Marvelcado Comics Presents
THE INVADERS #2
“Timely Heroes!”
With a Special Guest Appearances by Captain America himself!
PREVIOUSLY ON THE INVADERS
Bucky Barnes awoke with a foggy memory and suddenly having to go on the run from SHIELD – accused of an assassination attempt he has no memory of. Rikki Barnes and Cassie Lang came to his aid, and brought him along on a mission to a secret SHIELD base in New Mexico- which Cassie’s father Scott Lang entered and went missing in. They discovered there that SHIELD is using a reprogrammed MODOK to experiment on a mysterious girl named Kendra Freeman, who demonstrated the ability to create some form of portal made from light- which brought first Earth-65’s Spider-Woman and then the Guardians of the Galaxy’s Groot onto the scene.
We left off with Gwen, Groot, and Kendra having just escaped confinement, Bucky Barnes being confronted by SHIELD agent Daisy Johnson, Cassie Lang surviving in a duel with MODOK but in peril with the breaking of her wings, and Rikki Barnes attempting to crash in to her rescue.
1945. New York City.
The 1940’s incarnations of STEVE ROGERS (aka CAPTAIN AMERICA) and his partner BUCKY BARNES are meeting with none other than the father of the Iron Man, HOWARD STARK.
Steve Rogers: I’ve fought in this war because I wanted to help protect innocent, and because I thought the flag I was wearing stood for a better vision of the world than or enemies.
We see Rogers and the Howling Commandos making a heroic charge on battlefield.
Steve Rogers: This would be a betrayal of that.
Howard Stark: Look, Captain. The president hasn’t pressed any buttons yet. Maybe it won’t even come to it. But you’ve been aware of the Manhattan Project for some time now. Why did you think we were developing the bomb if not to use it one day.
We see a depiction of the first Atomic Bomb test in New Mexico.
Steve Rogers: I thought it made sense to make sure we couldn’t be out gunned by the bad guys. But that’s the different from using what’s in our arsenal recklessly.
Howard Stark: It isn’t reckless…
Steve Rogers: It is. To drop a weapon that’s going to change the whole game, when we don’t need to. When we’re on the path to winning the war anyway.
Howard Stark: But we can win the war faster.
Bucky Barnes: Captain, don’t you think he has a point? I don’t like killing people- but we’ve got to sometimes, to save other people, don’t we?
Rogers sighs.
Steve Rogers: Bucky, there’s a difference between a soldier who’s volunteered to put their life on the line, and innocent civilians. It just isn’t right. And I don’t think I’ll like where it’ll lead us.
PRESENT DAY
Let’s get back to where we left off .
RIKKI BARNES makes a big entrance as she rams into the testing room, where we last saw CASSIE LANG facing off with the hideous MODOK.
Rikki leaps out of the quinjet.
Rikki Barnes: Cassie!
MODOK has the Ant-Man’s daughter backed into a corner of the room, seemingly helpless. MODOK turns to the new arrival.
MODOK: Another intruder to dispose of! I shall give you my full attention momentarily, when I have concluded exterminating this one! I have toyed with her for too long.
He turns back to Lang…
Rikki Barnes: MODOK, wait! I’m not here to fight you. I’m here to make a deal.
MODOK: Why would MODOK be interested in bargaining with such worthless vermin!
Rikki Barnes: For knowledge, I can offer you knowledge.
MODOK: I am MODOK, among the greatest intelligences ever created! Why would I be interested in a mere human’s knowledge!
Rikki Barnes: Because you’re smart, but you don’t know everything. You probably know I’m Rikki Barnes, and that I was used by Onslaught to try to break into this reality. And that I died to stop that.
(As seen in 2010-2011’s ONSLAUGHT UNLEASHED- Prince)
Rikki Barnes: What you don’t know is how I’m alive now, and if that means Onslaught could be back. If you’re all about protecting this reality now like you say you are, you might want to hear about that.
MODOK: MODOK is interested in the elimination of all threats to this reality. Yes, MODOK will trade knowledge for knowledge.
Rikki Barnes: You will?
MODOK: I will give you what the other desires. Knowledge of the fate of the intruder Scott Lang. But I will require the presence of my test subject.
Elsewhere in the base, the modern day BUCKY BARNES begins his battle with DAISY JOHNSON by making a charge at her. It’s a fruitless effort, as Johnson easily uses her QUAKE vibration abilities to send Barnes flying backwards into a wall. While he’s down, she runs towards him and gives him another solid kick in the chin. But he’s not knocked out. With his strength he’s able to out power her, slamming her back into the ground.
Daisy Johnson: I don’t want to kill you Barnes, but you’re out of control.
She quakes him up into ceiling, then gets up as he falls back to the ground.
Bucky Barnes: Working with MODOK, torturing a kid- I think SHIELD is the one that’s out of it.
He tries to get up and punch her with his metal arm- but she catches his fast midway. She raises her other hand to send him flying backwards again.
Daisy Johnson: You really think there’s a way you win this fight?
Suddenly- OOF! Out of nowhere, it’s SPIDER-GWEN who swings from behind to kick her in the face. Johnson recovers, then tries to use her quake powers to send Gwen backwards into the wall at the end of the hallway- but Gwen holds on to her webbing hanging from the ceiling, and is able to come swinging back with an even more forceful kick- this one knocking Quake to the ground. Gwen lands a punch that knocks her out cold, then webs up both of Agent Johnson’s hands to the floor
Bucky stumbles towards her.
Bucky Barnes: Thanks.
Gwen Stacy: You’re welcome. I take it you’re this Winter Soldier I’ve heard about.
Bucky Barnes: Bucky Barnes. And I’m guessing you’re the arachnid girl MODOK mentioned.
Gwen Stacy: Spider-Woman is more catchy. I left Kendra- MODOK’s test subject, back with Groot. He’s the tree. We should get back to them before someone else does.
In a helicopter with PHIL COULSON, Agent of SHIELD NICK FURY gets off a phone call.
Nick Fury: It’s official, they’ve put me in charge of tracking Barnes and his partners down.
Phil Coulson: Well, I can get you your first lead. Just got a text of from HQ. Project Kugelblitz has gone dark.
Fury shakes his head.
Nick Fury: Of course. We should have known he’d head there first. If Kendra gets into the wrong hands… Phil, I’m going to need you to look into something.
Phil Coulson: Whatever you need.
Nick Fury: They left it off as a cold trail- but I think we take another crack at figuring out who killed her father.
Gwen Stacy and Bucky discretely move down a hallway. Gwen’s spidey senses tingle. She stops Bucky from going around a corner, and whispers…
Gwen Stacy: Do you hear that?
They pause, and peek around-
MODOK is with Rikki and Cassie, and has found GROOT and KENDRA FREEMAN. He’s once again monologue to them.
MODOK: SHIELD recruited my mind and its unparalleled abilities for a secret operation referred to as Project Kugelblitz. My task was to create a new superweapon- one which could project the Earth from threats in this universe and beyond.
Groot: Groot?
MODOK: That is a highly advanced question which I could not answer in a comprehensible way to beings with the cognitive abilities of those in this room. But you are correct- a Kugelblitz is a theoretical form of black hole created purely from the energy of highly concentrated light. Practically impossible to generate through mere technological means. But all MODOK required to achieve the feat was a suitable test subject with certain abilities.
Cassie Lang: Yeah, yeah, I’m not really interested in your technobabble MODOK. You promised us you’d tell us what happened to my dad.
MODOK: Impatient child! No matter, as I was about to explain, among the properties of a black hole- when manipulated in the correct way- is the creation portal across time, space, and realities. Because your meddling father got in the way of our crucial research, he found himself lost in such a portal.
Cassie Lang: Well, you better have a way of getting us to him.
MODOK: You’ve landed on precisely the point.
He focuses on Kendra.
MODOK: Child, I command you to send them on their way.
Kendra looks frightened.
Kendra: But…
MODOK: Do not resist.
MODOK shuts his eyes, and Kendra crouches back in pain. As in the previous issue, her eyes turn into light.
MODOK: Of course, with how little her control she has over her abilities, I have no idea to what reality she will send you. It will be pure random chance, unlikely to lead you the previous intruder. But it’s of no matter to MODOK.
Kendra begins to form a portal.
Rikki Barnes: MODOK! We had a deal!
MODOK: MODOK would never be so foolish as to put faith in a human’s word. You are correct that your presence poses an unaccountable threat to this reality, but as I could not possibly trust any information you provided, the most prudent course of action is to merely expunge you and your companions from it.
Then- WOOSH- The Winter Soldier and Gwen Stacy soar out of the corner to make their move. Gwen begins swinging around MODOK- attempting to wrap him up in her. Bucky leaps from behind onto MODOK’s back, and climbs onto his head- where he begins making strikes down on. Rikki and Cassie catch on and begin blasting at his head. Groot uses his branches to reach forward and poke him in the eyes. He yelps in pain. Soon enough, the onslaught causes MODOK to cease floating and fall to the floor on his back, wrapped in a restraint of Gwen’s making.
Bucky Barnes: You’re finished, MODOK.
MODOK laughs at him.
MODOK: You puny minds! It is too late. You cannot stop the test subject. But child, leave the Winter Soldier, SHIELD will be eager to see what they can make of him.
Kendra prepares to obey.
Gwen Stacy: Kendra, don’t!
Kendra pays no attention to her- as her light bursts out and consumes in succession Groot, Cassie, Rikki, and Gwen. They disappear with the light, as Kendra depowers and drops to the ground.
Back in 1945, Captain America and Bucky look out at their view of New York City.
Bucky Barnes: Heard anything on Peggy, cap?
Steve Rogers: No, not lately. But I’m sure she’s fine. She can handle herself.
Howard Stark comes up behind them with drinks.
Howard Stark: I know things got a little heated earlier, boys, but why don’t we take a step back and relax.
He offers out the drinks.
Bucky Barnes: I’m not of drinking age, sir.
Howard Stark: You’re old enough to go to work but not old enough to drink? Oh, c’mon son.
Bucky Barnes: Uh- well…
Their conversation is interrupted by a sudden flash of light in the center of the room. Instinctively, Cap takes Bucky and Howard to the the floor- just as a sudden boom engulfed the room and shatters all the windows into shards. Rogers looks up.
Groot, Cassie, Rikkie, and Gwen stand in the center of the room, confused.
Howard Stark: What the hell.
Back in modern day at the SHIELD base, the rest of Bucky’s impromptu team is nowhere to be seen. He looks down at MODOK.
Bucky Barnes: You fuck.
MODOK: You are incorrect, MODOK is above such human indiscretions. As it stands, you are out of time, Bucky Barnes. SHIELD will have reinforcements on the way soon, and you’ll have no chance of escaping on your own.
Bucky Barnes: We’ll see about that. But as long I’ve got you here, I ought put you down before you and SHIELD can do anymore shit together.
MODOK: Do you believe MODOK would not find a way to survive? How much your mind has slipped, Barnes. But as greatly as you interest me, SHIELD would surely prefer I not tamper before they examine you themselves.
Bucky Barnes: So, SHIELD does have control over you.
MODOK: They control me as much as they dare to try to. But the mind is a complicated thing.
Kendra awakens, standing up from the floor on wobbly legs. She stares at Bucky.
Bucky Barnes: Kid, I’m think I’m going to need your help..
She backs away from him into the wall as he takes a step towards her.
Bucky Barnes: Hey, I’m not here to hurt you. I want to help you get out of here. And then we can work on saving the others.
Kendra Freeman: No. I’ve seen you before.
Bucky Barnes: What?
MODOK laughs again.
Suddenly- her eyes once again light up, and a tear slips down her cheek
BOOM!
Everything goes white.