Written by Bob Gansler

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-powered 3-D Man. Venus  Olympian goddess of love  Human Robot  A thinking and feeling robot	The Avengers battled against an old foe of Venus, Neptunia. The daughter of the sea god wanted to make America pay for her father's death.

War of the Goddesses - Part 2

Though she and her minions had suffered defeat at the hands of the Avengers, Neptunia was not disheartened. She had already developed her new stratagem that would lead to the defeat of those heroes (especially the hated Venus) and the destruction of the impudent American nation that had killed her father Neptune.

She waited in her undersea lair with her followers: the shape-changing Proteus; the merman called Glaucus; the dreaded Titaness Styx; and the fearsome Gorgon Euryale. Word had already been passed to the many denizens of the deep that the daughter of Neptune sought the Atlanteans Namora and Nemo. Word was already beginning to filter back regarding the Atlanteans' last known whereabouts. Neptunia was well aware of their quest to find their lost kinsman, Prince Namor, the Avenging Son, the Sub-Mariner. She knew his famous temper, and she hoped to stake those same fires within Namora and Nemo.

Meanwhile, the Avengers had reboarded the Silver Bullet in vain hope of finding Neptunia and her cohorts. As vaunted as the craft was, it was not meant for undersea transport. Not that such an ability would have helped matters greatly, in the vast area into which Neptunia had escaped.

Inside of the ship, Gorilla-Man was being his typical irascible self. "This is getting boring. I didn't think anybody could give you the slip, Spaceboy."

Marvel Boy did not take his eyes off of his instrument panel. They had been engaged in these search maneuvers for a few days now. They had secured permission to use a naval base in the Philippines as the center of operations. The officers at the base would have questioned the use of the facility by civilians but a direct order from the Commander-in-Chief had squelched any discussion of the topic. "Your whining doesn't help matters any."

"Hey, we're all getting a little stir crazy in here," Hal Chandler declared. It was he that had been part of these long search missions rather than his brother 3-D Man. Since Chuck could only manifest for three hours at a time, the Avengers did not want to be caught without his services when they finally did find Neptunia and her watery warriors.

"You have held up rather well," the Human Robot noted, "for a normal human."

"Thanks, I think," Hal replied. "I'm just enjoying the view out there. It's beautiful. It's sometimes hard to believe that that the evil Neptunia is hiding out there somewhere."

"I'm not certain that she's evil," Venus sighed. "She is grief-stricken from the loss of her father. All Olympus mourned his demise, save his brother Jupiter who took the death very stoically. Perhaps my son would be similarly driven to revenge if destruction befell me."

"Your son? Cupid, the cherub with wings and all?" Gorilla-Man joked.

"He outgrew his cherub appearance a long time, though he still has the wings," Venus replied with a smile. "He still can be a troublemaker."

"Well, I'm more interested in the troublemaker Neptunia right now," Marvel Boy called out. "I'm swinging around to start another search pattern." Responding to Marvel Boy's hands at the controls, the Silver Bullet turned and started its new course.

Neptunia sped through the water with a look of savage contentment on her face. The location of Namora and Nemo had been reported by the inhabitants of the sea. The Atlantean duo were sighted along the coral reefs off of the coast of Australia.

A few hours later, Neptunia arrived where Namora and Nemo had been sighted. The two were perched upon the coral reefs, discussing their ongoing quest to find Namor, the legendary Sub-Mariner. Creating a large waterspout to announce her arrival, Neptunia emerged from the sea. "Greetings to you, son and daughter of Atlantis."

Nemo was not sure what to make of the spectacle. As an outcast, he was not very wise to the ways of Atlantis, particularly when it came to matters of faith. Namora, on the other hand, knew who appeared before them. She bowed her hand. "We greet you, Neptunia, goddess of the sea."

Nemo looked at Namora. "That's Neptunia?"

"Yes." Namora nudged him in the ribs. "Now show the proper respect." Nemo complied and bowed his head.

"Arise," Neptunia commanded. "I would speak to you regarding your allegiance to my father, the lord of the sea." She explained, in her own way, the recent events regarding Neptune, and her attempts to wreak the vengeance of the sea upon the Americans. She told of the battle against the Avengers. Then she 'invited' Namora and Nemo to join in the crusade.

"Your pardon," Namora offered politely, "but I have lived among the Americans for many years. While my cousin warred against them on numerous occasions, I have not seen any malicious intent upon their part against Atlantis or our ways."

"Father Neptune is dead, and you question me, his faithful daughter?!?" Neptunia bellowed. The water swirled angrily around her.

"Your pardon once again," Namora said respectfully. "Standing against those who have been allies in the past does not come easily." She could see Nemo nodded in agreement. "But our first allegiance is to the sea."

"Good." Neptunia smiled. "I give you one night to consider your duty and to join us. When dawn comes, we are certain that you will assume your duty to your late divine lord. Else you shall be considered enemies of the sea." The wind and water whipped around Neptunia, and then she disappeared under the surface.

"What shall we do, Namora? If the Americans truly have murdered Father Neptune, do we have any choice?" Nemo asked uncertainly.

"I find it hard to believe that Father Neptune could be dead," Namora shrugged. "But I know that he has not appeared to the priests in Atlantis for far too long. I am loathe to doubt the word of his own daughter. I wish we could contact the Avengers."

"That would be nice, but our ICRs was lost when he fought that sea monster in that bottomless trench. We don't have any way to reach them, and there's no way we could swim all that way in one night," Nemo replied. "We have to give our answer to Neptunia tomorrow morning."

{ICR = Interplanetary Cosmic Radio, as provided by Marvel Boy to all those associated with the Avengers}

When morning came, Namora and Nemo had made their decision. They had joined Neptunia and her cohorts in the underwater lair. Plans were drawn up for what the next action against the United States would be. Nemo looked with concern at Namor as Neptunia laid forth the battleplan. Namora just shook her head in resignation. They might be reserve Avengers, but they were Atlanteans first. The Americans had committed deicide. They would have to be punished.

Neptunia pointed to the map. "This is where we will strike, the site of one of America's most crushing defeat. This harbor will once again run red with American blood." She lifted her finger to reveal the location. It was Pearl Harbor.

Inside of the Silver Bullet, all of the Avengers, save for the Human Robot, were becoming a bit frustrated. Their searching had proven completely fruitless. There was no sign of Neptunia and her minions anywhere.

"I wish we could get into contact with Nemo and Namora," Hal Chandler said hopefully. "They'd sure be able to help us out."

"I've been trying to reach them on the ICR," Marvel Boy shrugged. "I can't get any response from them."

"We ain't getting much done out here," Gorilla-Man growled. "Maybe we better land somewhere and get some shuteye. We've been stuck in this sardine can all night. I could sure use a bed."

"We have been taxing ourselves with this search," Venus agreed. She had been trying to use her powers to cool the other Avengers down, but there was only so much she could do subtly. "Perhaps we should get some rest. With the speed of the Bullet, if Neptunia does strike, we should be able to intercept her before she is able to do much damage."

"This plan has merit," the Human Robot concurred. "However, since I do not get tired, perhaps I could continue to fly the Silver Bullet in hopes of finding Neptunia."

"No, if we're going to rest, we're all going to rest," Marvel Boy announced. "No offense, HR, but I'd rather not have anybody else flying the Bullet, especially if it gets hit with one of Neptunia's storms. This isn't your everyday aircraft, this is …"

"Yeah, we know," Gorilla-Man grumbled. "It's advanced Uranian technology." His tone turned sarcastic. "Far beyond Earth technology. Just get us somewhere where we can get some sleep, Spaceboy."

Marvel Boy turned the Silver Bullet around and headed east towards destination. He figured it would be most prudent to go where the Avengers could talk with naval officials in charge of Pacific operations. That would be on the islands of Hawaii, Pearl Harbor in particular.

Much of the Pacific fleet had returned to Pearl Harbor in the wake of Neptunia's attacks. The President had ordered most of the fleet back there until the situation could be sorted out. It was obvious that the navy was no match for the forces that Neptunia wielded. Keeping the ships out at sea was only a open invitation for their sinking.

The Silver Bullet had landed at an airstrip near the harbor itself, and the team had been assigned an open barracks for their use. Marvel Boy, Gorilla-Man, Venus, and Hal Chandler went to the barracks to get some much-needed rest. The Human Robot, on the other hand, went to the radar operations center to see what he could uncover there.

With the blessings of the officer in charge, the Mechanical Marvel had wired in the output from a number of the radar systems into his own internal circuits. As such, he was able to assess and correlate the various readings much faster than any of the radar officers could ever hope to do. He tracked the readings for hours, analyzing them quickly, in hopes of finding some clue to Neptunia's whereabouts.

Finally, around 11 o'clock, he noted a storm system moving in a direction that was contrary to the prevailing winds. The difference was slight, less than a degree difference, much less than a human would have been able to detect, but the Human Robot's computing power detected it. To all intents and purposes, it looked like a typical storm system, but Automaton Avenger had doped out its true identity.

He activated his internal ICR. "Alert! I have located what I believe to be Neptunia's forces. It is heading directly for Pearl Harbor."

The Avengers scrambled from their barracks back to the Silver Bullet. The Human Robot joined them there, after saving all of the necessary information to his internal data tapes, so he could transfer it to the Bullet's systems. Less than two minutes from the Human Robot's alarm, the Silver Bullet was airborne and on course to intercept the storm system.

When the Silver Bullet came upon the storm system, Marvel Boy activated the stabilizers and headed directly into it. The ship shook from the buffeting winds, but the turbulence was not enough to turn the Bullet from its intended course. As they continued to press into the storm, they could feel the magnitude of the winds decreasing. Eventually the turbulence stopped. Like the eye of a hurricane, there was a calm spot in the middle of the storm.

Looking out the viewports, the Avengers saw what they expected to see here - Neptunia and her minions. They also saw something they had not expected - Namora and Nemo alongside them.

"Holy mackerel!" Gorilla-Man exclaimed. "Is that really our two fish-faces down there with Neptunia?"

"Indeed it is," Human Robot replied after gazing at them with his photo-receptors.

"But why have the allied themselves with her?" Marvel Boy wondered. "They've never been like the Sub-Mariner, an enemy to America."

"I think I know," Venus sighed. "The Atlanteans still worship Neptune. Neptunia must have played upon that in order to recruit them to her cause."

"Then we're going to need all the help we can get," Hal Chandler said. He took off his normal glasses and put on his special ones, the pair with the red and green images of his brother on them. He focused on the two images, making them become one in his mind. He collapsed, and the 3-D Man materialized upon the Silver Bullet.

"They've spotted us," Marvel Boy announced. "I'm putting the Bullet down." The craft's forward momentum stopped and the ship descended into the rough waves.

As soon as the Silver Bullet touched down, the watery warriors were upon them. Proteus had transformed into as gigantic bull whale and slammed into the hull with enormous force. Euryale and Glaucus followed close behind and began pounding on the hull as well. Nemo and Namora hesitated, much to the consternation of Neptunia.

"Why do you hold back?" she shrieked. "They fight for the Americans, the fiends who killed Father Neptune. You swore your allegiance to me. Now make good on that vow!"

"Yes," Namora sighed as she pushed forward. Nemo followed close behind.

The entire team was rattled by the assault that was being inflicted on the outside of the Silver Bullet. Marvel Boy was the first to recover and he began to rally the team. "I'm going to open the hatches, both port and starboard. HR, Venus, and Gorilla-Man - portside. 3-D Man and I will go starboard.

The Uranian Wonder opened the hatches and the Avengers spilled out into the water. Gorilla-Man cursed something unrepeatable as he splashed into the water. He did not have much time to complain about the water, since the Gorgon Euryale was instantly upon him. She tried to get Gorilla-Man to look into her eyes, but Gorilla-Man knew better, thanks to Venus' advice.

"Ain't gonna get me to look you in the eyes," Gorilla-Man shouted as he swung wildly at Euryale. "I don't wanna even look at you. You're even uglier than I am, and there ain't many I can say that about." With her eyes open, Euryale was being more effective in the slugging match.

Glaucus and Proteus joined forces against the Human Robot. Proteus had now transformed into a mammoth octopus. His many tentacles wrapped themselves around the Mechanical Marvel's limbs and torso, hoping to squeeze the life out of him. Glaucus swam through Proteus' undulating arms and attempted to remove what he thought was the Robot's helmet.

The Automaton Avenger's head would not budge, and Glaucus came to realize that the Human Robot was an artificial being. "Despite your name, you are not human. I know what it's like to be human. It's not something to which one should aspire." Glaucus had been human once before being transformed into a merman.

"Humans are only good for worship, and since they worship us no more, they are good for nothing," Proteus growled through his octopus beak-like mouth. Now knowing that there was no man inside of the metallic shell, he sought now to tear the Mechanical Marvel apart.

Venus had found herself between Nemo and Namora. She dove beneath the waves in order to avoid them. However, despite her godly might, there was no way to escape them in their own element. They quickly overtook her and grabbed her with their hybrid strength.

"How dare you?" Venus cried, her Olympian voice transmitting through the water.

"We're sorry, Lady Venus," Namora said. "But you side with the Americans. They killed Father Neptune."

"So you would exhibit sacrilege of your own by attacking me?" Venus knew she could not win a physical battle with the Atlanteans. She was buying time to learn what was truly in their hearts.

"While we honor you as part of the pantheon, our allegiance is to Father Neptune," Namora responded grimly. "Neptunia's cause is just. The Americans must pay for their sacrilege."

Venus looked at Nemo. "What say you?"

"Father Neptune's death demands retribution," Nemo declared.

Venus sighed. She could sense some reluctance in their hearts, but she could tell that their actions truly were driven by a love for Neptune.

The dark Titan Styx thought that she had 3-D Man in her sights. Beams of deathly cold erupted from her hands and struck where he had been. However, the Human Triple Threat's enhanced reflexes saved him. He dove beneath the waves before the beams could strike. Employing his triple-strength, he torpedoed under the water and drove himself into the Titaness' mid-section. His hands felt like they were frost-bitten from the impact, but he would not let up. He continued to pound her, convincing himself that he was not striking a woman but rather a monster from Roman mythology.

Marvel Boy headed straight for the mastermind behind it all, Neptunia. He let loose with light-beams from each of his bands at her. The sea goddess just shrugged off the attack. "You think to blind me with petty light?" she laughed. "I, who have basked in the light of Phoebus Apollo?"

"Well, what about some heat instead?" Marvel Boy tried to focus, to get the power bands to produce the heat that they had when he faced Styx the day before. Streaks of blazing red streamed from the bands, vaporizing the water around Neptunia.

From Neptunia's cries, Marvel Boy could tell that the heat was definitely getting to her. He concentrated, willing the powerbands to generate even more thermal power. He did not know exactly from where the power was coming, but at this point, he did not care. Neptunia was shrieking from the attack, that was what was important.

Neptunia's cries garnered the attention of Neptunia. The sea woman told Nemo to hold Venus while she went to the aid of Neptune's daughter.

Venus saw her opportunity. She looked deep into the eyes of the hybrid clone. "Do you really hate the Americans that much, do you really love Neptune that much, that you would destroy your only friends?"

"Well, er," Nemo stammered.

"Didn't Neptune's people cast you out from Atlantis? Haven't the Americans been the only people that have befriended you?" Venus argued. "Bucky, Toro, and their young allies. They were your only friends."

"But Namora …" Nemo replied.

"Namora is misguided in her zeal," Venus stated. "You loved America so much that you fought for her in the Second World War. Have you lost that love?"

Nemo's hands slipped from her arms. "No, but I can't stand with you."

"Yes you can," Venus intoned. "For love of what's right, you must!"

Nemo eyed her warily and then agreed. "Yes. I will fight for America."

Meanwhile, Namora had come to Neptunia's aid. She had stopped Marvel Boy's thermal assault by tackling the Uranian Wonder from behind. Marvel Boy was forced to consternate on contending with the Sea Woman. Neptunia used the respite to regain her control of the storm. She increased its intensity, she increased its size, she increased its speed. In a matter of minutes, the whirling mass of wind and water would strike the helpless Pearl Harbor.

3-D Man continued to hold his own against Styx. He kept her off-balance, preventing her from unleashing her deadly cold. Still, he knew his triple-endurance had limits, and he wondered if he had enough to put her down for the count.

The Human Robot was still a captive of the octopus Proteus, but he had managed to free his right arm by concentrating electric power into that limb. With the free arm, he was able to end the annoying attempts of Glaucus to remove his head.

Gorilla-Man and Euryale were still tangled up. The Gorgon had pulled the Ape Avenger beneath the waves in order to drown him. Her serpentine hair nipped at him through his thick hide. With his oversized lungs he had enough oxygen for a long time, but not forever. He ignored the irksome snake attacks, and focused on freeing himself to get his head above water.

While Nemo rocketed towards Namora and Marvel Boy, Venus floated underneath the water, her mind focused on reaching the outside of the mortal realm. Divine intervention was needed now.

Nemo grabbed Namora from behind as she was about to strike Marvel Boy. While the Uranian Wonder's strength was well-above human, in the aqueous element, Namora's strength had been too much for him.

"What?" Namora cried as she struggled against Nemo's grip.

"This is all wrong," Nemo shouted above the sound of the storm. "This has to stop."

"Indeed it must!" a ear-rattling voice called out. As the voice spoke, the storm stopped.

"By Olympus!" Neptunia cried in astonishment. She looked down at her hands. Her storm had failed her.

"By Olympus indeed!" the voice said. A wide beam of yellow light opened a portal between the clouds above. A red-bearded regal figure emerged from the portal. "This must end now."

"Who the heck is that?" Gorilla-Man growled. Like everyone else, Euryale had stopped fighting, allowing him to win through to the surface once again.

Venus had rejoined the combatants above the now tranquil waves. "That is Lord Jupiter."

"Lord Jupiter!" Neptunia's tone showed only the slightest tone of deference. "You have no right to interfere with my rightful vengeance."

"Ho, ho, ho," Jupiter laughed. "You presume to tell the Lord of Olympus what he can and cannot do?"

"I strike for vengeance, for the death of he who was my father and your brother," Neptunia said indignantly. "My cause is just."

"Perhaps it would be, if vengeance were needed."

This reply caught even Venus by surprise. "What mean you, Lord Jupiter?"

Jupiter pointed to the portal. "Behold Asklepios, physician to the gods, and his patient!"

Askelpios, clothed in purest white and staff in hand, emerged from the portal, supporting a worn and haggard figure. "I have treated him for many years. His recovery is not yet complete, but his life is no longer in danger." He helped the patient raise his head, revealing his green aquatic features.

"Father Neptune!" Neptunia exclaimed.

"But how?" Venus added.

"The human weapon of the atom did my brother serious harm," Jupiter exclaimed. "It did not kill him outright, but it nearly extinguished his Olympian spark. The existence of that feeble spark was noticeable only to me. Rather than give Olympus false hopes as to Neptune's return, I decided, as is my right, to have Olympus mourn Neptune as fallen. I commanded Asklepios to see to his care, committing him to the utmost secrecy, until my brother's eventual recovery was certain. That day has come."

"And well that it has," Neptune struggled to say. "Your devotion, however misguided, is appreciated daughter. Now stand down and forsake your crusade."

"The result may be different, but the assault to your person has been done," Neptunia countered. "Surely that demands vengeance."

"Nay," Neptune answered. "There was no intent by the Americans to harm me. It was simply my misfortune to be there when they employed the weapon."

Neptunia still seethed, but she bowed her head. "As you command, father."

"Well, I guess that about wraps this whole thing up," 3-D Man said, still not sure if he believed everything that was happening here.

"There is something else," Jupiter stated. "There is one who would like to talk to his wife."

Gorilla-Man looked around. "Who?"

From the portal emerged a figure who was both powerful and pathetic at the same time. His upper body was strong and hard, but his legs were mangled. His features were dirty and not pleasing to the eye. In one hand he carried his hammer and in the other he carried a wooden box.

"Vulcan," Venus gasped.

"Venus, my love, my wife. I bid you return with me to Olympus," Vulcan pleaded. "I have crafted some many things to celebrate the beauty that you are. None but you are worthy of wearing these baubles, my wife." He opened the box, and all could see goldsmithing of a quality unequaled anywhere in existence.

"Your work flatters me, as always" Venus sighed. "But my place is here, for the time being. Know that one day I shall return to Olympus."

"But will you return to me?" Vulcan lamented. "I see how close you have come to some of the se humans. Can they give you the devotion that I have?"

Marvel Boy stared with strong interest in the conversation. He noted with some disappointment as Venus lifted into the air and whispered something into Vulcan's ear. He could not tell if the god of the forge's misshapen face showed glee or despair at Venus' words.

"All is done here," Jupiter announced. "Save these mortals and the goddess of love, all shall return to Olympus to celebrate the return of Neptune." He extended his hand, and Neptunia and her minions floated into the air and through the portal. The other gods did the same, and then the portal vanished.

The Avengers swam back to the Silver Bullet and boarded the craft. Once they were all buckled in, Marvel Boy lifted the ship into the air. He set course for Washington, where they would give a report to President Eisenhower. Marvel Boy looked back at Venus, who was staring out of the window. It was the first time he had ever seen her look sad.

Two letters this month! Hooray!

Next Issue:
In issue #3, the Yellow Claw detonated an atomic device in Otisville, Nevada. Now the repercussions are felt.

BiG Productions
07-September-00

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