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Quote1 They’ve Kidnapped the Prime Minister! Quote2
Commander Lance Hunter

Appearing in "They’ve Kidnapped the Prime Minister!"

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Synopsis for "They’ve Kidnapped the Prime Minister!"

While Brian Braddock is reunited with his brother and sister, the Red Skull kidnaps Prime Minister James Callaghan, much to the horror of STRIKE and SHIELD!

Appearing in "Three Stood Together!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four #119

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Synopsis for "Three Stood Together!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four #119

After breaking up a squabble between Ben and Johnny, the FF are contacted by Taku, the Black Panther's aide, who has called to request the Fantastic Four's aid in recovering the Vibrotron, a device that can augment the power of Vibranium. He explains that two men named Jeth Robards and Nathan Kamalu had crash landed in Wakanda and were taken in. They repaid this kindness by stealing the Vibrotron and absconding to the neighboring nation of Rudyarda, known for its apartheid regime that sees segregation between Caucasians and the native African population. Taku goes on to explain that T'Challa went into Rudyarda incognito to try and find the thieves and prevent them from selling off the device but has not been heard from since.

Agreeing to assist the Wakandans by finding their leader and recovering the Vibrotron, Reed sends Ben and Johnny to investigate. Unknown to them, the purpose Reed and Sue aren't going is because Reed is secretly trying to develop a means for Crystal to be able to live outside of the Inhumans' great refuge.

Soon Ben and Johnny are on a flight to Rudyarda. It is a peaceful flight until one of the passengers tries to hijack the plane and divert it to Cuba. But the hijackers did not anticipate that two members of the Fantastic Four would be on board. Johnny melts the gun in the hijacker's hands. When the goon tries to use a grenade, Ben snatches it and contains the blast within his own hands. They then restrain the attacker for the rest of the flight.

When Johnny and Ben finally land, everything seems normal until they see the segregation of races at the customs screening area, angering both of them. After struggling to get a cab, the pair drive to the address for Nathan Kamalu. It leads them to a local slum where the black population has been interned. There they force their way into Kamalu's apartment and learn that he was betrayed by Jeth Robards. He tells them that he doesn't know who hired them, but Robards is going to make the sale at the local metal works. When they ask about T'Challa, they learn that he was arrested and is in the local prison. Before Ben and Johnny can leave, Kamalu attempts to shoot them with a gun, but Ben manages to blow him over with a sneeze.

That evening, as T'Challa waits in his cell, Ben and Johnny attack the prison. They quickly blast through the guards and free their friend. When T'Challa leaps into action, he calls himself the Black Leopard. While they are recovering T'Challa's costume, the Thing asks him why he has changed his name from the Black Panther to the Black Leopard. T'Challa explains that he decided to change his name, so he would not be associated with organizations in the United States tied to the name. As they leave the prison, they learn that T'Challa was arrested while incognito for not having the appropriate ID that all the blacks in Rudyarda are required to carry at all times.

When they arrive at the metal works, they are disgusted to see that, even here, there are separate doors for different races. After sneaking in, they catch Robards. They quickly snatch him up and recover the Vibrotron. Just then, Robards' employer arrives, and it turns out to be their old foe Klaw. As a fight breaks out between the three heroes and Klaw, Robards tries to escape with the Vibrotron. Seeing this, Klaw blasts the ship, destroying it and slaying Robards. Ultimately, the battle is ended when the Thing grabs hold of Klaw's sonic blaster and crushes it.

The authorities quickly arrive and arrest Klaw. With Robards dead and the Vibrotron destroyed, their mission is completed. The authorities are reluctant to thank the Black Leopard for assisting them and remind them that blacks have a curfew. Taking this in stride, the three heroes depart, but, before they go, the Thing smashes through the segregated doors before leaving.

Appearing in "A Hitch in Time!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Marvel Team-Up #7

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  • Rock Trolls (Main story and flashback)
  • Muggers
    • Fred
    • Other Mugger (Unnamed)
  • Kryllk the Cruel (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)

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Synopsis for "A Hitch in Time!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Marvel Team-Up #7

Walking through the streets of Manhattan, Peter Parker is lost in thought until he hears the screams of a woman being mugged. With no time to change into Spider-Man, Peter kicks off his shoes and leaps into action. He easily incapacitates the muggers and is surprised to see that the woman involved is trying to flee the scene. When Peter tries to stop her, she tells him that she doesn't want to get involved. Peter is frustrated but allows the woman to leave. This entire exchange is observed by Thor who tries to encourage the youth not to get too upset. Peter is glib with the thunder god, testing his patience. Suddenly, the sky begins to change, inverting to a negative color. Quick thinking, Thor begins swinging Mjolnir creating a protective vortex around the pair. When the vortex dissipates, Thor and Peter are the only two unaffected in a now inverted world.

While Thor takes in the scene and questions what mystical force was responsible, Peter changes into Spider-Man. Just as Spider-Man finishes changing into costume, they spot a group of strange armored soldiers walking about the city. Thor finds them familiar and identifies them as foes, leading Spider-Man into battle. As they battle the warriors, Thor recognizes their leader as the troll known as Kryllk. As the two heroes battle Kryllk's army, the troll explains that what he has done to Earth is merely the staging grounds for an attack on Asgard. The heroes are restrained, and Kryllk shows off his means of accomplishing this goal, the Dark Crystal. When Thor and Spider-Man tries to strike back, Kryllk and his minions suddenly teleport away. Spider-Man asks Thor who their foe is, and the thunder god explains that Kryllk attempted to conquer Asgard centuries ago, only to be stopped by his father Odin.

Their next move takes them to Avenger's Mansion, where the team is also frozen like everyone else in the city. They quickly use the Avenger's computers to track the energies of the Dark Crystal to Asgard. Since he has been exiled from his home, Thor sends Spider-Man to stop the crystal, while he goes to Kryllk's hideout. Traveling through a vortex created by Thor, Spider-Man quickly arrives in Asgard. He discovers that it is in the same situation as Earth. Meanwhile, Thor arrives on a planetoid near Jupiter where Kryllk has set up operations. Feeling vibrations emanating from beneath his feet, Thor uses Mjolnir to smash down below. There he finds Kryllk and his army standing guard before the Dark Crystal. The thunder god fights through the soldiers, but when Thor tries to attack Kryllk himself, but the villain is protected by the aura of the crystal. Kryllk explains that he found the Dark Crystal deep below Asgard and that it told him the secrets of the universe, secrets that Kryllk intended to use against his hated enemy Odin.

While back on Asgard, Spider-Man has also found a Dark Crystal, as well as more of Kryllk's minions and Kryllk himself. Spider-Man begins fighting his the soldiers, and takes note that Kryllk is not even paying attention to him, as though he has having a conversation with someone. When Spider-Man tries to strike Kryllk his fist passes right through his foe. Although it has no apparent effect on Kryllk in Asgard, his physical form near Jupiter suddenly screams in pain and vanishes. Suddenly, the Watcher appears with Spider-Man, and explains that the Dark Crystal belonged to him and that Kryllk had stolen it to tamper with the time continuum in an attempt to destroy Asgard. With the threat now over, the Watcher teleports Spider-Man and Thor back to Earth. Returning to his observatory on the moon, the Watcher ponders how fate allowed Spider-Man and Thor to combat this threat.

Notes

  • Published by Marvel UK
  • The 2nd story is a reprint of the second half of Fantastic Four #119 in black and white.
  • The 3rd story is a reprint of the first part of Marvel Team-Up #7 also in black and white.

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