Brain-Child to the Dark Tower Came…!

Trapped in a parallel universe, the Avengers has learned that this world will die when a satellite called Brain-Child One is launched and makes the sun go supernova.[1] They have convinced this world’s version of Nighthawk of the danger are they are now racing to the launch site to prevent Hyperion, Doctor Spectrum, and the Whizzer from completing the launch. As they head to the launch site, the Avengers recount how they originally arrived in ethereal states some two weeks in this world’s future and saw it coming to an end. Returned to the present-day moments later. Unfortunately, their efforts to try and contact the other members of the Squadron Supreme fail because they are maintaining radio silence to protect the launch from sabotage by America’s enemies.

When they land, the Avengers race ahead of Nighthawk to try and warn them not to launch the satellite. Not recognizing the Avengers, Hyperion and his teammates assume scramble to launch the rocket. Although the Whizzer hits the launch button, the Scarlet Witch’s hex powers cause the rockets to misfire. That’s when Nighthawk arrives and tells the other Squadroners to stand down as the Avengers are telling the truth.

While they are comparing notes, the Squadron Supreme reveals that the satellite was named after the one who invented it, the Brain-Child. They explain that Brain-Child’s parents were exposed to radiation a decade ago and gave birth to their son, Arnold Sutton. The boy was incredibly intelligent and his intellect grew beyond his years as he became one of the greatest minds on this world. Creating a device to increase his intellect further, Arnold’s head grew misshapen in order to accommodate his enlarged brain. This led to people to start considering him a freak, thus the nickname Brain-Child, which Sutton grew to hate. Still, the government and the military took full advantage of Brain-Child’s intellect and it was used in the application of all manner of scientific advancements. Growing to dislike the rest of humanity, Brain-Child volunteered to continue working in its favor if he was allowed a private island to work in seclusion. Realizing that the wunderkind is a threat to the world, the Avengers and the Squadron Supreme both agree to confront the boy. As it turns out, today is Brain-Child’s 10th birthday and he intended to celebrate by launching the satellite that would burn down the world and end his own miserable life. Having observed the Avengers and the Squadron from his private island, and throws a tantrum over his plan.

Meanwhile, back on the Avenger’s home reality, their teammates are trying to locate them. Using a device build by Iron Man and powered by Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, the two senior Avengers and the Black Panther scour the known multiverse to find their missing teammates. However, Mjonlir’s power threatens to overload the device, frustrating their efforts.

While on the Squadron’s Earth, the two teams arrive on Brain-Child’s island. His headquarters is called the Dark Tower — named after the Robert Browning poem — where they are attacked by one of the automated defenses.[2] Destroying the device, the two teams split into groups of two and attempt to infiltrate Brain-Child’s base. Nighthawk and the Scarlet Witch enter one door and are attacked by a massive humanoid with hypnotic powers. In another part of the facility, Doctor Spectrum and the Vision face off against a massive amoeba that can replicate and negate the effects of their powers. Both Quicksilver and the Whizzer try to infiltrate the base with their super-speed powers only to discover the walls are covered in an adhesive to stop their movements. Lastly, Goliath and Hyperion manage to infiltrate Brain-Child’s inner sanctum. There, Hyperion is knocked out by electrified mechanical arms. Quick thinking, Goliath fashions a make-shift bow and arrow and uses it to launch Hyperion at Brain-Child’s control chair.[3] The alien’s invulnerable body shatters the chair, destroying it.

With his control chair destroyed, the Brain-Child goes into another tantrum. Since his entire headquarters and various traps were the product of his mental powers, they all fade away to nothingness. Seeing that Brain-Child is reverting to a child-like mentality, Doctor Spectrum uses his Power Prism to strip him of his mutated brain. Restored to a normal boy with no memory of his time as Brain-Child, Arnold is delighted to meet a group of superheroes.

With the battle over, the Avengers suddenly disappear as their comrades back home have managed to locate them and return them to their proper reality. They are glad to be home and while Wanda and Clint tell the others about their adventure in another reality, the Vision is left to ponder. Seeing the grim look on the Vision’s face, Quicksilver asks him what is the matter. The Vision points out the potential paradox of their situation: How can they be sure that they are back on their own world and not an identical reality where their counter-parts went missing. He points out that while they may be satisfied thinking that they are in their proper reality, but they will never truly know for sure.[4]

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Goliath, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, the Vision), Squadron Supreme (Hyperion, Nighthawk, Doctor Spectrum, Whizzer), Brain-Child

Continuity Notes

1. This parallel universe is designated Reality-712 per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005.

2. Quicksilver states here he can sympathize with Brain-Child as he faced persecution for being a mutant. Pietro and his sister Wanda did suffer a lot of bigotry for something they actually are not. As revealed in Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4-5, they were experimented upon by the High Evolutionary when they were infants. In order to cover up his work, he made it so genetic tests would have the Maximoff twins register as mutants, leading to years of persecution. Kind of a dick move on his part.

3. Goliath makes mention of how he used to be a skilled archer. Indeed, Clint Barton was previously Hawkeye from Tales of Suspense #57 until he adopted the Goliath identity in Avengers #63. He will return to his old Hawkeye identity in Avengers #98.

4. Thankfully, dear reader, we have about 60 years of continuity to draw on and know that, yes, they did end up in their proper reality. By the next issue, the Vision isn’t concerned about this paradox anymore and acts like everything is back to normal. So, was he fucking with Pietro here? We may never know for sure. (See what I did there?)