Slugfest!

Continuing the third part of the Squadron Sinister story from the previous post, Avengers # 71 featured the first appearance of the Invaders with the original Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, and Captain America using the original shield. The story is titled "Endgame!" (December 1969) and was written by Roy Thomas with artwork by the team of Sal Buscema and Sam Grainger, with letterwork done by Sam Rosen. Much of the first part of the issue is spent recapping the previous two issues, and the art team uses many large, "widescreen" type panels to illustrate the action.

Still more than a little confused as to exactly what has transpired, Dane Whitman returns to Garrett Castle to light the Brazier of Truth and awaken Sir Percy of Scandia, the original Black Knight. When Sir Percy appears amidst the flames, he reveals a series of visions which explains the agreement Kang made with the Grandmaster and the subsequent Game of the Galaxies involving the Avengers.

Dane finally understands how he has interferred and realizes the Avengers have been returned to the future to finish the deadly game. The flames of the Brazier of Truth also looks in on Kang as he paces thru the his sanctuary, cursing the day he accepted the fatal challenge of the Grandmaster.And Dane Whitman comes to understand that Kang has risked the fate of Earth in the hope that the Grandmaster will revive his beloved Princess Ravonna so that she can rule at his side.

Dane continues to gaze into the flames and view the events as they transpire. The second and final phase of the game begins as Kang once again sits before the Time-Scanner to watch his three remaining Avengers (Black Panther, Vision, and Yellowjacket) as they are sent to Nazi-occupied Paris of the Second World-War. The Avengers are attacked by a garrison of goose-steppers, but the real trouble happens when the Grand Master's proxies, Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and the original android Human Torch, a.k.a. the Invaders, appear and mistake the Avengers for the enemyThe flames of the Brazier of Truth abate and Dane Whitman knows he cannot assist the Avengers in the past and risk interferring again. Since he is mystically connected to his Ebony Blade, he begins to concentrate intently in order to form astral contact with the sword and reunite himself with his weapon. He is transported across time and space to the era of Kang.
The Black Knight finds he is in a room where Captain America, Goliath, Thor, and Iron Man are imprisoned, each with their head enveloped in the mind-numbing Spheres of Solitude. Dane quickly retrieves his Ebony Blade which lies on the floor in front of Goliath. Suddenly, in true Slugfest! action, he is attacked by two of Kang's guards, one who wields a Ray-Spear which he fires at the Black Knight. But when it strikes the blade which was forged by Merlin, the ray rebounds and strikes the guard rendering him unconscious.

The Knight's attention is drawn to a faint cry for help from the Wasp. After breaking through a wall to find her, Jan Pym prevails upon him to free the Avengers. Meanwhile, back in occupied Paris, the battle between the Avengers and the Invaders rages on! The Black Panther attacks Captain Amercia, but Cap raises his shield and the Panther runs headlong into it. The Panther rolls with the punch and manages to use both hands to grab Cap in choke-hold!

Nearby, in an attempt to get Namor to listen, Yellowjacket stings Sub-Mariner with an energy blast. As Namor strikes back, Yellowjacket shrinks to avoid the blow and sends a swarm of bees to attack the Sub-Mariner. At the same time, the Vision emits occular heat-blasts in an attempt to subdue the Torch, who counters by flying through a transparent Vision as the android manipulates his density to zero. While the Torch begins to wonder how they arrived, the golden-age Cap uses his original shield to whack the T'Challa. The Panther realizes the Avengers have been holding back, fighting a defensive battle, and only a decisive victory can save Earth.When the Invaders renew their attack, the Panther puts his plan into action as he and Yellowjacket fall back onto a side street in an effort to get their foes to chase them. Once the Vision learns what he has to do to end the battle, the android becomes partly solid as he flies through the bodies of the Invaders and wins the battle!

Kang gloats, and the Grand-Master explains that since the first phase of the game ended in stalemate, Kang will not be allowed to completely claim his prize. Rather than winning the power of life and death, he must chose between giving life or taking it. As he transports the Vision, T'Challa, and Yellowjacket back to 4000 A.D., Kang remembers his pledge to save the Princess Ravonna and is about to choose the power of life when Thor, Captain America, Goliath, Iron Man, the Wasp and the Black Knight burst into the room and interrupt the decision.

The Avengers explain that they are willing to overlook Kang's manipulations if he will simply return them to the 20th century. Kang scoffs and once again prevails upon the Grand-Master to have the power of death to slay his enemies and life to restore his beloved Ravonna. But when the Grand-Master forces him to choose, Kang elects the power of Death!

Kang is immediately infused with lethal, limitless power which Captain America believes is even greater than the power of the Cosmic Cube. T'Challa urges Captain America to attack, but Thor flings Mjolnir directly at Kang, who makes his body permeable. As the hammer flies through, Kang unleashes a fury of energy and attacks the Avengers!

But unknowingly, the Black Knight has escaped the initial barrage. (You would think with limitless power you wouldn't miss much.) The Knight attacks Kang and downs the murderous villain!He wonders aloud how he was able to defeat Kang. As the Grand-Master fades away, he explain that Kang was given supreme power to defeat the Avengers, and since the Knight is not one of their serried ranks, the Knight was able to exploit his weakness and win!! As the Grand-Master fades away, he returns the Avengers to their mansion in the 20th century.

The Avengers recover, and upon their return, their first order of business is to welcome the Black Knight into the ranks of the Avengers.

Back when Stan Lee was still editor at Marvel, writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema, along with inker Sam Grainger, put together the first Squadron Sinister story from November 1969 titled "When Strikes the Squadron Sinister!" But it was only the second part of a 3 part story that began with previous issue (Avengers # 69: "Let the Game Begin"; Oct. 1969) and ended with the following issue (Avengers #71: "Endgame!"; Dec. 1969) The story featured Kang the Conqueror, the Grandmaster, the Growing Man, the Black Knight, the first appearance of the Invaders with the golden-age Captain America, Namor, and the original android Human Torch, as well as the Avengers: Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp (Janet Pym), Goliath (Clint Barton), Yellowjacket (Henry Pym), Black Panther, Thor, and the Vision. The Squadron Sinister actually made a one-panel appearance in issue # 69, but issue # 70 is the real Slugfest! What follows is a complete review of the first two parts of the story.

Following a battle with an android imposter Iron Man created by Midas and Madame Masque (Iron Man # 17 & 18), Tony Stark is at death's door and is recovering at the city hospital with SHIELD agents holding close watch in a restricted area of intensive care. When the Avengers arrive on the scene, Vision wonders aloud why Tony Stark's bodyguard, Iron Man, wasn't around to protect him. (I have no idea in which issue Tony finally revealed his identity to his fellow Avengers, but you would think the Vision, with his super-android brain would simply put two and two together!) Meanwhile, Thor has managed to locate Dr. Santini, Stark's best hope for recovery.

While Cap and Vision discuss medical issues with the doctor, Janet notices what apppears to be a little glowing doll under a cabinet. She picks it up and examines it until Yellowjacket chides saying, "If that child's toy fascinates you so much, bring it along to the waiting area!" Feeling a little embarrased, she drops it into a garbage tin and fails to notice it suddenly growing! But the ever-vigilant SHIELD agents do take notice as it climbs out of the garbage can, and thinking it might be a walking bomb, they reach to grab it.

The Growing Man pulls a judo move on one agent while another fires a blaster right between the eyes. Of course, since the Growing Man is a stimuloid android whose artificial cells multiply each time it is struck, it only results the increasing the size of the Growing Man, whose single objective is to kidnap Tony Stark.

The Avengers are alerted by the ruckus, and when the Growing Man crashes through the wall of Tony's hospital room, swats away Dr. Santini, and gathers up Stark's nearly lifeless body, Cap's shield strikes Growing Man upside its face! Then the rest of the Avengers join in the fray until they notice that each time they strike him, it grows. Thor calls for everyone to halt the attack when he finally recognizes Kang's emissary. (I guess even a god of thunder has memory lapses once in awhile.)

With Stark firmly in his grasp, the Growing Man crashes through the exterior wall of the hospital to the streets. Goliath increases his size to match Growing Man and challenges him to a face off. But the Growing Man will not be detered from his mission, and it doesn't matter anyway because suddenly Clint becomes dizzy from growing too quickly. Growing Man takes advantage of Goliath's sudden lapse and delivers a crushing blow!

Then he calls upon Kang to send "the Light of the Centuries" and becomes enveloped in a blinding fiery light which causes him to shrink down to human size as he is drawn skyward toward a dazzling sphere. Captain America and Thor fearlessly step into the Light and are swept up in the chase, and the rest of the Avengers follow as they are transported through a whirling void of time and space.
The Avengers find themselves in a palace throne room with Kang sitting upon a dais and his beloved Princess Ravonna held in a suspended state in a nearby cylinder. Also floating beside Kang is a pulsating tri-sphere, and at his side, a glowing sphere that contains both Tony Stark and Kang's stimuloid. The Avengers realize they are in 4000 A.D., the 41st century!Kang is in no mood to entertain their questions and tells them, "You are here to serve me!" Thor's pride is offended and he responds by saying, "Thor..and the Avengers...serve no man!!" Suddenly, Kang's legions appear and the room erupts into a melee! After vanquishing nearly every last one of his guards, the Avengers prepare to close ranks on Kang when they are suprised by the sudden appearance of one of their own, the Black Panther, who intervenes on behalf of Kang imploring the Avengers to join forces with him for the survival of Earth.

Kang recounts his tale of how a year earlier the Grandmaster appeared and offered him the power of life and death to save Princess Ravonna if Kang would only defeat him at the Game of the Galaxies, a game similar to chess. Kang has chosen the Avengers to serve as his chess pieces. But if he loses, Kang consigns himself and Earth to oblivion....to vanish as if they never existed. Captain America agrees to participate only if Kang will only return Tony Stark to the 20th century. Kang agrees and informs the Avengers that Stark was simply a pawn in his game.

When the Grandmaster originally appeared, he promised he would be back in one year, which happens to be within an hour. (Talk about procrastination! Kang waited until now to make plans to stop the Earth from being relegated to oblivion?!?) And so the Grandmaster arrives...and the game begins! Things proceed quickly as the Grandmaster directs his hand toward Captain America, Thor, and Goliath, causing them to fade and shrink and appear on one of the platforms of the tri-sphere, with other figures resembling chesssmen on the other two platforms. Then the tri-sphere transforms until it becomes one with the Earth itself. Then the heroes find themselves on that version of Earth facing the chessmen the Grandmaster has created by telepathically sending data to the living computers on his far-off home planet. Enter the grandmaster's chessman: Dr. Spectrum, Hyperion, Nighthawk, and the Whizzer.....the Squadron Sinister.
Meanwhile at a dining table in the 41st century, Kang directs his guards to remove the food from his dinner table because he hungers for the main course....battle! He heads over to a room where the Grandmaster and the remaining Avengers, Vision, Yellowjacket, Black Panther, and the Wasp, await the coming Game of the Galaxies. The Grandmaster directs their attention to a device called a Time-Scanner which has a viewscreen to watch Thor, Goliath, and Captain America witness the approach of the fourth and final member of their team, Iron Man. Cap quickly explains the situation and what is at stake: Earth will be relegated to oblivion!

The Avengers turn their attention to astral images of the Squadron who explains how the Grandmaster altered four Earthmen into super-villains for the sole purpose of besting them in the cosmic game. Their images fade and are replaced by images of four of Earth's most famous monuments: The Statue of Liberty, the Taj Mahal, Big Ben, and the Sphinx. Iron Man flies off first to the Taj Mahal, and Thor swings his enchanted hammer to transport the others to the fields of battle.
Captain America finds himself on Liberty Island where the statue has become the prize in the deadly game. As Cap moves in closer, his feet become ensnared in a rope that pull him upside down and slam his body against the base of the statue. When he regains consciousness, Cap finds himself aboard Nighthawk's plane which is carrying Lady Liberty by magnetic grapples. In his hand, Nighthawk holds a detonator which is wired to destroy the Statue of Liberty. Cap flings his shield and slices the device in two, rendering it useless. Nighthawk makes his escape through a hatch in the floor to try and manually disconnect the statue from the grapples. Cap dives down and delivers a powerful blow but Nighthawk quickly recovers and swings around one of the spikes on the statue's crown, connecting with a double-kick that sends Cap flying. With Cap off balance, Nighthawk throws an explosive pellet toward Cap, who reacts quickly and blocks the blast with his shield. The backlash of the blast knocks Nighthawk unconscious and Cap wins the battle!

Back in the room where the rest of the Avengers and the Grandmaster watch the viewscreen on the Time-Scanner, Kang exults over Cap's victory. But the Grandmaster quickly reminds him that one isolated skirmish is only part of the final outcome.

Next, Iron Man arrives at the Taj Mahal and recognizes the glowing figure on the roof as Dr. Spectrum, who is listening to his sentient power prism's voice directing him to strike the golden Avenger. When the blast strikes Iron Man squarely on his breastplate, he is knocked down. Spectrum comes around from behind to deliver the final blow in the form of a image construct of a hammer, but Iron Man hears the prism's voice and evades Spectrum's attack. Iron Man counters by firing his repulsor rays, but Doctor Spectrum is unfazed and gloats by saying, "The Grandmaster designed the prism to protect me from all harm. Nothing gets thru its poly-chromatic shield!" Iron Man uses the information Spectrum has shared to devise a plan, but before he can put it into action, Spectrum uses the prism to sideline shellhead.

Once again as Spectrum is about to deliver the decisive blow, Iron Man reaches for a stud on his chestplate that activates an ultra-violet beam, exploiting Spectrum's one weakness: color above the prism's power spectrum! And although Iron Man takes heart in his triumph, he's left to wonder the outcome of the other battles.

Over in the land of the pyramids, Thor approaches the Sphinx and feels the earth quake beneath his feet. Hyperion explodes from beneath the ground catching Thor unaware. Then he grabs a giant boulder and flings it toward the immortal one, but Thor manages to sidestep the attack. Hyperion takes time to explain his origin and tells Thor he comes from the first atom split by a man-made cycltron. The Grandmaster rescued him and imbued him with enough power "to obliterate your puny planet."

Thor flings the uru hammer at Hyperion, but when it strikes his chest, it bounces off leaving him unharmed.Thor tries to reason with Hyperion and tells him that his vengeance will be his undoing. But Hyperion flys toward him, knocks him down, then turns the burning glare of his atomic vision on Thor. The thunder god uses Mjolnir to absorb the searing bursts and calls for Odin's aid. Hyperion boasts that he will allow the mallet to strike him before he seals Thor's doom. But when the hammer whirls around him, it creates a vortex that shrinks him and forms a bubble of glazed sand that traps him. (Basically, Thor puts Hyperion in time-out!)

Once again, back in the room where Kang, the Grandmaster, and the rest of the Avengers (Vision, Yellowjacket, and Black Panther) watch the outcome of the battle on viewscreen on the Time-Scanner, Yellowjacket figures out how Thor beat Hyperion. He says, "His hammer duplicated...and reversed...the atomic process that gave Hyperion his powers!" But the Vision reminds them to temper their optimism until all the battles are fought.

Then the scene on the viewscreen changes they see Goliath near Big Ben in Britain. Unexpectedly the Black Knight arrives. Not wanting any interference, Goliath tells him to "flake off". The Black Knight is angered by the rebuff, but before he leaves both Goliath and the Knight witness a disturbance in the distance; the clock face appears to be obscure in such a way that it almost seems to disappear! Goliath realizes this is his cue for battle, and as the Black Knight follows him, he once again tries to get him to leave telling him, "This's gotta be strictly an Avengers show!"

But of course, Goliath is going to need all the help he can get because the final member of the Squadron Sinister, the Whizzer, is the cause of the disturbance and wastes no time in trying to sideline the giant. The Whizzer attacks Goliath by speeding around him, creating a tornado that envelops the Avenger. The Whizzer then stands back to enjoy his victory, but the Black Knight attacks him from behind, striking him with the flat of the Ebony Blade! Then Goliath snatches the blade from the Knight's hand angrily explaining he had simply been "playing possum" and had shrunk down to normal size.
But the damage has been done. The Grandmaster appears in the sky and intervenes by tearing through the fabric of time and space and telling the Black Knight, "You have interfered in the game! And in doing so...you have prevented a clearcut victory!" The Grandmaster gathers up all the "chessmen" and begins preparation for the second and final phase of the game, leaving behind a very confused Black Knight.

Dane Whitman realizes they have taken the Ebony Blade with them. Now he must somehow find a way to journey to the future and retrieve his enchanted sword. (But notice the big artistic continuity gaff in the picture below: He still has the Ebony Blade sheathed at his side! Oops!)

Man, did some of these 70s storylines get convoluted! But Marvel did a great job of coordinating the storylines with the Avengers and Iron Man. Members of the Squadron Sinister would later be incorporated into the Squadron Supreme. Of course, its apparent to any comics' fan that the members of the Squadron are thinly-veiled replicas of their DC counterparts: Hyperion= Superman; Nighthawk=Batman; Doctor Spectrum=Green Lantern; Whizzer=Flash. The whole idea is also similar to JLA vs. the Earth 3 counterparts (see Justice League of America #29 and #30); in fact, the cover to issue #70 is like one of the battles between the multiple-earth heroes featured annually in the pages of Justice League of America.

Next, I'll get around to a comprehensive review of Avengers # 71, which not only concluded this three-part story, but also featured the first appearance of the Invaders.