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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Tempest Without, Crisis Within!
Dominating a bizarre, alien plain, the massive fortress inhabited by Magneto shudders as though made of straw before the power of the storm that rages outside. Magneto gazes outside at the tempest and marvels: “Wondrous… inspiring… But let the storm rage even stronger… I have a guest to attend!” he utters and takes off his helmet before he comfortably rests on one of the many deck chairs of his ‘parlor.’
A burst of magnetic force streams forth from the mutant master of magnetism, snaking through labyrinthine corridors to a vast hangar deep in the bowels of the fortress, where a makeshift metallic prison – a giant ball of metallic debris – hovers, suspended magnetically, in midair. The force bolt strikes, freeing a tiny captive who flutters helplessly to the floor.
Shaken and short of breath, the Avengers known as Wasp lies still for aching moments. She realizes this isn’t their headquarters complex and deduces it must be Magneto’s lair. Maybe it will look less foreboding at normal size, she decides and reverts to her human size at once. Nope! she contemplates as she realizes the base still looks ominous. She wonders why Magneto turned her loose before she suffocated. She’ll have to remember to ask him that when she finds him – and she is very definitely going to find him!
She soon enters Magneto’s ‘parlor.’ Magnus is there, drinking and eating from a floating tray. Good evening, Miss Van Dyne, Magneto greets her – or does she prefer to be called Wasp? He advises her not to bother herself trying to attack him. “My person is magnetically shielded!” he clarifies. “Well, la-de-da!” Janet scoffs. Does he think she has to strike at him directly to hurt him? With that, she releases her bio-sting on Magneto’s tray and glass, toppling them over. Janet swears that she can bring this room down on top of him with her wasp’s sting. Would that inconvenience him?
Magneto retorts that would make them both quite uncomfortable. The weather outside is deadly. Since neither of them can leave here for quite some time, he suggests a truce. He wants to talk; that is the reason he brought her here. Janet notes he has a very obnoxious way of arranging a conversation. “But all right, it’s your nickel! Talk!” she complies.
Magneto apologizes for the suffering he caused her. She is obviously a woman of intelligence and understanding as well as great beauty and he is not the monster she believes he is… which is precisely what he wants to discuss! “My intelligence, understanding and beauty or your non-monsterhood?” Janet mockingly asks. “Why… both!” Magneto smiles wickedly.
Meanwhile, many hundreds of miles distant, another, still more enormous citadel, the one laid claim by the superheroes, also quakes before the wrath of the storm. Inside this awesome edifice, Ben Grim jokingly remarks it’s a nice day. Human Torch remarks it’s like all the hurricanes on Earth for a thousand years rolled into one. Johnny doubts that Ben, even as the Thing, would last a minute outside in that. Ben suggests he gives him some galoshes and a rain hat and…
“Ben, look! That peak!” a terrified Johnny interrupts him, just as the force of a thunder tears asunder one of the mountain peaks towering above the fortress… and the enormous piece of rock falls towards the base! Ben exclaims that it’s big enough to get its own zip code and it’s coming right at them! Johnny realizes it’s going to flatten this whole place; they don’t have a chance!
At that moment, standing outside, on top of the installation, Thor sees rock coming towards them. “By the all-father’s grace, let the strength of Thor be enow…!” he exclaims and begins swirling his hammer, the Mjolnir, “… and let mine aim be true!” he adds and fiercely hurls the Mjolnir right into the heart of the huge rock formation, causing it to break into myriads of considerably smaller rocks. The fortress is able to withstand their impact. As the mighty hammer returns, as always, to the hand of the thunder god, Thor smiles. His exultation in the unbridled fury of the elements is only redoubled by the flush of victory.
Inside the base, Hawkeye is still cautious, even after the fragmentation of the rock into many smaller pieces, which now rain upon the hull of the fortress. Lifting a giant piece of equipment, She-Hulk suggests he put that damn explosive arrow away. As if it would have done any good against that Gibraltar-sized rock anyway! Hawkeye retorts that she’d be amazed at what this arrow can do. Jennifer huffs: they’re on another planet, with more weird stuff per square inch than the Sunset Strip… and he thinks some trick arrow is going to amaze her?
“What I think, greenie, is that you’re… you’re…” Hawkeye is about to deliver an aggressive response before he finally resigns: “…Aw, forget it”. All he can think about is his new bride. He misses her. He doesn’t want to be here. He wants to be home…
Elsewhere, as Iron Man and Captain Marvel check for damage sustained by the rock, Iron Man remarks that in that wind the raindrops must hit like .44 Magnum slugs. The thunder alone would kill a normal, unprotected man. He wonders how Thor can survive that. He’s tough, Captain Marvel simply states. To this, Iron Man wonders: he’s a card-carrying thunder god, right? Isn’t he in charge of weather? Why doesn’t he stop the storm? Monica thinks he likes it. He’s probably encouraging it. “Encouraging… it?” Iron Man repeats, trying to process this theory. Monica urges him to follow her: “Come on, slowpoke!” Iron Man responds in kind: “No way, babe!” His armor’s built-in jet skates can’t keep up with her light form even at her lowest speed. He decides he’ll check out the next level.
In the complex’s vast central communications’ chamber, Hulk, Captain America and Mister Fantastic confer. Hulk informs them that She-Hulk moved that 30-ton particle accelerator to the power plant. Once he installs this modulator, all the damage done by Magneto will have been repaired. “Great, Hulk,” Cap commends him. He asks Reed how his work is going. Reed wishes he had longer to study this fortress’ alien technology. He’s barely begun to figure out how to operate these monitors. He’s still not certain how they work. Despite the weather, he’s managed to keep tabs on Galactus, who’s still keeping his mysterious vigil atop that distant peak – completely oblivious to the storm. Also, he’s kept the villains’ headquarters in focus. There seems to be an aura around it – perhaps a manifestation of a power-absorption process. They may be somehow tapping the energy of the storm.
Cap would love to know what the villains are up to. At least, they’ll have some warning if they attack. They can see everything outside of their citadel. “Everything except what I really want to see…” Reed laments. His son… his wife… Cap is aware that Reed’s wife – the Invisible Woman – is pregnant. He’d give anything for Reed to be with her right now. Reed assures him that part of his is… Hulk also wishes Richards were home… to spare them his maudlin comments! Doesn’t he think Hulk also misses his woman? It just makes him want to crush the enemy that much more… and get it over with!
Cap believes Hulk will get his chance – soon. They have five of their foes captured and imprisoned. They hold an edge – a big edge. He figures they’ll gamble on one desperate, all-out attack, probably as soon as the storm breaks. But if they’re ready, if each of them does his duty and holds his weight, their advantage in strength will guarantee their victory. Reed remarks that he sets a high standard for all of them. He prays that no one falls short. “If you don’t mind…” he then tells him, asking for permission to leave. Cap tells him to go and relax; he and the Hulk will take turns standing watch.
Soon, crawling along some tubes on the ceiling, Spider-Man watches Mister Fantastic crossing a corridor. There goes a man who looks really depressed, Spidey contemplates. He doesn’t blame him. This isn’t exactly a day at the beach for any of them. It sends little chills up his spine whenever he thinks how far away from Earth they are. Still, he might as well try to make himself at home. This place was made for web-swinging – all these pipes and tubes and doo-hickeys… He wonders what they’re really for. They couldn’t be here just for that friendly, ol’ neighborhood Spider-Man, could they?
Shortly afterwards, while still moving throughout the base by soaring above the ground, Spider-Man enters another room. He thinks that if he sees another room bigger than the World Trade Center or another gizmo that looks like a cosmic cuisinart… “Well, well, what have we here…” he contemplates as he sees the X-Men conferring below him, on the ground. Deciding to remain hidden on the tubes and pipes on the ceiling, Peter realizes the X-Men must have staked out their own private little headquarters. Rather antisocial of them, he reproves. He ponders it’s still weird seeing Professor Xavier not in a wheelchair. Whatever they’re yakking about is none of his business, so before they notice him, he’ll just be on his way out…
Below, Rogue reminds the group that she once tussled with the Avengers. They don’t like her a bit… and they’re powerfully suspicious of what she’s doing here with the X-Men. Wolverine stresses that Rogue is an X-Man now; anybody gives her a hard time, he’ll slice them to ribbons! Xavier urges him to control himself. The last thing they need before they leave is an incident. Colossus wonders: must it be so that normal men – even those not-so-normal – fear and hate them because they’re mutants? “Let them!” Storm briskly exclaims. The X-Men will bear no oppression! Professor Xavier decides it’s enough: the discussion is ended. He asks them to prepare themselves to join Magneto!
Suddenly, he alerts them: he senses an eavesdropper… Spider-Man! Peter hops down and admits he heard what they were saying… and he didn’t like it! He’s going to rat on them! Wolverine advises him to settle down and listen or he’ll hurt him… and then he’ll listen! He proceeds to attack him but Spidey easily leaps upwards and Wolverine misses him. “Colossus!” he alerts his teammate. “I have him, Wolverine…” Piotr assures him. “Chubby chance, slowpoke!” Spidey scoffs and shoots his webs right in Colossus’ face, obstructing his vision. “You webbed idiot! We can explain…” Logan snarls. Spider-Man suggests they tell it to the marines: he heard enough!
Storm realizes Spider-Man is too fast for them. In the open air, she could bring the full fury of the skies to bear against him, but here, in these close quarters… She urges Rogue to break free; surely Spider-Man’s web can’t hold her. Rogue insists she’s trying… but his web is stronger than steel cable. Nightcrawler proclaims he will get Spider-Man. He’s as fast and agile as he is! “Not on the best day of your life, Nightcrawler!” Peter boasts and easily snares him in a web-net. He suddenly wonders why his spider-sense is tingling. He asks Wolverine if that’s him again.
Indeed, Wolverine tries to sneak up on him but Spider-Man turns around and swats him away like a fly, arguing that nobody can sneak up on him. Those pigstickers – Wolverine’s claws – may scare the bar room bullies, but to Spidey, Wolverine’s a joke! Astonished, Kurt finds Peter’s speed and strength to be unbelievable; he’s awesome! He manages to break free and tells the others that Spider-Man’s getting away. Wolverine earnestly admits they’re lucky that’s all he was trying to do; he really clobbered them!
Cyclops pleads Spider-Man to wait; that’s not what he thinks! “I said stop, mister!” Scott more rigidly demands and releases an optic blast against him, even though he misses the agile hero. “And let you zap me with you concussion beams, Cyclops? S-U-U-RE!” Peter quips and proclaims “seeya!” as he takes flight.
Seconds later, Spider-Man tracks down Mister Fantastic in one of the many corridors of the fortress. “Richards!” Spider-Man shouts and approaches him. Seeing him terribly upset, Reed asks him what’s wrong and advises him to calm down. It can’t be… Spidey cuts him off and insists he listens to him! They’ve got to... to…
Suddenly, a shocked Spider-Man realizes he forgets! What was it? Shrugging, Spidey shoots his webs upwards and soars away, concluding that it couldn’t have been too important. Cyclops, who watched Spidey’s confrontation with Reed, hidden at the bend of the corridor, approaches Reed and nervously asks him what was that all about. Reed admits he’s not sure.
Back at the X-Men’s quarters, Professor X realizes that he recovered just in time. They’re fortunate that Spider-Man did not wish to seriously injure him when he put me out of the action. As much as he despises using his psionic abilities to forcibly re-order another’s mind, there is too much at stake here to falter now. “And there is no escape from my power!” Xavier formidably and complacently states.
Elsewhere, Reed converses with Cyclops on Spider-Man’s behavior. Reed is confident that the pressure is getting on Spider-Man a little. It’s not like him to crack. Considering what they’re facing here, though… Cyclops reveals that the worst thing about him is thinking about his wife back home, not knowing what happened to him, whether he’s dead or alive. He argues they know so little about Spider-Man. Maybe he has a similar situation… Possibly, Mister Fantastic agrees, although he suspects they’ll never know.
Cyclops suddenly hears Professor X’s voice inside his head, urging him to return at once. Scott retorts that it wasn’t necessary for Xavier to fry his brain with his telepathic summons and assures him he’s coming. He asks Reed to excuse him and then quickly rushes off towards the X-Men’s quarters. On his way there, he realizes Professor X hasn’t asserted himself like this for years. He’s acting like he did back when he first formed the X-Men – firm, authoritative, decisive. Now that Xavier is no longer confined to a wheelchair, Cyclops wonders if he plans to lead them into battle. And if he does, will his lack of experience in front-line combat bring them to disaster?
As Cyclops joins his teammates, Xavier finally presents them with a vessel and informs them he’s learned how to operate it. He explains that this vessel responds to thought commands of sufficient power – apparently, it was constructed by a race of telepaths. More surprisingly, he announces that, despite the storm, they’re leaving at once. Destination: Magneto’s fortress!
At that moment, in the lair of Magneto, the master of magnetism informs Doom, as they communicate via monitors, that he is not interested in an alliance. “Very well then, Magneto,” Doom gives up on his efforts. Still, he warns him: if he does not serve Doom, then Doom must consider him an enemy! Magneto sternly insists that he chooses to make his own way. “So be it!” Doom utters in disdain and warns him that his choice is irrevocable… and he will live to regret it!
Seconds later, Magneto re-joins his prisoner, the Wasp. Janet wonders: where did he go? Is there something wrong? Magneto assures her it was nothing… nothing at all. Wasp admits she’s glad he’s back. It’s… eerie here alone, the way the storm is shaking this place. Magneto is surprised: she missed him? Now that is encouraging! Janet nervously stammers he shouldn’t be too encouraged. “Why not?” Magnus confronts her face-to-face. Have they not reached the beginnings of an understanding? “The beginnings maybe…” Janet emphasizes.
Magneto stresses that they agree that when his eyes meet hers there is something… electric! Wasp, however, doesn’t remember agreeing to that! Magneto insists it is true, is it not… and then passionately kisses Wasp! He argues that the storm has granted them a brief interlude of peace here in this world of sudden death – they should not deny their desires! He tells Janet there is so little time… Only faintly resisting to his advances, Janet succumbs to his kiss. “I-I guess… I suppose it’s… Oh, why not?” she tells him. Magnus has the iciest blue eyes she’s ever seen and apparently the “eyes” have it. With this, the two kiss again.
Meanwhile, in the massive fortress known as Doombase, Doctor Doom strides purposefully across a vast equipment-lined chamber off-limits to all save himself and the subjects of his machinations: two women contained in clear cylinders. Doom ponders that Magneto’s foolish refusal to pledge himself to his service is disappointing – but not surprising. With power such as Magneto’s at Doom’s command, victory would come swiftly. Doom realizes that, with Magneto’s power denied, it is even more imperative that he takes other steps to strengthen his forces.
Turning some switches, Doom remarks that all is ready. This alien technology is so rich and subtle… so easily harnessed to serve his purpose. Energy, tapped from the raging tempest… and two mortal subjects who dare to gamble for power, knowing that to lose is death, for truly, here Doom shall test the limits of power a human body can contain! With Doom’s throwing of the switch, the die is cast. Both women in the chambers are bombarded with enormous amounts of energy. Doom calls them out and warns them that power must be seized. He asks them to crave the power; welcome it; drink on it, despite the pain… or it will destroy them!
Moments later, the two women emerge from the chambers, one of them burning in thermal energy, akin to a living torch. She realizes that Doom was right; he did it! All that power is inside her now… but she can’t begin to tell him how strange it feels. Suddenly worried, she tells Doom that she can change back to her human form, can’t she? He said she’d be able to! In sharp contrast, the other woman announces that she doesn’t want to change… ever. She’s at least a foot and a half taller… and strong. She realizes that this is what it is to be strong. All her life she’s dreamed of this. She asks Doom where the new clothes she designed are; she can’t wait to put them on. “Right here, Miss McPheran,” Doom replies and hands her over her new costume. The woman retorts she is not “Skeeter” McPheran anymore. She wants a name… something flashy, like the others who serve Doom.
Doom replies that will wait. Addressing the other woman, Miss Rosenberg, he informs her that she can revert to human form at will. It was no easy task to provide for her mutation to be reversible. However, otherwise, she could not eat or sleep – and her useful life to him would have been short! In this form, her body is composed mostly of ionized plasma, like the core of a star. She can radiate thermal energy from her skin at will. Doom orders her to do so – now!
Miss Rosenberg uses her powers to incinerate at once the same machine that made her and realizes that, yes, she can! She can feel heat, just millions of degrees, swirling around inside of her… and she can control it. She doesn’t understand how she can still be alive, all molten, seething and liquid inside, like a volcano. She tells Doom she wants a trade name, too, just like Skeeter does. She wants to be called… Volcana!
“Titania! Like a titan! That’s what I want to be called,” Skeeter announces and tells Doom that she will clear away the slag for him. Doom urges her to be careful; it’s still red hot. Titania assures him that, the way she feels, nothing can hurt her! Lifting the huge, red hot machinery, she invites Doom to look how strong how she is. Hurling it outside Doom’s base through the window, she boasts that this thing is too small, too light; it’s no challenge! She pushes Doom to give her something to crush, to lift, to test her strength. Doom allays her fears: she will soon prove her might in combat. He advises her to be patient and then asks the two women to come with him.
Soon, all villains serving Doom gather in the same room. Doom reveals that he summoned them here to introduce their two new recruits: Volcana and Titania. He introduces the two ladies to robot Ultron, his indestructible, all-powerful bodyguard. He then introduces them to the others present: the Wrecker, Doctor Octopus, the Absorbing Man and the Molecule Man. Wrecker is at loss. “Where did they come from?” he exclaims. He thought they were the only ones on this planet except for Captain America’s jerk squad! Absorbing Man shrugs; he wouldn’t put it past Doomsie to build broads from scratch!
Doom commands Octopus and Ultron to go at once to the 417th level hangar deck and prepare assault vehicles. The storm will break at dawn… then they strike! As they leave, Titania demonstrates her strength by crushing a giant urn with her bare fist and addresses the Absorbing Man, telling him he looks like the toughest man here. She orders him to get up! Bored, the Absorbing Man asks her what she’s got in mind. Titania boasts she’s going to do anything she wants to him! Everything she always wanted to do to everybody who used to be bigger and stronger than her! Maybe she’ll just play with him… or maybe she’ll make him eat dirt… or maybe…
Still uninterested, the Absorbing Man retorts that if she’s got something to prove, she can prove it tomorrow against the guys they’re fighting. Titania asks him whether he’s backing down. “Nope,” the Absorbing Man clarifies. He just isn’t getting up. He’s got nothing to prove… to a dame. The Wrecker further taunts her: if she wants to lip-rassle, he’s game! The Absorbing Man begins laughing at the expense of the furious Titania, who shatters another sculpture with her bare hands before promising she will show them tomorrow.
Watching Titania leaving, the Molecule Man confides in Volcana that he hates all that crashing around; he just can’t stand violence! “Really? You? The infamous Molecule Man?” Volcana is surprised. She’s always wanted to meet him. He’s… different than she’s expected. “Yeah, I know… shorter, right?” Reece shyly suggests. “No! More… sensitive, I guess!” Volcana clarifies.
She suddenly reverts to her human form, much to the Molecule Man’s surprise. She explains she just figured out how to do that. Reece tells her that his therapist thinks he’s sensitive, too. He’s been seeing a therapist ever since the Avengers talked him out of destroying the Earth…
Volcana points him outside the window, to the storm. Isn’t that impressive, she asks him. Molecule Man disagrees: it’s only molecules interacting and he controls molecules! He could disperse the storm… but his therapist says that he should let things take their natural course, so he won’t. Unless Doom asks him! He finds Doom impressive; he always knows what to do. Volcana knows what he means; such charisma… Molecule Man, however, doesn’t think his therapist would approve of Doom or this war. He can’t help believing in Doom, though – and if he wants to win this war, he’s going to help him. Even if this means ripping this whole planet apart!
Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of the headquarters of the superheroes, Thor strides through the cavernous prison hall, past the block of cells where Piledriver, Bulldozer, Thunderball and Kang the Conqueror are held in psycho-stasis and enters a certain adjoining chamber. Here, in a special cell-generative healing capsule lays the beautiful Asgardian goddess known as the Enchantress. Thor awakes her, eager to speak with her. The Enchantress wakes up and wonders if he came to gloat at her humiliation. A goddess battered down to lie writhing in the dust at the feet of a green-skinned mortal wench? “By Fafnir’s scales!” she exclaims as she wonders whether She-Hulk scarred her. Did her fists bruise her face? Is her beauty…?
“Unmarred, vain one!” Thor assures her. He informs her that Reed Richards saw to that; the machine healed her injuries. The Enchantress wonders why he came then. Did his mortal friends forsake him? Nay, Thor replies – but they are mortals! There are things of which only gods may speak and which only gods can understand. He and the Enchantress are the only two immortals of Asgard on this world… they must talk! The Enchantress complies: they must talk… but elsewhere! Rising from her capsule, she proclaims she will endure this dungeon no longer and opens a portal in space. Thor agrees to follow her. However, he reminds her, that here or elsewhere, she is still his prisoner! “Perhaps!” the Enchantress replies and urges him to come.
Sometime later, the Hulk ponders what’s happening to him, close to a sleeping Captain America. Hulk doesn’t understand: he wracks his brains and all he gets is a headache! The ideas, the answers, used to come so easily! What’s wrong with him? Has he just hit a dry spell? He’s so… disoriented. Of course, being put here in this mess by a being beyond anyone’s comprehension – the Beyondet – couldn’t be helping his concentration! That must be it, he concludes, still rather uncertain.
Suddenly, Captain America wakes up. Terrified, he realizes it’s dawn! And the storm has broken! He wonders why Hulk didn’t wake him! Now is when they’re most likely to attack! He immediately asks him to sound the alarm and get everyone to battle stations. “Hurry, man!” he urges him. Hulk complies, mumbling as he leaves that he just didn’t notice. Still, his savage side surfaces in his thoughts: Don’t raise your voice to me, you star-spangled tin tyrant! I’ll rip you in half!
At that moment, outside, Doom’s ship moves straight against the heroes’ base. One of the villains remarks it’s huge. Doom sees no signs of a sortie coming out to blunt their attack. Can it be they’ve caught them unawares? “Bah!” he huffs in contempt. He’d thought better of Captain America and Reed Richards than that! They’re fools, indeed! “Prepare to ram!” he tells his followers.
Doom’s ship crashes through the heroes’ fortress and lands on it. “Quickly! To the attack!” Doom encourages them. He reminds the Wrecker that his is the primary objective: free the prisoners. The rest of them are to strike at will, wreak havoc and slay whom they can! “What about me?” Molecule Man asks him. What should he do? Doom assures him that his is the most important role. He must remain at his side. “Got it!” Molecule Man enthusiastically replies and does a military salute.
Seconds later, in the quarters occupied by Mister Fantastic, the Human Torch and Ben Grimm, the three members of the Fantastic Four are suddenly alerted to a danger. Johnny informs them they’re under attack and instantly flames on. Permanently returned in his human form, Ben laments his powerloss: what good is he like this? Reed advises Ben to stay here. He and Johnny will go find Cap and…
Suddenly, a huge steel door is hurled against them, through the window, incapacitating both Reed and Ben. Johnny realizes his arm is broken – his ribs, too! Approached by Titania, he begins blasting her with his fire bolts, demanding she stay back, whoever she is. Titania assures him he’s making it worse for himself when she gets to him – and she will! Suddenly, though, Titania realizes that Johnny is gone – he cut through the floor and dropped himself and his partners to a lower level!
Elsewhere in the base, She-Hulk lifts some equipment, while wondering what that noise was. Suddenly, Volcana blasts her behind, knocking her out. Volcana then uses her powers to melt huge quantities of equipment which she then crashes over the senseless She-Hulk. “So much for the She-Hulk!” Volcana sneers.
Somewhere else, Captain Marvel comes out of the pool. She thought the storm was over but she kept hearing thunder – unless the Hulk is belching! She decides it’s better to go and see and puts her costume on… and then is knocked out by Octopus and his metallic tentacles. Octopus notices that somehow she rolled with his strike at the last instant. Another sledgehammer blow will crush her skull!
Suddenly, Hawkeye appears and orders Octopus to get away from her. Shielding himself from Hawkeye’s many arrows by using floor tiles as a shield, Octopus is aware that Hawkeye is deadly accurate with that bow – and armed with a high-tech arsenal of arrows. Octopus knows he’s not the best against foes with long-range firepower. He’d better play it safe and leave him for one of the others!
At that moment, Spider-Man finally tracks down Iron Man and announces they’ve got trouble. Just finishing putting on his boot, Iron Man assures him he’s coming as soon as he gets his armor on. Suddenly, a huge explosion violently shakes the room and reduces it to debris. Iron Man hides amongst the debris, close to the senseless Spider-Man and sees the culprit behind the explosion monitoring the area: Ultron. He had both Iron Man and Spider-Man dead to right but he doesn’t see them, as Iron Man quickly understands. He decides he’ll wait till he goes and then pull web-head out.
At the entrance of the fortress, Hulk springs out and confronts Doom and Molecule Man. Hulk argues that he caused all of this – and he alone has the strength to set it right! And he’s going to start at the source! “Oh goody! He’s mine!” Reece revels and begins manipulating rocks and throwing them against the Hulk. Standing behind Hulk, Cap urges him to fall back. They’ve got to gather up the others… consolidate… retreat to a defensible position. Hulk finally complies and flees together with Cap.
Moments later, Doom realizes that Wrecker was successful, as he sees him approaching, with the villain prisoners in tow. Wrecker insists it was a piece of cake – although he couldn’t find the Enchantress. Molecule Man boasts to Wrecker that he should have seen; he drove the Hulk away! He then sees the other villains coming back and enthuses, as he sees they have no casualties. Doom admits that they also had fewer kills than he’d hoped – but no matter! They have accomplished much here today! And to finish it, they shall level this place so that no stone remains on stone!


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Situation: Hopeless!
Watching the heroes’ fortress being leveled to the ground, Dr. Doom revels: “There! So much for the superheroes’ headquarters!” The villains soon proceed to examine the ruins. Dr. Octopus can’t believe they let the heroes slip through their fingers. Doom reassures him: with the destruction of their fortress complete, their moments are numbered. They shall hunt them down like dogs!
Volcana is stunned by Molecule Man’s abilities: it was unbelievable how he obliterated the entire structure with just a wave of his hand. Blushing, Molecule Man assures her it’s easy when you control all the molecules! He also tells her she can call him Owen if she wants. “Owen! What a darling name!” Volcana rejoices.
Searching among the ruins, Titania asks Octopus if he’s got any sign of the heroes yet. “Not yet!” the scientist replies, overlooking everything around the area from an elevated vantage point. He reveals that these glasses he found here and is now wearing seem to automatically detect and focus on moving objects. Sooner or later…
Suddenly, he realizes he can see the heroes five miles from here, regrouping. They look to be in bad shape; easy to finish off, he remarks with glee. They’re out of range of hand weapons, but perhaps he can salvage a heavy cannon. Titania snidely retorts she needs no weapons… “except this!” she snarls as she employs her superhuman strength to lift a giant part of the collapsed citadel. “Holee…!” the Absorbing Man spontaneously exclaims upon seeing Titania holding that huge chunk of debris. Titania vows that the heroes will not escape; she will crush them all! At once, she hurls the debris to the heroes’ direction.
Bulldozer stresses to his Wrecking Crew teammates that if she can do it, so can they! Although… he suggests they bomb them with smaller chunk of debris. His teammates follow his advice but the Absorbing Man intervenes and retorts that throwing rocks is stupid. He suggests they go after them… just in case Titania missed! Octopus agrees and urges them to go. Smiling confidently, Molecule Man retorts that won’t be necessary; he can take care of them for sure! “Really, Owen?” Volcana asks with admiration. Molecule Man confirms that and tells her to just watch. Raising his arms, he asks her if she sees these mountains in the distance. Elevating the mountains in the air, he announces he’ll just drop those on them!
Meanwhile, a few miles from there, Captain America regroups his battered troops. Hawkeye announces he’s present. Hulk does the same, while announcing he’s carrying the unconscious bodies of Mister Fantastic, Spider-Man, She-Hulk and Ben Grimm. “Iron Man present and accounted for!” Iron Man adds, also explaining he’s got the stunned Captain Marvel. The Human Torch also announces he’s here… hurting but hanging in there! Hawkeye realizes they’re all accounted for then – except for Thor and the X-Men, who apparently vanished before the battle. “Deserted, you mean!” Hulk corrects him. Cap assures him they’ll worry about that later. For now, he suggests they just keep moving and hope Doctor Doom and his allies are too busy celebrating to pursue them.
Suddenly, Spider-Man wakes up and lets out a cry. Hulk tells him to relax: he was hit pretty hard. Spider-Man explains he senses danger… his spider-sense is warning him… danger above… and then he passes out again. “Good grief!” Hulk exclaims, urging Captain America to look, as a giant fragment that once formed part of their fortress is about to attack them from high above. In despair, Hulk realizes he can’t put all these people down in time to knock that thing away!
In one fluid blur of motion, Hawkeye nocks, draws and fires an arrow in the sky. His explosive arrow isn’t powerful enough to splinter something that big, but if he places it perfectly, it’ll split it. Indeed, Hawkeye’s plan works and the huge debris is split in half. Iron Man commends Hawkeye’s work and hopes his own power is enough. Sophisticated micro-computers built into his armor guide his aim and set the focus of twin, palm-centered repulsor beams, which strike their target unnervingly with thundering impact. As the fragments collapse all around them, Captain America applauds Iron Man’s skills: he deflected the fragments just enough. And he didn’t even drop the unconscious Captain Marvel – not bad, Hulk adds. Iron Man wittily replies that he never drops talent like this. Cap suggests they keep moving before…
“Oh, no!” he suddenly cries in despair, as suddenly, unbelievably, a mountain range which would dwarf the Andes looms above them. For a second, impossibly, it hangs suspended in the sky… and then it falls!
Watching from a distance, the villains rejoice. Titania is confident that did it; the heroes are finished. “Amazing! Nice work!” Wrecker congratulates Molecule Man. Volcana tells Owen he’s wonderful! Arms akimbo, Molecule Man exclaims it was nothing really. Doctor Octopus agrees that must have killed them. “Perhaps…” a far more skeptical Doom utters.
Meanwhile, half a world away, Thor and the Enchantress are enjoying their time together. Thor recalls that the Beyonder, who in his infinite power brought them hence, has offered to each of the victors any prize they may ask. He asks the Enchantress: what would she ask? She who is so beautiful, powerful and immortal… verily, a goddess! The Enchantress claims she would ask for his love… because for millennia, she has desired him, as well as he knows. For she stops at nothing to satisfy her selfish desires and she has often sought to take his love by deceit or force!
Thor retorts that love is not an object to be seized or stolen; it can only be given. The Enchantress agrees. However, she stresses that immortals are wont to occupy their endless days with foolish and impossibly quests, either to keep from going mad… or because they are. She asks Thor if he could ever love her. Thor stutters that he… he knows not. “Am I not beautiful?” she asks him. “Without, surely…” Thor replies – only to add that true beauty is a thing of the spirit. Why is that not her quest? To overcome petty greed and lust… and unfetter the beauty of her godly spirit? Leaning her face close to his, the Enchantress urges him to kiss her… give her a glimmer of hope… and she will try!
Suddenly, debris crash down all over them, interrupting their romantic moment. Thor notes it was an earthquake… but sudden and quick to pass. The Enchantress agrees it was not a natural occurrence – indeed, precious little here is. She has a sense of these things. It could only have been a shockwave from some cataclysmic blow, mighty enough to shake this entire world! Thor realizes he must return to his friends, then. “And I with thee, noble Thor!” the Enchantress decides. Thor urges her to hurry; he fears they have tarried here too long. “It is done!” the Asgardian goddess exclaims and teleports them back to the fortress, right amidst the villains.
“Holy cow! Thor!” Molecule Man exclaims upon seeing him. Seeing the Enchantress with him, the Absorbing Man deduces they’ve been off partying! Thor is shocked to see that their fortress is laid waste. Absorbing Man agrees he sees real good! Titania insists they let her have Thor… one on one… Vexed, Doom demands silence!
Thor asks Doom where his comrades are. What has he done with them? He wants answers and demands that Doom speak quickly. The Latverian monarch gleefully informs him they’re dead. They have slain them all by dropping a mountain range on top of them! “Simple! Effective! No?” he triumphs. He asks Thor to listen well: he is hopelessly outnumbered. If he submits, Doom guarantees him a merciful death.
Thor wonders if Doom’s mad. Does he truly believe that any odds might deter Thor from striving till the last breath? “Of course not!” Doom retorts. However, common courtesy demands that he makes the offer. After all, it is thirteen to one against him. “Perhaps…” Thor replies, staring at the Enchantress and silently waiting for her decision. Closing her eyes, visibly sad, the Enchantress moves away from him, not looking back. “So be it!” Thor growls. “Enough talk! Let’s ace the sucker!” the Absorbing Man snarls as he attacks.
The villains attack Thor far and wide. Trying to repel Ultron, Thor tosses his hammer, Mjolnir, against the robot. The hammer ricochets and crashes through a rock nearby. Titania believes he shouldn’t have thrown away that club; he’s going to miss it! It might have given him a chance against her! Striking him, she vows that she will be known as the woman who killed Thor with her bare hands; that’s what they’ll call her! “Mayhap, woman, when icicles ornament Surtur’s fiery realm!” Thor snarls as he repels her.
Wringing his tentacles around Thor’s throat, Octopus announces to his allies that now they’ve got him and urges them to pull him down. The Absorbing Man encourages them to hold him for a few seconds, while he absorbs the properties of a mace he found. Bulldozer tells the Absorbing Man he will bash Thor’s head in for him.
Despite being held by three people, Thor manages to use Mjolnir in order to block the attack of the Absorbing Man’s mace. “Can’t you idiots do anything right?” Octopus reprimands his allies. Bulldozer insists they’re trying… but Thor’s too strong! Wrecker advises them to look out… and the next moment Thor pounds his hammer on the ground and forces them all off of him, demanding they stay away: their touch offends him! He commands the fury of the skies to smite his enemies and, suddenly, lightning and thunder burst forth, assailing his opponents.
Impervious to Thor’s thunderbolts, protected in his force field, Doctor Doom informs him that, when he rebuilt Ultron, he added a new weapon to his invulnerable robot body: an energy beam which cancels the forces bonding sub-atomic particles together. A disintegrator! Indeed, Ultron releases against Thor his lethal blast, which the Norse god only narrowly escapes. Pleased, Doom notes that only under combat conditions can one truly evaluate the effectiveness of one’s newly designed weapons. Taunting Thor, he asks him if he agrees.
Finally, Ultron’s blasts reach their target and Thor is reduced to nothingness. The Enchantress weeps, mourning for his loss. Doom believes that the test can be called a success! So it would appear, Octopus agrees. Nothing left of Thor but his helmet and scraps of his cape. That means they’ve won! Doom reminds him that the X-Men are not yet accounted for, nor is Magneto… and Galactus remains a potential problem. They shall return to Doombase and plan their next strike… but first, there is yet one other matter to attend here and now. One of them tried to kill Doom – indeed, he almost succeeded. And for that transgression, he must pay!
Kang the Conqueror, who previously attempted to assassinate Doom, tries to defend himself; the circumstances were… “Ultron! Slay Kang!” Doom orders his robot with a firm voice. Desperate, Kang urges Doom to listen to him. He argues Doom will need him later! Despite his pleas, Ultron zaps him and Kang is no more. As the rest of the villains look on horrified, Doom is confident that the lesson is not lost upon the rest of them. He then directs them all to Doombase.
At that moment, many hundreds of miles distant, a strange aircraft soars above an alien landscape. Inside the craft, while piloting it psionically, Professor Xavier tells Storm that he neglected to compliment her on the excellent job she did helping him navigate through the tempest. Storm admits it was powerful for her to quell entirely, but moderating the winds in their immediate vicinity was not difficult.
The silence slams shut again as Storm’s words fade, each X-Man lost in his own reverie, especially Colossus. Peter misses Kitty Pryde so much. He fears she is in awful danger right now… as they surely are here in this godforsaken world, so far from home… and her. Peter fears there is no returning from this place. All the dreams he hardly dared to dream about them – including being married one day – are finished. If only he could see her one more time…
Only a few feet away, Rogue also broods. Not too long ago, she probably would have been fighting on Doom’s side. Now she’s with the X-Men… but if push comes to shove… if they’re losing… will she stay with the X-Men? She wonders… Holding tightly onto her seat, she realizes she doesn’t want to die.
Nearby, Nightcrawler asks Wolverine why he keeps popping his claws. Surely, he isn’t looking forward to the inevitable battle? Wolverine stresses that he goes through life holding back… keeping the animal inside in check… just barely. But this is war… maybe the last war, for all the marbles in the universe! So, this time, he isn’t taking prisoners, no matter what Charley thinks.
If Professor Charles Xavier overhears, he makes no sign. His furrowed brow betrays greater concentration than necessary simply to guide the ship, as he ponders a certain incident, only hours ago, involving Spider-Man… and is deeply, deeply troubled.
Suddenly, Storm alerts Cyclops: that must be Magneto’s fortress ahead. Cyke doesn’t know whether to be relieved or worried. Magneto’s power on their side could be a deciding factor in this war. On the other hand, if he’s not in the mood for an alliance, they could be in for the fight of their lives!
Inside the awesome structure, the master of magnetism focuses his power into a concentrated field of energy potent enough to raze a small city. Straining, he subtly manipulates the field, pulling metallic particles from the very air, shaping them, compressing them, fusing them atom by atom… until he finally generates a comb!
“Here you are, Janet” he cheerfully tells the Wasp as he hands her over the comb. He trusts this will suffice. Astounded, Janet thanks him. She admits that you really discover the things you take for granted when Bergdorf Goodman’s a billion-zillion times away! Combing her hair on a mirror, she also wishes this place had plumbing. What sort of beings could build a place with no… powder rooms? Magneto believes they must have been vaguely humanoid, judging from the furnishings… and these delicious fruit nectars which they apparently consumed. Filling a glass for himself, he asks her if she wants some.
“Nah! Got any cold beer, Maggie?” Wolverine asks him as he appears in the entrance, alongside the rest of his teammates. “The X-Men!” Magnus spontaneously exclaims. Xavier greets him and explains he has come to discuss joining forces. He believes it may be mutually advantageous to forget their various differences and work together. As a force independent of that under Captain America’s command, there is much good they might do.
“How interesting!” Magnus exclaims and informs them that he and Wasp, leader of the Avengers, have been discussing precisely that. Slay your enemies and all you desire shall be yours: that is what the Beyonder told them when he placed them here. After seeing his power demonstrated, Magnus believes him. Therefore, they must take an aggressive role. Unlike Captain America and his allies, they must not fight a defensive battle. They must slay Doctor Doom and his lackeys.
He goes on to argue that if Captain America’s does not see the wisdom of their course – if they do not join with them, or worse, if they oppose them – they must slay them as well! Don’t they see? If Doom triumphs, he would have the Beyonder fulfill his selfish desires. But they, by the Beyonder’s grace, would create a golden age on Earth and throughout the universe. An age in which men and mutants live together in peace! He must fight to the death and win, he concludes. Janet agrees with him, doesn’t she?
Playfully pinching his cheek, Janet tells Magnus he’s a pompous, overbearing jerk – cute, though! Did he really think she’d ever consider going along with his sick plans? She’s just been playing along to find out what he’s up to! “What?! You dare?!” Magneto growls and attacks her. Janet, however, instantly shrinks to her wasp size and teases him: he can’t hit her! Exasperated, Magnus argues that shrinking to wasp size won’t save her and makes to grasp her. Wasp retorts that’s not all she can do. She reminds him that wasps also have stings… in her case, a bioelectric one! She tells him he’s a great kisser, but like all men, he presumes that once you romance a woman her mind turns into mush, and then you own her – wrong!
At once, she stings Magneto, causing him to scream with pain. Cyclops urges the X-Men to stop her. If she injures Magneto… Wolverine tells Janet they may need Magneto and warns her to settle down or… Janet retorts that if they’re on his side, then they’re not very nice, and she’s not letting them near her! Without thinking twice, she attacks the X-Men and makes her way through the mutants, stinging each of them in turn. They should just be grateful she’s not like Magneto. If she was using even half-power stings, they’d be splattered, not stunned!
Finishing her attack, Wasp realizes she’d better get out of here. One of them could get lucky and somehow zap her and she’s got to warn Cap and the others about what rats they are! Besides, that planet-quake they felt a while ago got her worried. She can’t shake the feeling that it meant something terrible happened. She’s got to get back, she decides, and rushes the X-Men’s vehicle parked at the citadel’s entrance.
In shock, Cyclops realizes she caught them flatfooted… clobbered them! Storm retorts they deserved it. They reacted slowly… no teamwork… Wolverine is indignant. First, Spider-Man trashes them… now the Wasp?! He’s had it with getting dumped on his butt! Rubbing his head, Magneto argues she won’t get far. Taking evasive action won’t save her. That little fool – he’ll crush that vehicle and her with it, he decides, as he raises his arms, generating electromagnetic energy.
Already flying the vehicle outside the base, Janet is unable to comprehend how one steers this thing; it’d take six hands to work these controls! She’d get out and walk… if she could figure out how to stop. “Goodness!” she suddenly exclaims, as the vehicle spirals out of control, courtesy of Magneto.
Inside Magneto’s fortress, Professor X tells him he can’t allow him to do this. “Allow me? You presume much, Xavier!” Magnus snaps. Xavier urges him to listen to him. He could have prevented Wasp’s escape with a simple telepathic command… but he chose not to. A few hours ago, he succumbed to temptation and psionically prevented Spider-Man from delaying their journey here. That was a crime – an act he shall long regret. In that moment of weakness, he was no better than Doom – or Hitler – or anyone else who ever used power to usurp another’s freedom. If they are to be allies, they must first agree that whatever noble ends they seek do not justify evil means.
Meanwhile, far away, deep beneath billions of tons of stone, the heroes are still alive, enshrouded in absolute darkness. Someone suggests a little light. “You got it!” Captain Marvel delivers and breaks the darkness with one of her photon blasts, revealing Hulk holding the entire mountain range on his shoulders. Iron Man realizes there must be two miles of rock above them. How can even Hulk hold that up? Hulk explains he’s just bracing it… he’s got leverage… Still, he doesn’t know how long… seconds… a minute maybe… Hawkeye retorts they couldn’t dig out of here in a month! They’re as good as…
Captain America retorts they’re still alive – there is a way! He asks them to help him revive Reed. As Mr. Fantastic is coming around, Ben Grimm informs him they’re in trouble. They dropped a whole mountain on them! Iron Man and Hulk wedged out a space as it landed, keeping them from being squashed. However, there isn’t enough air for the Torch to flame on and burn his way out – and it’s probably too far anyway. No one here has power enough to cut through or dig out. Except me, Hulk corrects him – but if he lets go, the rock above will fall, smashing them all, before he could start digging.
Reed decides to have a look on Iron Man’s armor. If it operates as he suspects it does, he just might have an idea. Iron Man must have a tool kit – Reed will need it. He also asks Hawkeye if he has any tricks with microelectronic components, before he realizes that Spider-Man’s web-shooting devices must have circuitized relays – he’ll need them, too! “My web-shooters…?” a surprised Spider-Man exclaims. Reed retorts there’s no time to argue! Peter hesitantly complies: the air’s running out… Hulk’s getting exhausted… why not? He quickly removes his web-shooters.
Captain America asks Reed if they can help. Reed turns his offer down. Examining Iron Man’s armor, he confesses in admiration that it’s more technologically advanced that he’d ever dreamed. Working with it is easier than he dared hope. Every system is already cross-linked… a cinch to modify. He knew Tony Stark was brilliant but…
Hulk suddenly intervenes and orders him to shut up! He’s tired of hearing how brilliant Richards is and now how brilliant Stark is… He hammers the point that he, the “dumb brute” who’s buying them this time is fed up with this garbage! “I… see!” a flabbergasted Reed mumbles. Regaining his composure, he admits that’s exactly the self-pitying mewl he expected from Hulk… or Doctor Banner… or whoever he is. But he’s correct: he’s a brute, so he should keep using his muscle. That’s all he’s good for! “You arrogant clown!” Hulk grunts, while sweating from the effort. Richards knows Hulk’s losing his intellect and he thinks he’s just a dumb ox again already, doesn’t he? Well, maybe he is, but Richards better pray his dumb plan fails… because if they get out of here Hulk’s going to rip him apart!
Hanging two cables over to Human Torch and Captain Marvel, Mr. Fantastic explains that he’s adapted Iron Man’s energy-input circuits so that they can feed their energy directly into his power pods using these makeshift transfer units. He asks them to concentrate. He urges Johnny to channel his maximum nova-flame heat through his hand into the unit, while Captain Marvel is to give Iron Man the full spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. Within seconds, Iron Man can feel their power pouring in, adding to his – it’s unstickinbelievable! Reed can hear something… a tapping noise. He orders Iron Man to release his full-force repulsors that way… now! Iron Man complies and manages to blast a way through the mountain range!
The heroes quickly escape through the passageway. Flying in the air, Iron Man admits he never dreamed how powerful this armor is. With enough energy, he can do anything! Reed apologizes to Hulk about what he said down there. He was only… Hulk, however, reassures him he knows. Reed knew that Hulk was losing it. He deliberately made him angry, because he knew the madder Hulk gets, the stronger he gets. Hulk assures Reed he finally figured it out. He’s not that stupid!
Thor suddenly greets Captain America, finding him a welcome sight. Cap indeed thought that the tapping sound they heard might be Thor trying to dig them out. “His mightiest blows… tapping?” Thor wonders at loss – they were buried deep, indeed! He explains that while in battle with Doom’s forces he learned of their plight. He used a flash of lightning to blind them while he escaped to come to their air – unduly, it would seem. Cap thought the Enchantress had somehow spirited him away. Thor admits it’s a long story in the telling. Later then, Cap agrees, before he turns his attention to Captain Marvel. Before he even tells her what they need, Monica is on it: food, shelter, medical supplies; the speed-of-light scouting service is on the case, she jests as she flies off.
Split-seconds later, akin to a rocket, Monica flies rapidly above various areas. She passes by a deserted area and then flies above what’s left of their old headquarters. She momentarily wonders where it came from. Whose it was before the Beyonder transported it here? She then flies over Galactus, still keeping some mysterious vigil atop a mountain peak. He’s been like that almost since they arrived here. She definitely doesn’t want to disturb him… Richards says he eats planets!
Suddenly, she spots a village – so, Beyonder brought some non-combatants along for the ride, too! She realizes that the “Big B” spared no effort to provide all the necessary accoutrements for this little special war… and what’s a war without innocent victims? She can’t get over how abruptly and dramatically the terrain changes every few hundred miles on this crazy patchwork planet. She wonders if there’s anything past this weirdness. Absent-minded, she suddenly finds herself flying over Doom’s base. She’s not likely to find help here! She decides she’d better about-face before she’s detected. Flying over the village again, she thinks that even though it has one teensy little problem; still it would seem to be their best bet.
Hours later, the heroes relocate to this village… whose only disadvantage is that one of its mountains functions as Galactus’ observatory! Spider-Man wonders if Captain Marvel’s kidding – right under Galactus’ nose? Monica insists she told them that – this is the best she could do!
As the heroes advance inside the village, they encounter the locals, humanoids dressed in purple garments and speaking in an incomprehensible language. Hulk notes they don’t look too happy to see them. “Who can blame them for being afraid?” Cap remarks. Hulk is furious: can’t they see they need help? He’ll make them help them! Cap chides him: that’s not their way. Besides, he thinks that one of them, a young, white-haired woman at the front is arguing on their behalf.
Finally, the alien beings proceed to carry the wounded heroes. Johnny realizes that the young woman won. “Or… it’s a trap!” the ever suspicious Hulk suggests. Spider-Man disagrees: his spider-sense would be tingling a blue streak. They really mean to help them… so far! As She-Hulk is placed on a seat and the young villager uses her powers on her, Reed realizes that this girl seems to be the village healer. This must be some kind of ritualistic laying-on-of-hands… He assumes it can’t hurt.
As the woman proceeds to touch the Human Torch, a smiling Johnny announces that it feels terrific. His arms and ribs feel better already – really! The young woman tells him something in her language. “Yeah, same to you, gorgeous!” Johnny responds. He suddenly thinks he’s in love and tells his benefactress that he’ll tumble for her! Iron Man remarks he has no class!
Ben tells Reed that he’s unsure about this place – they’re right in plain sight of Galactus! Reed assures him that if Galactus cared about them it wouldn’t matter where they were hidden – but he doesn’t, so right here is just as safe as everywhere else. Ben hesitantly complies. After all, Reed’s the boss…
All of a sudden, out of the blue, Ben regresses to his orange, rocky, Thing appearance. Awfully confused, Ben struggles to understand what’s wrong with him. On Earth, he’s always a loveable lump of orange rocks. Here, all of a sudden, he got human again, for no reason, at the worst possible time… and now he’s a monster again. Desperately, he asks Reed why. Reed stammers he isn’t sure but he’ll give it some thought. Ben tells him to do that. He decides to go and see if these guys have a cot big enough for him and hit the sack… if these little wimps don’t panic and run off at the sight of his beautiful bod!
Left alone, Reed contemplates that he’s got, in fact, a strong suspicion of why this is happening to Ben – and it’s not good news. At last, he truly understands just how lonely Ben feels, trapped in that body. Now, Reed’s trapped too, billion of light years away from Sue, fighting what may be the last fight. It must be worse for her, he thinks: about to give birth to their second child, not knowing when – or if – he’ll back.
Suddenly, Reed notices Galactus, still up on his mountain peak, moving! As Galactus raises his arms to the sky, Reed lets out a cry of terror, finally realizing what is happening: “Oh… no! No!”


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
A Little Death…
“Help!” Janet van Dyne screams as she struggles to operate the landskimmer she commandeered while escaping Magneto’s lair. Her clumsy efforts send the aircraft bumping up and down. In despair, she realizes this is impossible: she’d need five tentacles to drive this thing – or two and a half chauffeurs! Indignant, she believes this is Magneto’s fault – and the X-Men’s! How could they let her escape? Why didn’t they stop her? Why didn’t they come after her? She knows their plans! They knew this would hap…
Suddenly, the vehicle finally crashes down for good amid a barren wasteland. Janet mourns her breaking a nail! She doesn’t even have an emery board and she’s thirty-seven million miles away from her manicurist and it’s her day off anyway! As she accidentally bumps a switch, a little holographic map makes its appearance. She deduces that the dot in the map must be where she is now… and there’s a little glow beside that thingy that looks like a dome. Maybe this crazy car is trying to make up with her by giving her directions – or maybe it’s just telling her where to go!
Shrinking to insect size, the Wasps’ wings sprout and she flies out of the wrecked vehicle. Wasp anxiously acknowledges she doesn’t know what else to do, so she decides to follow the car’s advice. Before she abandons her trusty steed, though, she resolves to put it out of its misery and immediately devastates it with a bioelectric blast. “There! Phooey on you, crazy car!” she snarls with glee as she smashes it. Flying away, Janet remarks it’s incredible how the terrain changes so abruptly. She watched the Beyonder put this patchwork planet together out of chunks of hundreds of other worlds and she still doesn’t believe it!
Hours later, Janet is flying her way through a forest. She thought it would be cooler once she reached the forest, but it’s like a steam bath in here. It’s getting hard to fly; how can a girl flap her wings in such mugginess? Indignant, she expresses her desire to quit; to retire! She wishes her limo to be sent around! She wants to freshen up, wants Vidal to do her hair, wants lunch at 21, and then she wants a nap!
Suddenly spotting some insects moving up against her, Janet blasts them: “Stay back, you… you hungry hoppers!” Flying away, Janet realizes she’s tired. She could just barely summon enough energy for even an itty bitty Wasp’s sting. Spotting a glowing area near her, she realizes it’s that thingy she saw on the map. Maybe she can find a place to land and rest there, she decides, and goes for it.
Seconds later, Janet reaches the area, a set of rocks by a river and reverts to her human size. At her full, five-foot-four, the bugs can only eat her a little at a time… unless there are some really big bugs lurking around. She wonders what caused the glow in this area of that map. She was hoping for a first-class hotel. “I guess not…” she grumps. Resting against one of the rocks, Jan addresses herself and notices is certainly is spooky here, isn’t it? It certainly is. She bets even the lions and the tigers and bears are scared! She urges herself to keep talking… it’s entirely too quiet. She suddenly wishes she was “Eaglewoman” instead of the Wasp. Then she’d be more suited for long-distance migrations and she wouldn’t have to rest here in this yuck!
Suddenly hearing a “crik” sound, Janet wonders what that was… and then the timber of a giant tree only barely misses her, nose-diving into the river. Wasp quickly finds out the perpetrator of this – the Lizard! The reptilian creature rips apart yet another tree, as he makes his move against Jan.
Meanwhile, several million miles from the surface of the patchwork planet, in the huge construct that is the homeworld of Galactus, Doctor Doom labors at an alien control console. Amazed, Doom realizes that, apparently, any manipulation of these controls activates this apparatus, which serves the intent of its user and accomplishes what he desires. Already, it has gathered up the strange vibratory energy which his armor’s built-in sensors detected traveling, as if alive, through this vessel’s walls. Now, it is about to reveal the true nature of this phenomenon, by reconstituting the energy into something…
Indeed, at that moment, the process is complete and the energy is reconstituted into a living being… Klaw, the self-styled master of sound! Flabbergasted, Doom wonders what Klaw is doing here in the home of Galactus! “Home?” Klaw gulps and then begins inanely repeating the word: “Home, home, home, home…” Vexed, Doom demands he answers him; so commands Doctor Doom! “Doom?” Klaw mumbles and then again begins repeating the villain’s name, as if in delirium. Doom conjectures he has managed to recreate a raving lunatic!
Finally regaining his mental clarity, Klaw realizes he’s alive again! He informs Doom he was killed by the Dazzler. Doom is surprised: Dazzler, the mutant who absorbs sound and transforms it into light? Klaw explains he didn’t know when he attacked her. “Poor me!” he whimpers. He explains his whole body is made of solidified sound. She started soaking up the sonic power he was throwing at her and apparently she got carried away! She absorbed all his sound-substance… just ate him all up! He was inside her, flowing through her nerves, crackling in her cells!
Then, for some crazy reason, Galactus came to Earth and seized her – took her up aboard his ship. He needed a flunky like her for a little mission – finding his lost herald. She tried to fight Galactus… and that’s when she let Klaw out, as a big energy burst! All that was left of him was a tiny vibration which was absorbed into the ship’s walls. When Galactus’ ship docked here a while ago, he oozed into this thing’s walls. Since then, he’s…
Doom impatiently interrupts him and turns away: “Enough, Klaw! Begone! You are of no use to me!” Hobbling after him, Klaw asks him what he’s looking for. Doom reveals he wants knowledge; power; opportunity; a way to conquer Galactus… and perhaps the Beyonder as well. Klaw retorts that Galactus will soon know Doom is here. If he stays here for long, he’ll notice – and then…
Doom assures him he’s aware of the danger and asks Klaw to behold the monitor, stressing that Galactus is still preoccupied making preparations to devour the planet below. Klaw warns him, however, that Galactus will soon finish constructing his world-draining device, though – and, as soon as he does, he’ll notice Doom being in his home! “He will, he will!” he repeats emphatically. Doom surmises that perhaps he could arrange for Galactus’ work to be delayed.
Switching on his monitor, he spies on the heroes gathered around the ruins of their fortress. Doom believes that Captain America’s wretched group could easily be manipulated into attacking Galactus. However they are battered, battle weary; in their current condition, Galactus would crush them in mere seconds! “Crush, rush, rush, rush…” Klaw idiotically murmurs.
Now observing the X-Men and Magneto through his monitor, Doom concludes that they have not the power necessary for this task. Doom now observes his own villainous pawns. He believes they possess the necessary might, yet, without his leadership… bah! He mockingly observes them limping back to his fortress like whipped curs after being thrashed by the X-Men. “Thrash, smash, trash, crash…” Klaw continues his infantile blabbering. Doom concludes that he must clearly employ indirect means. Galactus plans to feed upon the plan’s energy, doesn’t he? Well, perhaps Doom can spoil his lunch!
“A fly in his soup?” Klaw suggests. Doom agrees: this is precisely what he needs! “Fly in his soup! Oop…” Klaw continues with his idiotic rhymes. Doom decides he must send instructions to his lackeys. Klaw shall be his messenger. He asks him to listen carefully.
Moments later, Doom is about to beam Klaw down to the planet. Klaw retorts it’s a risk doing that; Galactus may notice. Doom asks him to remember what he told him. If Klaw serves him well, Doom shall reward him beyond his wildest dreams… but if he fails him, Doom shall destroy him! “Oh, pshaw!” Klaw puffs with disdain. He stresses that he himself is his wildest dream! He’s made of energy and nobody can destroy or create energy! Einstein said so! But still, Klaw wants to put a fly in Galactus’ soup, oop, oop, oop!
A split-second later, Klaw is teleported on the planet below, amidst Doom’s battered lackeys. “Who… what’s that?” Titania exclaims. Klaw announces he brings word from Doom; orders for them. But first the magic words… “Are you listening, robot?” he addresses Ultron and utters the words: “Ukase Doom Rex!”
As he is about to announce the orders now, Titania tells him to forget about it. She’s not taking orders from a raving idiot just because he claims Doom sent him! In fact, she’s going to rip him in half… on general principle! As she is about to attack him, though, Ultron intervenes and is battered by Titania instead. Ultron re-introduces himself and stresses that he enforces Doom’s will – and this one, Klaw has uttered Doom’s code words! The orders are genuine and they will be obeyed! Titania retorts that she knows who Ultron is already and she doesn’t care what he… Volcana interjects and tells her to stop. She reminds her that Ultron already killed Kang and advises her to just do as he says. She encourages Klaw to start talking.
Meanwhile, upon his mountaintop, Galactus pauses in his labors. For a moment, he stands still, like a man listening for a tiny gnat which may or may not be with him in a darkened room. Then, he turns and casts his gaze upon his home… and for long moments, he stares.
Just then, many hundreds of miles away, Janet carefully scrutinizes the Lizard from a safe distance, thinking that was close. The Lizard could have hit her but he didn’t… which means he’s probably just posturing. With an authoritative manner, she asks him to come here! She promises she won’t hurt him! She notices that he’s as scared as she is – imagine! The Lizard, still trying to scare her off, stresses that the swamp is his! “Right! Your swamp!” Wasp concurs. She was just passing by on her way to the Plaza so she thought she’d stop by! Charming muck, she sneers at him. “Tres chic!”
Suddenly, Janet discerns that the Lizard is wounded – his left arm is all bloody and badly bruised. It doesn’t look broken, though. Janet asks him to hold it still and let her see it. Examining it, Janet presses the wounded area, causing the Lizard to squirm with pain. Wasp tells him to hush! She just wants to see how bad it is. It looks painful but not too serious. She bets it happened in the very first battle. Taking pity on him, Janet realizes the Lizard doesn’t even understand what’s going on here. All he wants is a little swamp to call his own, some hopper-bugs to eat and peace! Dragging him with her, she decides to find some solid ground, where she’ll clean his wounds.
At Magneto’s now ruined fortress, the mutants are awed by the damage the building has endured. “What a mess!” Rogue sighs. To think Galactus did all this damage with what amounts to a little old mental shrug… Magneto retorts that if he hadn’t shielded everyone inside bubbles of magnetic force at that moment she wouldn’t be alive to view this “mess!” She should count herself lucky! Cyclops realizes that Magneto isn’t going to let them forget that he saved their lives. However, he reminds him that it was his rash behavior that brought Galactus’ wrath on them in the first place!
Xavier believes there is no need for bickering. The incident is over. They must put it, as well as their past differences with Magneto, aside. For the present, at least, they are allies. He reminds him that a lack of trust in battle can easily bring disaster. He then asks them to excuse: he has to attend to other matters.
Soon, alone in his chamber, Professor Xavier rests. He wishes he’d brought his wheelchair along when they left the other fortress. His legs are not yet quite strong enough… But no! he suddenly reprimands himself. Using the wheelchair, even a little, would give his X-Men doubt about his ability to lead them into a battle… a new role for him, but essential, he believes, under the circumstances. He decides that, while he is resting, he might as well reconnoiter telepathically.
Straining the power of his mutant mind, Xavier probes the distant fortress called Doombase, stronghold of the opposition. From glimpses seen through others’ eyes, from snatches of sound heard through others’ ears, from images flickering across the gray-white, labyrinthine walls of others’ minds, he gleans information about everything that happened.
However, at that instant, in Doombase, the Enchantress realizes that someone dares pry into her thoughts; some mortal fool! She telepathically tells Xavier that the mind of a goddess is too subtle for his clumsy probing! And for the mightiest sorceress of all, his power is a joke! Xavier realizes she’s mystically sealed the other villains’ minds against him – but he may have already learned enough.
Xavier telepathically alerts his fellow X-Men that he learned that Doom is dispatching a task force to a volcanic plain to the other side of the planet. He orders Cyclops to lead Rogue and Wolverine to observe them, ascertain their purpose and stop them if necessary. “Yes, sir!” Scott readily complies. He urges Rogue and Wolverine to move: they heard the man. “Ah’ll say!” Rogue scoffs – she believes Xavier thinks louder than he can speak! Wolverine suggests they go already: he’s ready to rip somebody!
An exasperated Storm immediately flies her way inside Xavier’s private chambers. Charles asks her if she wishes to speak to him. “I will speak to you and you will listen to me!” Storm snaps. She crossly reminds him that she is the leader of the X-Men – not Cyclops and not Xavier. Xavier urges her to control herself. Her anger is disrupting weather patterns for miles around – which may make it difficult for Cyclops’ skycraft to take off. Storm suggests they wait – she did not order him to take off! Xavier angrily confronts her: so she is the field general and he, Professor X, is… what? The aged training officer, fit, perhaps, to hone her battle skills but not to lead? Is that what she believes?
Storm thinks he’s an excellent tutor but he should leave the war to the warriors. Xavier snaps that, despite her doubts, he has made the decision which is his to make – he will give the orders! Does she understand? Storm retorts he gives his orders then and sees who follows them. She will go her own way! No, she will not, Xavier retorts. She and the rest of his X-Men will obey without hesitation. As loathe as he is to tamper with other’s minds, he will not tolerate insubordination, mutiny or desertion. “I… see!” Storm utters, walking away. The stakes here are unimaginably high... the odds are already heavily against them… and yet, he’s willing to beat his own troops to submission to ensure that he has the honor of leading them into catastrophe!
Meanwhile, in the tiny alien village where those under Captain America’s command have taken refuge, Colossus lies in a temporary shelter, recovering from the near-fatal wounds he received from fighting the soldiers of Doom a while ago. Piotr realizes that, despite their own peril, the first concern of Captain America and his group is for the innocents affected by this war. Why must there be suspicion and mistrusts between these noble men and mutants? He does not understand why there must be separate camps, two different armies fighting for the same just cause. He misses his fellow X-Men. If they cannot be here, he then wishes he were well enough to return to them. And Kitty… his love, so far away, back on Earth… he misses her, too, so very much!
But… what is wrong with him? Why, when he tries to picture Kitty, can he only think of Zsaji, the healer? Does he forget his own beloved’s face? No! He will remember… he will think only about Kitty! Almost delirious now, he mutters that he will be true to Kitty… he will be true to Kitty… he will...
Zsaji suddenly appears at the threshold of his shelter. Colossus nervously greets her. He was just… He-he must tell her he… thinks… she… is… Unable to profess his love to her, Piotr mutters that whatever she does, whatever it is, it eases the pain greatly. As Zsaji proceeds to treat his injuries again with her healing powers, Colossus realizes he cannot deny his feelings. He tells her the truth: he thinks she is the most beautiful, most wonderful woman he has ever met.
Unable to comprehend him, Zsaji says something in her own language. Piotr recalls how she speaks no English… and probably no Russian either! “What is the matter with me?” he scolds himself. He apologizes to her. Perhaps it’s better that she cannot understand him. Already, he must seem a fool to her eyes…
After Zsaji walks out of Piotr’s shelter, the Human Torch grabs her and pulls her upwards in the sky with him. Watching them, Piotr wonders what the Torch’s doing. Singing the refrain to Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Johnny soars high above the village, with Zsaji in his arms and then locks lips with her. He suddenly stops floating in the sky and they both begin to freefall. Johnny realizes she really has confidence in him; she’s not afraid at all! He tells her she’s right; he’s not going to let her down! “Except like this, of course… very gently!” Johnny says and indeed grabs her and sets her down gently. Being that it may their last couple of day of existence, he has a suggestion: how about they sneak off and go necking over the waterfall? Zsaji responds something in her language. Johnny assumes this means “Baby… I’m yours!” As the couple departs, Colossus lingers behind, heartbroken.
Nearby, the rest of the heroes are coming up with a strategic plan. Carving sketches on the sand, Captain America explains they’ll hit Galactus as hard as possible from as many angles as they can. His machine is the primary target. From this moment on, every one of them must remain constantly alert. They may have only seconds to react before when Galactus begins to devour this planet. If he does, Mister Fantastic interposes. It seems certain, and yet…
She-Hulk asks Cap about the Wasp. Steve reminds her that Colossus told them she left Magneto’s lair. He presumes she’s okay and is searching for them right now. Captain Marvel has done some faster-than-lightning searching for her… She-Hulk angrily suggests that, in the meantime, they go break Magneto’s head for kidnapping her in the first place. Cap retorts they have no time for vendettas. Besides, Magneto seems to be working with the X-Men now, more or less on their side.
Jennifer retorts he’s still a criminal, a murderer and a creep! Thing accuses her of being picky; Magneto’s probably a lot of fun at parties! “Let’s smash him!” Hulk suggests and demonstrably does exactly that on some rocks. He alternately suggests they smash Doom or even Galactus. He’s tired of sitting and waiting; they should take the offensive! Cap assures him he’d love to. However, if they waste their strength rashly, they may not have enough left when it really counts.
Not far away, Spider-Man observes Hawkeye making new arrows. Clint explains that Mister Fantastic used up his high-tech specials jazzing up Iron Man’s armor. Peter admits that Richards cannibalized his web-shooters, too; he knows how Clint feels! Hawkeye retorts that no he doesn’t. He’s still Spider-Man, even without webs. But without his arrows, Hawkeye is just a guy in a funny suit.
Nearby, Iron Man lands down next to Captain Marvel, who is resting with her feet in a lake. “What’s happenin’, babe?” he greets her. Monica suggests they make a deal. He calls her “Captain Marvel” instead of “babe” and she calls him “Iron Man” instead of “bozo.” Iron Man is aghast. He tries to apologize. He didn’t mean to… Marvel assures him she knows. However, she’s not in the mood for single-bar chit-chat. Saying this, she jets off, thinking how strange it is. She’s always thought Iron Man was so sophisticated… worldly. It’s as though a different man were inside that armor lately. And he certainly isn’t her type!
Iron Man wonders what’s wrong with that woman. And what’s wrong with himself? His head hurts. That’s been happening a lot lately. Grabbing one of the village domiciles and carrying it in the air, Iron Man reminds himself he’s got work to do. He better just forget about his hand… and that squeeze!
At that moment, half a world away, the villains have arrived in the place Doom said, the volcanic plain. They quickly set down near a big crater. After they exit the vehicle, Doctor Octopus takes charge. He tells the Absorbing Man to guard their right flank. Titania to left. And Molecule Man… The latter cuts him off and assures him he knows what to do. It’ll be easy as long as he’s not interfered with.
Suddenly, Titania comes running to them and points them to the sky: they’ve got company! “Oh, darn!” the Molecule Man groans. After they set down and exit their vehicle, the Molecule Man notices it’s three of the X-Men. The Absorbing Man wonders if that’s all. Octopus stresses that the X-Men must not stop them! Titania assures him they won’t!
Seeing the four villains, Rogue fears they’ve got them outgunned. Cyclops admits that it looks that way. Rogue wonders why they should take them on, then. She thought they were supposed to “observe.” Cyke is certain that Doom wouldn’t commit so muscle to an operation that wasn’t vital. Whatever they’re planning to do here, they must prevent them from doing it. Logan agrees: “Do or die! My kind of fight! Let’s get ‘em!” Seeing Wolverine already rushing headlong to the action, Cyclops asks him to wait: they can’t fight them toe-to-toe! Wolverine tells him to shut up!
Watching Wolverine making his movie, the Molecule Man admits to his companions that he hates fighting. Octopus believes he shouldn’t be endangered anyway and asks him to stay back; they’ll dispose of these cretins! Grabbing a huge rock, Titania remarks that she finds this “little hairy one” to be a real case! The Absorbing Man urges her to splatter him! Titania is confident she won’t miss him… and neither will anyone else!
Hurling the rock against him, she sends Wolverine literally flying. The Absorbing Man commends Titania on the shot. She reminds him of a lady bouncer he used to know, ornery and tough. He bets he and Titania could have some fun, like he used to have with the lady bouncer! “How ‘about a date?” he asks her. Titania sneers at him: he thinks he may be tough enough for a real woman! She accepts his invitation but warns him that she calls the shots!
Rogue tells Cyclops that they’ve got to get out of here; they don’t stand a chance! Cyclops asks her to be quiet and do as he says! Sharp pressure in the micro-switch of a thumb to his glove causes Cyclops’ ruby quartz to open and his optic blasts are unleashed at full force, causing mayhem and forcing the villains to take cover. Cyke hopes that will put them back on their heels for a second. He tells Rogue to swing around their cover and hit them from behind. She needs to put Molecule Man out of the action first; he’s the deadliest. He urges her to move! Rogue complies.
Meanwhile, the villains have taken cover behind a rock formation generated by Molecule Man’s power. Octopus thanks him for shielding them; Cyclops’ optic blasts are dangerous! Molecule Man pleads him to call him Owen… or even Mr. Reece. The Absorbing Man decides to absorb the power of these rocks; this may turn out to be a fight! Titania agrees. She wouldn’t want him to get hurt… before they party!
Rushing towards them, Rogue contemplates that she’s not afraid… not of fighting, anyway. But she doesn’t want to die! And being an X-Man is looking more and more like suicide. Doom’s side is trying to win the prize the Beyonder offered – which is anything they want – by killing their enemies. And what are the X-Men doing? “Beats me!” she thinks. And what is she doing? Following orders?
Suddenly, Rogue’s musings are cut short as she is thwacked by Titania. The villainess realizes that Rogue must have been daydreaming. She walked right into that! Cyclops pushes Rogue to pull herself together and get back here. Titania tells him to forget it. Before she can finish her phrase, Scott strikes at her with his blasts. He suddenly finds himself surrounded by all four villains. The Molecule Man relishes: it’s all of them against just him! “Careful…” Octopus warns them. The Absorbing Man deduces that if Cyclops blasts him, he’ll just absorb the power of his beams and become a living concussion blast! That’ll be a kick, hammering him with his own rays!
“Hey, wimp!” Wolverine growls as he sneaks up on Molecule Man, clawing him. Realizing that Logan may well be about to kill him, Cyclops blasts his left arm, in effect deflecting his strike. Wolverine swears, wondering why Cyclops did that. Titania intervenes and smacks Logan so hard, she again sends him flying.
Seeing the injured Molecule Man, she wonders if he’s dead. Octopus briefly examines him and concludes he is not – not yet, anyway. But he’s hurt badly – very badly! “That does it! Let’s ace those jerks!” the Absorbing Man snarls. Octopus reminds them the Molecule Man is important to Doom. If he should bleed to death while they waste precious seconds killing these X-Men, Doom will have them vaporized! They must get back to the headquarters and get his wounds treated at once!
Seconds later, the three X-Men watch as the villains take off with their jet. A wounded Wolverine curses Scott: “Summers, you lily-livered, lame excuse for…” Scott asks him to listen carefully: if he wants to be on their side, he doesn’t kill. If he takes a life, anyone’s life, under any circumstances, from that moment on, he is the enemy. Clear? Unrepentant, a furious Wolverine moans that when the time comes, Cyclops should make sure that he is at a safe distance… for his own sake!
Crawling out of some rocks, Rogue realizes she doesn’t have to make a choice… this time. She tells Scott she’s okay and nervously adds that it looks like they won. She wonders what they were after here, in such a desolate place. And why was it those four? For Cyclops, it seems pretty certain that the others were just bodyguards for the Molecule Man. The Molecule Man can manipulate matter at will. Doom could have him here to rip open these volcanic coves. “Why?” Logan wonders. Scott doesn’t know. He doubts that Doom would resort to elaborate, roundabout schemes to deal with them or Captain America’s group… but Galactus is another story. He’s much as threat to Doom as he is to them. He asks them to stand back.
Seeing Cyclops to direct his blasts into the volcanic crater, Rogue asks him what he’s doing. Wolverine tells her to shut up and run; it’s going to get hot here in a second! Indeed, provoked by Cyclops’ blast, the volcano erupts. Scott is amazed that it only took one well-placed full-power shot to achieve that. The area’s less stable than he thought! Wolverine thinks it sounds like “famous last words” and suggests they get out of here! Within moments, the trio takes off with their jet. They realize that Cyclops has started a chain reaction; the whole place’s exploding! Scott hopes he did the right thing.
Meanwhile, Wasp is treating the Lizard’s injuries. She thinks it should start getting better now. She tells him he’s been a very good patient! She bets he’s really a sweetie underneath all that surface hostility. The Lizard retorts that he hates humans and wants to crush them all! Lizard and his kind must rule! Janet remarks that she’s heard he was vicious and cruel, but she believes in judging people and lizards on their behavior, not their reputation and… Lizard thinks she’s crazy! “Such manners!” Janet disapproves. And here she was about to tell him she thought he was a gentleman… gentlereptile! He’d better apologize or she’ll tell Gucci where to find him!
Suddenly, an energy beam pierces right through Janet’s chest, causing her to scream. From a massive mobile vehicle beside her, Piledriver congratulates Wrecker on his shot. The latter thanks him. He then asks Thunderball and Bulldozer to bring the Lizard aboard. Bulldozer rushes to do so, albeit he doesn’t understand what the heck for. Thunderball reminds him that’s what Klaw said Doom said they should. He supposes that Doom figures they’ll need more muscle for the big showdown.
Thinking Janet dead, the Lizard screams that they killed the woman and lunges at them in a fit of rage. The creature wallops Bulldozer and sends him flying on his ally, Thunderball. Bulldozer screams at Wrecker that the Lizard is going nuts and pleads him to do something! Wrecker tells him to relax and reveals that their vehicle’s got a stasis-ray. Doc Ock showed him how to work it when he showed him how to drive this rig. Indeed, he freezes both the Lizard and the unconscious Janet with the stasis-ray, intent on hauling this whole chunk of swamp right back with them.
Seeing the entire part of the swamp being torn out, Piledriver jokes that it looks like a portable hockey rink! He reckons that the Wrecker knows he’s got the Wasp’s corpse in there, too. Wrecker assures him he does. They’ll pull her out and dump her on the way back to Doombase somewhere.
In the village, Thor notices that Galactus’ machine nears completion. He fears their time grows short. Thing tells Cap they should do something, even just to stall him. Maybe they can interest Galactus in a game of poker! Cap tells him that Reed wants to take another stab at reasoning with him… maybe at dawn. She-Hulk tells him to say the word and she’ll go out there and beat the heck out of his ankle! Cap replies it’s very funny, but no thanks! For now, they wait and watch. They are, however, unaware of being watched in return by a dark and menacing figure who lurks in the shadows.