Missing Links

A series of SHIELD bases across the country have been attacked by Stegron the Dinosaur Man (Vincent Stegron), who is looking for something.[1] When he doesn’t find what he is looking for, the man-monster flees and his reanimated dinosaurs revert back to old bones.

The eventually lands on the desk of Val Cooper, the head of the Commission on Superhuman Activities. She calls in Tigra (Greer Grant) a senior member of the Initiative for assistance. Since Stegron has struck multiple jurisdictions and the with the world still recovering from the recent invasion by the Skrulls, they are limited on the resources available.[2] When Tigra looks over the files on who they need to stop Stegron, Tigra insists that the cadet at the top of the list is too inexperienced for this type of mission. Unfortunately, he is the only one who can stop Stegron and wants Greer to be in Nevada by noon.

In Sparks, Nevada, young Humberto Lopez is going over “homework” while his grandfather plays video games.[3] However, his grandfather knows that Humberto is obsessing over the Niger expedition that his parents disappeared on. Lopez’s grandfather insists that his parents are dead, but Humberto refuses to accept that. Getting hungry, the old man sends Humberto to get some food from the local diner, but warns him not to use his powers while he is out as he doesn’t want another visit form the sheriff.

However, Humberto immediately ignores this, using his powers to transform his legs into that of a velociraptor so he can run there in record time. It’s then that he is ambushed by Tigra and Initiative recruits Prodigy (Richie Gilmore), Batwing (Jimmy Santini), Sunstreak,[4] as well as graduates Komodo (Melatu Kusama) and Cloud 9 (Abby Boylen). Thinking he is being attacked, he shapeshifts to use various dinosaur characteristics (such as a stegosaurus’ armored plates, and a pteradactyl’s wings) to defend himself. That is until he recognizes Cloud 9, his favorite hero and stops fighting. After clearing things up with the local sheriff, Tigra explains that that they need him for a mission.

Humberto, who goes by the name Reptil, is excited to be recruited on a mission. While aboard a Quinjet to their destination, Humberto explains how he got his powers. His missing parents were archeologists and he had taken up the interest as well, often going into the desert to look for fossils. One day he found a strange one in a cave, a crystalized dinosaur bone. When there was a sudden cave in, he ran to safety as fast as he could and realized that the crystal allowed him to take on the characteristics of dinosaurs. While he can’t transform entirely, he hopes to one day master that ability. Tigra tells Humberto that they need his ability to establish an empathic connection to dinosaurs to help them find Stegron.

Reptil is taken to Camp Hammond, where he is examined by their resident scientist, Baron Von Blitzschlag. He figures he can build a device that will boost Humberto’s empathy so they can better track Stegron. While the Baron gets to work on this, Tigra puts Lopez through a crash course of combat training so he can be prepared for any fighting. He learns how to fight from Prodigy, who warns him that the Initiative is like a prison sentence.[5] Next comes flying lessons from Batwing, who tells Humberto not to listen to Prodigy’s rantings as he was arrested after getting into a drunken fight with Iron Man (Tony Stark). After defense lessons with Sunstreak, he is taught how to use a tail in combat from Komodo. She also tells him that in combat he will learn the truth about people, saying that the good ones are boring and the bad are in it for themselves.[6] Next, Reptil undergoes marksman training with his idol, Cloud 9. She admits to him that she first used her powers to experience flying and that she misses the innocence she has lost while training under the Initiative.

Lastly, he has agility training with Tigra who says the Initiative has a lot of good people, but admits that she is concerned about its future now that Norman Osborn is in charge.[7] Still, she tells him that its not really his concerned as she will get him back to his grandfather as quickly as possible. However, Humberto insists that he needs to be in the Initiative so he can get access to the Avengers database in the hopes he can use it to find his missing parents. Tigra, who lost her own husband, understands where the boy is coming from.[8] They are interrupted by Val Cooper, who tells them that Baron Von Blitzschlag is done. Reptil is then wired up to the machine, and he instantly detects Stegron and another horde of dinsoaurs attacking a SHIELD base in South Dakota.

When they go to stop the Dinosaur Man, Reptil tries to join the fight, but gets injured due to his inexperience allowing Stegron to escape after he doesn’t find what he is looking for. He is taken back to Camp Hammond where his injuries are treated by Physique, the resident doctor. Annoyed, Val Cooper tells Humberto that he is off the mission, much to his disappointment. However, Tigra pulls Cooper aside and convinces her to give Reptil one more chance. Despite her reservations, Val agrees to do so but warns Greer that if the kid screws up again it will be on her. When Humberto is released from the infirmary, Greer has a heart-to-heart with him. She understands how scary it is in a fight, relating to the time when she face the Molecule Man, a powerful villain that broke her in battle.[9] That’s when they are informed that Stegron is on the move agian.

This time he is attacking a facility in Wyoming and during the fight, Reptil holds his own, knocking Stegron through a wall of the facility. Inside, they discover just what the Dinosaur Man was looking for, the captive caveman named Moon Boy. Stegron explains that Moon Boy was abducted from the Savage Land and, as a result, his companion the tyranosaurus known as Devil Dinosaur has given up the will to live. Since Ka-Zar (Kevin Plunder), the ruler of the Savage Land, refuses to do anything about it, Stegron took it upon himself to rescue Moonboy instead.[10] Reptil is horrified to learn this and Tigra figures there is something they can do.

When SHIELD comes to take Stegron into custody, one of the lead scientists notices that Moon-Boy has escaped and blames Tigra for it, but she doesn’t care. The next day, she goes to the Lopez home where Reptil stashed Moon-Boy. With her is Ka-Zar who invites Reptil to come back with him to the Savage Land to reunite Moon-Boy with Devil Dinosaur. Once the two companions are reunited, Devil Dinosaur finds the will to live again. Ka-Zar then offers the his aid in finding Reptil’s missing parents.

Recurring Characters

The Initiative staff: Tigra, Baron Von Blitzschlag

Graduates: Cloud 9, Komodo

Trainees: Reptil, Batwing, Prodigy, Sunstreak

Stegron, Vincent Lopez, Val Cooper, Physique, Moon Boy, Devil Dinosaur, Ka-Zar, Zabu, SHIELD

Continuity Notes

1. A footnote here states that this story takes place between the events of Avengers: The Initiative #19 and 20.

2. This story takes place following the events of Secret Invasion #1-8 and its various crossover stories. In particular, Avengers: The Initiative #14-19, where every team on the 50-State Initiative was compromised by Skrull infiltrators.

3. Humberto’s grandfather is unnamed here. He is identified as Vincente Lopez in Reptil #1. As of this writing (July, 2024), the ultimate fate of Reptil’s parents has yet to be revealed.

4. Sunstreak’s real name is not given in this story. She is later identified as Andrea Roarke in Dark Reign Files #1.

5. Prodigy was forced to enlist into the Initiative after he flaunted the Super Human Registration Act that was passed in Civil War #3. See Civil War: Front Line #1 and Avengers: The Initiative #13 for the details. The SHRA will remain on the books until Siege #4.

6. Komodo’s bitter attitude is due to the fact she just recently discovered that her now ex-boyfriend Hardball (Roger Brockridge) was betraying the Initiative to Hydra. This all became back in Avengers: The Initiative #4, and came to ahead in Avengers: The Initiative Special #1.

7. Norman Osborn was made America’s head of security after he killed the leader of the Skrull invasion in Secret Invasion #8. This is a position he will hold until Siege #4.

8. Greer’s husband was Bill Nelson, a New York cop, who was killed in the line of duty. See The Cat #1.

9. Tigra is referring to when she first joined the Avengers circa Avengers #211. She faced the Molecule Man not long after that in issues #215-216 of that series. The battle shook her so badly she resigned from the team for a time.

10. Moon-Boy and Devil Dinosaur originate from a primitive alternate Earth in Reality-78411 (per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #4). The pair have been stranded on Earth-616 since Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1998, making the Savage Land their home. Moon-Boy was abducted in Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #9-10.

Topical References

• Vincente is depicted playing Call of Duty on what appears to be a Playstation console. This should be considered a topical reference as these are real world products.