We Are Gathered Here

Following their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties, Rick Jones is upset to have learned that his wife-to-be, Marlo Chandler, was in an adult film. While Marlo is dealing with a hangover, Rick demands to know what she was thinking. She explains that she did it when she was 18 for an old boyfriend who she broke up with shortly thereafter. When Rick demands an apology, she is sorry that this has upset him so much. When everyone starts to argue, Marlo gets fed up and goes to bed. She has a dream where she is walking along a beach. In it she wishes she could make everything better for her wedding day. She is then approached by a dark man in a trenchcoat and hat and offers to make her wedding day magical at the cost of her soul. Unaware that this is really Mephisto, and thinking that this is only a dream, Marlo agrees to the wager, shaking the devil's hand. Marlo wakes up to the sound of her door knocking and in comes Rick to apologize for how he reacted earlier. Marlo is a little disturbed to see how quickly Rick has come to his senses.

Later that day the wedding is about to begin and Marlo's brother Keith and Ray are having trouble seating all the superheroes that have come for the festivities. In one of the rooms, the Hulk and Captain America are helping a very nervous Rick Jones in his tuxedo. While in another room, Marlo is being helped into her dress by her mother, Betty, Mona, and Suzi Barangetti. While looking in the mirror, Marlo is frightened by the brief appearance of Mephisto reflected back at her. Outside, Rick greets the various guests including members of the Pantheon. While everyone is socializing, Paris puts Ulysses in a sour mood by pointing out how Hector is getting along well with Northstar. When Ulysses tries to interrupt them, the Hulk stops and drags Ulysses off for a talk. Rick is also surprised to see that his old friends Rom and Brandy Clark have come for the wedding.

Soon the wedding ceremony begins and as the priest begins, the wedding is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Drax. Everyone is surprised when Drax presents an invitation, even though he wasn't mailed one. Nonetheless, they have Drax sit next to Adam Warlock. Next, the wedding is interrupted by the Wizard, Absorbing Man, Mister Hyde and the Living Laser. But, they have not come to attack the wedding but to attend as they too have invitations. when the Hulk is about to start a fight, Doc Samson convinces him to stand down. Rick then agrees to allow them to stay for the ceremony. Things get even worse when Kree and Skrull ships arrive with more attendees. The special occasion does little to soften the relations between the two races. When one of the Kree tries to start a fight with Talos the Tamed, the Silver Surfer steps in to stop things before they start. Just before the ceremony is over, it is interrupted yet again, this time by Mephisto. He has come to claim Marlo's soul, but he has opposition from both the Surfer and the Hulk.

The Hulk wants to handle the situation and seeing a bright light in the sky, he gives in to the belief in a higher power. This apparently gives the Hulk the strength to beat Mephisto back and force him into retreat. However, Mephisto gloats how this "defeat" is part of a much larger scheme to damn the Hulk. The wedding is quickly completed and Rick and Marlo are made man and wife. During the reception, Marlo is congratulated by the various guests. One such guest is the embodiment of Death, who has come to give Marlo a gift. After the gift box is given, Death quickly leaves. Marlo isn't sure who the woman was, but she and Rick open the box and find a beautiful hairbrush inside.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Rick Jones, Marlo Jones, Betty Ross, Elsa Chandler, Ray Chandler, Keith Chandler, Brandy Clark, Mona, Suzi Berengetti, Adam Warlock, Captain America, Doc Samson, Drax, Iron Man, Invisible Woman, Lyja, Northstar, Quicksilver, ROM, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, Spider-Woman, Strong Guy, Sub-Mariner, Thing, War Machine, Wolfsbane, Death, Pantheon (Ulysses, Paris, Hector, Cassiopea), Mephisto, Wizard, Living Laser, Mister Hyde, Talos the Tamed, Peter David

Continuity Notes

• Cap mentions that Rick was not as nervous when he fought Baron Zemo whom the pair fought multiple times between Avengers #6-15.

• Wolfsbane and Rick recount when they last met, which was in Incredible Hulk #392.

• Mephisto states that he is trying to get revenge against the Hulk for defeating one of his other aspects. He is referring to Satannish who the Hulk fought back in Incredible Hulk #356-359.

• The priest in this story is depicted as Peter David. Unlike most real-life people, Marvel Comics creators are exempt from the topical reference rules of the Sliding Timescale. All Marvel staff who appear in modern age appear in their relative prime, regardless of their physical or even mortality in real life.