Writer Jim Shooter
Penciler Mike Zeck
Inker John Beatty
Letterer Joe Rosen
Colorist Christie Scheele
Cover Dated June 1984
Issue opens where the last one ended, the heroes are being surprised attacked by the villains.
Captain America orders the heroes to form a wedge, that he will be at point. They need to close ranks as the villains have the advantage of just blasting at anyone staring at them.
Bulldozer and Piledriver are on this machine that resembles the War of the Worlds tripod. Piledriver has the responsibility to remind us readers, and the villains, that the Beyonder promised their hearts desire if they defeat the heroes.
Cap wants Hulk to start going on the defense, when Hulk is hit by one of the energy weapons, that apparently hit as hard as Thor.
Someone who deserves to get hit by something as hard as Thor is Colossus and once he does, he is knocked the heck out. This little moment here is the beginning of Colossus’ arc in this series. Lockheed lands on his chest and starts flaming away. Wolverine is highly impressed, as he should be. They are both scrappers.
Cap notices that the villains attacks are unfocused. Hulk, who only at issue two, is wasting a bunch of time talking away. I know he now has Banner’s brain, so is probably wanting to take advantage of being able to communicate with his fellow heroes and work on his bad reputation but every time he talks, you know he is going to say a bunch. He can’t just throw a rock and hit somebody. When he does try to throw a rock, due to all of his dialogue, it is blasted.
Reed comments that half of the heroes were knocked out due to the surprise attack. He tries to cover them with his elastic body. She-Hulk and Spider-Man are still in the fight. Xavier, Rogue and Hawkeye were some of the ones who were knocked out. Reed wonders where they got the energy weapons, as they were barely on the planet for a small amount of time.
Kang comments to the Absorbing Man, to not to get cocky, as they haven’t won until the heroes are all dead and without Doom, they are susceptible to a counter-attack. Kang then states that t was a shame he had to kill Doom. A little bragging on his part.
This transitions to Doom, reviewing the previous issues events from his perspective. He still wants the Beyonder’s powers, he doesn’t want to wait until the needless fighting is over. Doom comes to Galactus who is still knocked out. In an image that has stuck with me since reading it for the first time, Galactus lifts himself by sheer will. He doesn’t lift himself like a guy would after laying on the ground. His entire body, in one movement is lifted and then placed on his feet, done of this bending over, lifting the shoulders first and then balancing. Galactus doesn’t have time for all of this.
By the time I read this, which was in a trade format, this was already a legendary storyline and my mother bought it along with ten other trades so that I can read some classic Marvel stories that I kept reading about.
Doom tries to communicate with Galactus, trying to form an alliance, but Galactus ignores him as he is as beneath him as an ant is beneath Doom, which Doom of course finds insulting. He takes no comfort in the fact that Galactus is the ant to the Beyonder.
Doom finds his way back to the villain base. Doom suspects what he needs to obtain this power is in the base. Doom comes across Ultron, still deactivated and plans on using the shell to his own ends.
Cap is trying to get the heroes into a defense position. He gets Iron Man and Thing to pull back. He gives Thor an order and Thor hits the ground with his hammer, knocking several of villains over.
Hulk is attacking the tripod. Human Torch tries to give him a command, and Hulk states that once Johnny can tear the tripod like it is paper, and only then, can he tell the Hulk to do something. I like Hulk with some attitude, just keep it pithy! Hulk knocks the villains down and Cyclops blasts them for good measure. Good job, Scott!
We get She-Hulk versus Enchantress. She-Hulk is surprised Enchantress can take one of her punches, Enchantress states of course she can, she is Asgardian. This gives Jennifer permission to not hold back and she doesn’t. What I wish she did hold back, saying “tubular to the max” ooof, the 80s everybody!
The villains realize this isn’t going their way and flee. Thor asks Cap if they should follow and Cap wants to regroup.
Cap asks Storm to do some recon, she is glad her powers work on this strange planet. She wonders if this was part of Beyonder’s plan, to make as perfect of a fighting situation as possible. Storm finds them this gigantic tower of a fortress. Iron Man states that it is bigger than the Pentagon, as he is Rhodey and he is a military man, and Hulk corrects him that it is at least 54 pentagons. Which would seem like a jerk move but saying it is bigger than one thing when in fact it seems to be 54 times that one thing, I think Hulk is in the right. Plus, he has to comment on every little thing.
Hulk offers to lead the way, if there are any traps he won’t be hurt as much. Cap is quick to say that Iron Man and Thor might argue that they can accomplish the same thing, he likes to encourage Hulk. No one states it, probably because Hank Pym isn’t there but with the Hulk working with the team, we have the classic Avengers line up again. Except Tony isn’t Iron Man, as well. I wonder where Hank Pym is during this? Probably off being a professional scientist.
Kurt sees Colossus looking around. He asks what he is looking for. Colossus, trying to still pretend to be a good guy, states he is looking for Lockheed. He hasn’t seen him since the battle. If anything were to happen to him, Kitty will be devastated. This will be the last time this adventure that he cares at all for her feelings. Wolverine proving he is also a jerk, and probably explaining why the X-Men have the reputation that they do, states that it isn’t a sure thing that anyone is getting back and to forget the dragon. I mean, really? Lockheed earn his respect only so many pages ago and now he’s writing him off!?!
Later, Reed tells Cap that their prisoners are secured. Their prisoners are – Bulldozer, Enchantress, Kang, Lizard and Piledriver. He apologizes for taking so long to figure out the computers in this base. Reed also discovered a healing device. Cap compliments Reed, stating that he has earned the name Mister Fantastic and his reputation for being both compassionate and courageous.
Cap tells Reed to gather all of the heroes to the giant dome on the 451 level. Which really? That tower is too big, hopefully everyone isn’t too scattered throughout the tower, as with that many floors, and rooms, it can be confusing.
Cap has gathered all the heroes, Wolverine wants to go after the villains now. Cap wants to secure their base and rest. He has Thor, Human Torch and Iron Man on patrol.
We see Magneto’s new base, he is deciding his next move.
The villains make it back to their base, Doom has renamed it Doombase. The villains mock him and he unleashes Ultron on them. They get in line. Doom makes a point to make sure Molecule Man is happy.
Octopus wants to know Doom’s plan. Doom tells him not to worry about that, but to worry about what Galactus has in mind.
Magneto is, making his way to the hero base.
Wasp shares with She-Hulk her concerns about not getting home.
Cyclops is complaining to Reed about how he was on his honeymoon and not in costume. Reed shares how he wishes he was with his wife. Thing overhears this and wishes he was with Alicia.
Spider-Man is talking to Human Torch. Johnny tells him that the Fantastic Four have been away from Earth before – which is a great point, most of these heroes have been on other planets for days, maybe even weeks before. Why so worried this time?
Spider-Man’s danger sense goes off. Torch makes a reference to how Spider-Man usually deals with muggers. Which is an od comment, as by now, Spider-Man has been around for twenty years, our time, and has one of the best rouges galleries of all time.
Johnny goes for help. When he comes back with the other heroes, we are treated to a very funny panel.
They see Spider-Man being thrown across the panel, in a metal ball as he shouts that it is Magneto who is attacking. Thing states they figured that part out already. Fun times.
Magneto captures Wasp. He was going to destroy the power station of their base, but had to change his plan. Thing tries to stop him but reverts back to Ben Grimm.
Monica, Captain Marvel, asks if anyone else noticed that the X-Men didn’t show up to fight Magneto. Captain America tells her to not look for additional problems, especially as they have a real one to deal with. Galactus is clearly starting something on his mountain top.
This concludes our Secret Wars portion of Lockheed Month. We have two more issues of Uncanny X-Men before it ends. For Secret Wars, one day, we will cover issues four and five, that reference Kitty, eleven has a reference to Lockheed and twelve has an appearance by Lockheed.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 