrior grinned beneath his expressionless mask. He had formed a mound of ice around the Gargoyle that imprisoned the Soviet scientist.

"Understood," Venus sighed. She felt like a girl from one of the Saturday matinee movies – staying behind while the men did all the fighting. In this case, she knew that there was no place for her in the battle against the Supreme Soviet. The others should have enough strength to bring down the gargantuan Soviet solder; at least, she hoped they did.

A few seconds later, Marvel Boy led the way outside, with Captain America close behind. The Supreme Soviet tried to focus a beam on Captain America but the super-patriot’s shield protected him from the energy blast. Bucky was close on Captain America’s heels, and then Human Robot, Gorilla-Man, and 3-D Man emerged in turn.

The Human Triple Threat leapt over his fellow Avengers and drove a shoulder hard into the Supreme Soviet’s hammer-and-sickle emblazoned chest. 3-D Man bounced off, but the Supreme Soviet was barely staggered.

3-D Man lay on the sand rubbing his now-bruised shoulder. "Holy moley," he muttered. "I hit him with all my triple-strength and I’m the one who gets hurt?"

"HR! G-Man!" Marvel Boy commanded. "Flank him! Cap, Bucky, with me, down the middle!"

The Human Robot circled to the Supreme Soviet’s left while Gorilla-Man veered to his right. Marvel Boy, followed closely by Cap and Bucky, rushed straight towards the giant Soviet.

"Comin’ at ya, Commie!" Bucky exclaimed.

"High, medium, low!" Marvel Boy ordered, expecting Cap and Bucky to understand his meaning. The Uranian Wonder leapt the last ten yards separating him and the Supreme Soviet. Marvel Boy connected with a powerful uppercut that made the Soviet super-soldier’s head turn. Cap followed with a somewhat precise toss of his shield at the Supreme Soviet’s chest. The disc staggered the giant further, and the shield, somewhat to Cap’s surprise, actually returned to his hand. Bucky finished the maneuver with a slide tackle to the Supreme Soviet’s left leg.

The attacks left the Supreme Soviet reeling. Gorilla-Man reached him fist and rocked him with a double-handed haymaker. Before the Supreme Soviet could begin to recover, he was struck in the ribs by the cold metal hands of the Human Robot.

"He ain’t so tough," Gorilla-Man announced somewhat prematurely. The Supreme Soviet’s flailing right hand knocked the beast-man down to the sandy ground. "I guess the fat lady hasn’t sung yet," he grimaced.

Inside of the laboratory, the Cold Warrior was studying the Gargoyle’s equipment with keen interest. The technology housed here was far ahead of anything that he had ever seen in the States. "Not that Director Hoover has given me access to the nation’s most top secret labs," he mused. Still, it was not a good sign that the Communists had such a high level of technology.

Meanwhile, Venus was doing what she could to minister to the battered body of Nick Fury. The Gargoyle’s experiments had left him in pretty bad shape. She had propped him in a chair and was trying to soothe his burned skin with some cold compresses, having cooled them with the ice that Cold Warrior had imprisoned the Gargoyle.

The Gargoyle struggled against the icy straightjacket that held him. He could tell that the Cold Warrior was impressed with his workshop. He could also tell that the Cold Warrior was beginning to decipher the various systems in the lab. He could not let his scientific genius fall into the hands of the decadent West. The self-destruct switch lay on a panel, close but unreachable, to the imprisoned madman.

"Forget the cold water, doll," Fury muttered. "Just looking at a dame you like is enough to make wanna get healthy." He saw Venus smile as she continued to minister to him.

The Supreme Soviet had now recovered from the Avengers’ attacks. The heroes had now gathered around Marvel Boy again, confident that he would be able to protect them if the Communist creature lashed out with radiation beams again.

"What now, M-Boy?" Cap asked. He hated to follow the "kid’s" lead, but it was obvious to him that they would need his newfound energy absorption power to deal with the Supreme Soviet.

"Hmm," Marvel Boy thought aloud. "Maybe we can get him to overload, or maybe I can absorb all of his radioactivity."

"Not logical," the Human Robot coldly responded. "You have only just discovered the latent ability of your power bands. You have no measurement of their limits. It would not be sensible to test those limits in battle."

"I say we just keep on pounding him until we tire him out," Gorilla-Man offered.

"I’m with the big guy here," 3-D Man concurred. "He shrugged me off but he felt it when you slugged him, M-Boy, and I’m stronger, but maybe not three times stronger, than you."

Meanwhile the Supreme Soviet was plotting a strategy of his own. Nick Fury’s tactical skills were part of his makeup. He realized that Marvel Boy was somehow thwarting his radioactive powers. If he could take the youth out of the fight, he was certain he could overcome the others, strong though they were.

The Supreme Soviet surprised the Avengers with a mighty leap that dropped him right into their midst. He brushed aside the others and grabbed hold of Marvel Boy, dazing him with a slap to the head. With another leap, he and his unwilling passenger were twenty yards away from the other Avengers.

"Hey, he grabbed Spaceboy!" Gorilla-Man growled.

"Without him, Big Red can zap us with his ray-beams!" 3-D Man added. "Watch out for that!"

Gripping Marvel Boy’s right wrist from his outstretched left arm, the Supreme Soviet began firing beams of death with his right hand at the other Avengers. The heroes scattered behind the many large rocks that covered the beach. The cover would not hold long, as the Soviet’s blasts tore away at the rocks.

Marvel Boy struggled to regain his senses, but the Soviet’s blow had rattled his head fiercely.

Cap came rushing out from behind a rock, his shield thrust before him. "I’m not going to hide from any radioactive Commie." Bucky was close behind throwing a slew out small rocks at the Supreme Soviet.

The Human Robot ran a quick diagnostic on his systems. The Supreme Soviet’s radioactive seemed to only marginally affect his systems. He calculated that he should be able to withstand in a direct hit. He came out and headed for the Soviet as well.

"Aw heck," Gorilla-Man came bouncing out. "What’s a little radioactivity gonna do? Make me glow in the dark?"

Seeing the others converge on the Soviet, 3-D Man came out as well, although he knew should fear for his safety. "On the other hand," he thought. "I should have died instead of turning into the 3-D Man, so who am I to be afraid of radioactive death."

The Avengers managed to dodge the Supreme Soviet’s every blast. This only served to enrage the Communist Colossus, and his insides generated ever-higher levels of radiation.

The dazed Marvel Boy could feel that the radiation levels were going higher but that his bands were protecting him from harm. Somehow he knew that Supreme Soviet was heading for an overload. If his teammates could knock the Soviet down once more, that could put the giant over the edge, but the levels the Soviet was putting out would soon be too high for them to touch him.

"If I blind him for a moment," Marvel Boy thought, "that may slow down his build-up. Then the others can deck him." Still feigning senselessness, Marvel Boy concentrated and a beam of pure light leapt from his left wrist-band and struck the Supreme Soviet square in the face.

Dropping Marvel Boy, the Soviet brought his hands to his eyes. Free of the radioactive firing pattern, the Avengers converged on the Supreme Soviet and sent him flying twenty yards back with all of them striking him as one.

The Supreme Soviet seethed as he struggled to rise. Green energy was crackling all around him. It surrounded him like an aura now.

"He’s going over the edge!" Marvel Boy called out. "Get over by me before he blows." The Avengers gathered behind Marvel Boy. The Uranian Wonder held his hands out and turned his head. He hoped that he would be able to protect himself and his teammates from the blast.

Before the Supreme Soviet could get back on his feet, his entire body was consumed with emerald energy. The explosion centered around him sent out waves of green energy in concentric circles. Marvel Boy struggled to absorb the energy that flowed towards him and his teammates, unsure exactly of what he was doing to accomplish it. After a few agonizingly long seconds, it was over. The Supreme Soviet had overloaded himself, he was gone.

Down inside of the laboratory, some of the Supreme Soviet’s radiation filtered down through the hole in the ceiling. Automated decontamination systems activated, spraying the room with a thick white foam. The deluge of foam caught Cold Warrior and Venus by surprise, but the Gargoyle saw an opportunity.

The foam weakened the ice straightjacket surrounding him, allowing him to break free. In the chaos of the foam-flooded room, the Gargoyle reached for the self-destruct switch and activated it. Then he hurried out through a secret passage which would lead him to his escape craft.

Cold Warrior was checking up on Venus and Colonel Fury. He now realized what the foam was. "Something big must have happened up there, something radioactive and it came down through the hole in the ceiling that the Supreme Soviet made."

His scientific deduction was interrupted by a loud computerized voice echoing words through the laboratory in Russian.

"What’s it mean?" Cold Warrior asked aloud.

"I know some Russkie-talk," Fury replied. "It’s counting down. This place is gonna blow!"

Cold Warrior, Venus and Nick Fury hurried up towards the beach. They found the other Avengers huddled around Marvel Boy and a smoking crater where the Supreme Soviet had detonated.

"We must leave immediately!" Venus shouted. "The laboratory is going to explode."

"Today’s a day for explosions," Gorilla-Man noted wryly.

All of the Avengers and Fury raced for the water. Cold Warrior formed a large platform of ice that all except the Human Robot and 3-D Man climbed aboard. Those two propelled the ice float out to sea against the waves and towards the floundering Silver Bullet. As they reached the Silver Bullet, the entire island rocked with the explosion of the Gargoyle’s lab. The explosion caused the island to cave in upon itself and sink into the ocean.

"Hey what about the Red Star Brigade?" 3-D Man exclaimed as he looked back towards the island. "Did they get away, too?"

"The bad guys always do," Cap noted. "Unless you got a body, they’re not dead."

The Avengers, except for the Human Robot, climbed from the ice float onto the damaged Silver Bullet. The Mechanical Marvel stayed in the water, checking out the damage done to the vehicle by the Gargoyle’s missile. Cold Warrior formed some ice underneath the craft to ensure that it would not sink.

"Hey, Marvel Boy," Bucky nudged the Uranian Wonder on the shoulder as they climbed aboard.

"What’s that, Bucky?"

"I thought you said that your light jewel was on your right wristband," he replied.

"Yes?"

"Then howcum when you blinded Commie the second time, it was with your left wrist," he scowled.

Marvel Boy was taken aback. "I don’t know. That’s two revelations about these bands today. I’ll have to find out."

Huddled inside of the Silver Bullet, Gorilla-Man was the first to ask the obvious question, "How in Sam Hill are we gonna get out of here in the middle of nowhere."

"The Human Robot’s already working on repairing the Silver Bullet’s hull," Marvel Boy replied. "We could call the President on Interplanetary Cosmic Radio for a pickup, but I don’t think the repairs should take long." He sat down in the pilot’s chair. "We can take the time and relax and enjoy the waves. We deserve it. We just took on the best that the Reds probably have to offer and we came out on top. You know what I have to say to that?"

The others responded in unison, "Go, Avengers, Go!"

FLASHBACKWORDS