X-Factor # 9 – “Split Ends”
Recap:
Spinnerette, aided by Photon, conducts a search for Timemaster but is so far unable to locate the villain.
The team has finally decided to do something about the Crimson Claw and his contest. Realizing that they are not powerful enough to do the job alone, heroes from across the country are summoned to Los Angeles.
The Titanic Trio—- Force, Nebula, and Tempest-- have arrived along with Centurian, Maverick, Titan, Sorceress and Earthquake of the Superior Seven. Microwave, FIST, and Speedster of the Freedom League are also on hand, along with the soloists Equinox, Vortex, Starburst, and Phantasm.
Things are tense at first. Icicle had past encounters with members of the Freedom League and FIST in particular has a dislike of the icy mutant. Things nearly come to blows until Morning Star steps in. FIST thinks twice of taking her on.
The situation seems to be defused the heroes’ talk about how to deal with the Claw. While they are talking, Ankylosaur walks into the room. A multitude of blasts are fired at the armored villain, but he is protected by a magical force field supplied by the Sorceress who sensed that he was not here to attack them.
Anky reveals that he’s figured out what’s really going on. That the Claw is actually from another dimension and that Emerald Eye of Azog will bring more creatures like the Claw into the world.
FIST mouths off again and nearly gets into blows with Centurian and Earthquake of the Superior Seven. (Charming guy, isn’t he?)
Having made their plans, the heroes are off to the Claw’s Lair. Most fly, while others travel there in one of the Guardian’s aircrafts. Locating the Dome, Spin fires a pair of rockets to blast a way in. They have no effect and the dome retaliates, destroying the Guardian’s ship!
Spectrum manages to grab a hold of Morning Star and Earthquake, while the Sorceress to grab most of the others with magic. Regrouping once more, the heroes move to assault the Claw’s dome.
The dome opens up and a multitude of villains issues forth, including the Monster, Sunburst, Neutron, Arc, Wyvern, Ripper, Radar & Sonar, and Freon. Combat on a huge scale follows.
Sunburst blows up Icicle, causing Spectrum to take on the fiery villain. Spectrum rams Sunburst, driving him into the side of the dome. Sunburst goes down form the assault.
After gathering his wits, Spectrum can see that many of the heroes are down while even more villains-- Foxbat & his Masters of Evil, Grond, Shrinker, Dragonmaster, Pile Driver, Exo-Skeleton Man, and Armadillo.
X-Factor #9-10 - "Assault of the Heroes"
X-Factor #9-10 - "Assault of the Heroes"
Have light, will illuminate!
X-Factor #10 – “Assault of the Heroes”
Recap:
The battle continues. The heroes surge forwards once more. Morning Star grabs the Monster and flings him at a weak spot in the dome. The hull shatters! The dome has been breached!
The faster heroes scamper into the base to take advantage of its size and their speed. Spectrum and Morning Star head towards the holding cells to rescue more of the imprisoned heroes. However, the Crimson Claw is there waiting for them. He slashes Morning Star and she crumbles to the ground.
The Claw next hits Spectrum with a mental attack and the colorful mutant goes down. Satisfied the claw leaves to deal with the other threats. Spectrum manages to crawl to Morning Star’s side. She’s bleeding badly and appears near death without medical attention.
Suddenly, Armadillo appears on the scene. Spectrum expects the worst, given their past history. Much to his surprise, Armadillo says that he’s on the heroes’ side. He picks up Morning Star and helps Spectrum out of the base.
Back outside, the heroes are in a strategic withdrawal. Once far enough away, the dome simply disappears. Weary and battered, the heroes and their unexpected allies return to the Guardians Mansion.
Joining up with the heroes are Wyvern, Foxbat, Exo-Skeleton Man, Lady Blue, Half-Jack, and Howler. Strategy is discussed and Foxbat concludes that the heroes can defeat the Claw by the end of the next issue.
Locating the Dome once more, the heroes and their villainous allies being the assault anew. This time they are able to reach the imprisoned heroes and free them. They reach the great arena just in time to see the end of the Great Supervillain Contest.
Dr. Destroyer claims the Emerald Eye of Azog. Destroyer uses the Eye to blast the Claw, but the Claw survives. The Eye bonds with Destroyer, creating a gateway to the dimension of Azog. Extra-Dimensional horrors issue forth to battle hero and villain alike.
In the midst of this chaos, Morning Star takes on the Crimson Claw once more. She’s slashed two more times but finally manages to grab the Claw. Star flings the Claw at the dimensional vortex with the last of her strength. Upon hitting the portal, there is a wild explosion.
Seemingly the gateway has been thrown into reverse and it starts to suck everything in it back to Azog’s dimension! Heroes and villains flee as the dome is sucked back into the vortex. Finally, the vortex closes in upon itself and is gone. It’s over.
Next day, Spectrum wakes in the middle of the afternoon to find several messages waiting for him. One is from Whitney inviting Jim to a birthday party at her apartment next week. Another was from PRIMUS to formally congratulate X-Factor being one of the teams that helped stopped the Claw.
The team was contacted by Davila Petroleum in Mexico concerning the teams former Heroes for Hire status. They also receive word that the team’s new base built for them by Shockwave’s fiancé has been completed. The new base is checked out and found to be vastly superior to the old one and includes several types of aircraft.
Recap:
The battle continues. The heroes surge forwards once more. Morning Star grabs the Monster and flings him at a weak spot in the dome. The hull shatters! The dome has been breached!
The faster heroes scamper into the base to take advantage of its size and their speed. Spectrum and Morning Star head towards the holding cells to rescue more of the imprisoned heroes. However, the Crimson Claw is there waiting for them. He slashes Morning Star and she crumbles to the ground.
The Claw next hits Spectrum with a mental attack and the colorful mutant goes down. Satisfied the claw leaves to deal with the other threats. Spectrum manages to crawl to Morning Star’s side. She’s bleeding badly and appears near death without medical attention.
Suddenly, Armadillo appears on the scene. Spectrum expects the worst, given their past history. Much to his surprise, Armadillo says that he’s on the heroes’ side. He picks up Morning Star and helps Spectrum out of the base.
Back outside, the heroes are in a strategic withdrawal. Once far enough away, the dome simply disappears. Weary and battered, the heroes and their unexpected allies return to the Guardians Mansion.
Joining up with the heroes are Wyvern, Foxbat, Exo-Skeleton Man, Lady Blue, Half-Jack, and Howler. Strategy is discussed and Foxbat concludes that the heroes can defeat the Claw by the end of the next issue.
Locating the Dome once more, the heroes and their villainous allies being the assault anew. This time they are able to reach the imprisoned heroes and free them. They reach the great arena just in time to see the end of the Great Supervillain Contest.
Dr. Destroyer claims the Emerald Eye of Azog. Destroyer uses the Eye to blast the Claw, but the Claw survives. The Eye bonds with Destroyer, creating a gateway to the dimension of Azog. Extra-Dimensional horrors issue forth to battle hero and villain alike.
In the midst of this chaos, Morning Star takes on the Crimson Claw once more. She’s slashed two more times but finally manages to grab the Claw. Star flings the Claw at the dimensional vortex with the last of her strength. Upon hitting the portal, there is a wild explosion.
Seemingly the gateway has been thrown into reverse and it starts to suck everything in it back to Azog’s dimension! Heroes and villains flee as the dome is sucked back into the vortex. Finally, the vortex closes in upon itself and is gone. It’s over.
Next day, Spectrum wakes in the middle of the afternoon to find several messages waiting for him. One is from Whitney inviting Jim to a birthday party at her apartment next week. Another was from PRIMUS to formally congratulate X-Factor being one of the teams that helped stopped the Claw.
The team was contacted by Davila Petroleum in Mexico concerning the teams former Heroes for Hire status. They also receive word that the team’s new base built for them by Shockwave’s fiancé has been completed. The new base is checked out and found to be vastly superior to the old one and includes several types of aircraft.
Have light, will illuminate!
Comments:
And that was how the GSVC was originally resolved in the Old Stuff. I think we did a much better job on the main website. As noted before, this all took place before the Avengers were part of this game universe. So that's why there were never mentioned.
Much of the story was kept on the main website, just expanded greatly. Some parts were changed, such as Destroyers role in all of this.
Finally, the team gets a real base! Woo-Hoo!
All in all, a great deal of material covered in those two little files!
And that was how the GSVC was originally resolved in the Old Stuff. I think we did a much better job on the main website. As noted before, this all took place before the Avengers were part of this game universe. So that's why there were never mentioned.
Much of the story was kept on the main website, just expanded greatly. Some parts were changed, such as Destroyers role in all of this.
Finally, the team gets a real base! Woo-Hoo!
All in all, a great deal of material covered in those two little files!
Have light, will illuminate!
-
Muskateer
- Swashbuckler
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 12:29 pm
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- Contact:
The newest version of the GSVC was done much better, although as MAD mentioned, the worlds were still separated at this point, so that may have detracted from it. It also seemed to be resolved a bit too quickly or rather without so much detail.
The battles that the new teams ran into were much more dangerous and satisfying in my opinion. Of course, we are MUCH better writers than we were so many years ago.
The battles that the new teams ran into were much more dangerous and satisfying in my opinion. Of course, we are MUCH better writers than we were so many years ago.
The Daring, Swash-Buckling Avenger!
Dr. Destroyer as the winner of the Eye is an interesting choice. Certainly in some ways an obvious one, as he's easily the most powerful published character. However, he also has such different motivations, and one could see him conceivably being able to control the Eye to the point of preventing the opening of the portal. Many strange directions in which the story could have gone.
Overall, the newer stories are a better read. Then again, we get the whole story, rather than the synopsis.
Gordon
Overall, the newer stories are a better read. Then again, we get the whole story, rather than the synopsis.
Gordon
