20,000 Leagues Under Justice

Aboard Rocket Central, the space station headquarters of the Squadron Supreme, many of its members wait for word from their teammates who on Earth trying to track down the Avengers loose in their reality. Tom Thumb in particular is growing impatient. That’s when Hyperion, Golden Arrow, and Lady Lark return to report that they failed to stop the Avengers. After detailing their defeat, the other members of the Squadron depart to try to capture the Avengers themselves.

Meanwhile, the President of the United States meets with the Cadre Cartel, an organization of businessmen who run this world. They are unhappy that the President allowed the other-dimensional Avengers onto their world. He explains that he had an obligation to their allies on the Avengers’ world and their serpentine master that communes with them through the Serpent Crown. He assures them that the Squadron Supreme will find their enemies and defeat them.

Elsewhere in the city of Cosmopolis, Captain America decides to split the team up to try and find the Vision and the Scarlet Witch. The Beast and Hellcat are paired up and once they are on their own they are ambushed by Captain Hawk, Tom Thumb, and the Amphibion. While Hellcat knocks Amphibion into a shop window, the Beast wrecks Tom Thumb’s flying device, but not before Hellcat is glued to the ground. Despite being unable to move, she is able to use her retractable claws to help the Beast defeat Captain Hawk.

While back on the Avengers world, Thor is flying Moondragon back to Avengers Mansion following their adventure into the old west. The whole way, Moondragon has been trying to convince Thor that he has been “slumming it” by hanging out with the Avengers instead of acting in a manner befitting of a god. This angers the thunder god who tells her to be silent.

Back on the Squadron’s Earth, Captain America and Iron Man continue their own search for the Vision and the Scarlet Witch. That’s when they are ambushed by the Whizzer and Doctor Spectrum. Although they have the element of surprise, the two Squadroner’s overconfidence proves to be their undoing.[1] After Captain America knocks out the Whizzer with his shield. Seeing his ally being defeated distracts Doctor Spectrum enough for Iron Man to break free from a Power-Prism-created hand and blast him with ultra-violet light, his one weakness.[2] That’s when the Beast and Hellcat — who have found Wanda and the Vision — catch up with them. Although they need to get back to their home dimension, the Vision insists that they can’t leave this world without dealing with its tyrannical rulers.

Meanwhile, on the Avengers’ Earth, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne are informed that they have received a clean bill of health and will be allowed to leave the hospital. Janet can’t wait to get back into being an Avenger. Hank, on the other hand, isn’t so confident. Janet warns him that she intends to return to the Avengers even if she has to do so alone.

Later, at the White House in Capital City, the Squadron Supreme meets with who they think is their President of the United States. However, they become suspicious when the “President” begins openly telling them how the Avengers aren’t the real problem, but the tyrannical government that is backed by corporate interests that are the real issue. As it turns out, this isn’t the President at all, but the Beast in disguise. After revealing his ruse, the furry mutant leads them to the room where the Avengers have the real President prisoner. It is also where they have stored the dimensional portal between worlds. The Scarlet Witch uses her hex powers to trip up the Squadron to cover their escape.[3] As the Avengers make the trip back home, they have left the Squadron Supreme with a lot to think about.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Yellowjacket, the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, the Vision, Moondragon, the Beast), Hellcat, Squadron Supreme (Hyperion, Doctor Spectrum, Whizzer, Golden Archer, Lady Lark, Captain Hawk, Amphibion, Tom Thumb), Cadre Cartel

Continuity Notes

1. The Whizzer mentions how he previously boasted about the Squadron “selling out”, that was in Avengers #141.

2. Iron Man learned the Power Prism’s weakness to ultra-violet light in Iron Man #64. He asks if Doctor Spectrum remembers that, but he is mistaking this Doctor Spectrum with the nearly identical Earth-616 version.

3. The narration states here that the Scarlet Witch is a mutant. This is not true. Years later, in Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4-5, it is revealed that Wanda was actually experimented upon by the High Evolutionary. In order to cover up his work, he made it so future genetic testing would have Wanda register as a mutant.

Topical References

• The President of the United States on the Squadron’s world is identified as Nelson Rockafeller. In real life, Rockafeller attempted to win the ticket for Republican leader in 1968 and lost to Richard Nixon who went on to be the President of the United States. Since Rockafeller is based on a real person, his identity here is topical.