Retro Comic Recap: The Champions #14

Happy Saturday, folks!

Hope everyone's enjoying the weekend. Today's topic is the fourteenth issue of the Champions. The cover depicted the Ghost Rider on his motorcycle, holding the Black Widow as they tried to evade a swarm of large insects, led by a mysterious cloaked stranger who was astride a giant bee. The story was called "The Creature Called...Swarm!" The issue had a cover date of July 1977.

The tale began inside the Champions' new Los Angeles headquarters, as a defensive unit lunged at Hercules. The Olympian made short work of the machine with one punch, but moments later, a female face appeared on a viewscreen behind him. The artificial entity judged the hero to be an intruder and dispatched another weapon against Hercules.

Meanwhile, Bobby Drake (Iceman) was donning his new superhero outfit. His thoughts were interrupted by the device that had just struck his teammate. The machinery was about to fall to the pavement outside, until Iceman used his namesake abilities to create an icy cage around it. Dreake then turned to see Hercules struggling with mechanical coils, similar to the arms employed by Dr. Octopus.

Not far away, at the Santa Monica Bay pier, Ivan Petrovich was saying goodbye to the Black Widow (Natasha Romanov), Johnny Blaze (Ghost Rider), and Laynia (Darkstar). He was preparing to board a boat that would take him back to Russia. Ivan promised that if he saw his son (Yuri, who was the current Crimson Dynamo), he would inform him that his former love Laynia still thought of him fondly. 

At the opposite end of the pier, a man hurried on his way, clutching a briefcase close to one side. He was unaware that his movements were being observed by a figure in a purple cloak. Ivan had no sooner boarded the ship, thinking about how he'd decided to head home because of a call from Nick Fury, when he was approached by a pair of armed strangers as soon as he entered his cabin.

At the same time, an explosion opened a crate next to the bespectacled man on the pier. Moments later, several large bees emerged. His cries were heard by Laynia and Blaze, who was already changing to the Ghost Rider. The Black Widow took charge as leader of the Champions, and quickly discovered that the giant bees were mechanical constructs. 

Back at Champions HQ, Iceman and Hercules were taking care of the mechanical arms that were part of the building's automated defense system. A series of laser cannons attacking them were the next obstacle, followed by the armor of their former foe, Rampage, which had now come to life and headed straight for Iceman. Hercules had finally broken free of the artificial arms when a large robot barred his path.

The Ghost Rider and Darkstar were forced to work together to defeat the giant bees, a task that was easier said than done, mainly because Blaze resented the fact that the Champions had accepted Laynia far more easily than him. The man we witnessed earlier paid close attention to the battle on the pier from a safe distance, until he turned to see the form of what was once a man named Von Meyer floating above him. 

The being no longer had physical form, except for that which now levitated, because it was made up entirely of bees which now buzzed angrily around their opponent. By the time the larger mechanical bees flew away, the Widow, Laynia, and Blaze reached the man, who had suffered hundreds of bee stings. Romanov found his wallet, and learned that the victim was an Interpol agent. She tried using her communicator to summon their air car to the docks, but heard no reply.

Iceman and Hercules were too busy to answer the call, if they heard it at all. The empty Rampage armor was so concentrated on the former X-Man that it smashed the power generator, bringing the lifeless suit to a stop instantly. That action also caused the robot Hercules to be ready to smash down to the floor. Drake was soon by his colleague's side as they tried to figure out just what had gone wrong in the first place. 

The duo was still working on the issue when Romanov, Blaze, and Laynia returned. The Widow asked why no one had replied to her call for assistance when the Angel (Warren Worthington III) crashed through the nearest window. He seemed horrified, stating that danger was nearly there. As his allies looked out the window, they saw what he was talking about. A swarm of insects was heading right for their building.

Swarm was an interesting character, one that carried over to other Marvel titles after this series had run its course. I also liked the concept of a superhero group that had to fight its own faulty facility. It just shows to go that money doesn't always buy quality. The only questions I had about this yarn were how the Champions acquired the Rampage suit, and how it was intact after its former occupant, Stuart Clarke, had caused significant damage to it by depressing a button in the center of the chestplate that set off an explosive charge the last time we saw it in this series. 

That's all I have for you today. I'll start tomorrow with a summary of the fifteenth issue of the Champions. We'll see what happens when all of the Champions come face to face with Swarm, and learn how Von Meyer became what he is now. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Champions #13

Happy Friday the 13th, folks!

Time for me to talk about the thirteenth issue of Marvel's The Champions. The cover depicted Kamo Tharn conjuring up a pair of creatures to confront the Angel, Hercules, and the Black Widow. The tale was titled "The Doom That Went on Forever!" The issue had a publication date of May 1977.

Black Goliath was standing outside the new Champions' headquarters, watching as a strange object seemed to dominate the skyscraper's upper levels. He then decided to try to scale the building until the glowing heat emanating from the unidentified object started to spread across his body. No one on the outside knew that the Champions had been teleported to a world where they now faced the villain known as Kamo Tharn.

Although their foe was blind, Tharn recognized Hercules' voice. He was still angry at the Olympian for having taken his runestaff, an item which he and Sif had once taken to aid Thor (in a tale told in the Avenger's own mag). Tharn then unleashed a bevy of beings to attack the Champions.

In the midst of the confrontation, Darkstar (Laynia) used her mutant abilities to open a portal in the Darkforce to reach the dimension that had opened by the Stranger. She entered the portal, followed soon after by Iceman. Hercules, the Black Widow, and the Angel were now left alone to face Tharn and his minions. 

Meanwhile, the Black Goliath (Bill Foster) emerged next to Reggie Cassidy and the Stranger, who was attempting to stop the bomb that had slowly engulfed the Champions' base of operations. Foster tried to strike at the bomb, but it released a robot defender in response.

As the Iceman and Darkstar passed through the portal, their friends kept fighting Tharn's forces. A fiery humanoid attacked Hercules and the Ghost Rider, while the Angel and Black Widow took on a winged warrior. One by one, the heroes fell, until only the Angel (Warren Worthington III) was left standing.

All looked hopeless until Laynia and Iceman (Bobby Drake) broke through to reach the Stranger's side. Bobby begged his ally for a bit of compassion, but Darkstar focused on her objective: using the Darkhold again to get the very staff Tharn was looking for. She found it in an unoccupied broom closet in New York and used the weapon, with the Stranger adding his power to hers. 

The Angel's teammates revived individually as the combined forces of the Stranger, and Darkstar pushed the bomb to its limits. The device had now exceeded its programming, and when Laynia came to, she found Reggie, the Black Goliath, and her colleagues in the same room, as the Stranger bid them all farewell before disappearing from sight. Laynia learned an important lesson about belonging that day, something that Hercules silently wished he could share.

This story wrapped up events from Thor's title, and it was a satisfying conclusion to this saga. It didn't really establish Kamo Tharn as a rival of the Champions, and it was not going to be easy to explain to outsiders just what had happened. An okay epic with solid storytelling by writer Bill Mantlo and artist John Byrne.

That's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the fourteenth issue of the Champions. The team gets to know more about their new headquarters and face a new foe. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Champions #12

Happy Thursday, peeps!

Today's focus is on the twelfth issue of the Champions. The cover depicts Hercules being blasted by the Stranger, with the Black Widow and the Angel lying at the villain's feet. The story was called "Did Someone Say...The Stranger?" The issue had a cover date of March 1977.

The tale began back at Champions headquarters in Los Angeles, where the namesake team had just returned from an adventure in Arizona (covered last issue) to see their new ally Black Goliath battling the Stilt Man. Iceman, the Angel, Darkstar, and Hercules leapt to Goliath's aid, while the Black Widow and Ghost Rider remained in the Champions' new air car. 

During the confrontation, the Stilt Man dropped his Z-ray blaster. Darkstar used her mutant powers to grab the weapon before it fell and crushed the gun. As the villain pursued Darkstar (Laynia), the woman who'd been pursued by the Stilt Man containing the weapon to Champions headquarters went back inside the building. Ghost Rider, Iceman, Black Goliath, and the Angel continued to defend their ally. 

Ghost Rider's hellfire melted the tar street, trapping their foe until he dislodged himself and ran off. Black Goliath chased him while the Champions went inside to meet their guest, a woman named Reggie Clayborne. She said that she'd sought out the new team because her father, Jerry, got into some trouble and wound up stealing an item from Stark International (in issue #4 of Black Goliath's short-lived title) that she'd brought to the heroes. 

Before Reggie could say anymore, the otherworldly being known as the Stranger barged into the room. He claimed that she was holding a bomb he created, one that was capable of destroying their star system. The Champions rushed to Reggie's defense and fought the being from another world while Black Goliath was occupied with defeating the Stilt Man.

The item in Reggie's bag came loose during the fracas, and it grew into something that continued to expand in size. It swallowed up Clayborne, and could soon be seen from outside the Champions' building by passersby. The Stranger tried to delay the device's growth before the group was transported to a chamber where they were surrounded by Hercules' nemesis, Kamo Tharn, and several of his allies.

This was quite a sidestep going from the Stilt Man to the Stranger. The Stranger has appeared in various Marvel mags over the years. Sometimes, he's been on the heroes' side, while in other stories, he's been one of the main antagonists. Readers were just starting to ascertain his motives in this instance when the Champions were sent to Tharn's domain. Pretty good action for a team that was still trying to establish itself. 

That's all I have for you today. Hope the Microsoft global outage ends sooner rather than later. I'll be back on Friday to discuss the thirteenth issue of the Champions. We'll see what dangers Kamo Tharn has in store for his guests, and learn what roles Black Goliath and the Stranger play in the continuation of this storyline. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Champions #11

Happy Wednesday, folks!

Today's topic is the eleventh issue of Marvel's The Champions.  The cover showed the Black Widow, Hercules, and Iceman riding a sky sled that was about to crash into the hero known as the Black Goliath. The tale was titled "The Shadow from the Stars." The issue had a publication date of February 1977.

Angel, the Widow, Hercules, and Iceman had just taken their new sky car out for a test run when it started malfunctioning. Ben Foster noticed the heroes' plight from a nearby rooftop and changed into his alter ego of Black Goliath in time to prevent the ship from crashing or causing serious harm to anyone or anything. He then introduced himself to the Champions, who were unfamiliar with this new iteration of the Giant Man personas they'd known in the past. 

While the group was trying to figure out just what went wrong and why, Johnny Blaze had embarked on a voyage of his own. He was riding his motorcycle across the Arizona deserts when he changed into his Ghost Rider identity just before a cattle stampede blocked his path. He conjured up a flame cycle to get him through the danger safely. Blaze drove across the side of a mountain, only to be distracted by an explosion caused by an arrow fired from behind.

He stopped his cycle in front of several ranchers, who he learned were being aided by the former Avenger named Hawkeye and his companion from the past, Matt Hawk, aka the Two Gun Kid. The heroes joined the ranchers as they made their way to what locals referred to as the Mesa of Lost Souls, where an unidentified flying object was spotted above the natural rock formation.

Back at Champions headquarters, Hercules, Iceman, and Black Goliath were working on repairs to their flying car when the Angel's attention was drawn to a news broadcast that showed the former Avengers, flanked by their teammate, Ghost Rider. After repairs were completed, the team took off in their ship, with the Angel and Darkstar flying alongside the craft and Black Goliath staying behind.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye and his friends had approached several ranchers who had been affected by transparent beings known as the Shadow Soldiers of Warlord Kaa. It was their ship that now floated in the sky. Ghost Rider's colleagues entered the fray before the two sides officially faced off against each other. 

During the confrontation, the Angel (Warren Worthington III) fell victim to the alien power. He took Hawkeye (Clint Barton) up in the air, but the ace marksman was able to fire an arrow that destroyed the command vessel, thereby ending the threat. 

After things had wrapped up in the desert, the Champions looked forward to returning home. However, they were alerted by Black Goliath of a girl who had just reached their headquarters. She was carrying a box that had been stolen from Foster's lab, one that the Stilt-Man was now after, as he faced his former foe (from Black Goliath's own mag).

Regular readers of this blog know that I'm a big John Byrne fan. I love his art, and I really liked his work on this series. I only have one of the five Black Goliath issues that have been published thus far, but that one contained Goliath's confrontation with Stilt Man, an old enemy of Daredevil. Foster would go on to take the name of Giant Man and become a trusted ally of the Thing (Ben Grimm) in the pages of Marvel Two-In-One.

That's it for today. Tune in tomorrow for my recap of the twelfth issue of the Champions. We'll see if the heroes return in time to help Black Goliath, and learn how they react to the arrival of a stranger. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Champions #10

Happy Tuesday, folks!

Time for me to talk about the tenth issue of the Champions. The cover, illustrated by X-Men artist Dave Cockrum, showed the Ghost Rider attacking his teammate Hercules, as the Angel tried to swoop in to intervene. The story was called "One Man's Son is Another Man's Poison!" The issue had a cover date of January 1977. 

The tale began with Darkstar using her powers to hold the Champions prisoner, with her colleagues the Crimson Dynamo and the Titanium Man by her side. Hercules, Iceman, and the Ghost Rider tried to penetrate the energy field that contained them before the trio vanished before their eyes. Afterward, Hercules broke through a nearby wall, but the coast was far from clear.

The Champions soon saw that they were still being observed from afar by their foes, who disclosed that they were in a vault in the San Andreas Fault, certain that there was no way out for them. The trio ended their transmission right before their partner, the Griffin, arrived in a ship that was holding the Black Widow, her former tutor Alexi Bruskin, and her friend Ivan, who had not spoken since learning that the man in the Crimson Dynamo armor was his son, Yuri Petrovich (disclosed at the end of last issue). 

The Widow thought that Ivan's wife and young son had been killed in a vehicle accident years ago. Yuri explained that his mother perished after their car was ambushed but that he had survived the attack. The lad had been rescued by American agents and remained in West Berlin for nine years. He was still loyal to his homeland even after Ivan's defection.

Before more could be said, the Griffin announced that the Titanium Man was outside destroying the planes in their vicinity. This angered Yuri, since he'd only wanted to stop the ships instead. Alexi and Ivan had details to fill in inside their vessel. Yuri didn't know that his own people had kidnapped him and made him to that he was acting against his motherland. Bruskin was encouraged to keep up the facade, so that he could eventually be convinced to hunt down his own father, thinking him to be a traitor.

Bruskin was following orders, a fact that did nothing to please Ivan once he confessed. Laynia (Darkstar) tried to get her love, Yuri, to learn the truth once he and the Titanium Man were back inside their ship, but he wasn't about to listen. Now that she knew what had really happened, Darkstar decided to reach out with her powers to free the Champions she had just trapped.

The Black Widow managed to take out the ship's controls before the Dynamo recaptured her. The vessel was useless, so the villains escaped to a nearby submarine. Moments later, the Angel, Ghost Rider, Iceman, and Hercules arrived to save their friends.

In the ensuing battle, Bruskin gave his life so that his comrades could be saved. The Crimson Dynamo managed to escape because of Ivan's indecision, but the Griffin and the Titanium Man had now been captured. Darkstar joined the Champions in fleeing the scene, as the Ghost Rider wondered if his team was meant to last.

Unfortunately, we wouldn't get a rematch between Ivan and Yuri in this series, but Darkstar would be an ally of the Champions for the rest of this title's run. Questions were constantly raised as to whether or not this team could sustain itself, and as it turned out, it unfortunately couldn't, but at least they had some interesting escapades for a while. To me, it never really seemed like there was a solid, defined direction for the Champions, probably because of their ever-changing creative roster. 

That's all for now. Time for taco Tuesday! I'll return tomorrow with a synopsis of the eleventh issue of the Champinos. A new artist begins, and the group starts to get their operations in gear, with the help of a former Avenger and the star of his own short-lived title. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Champions #9

Happy Monday, folks!

Today's focus is on the ninth issue of the Champions. The cover showed the Black Widow squaring off against Darkstar, while Hercules was surrounded by the Crimson Dynamo and the Titanium Man. The story was called "The Battle of Los Angeles!" The issue had a publication date of December 1976.

The tale began with Hercules and the Angel being attacked by the Griffin, the Titanium Man, and the Crimson Dynamo at a public forum in Los Angeles, moments after the heroes started to announce the existence of their team, the Champions, to the world. The people who'd assembled started to disperse, panicking after witnessing the initial attack by the villains. 

Heroes rushed to face the challenge, including the Champions' host and business manager, Fenster. Johnny Blaze (the Ghost Rider) was riding back from the hospital (where he'd delivered their rival Rampage last issue) when he saw the commotion. He quickly changed into his superhero identity and joined the battle. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the terrible trio. The villains had now defeated all of the Champions except for Iceman.

Iceman (Bobby Drake) was still on the trail of the Black Widow, with the help of the Widow's longtime friend Ivan. Drake warned his companion about the potential dangers that could await them inside the warehouse that Ivan's device had used to locate the Widow and her former trainer, Alexi Bruskin, when their opponents neared their building with the other Champions in tow.

Ivan and Drake took on their opponents, leaving Darkstar to watch over their original hostages. The Black Widow was prepared for her return, but wasn't about to endanger her mentor. Ivan burst through the overhead window in the middle of the Widow and Darkstar's confrontation. 

After that skirmish, Ivan went to the side of Darkstar, another former pupil of his whose name was Laynia. Before anything more could be done, the Crimson Dynamo, Griffin, and the Titanium Man entered the room with the remaining Champions in their arms. The Dynamo then removed his helmet and revealed himself to be Ivan's son, a person whom Ivan thought was dead.

Many men have donned the Crimson Dynamo and Titanium Man's armor over the decades. The twist at the end of this story was an interesting point in the storyline. It also showed some of the allegiances starting to bend a bit. I was still a bit surprised by the decision to introduce the news media to the team that was still relatively new and only had 2 of its members present at the time. 

That's all I have for you today. Time for me to relax and have a nice dinner before watching the Vikings game on TV. I'll return tomorrow to sum up the tenth issue of the Champions. This storyline's climax features the final struggle between the Champions and their foes from Eastern Europe. We'll see what happens to these unions in the aftermath as well. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Champions #8

Good afternoon,

I'm wrapping up the weekend with a summary of the eighth issue of Marvel's The Champions. The cover depicted a mystery villain emanating powers that were apparently strong enough to injure the Black Widow, Hercules, Ghost Rider, Iceman, and the Angel. The tale was titled "Divide and Conquer!" The issue had a cover date of October 1976.

The story began at the Champions' temporary headquarters in Los Angeles, where Hercules, the Angel, and the Widow's friend Ivan were staring in disbelief at photographs of the Black Widow fighting and being defeated by the Titanium Man. The pictures had been delivered by Stuart Clarke, who was now back in his Rampage exo-suit. Hercules was aching to attack, but their foe warned that if he did so, they might never know where their friend was being held or why she'd been taken.

Rampage disclosed that this was the plan of someone called the Outcast, a character who knew Ivan and the Widow well. He then pushed a button in the center of his chest panel, setting off a damaging charge. Iceman's ice shield helped to protect his friends while Hercules stood in front of Ivan, and as it turned out, their rival took the brunt of the damage. The explosion was witnessed in the air outside the room by Darkstar and the Griffin, neither of whom made any attempt to assist their ally for hire, Rampage.

Afterward, the Champions did their best to tidy up. Ghost Rider determined that their opponent still lived, as he detected a very weak heartbeat. Ivan was enraged by their foe, who still told them very little about his boss. Ghost Rider headed for the hospital with Clarke in tow, as his teammates continued to discuss strategy.

In an old warehouse in the Venice section of L.A., the Black Widow and her former mentor Alexi Bruskin were slowly awakening. Darkstar greeted the hostages before the Titanium Man entered the room. The captives were left alone as the duo conferred with the Griffin. They were joined by the new Crimson Dynamo. The legendary suit of armor was now worn by Yuri Petrovich, who was committed to the cause of returning three defectors to their native Russia: the Widow, Bruskin, and Ivan Petrovich, his father.

By then, Ivan had created a device that would detect the black pearl that Bruskin had in his possession. He followed Iceman on one of his ice slides while Ghost Rider drove his cycle to the hospital. He reached the front doors with specific instructions to care for his passenger. Back at their base, the Angel donned an old costume left behind from his X-Men days, after Rampage's blast had left his previous uniform in tatters. 

The Angel and Hercules were about to greet the media. Moments later, the pair, along with their business manager Fenster, took to the stage. They were announcing their group, the Champions, to the public at large, when the Crimson Dynamo, the Titanium Man, and the Griffin soared down from above. 

When I first read this issue, I was a bit surprised by the decision to reveal the team without having the full complement there. It was even more puzzling to make such an announcement without their de facto leader, the Black Widow, present. I guess this was another example of the inconsistencies that this title faced with a rotating creative staff. 

It certainly didn't bode well when it appeared that the two Champions were outnumbered at the end of this story. I'll cover what happened tomorrow, in my recap of the ninth issue of the Champions. This is an all-out action issue, and we'll see what happens when Ivan learns the Crimson Dynamo's identity. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.