Shifts and Planes

In order to stop Eric Paulson and William Lorber from transporting a billion people to another dimension in a misguided attempt to save the Earth, Spider-Man and Captain Marvel forced their PRIDE generator into another dimension itself. However, this has come at a terrible price, as Captain Marvel is trapped in her energy form. Try as she might, Marvel cannot bring herself to return to human form. She explains to Spider-Man that her powers are dimensional in nature and that there may be a connection between the PRIDE generator and her inability to return to human form. Hearing this, Spider-Man theorizes that whenever Captain Marvel changes her form, her physical body swaps places with the dimension in which her energy forms come from. He figures that the PRIDE Generator must have caused some kind of interference to prevent the exchange from happening. All they need to do is create a similar effect. Spider-Man attempts this by activating one of the wrist transporters that Paulson's minions used to teleport between dimensions. However, this does nothing but send the wrist transporter to another dimension.

It's then that Starfox arrives having captured Dr. Lorber while he was attempting to make his escape. While filling Starfox in on what happened, they then demand Dr. Lorber explain to them what they need to do to restore Monica to normal. The doctor explains that they will need travel to the dimension where the PRIDE Generator has been sent and provided it hasn't been destroyed, shut it down in order to end its interference with Captain Marvel's powers. Dr. Lorber then programs the transportation devices to take both Spider-Man and Starfox to the other dimension so they can find the PRIDE device. Upon their arrival, they are soon attacked by a group of male warriors. Although Spider-Man and Starfox are able to hold their own against their attackers, the warriors are driven away by a rival faction of female warriors. Much to their surprise, Spider-Man and Starfox can understand their rescuers because they communicate telepathically. They learn that they are a clan called the Elysian and that they have been in combat with a rival group calling themselves the Mahko. Taken to the Elysian village, they learn that this society is one where different tasks are divided equally between both genders, and that of combat is traditionally that of women.

The Elysian leader, Sondia, explains to the two heroes that the Mahko Clan has been nothing more than a minor irritant until recently when they gained a new leader, a savage warrior called the Will-Killer. However, they have been able to hold back the Mahko thanks to the arrival of a strange machine. As it turns out, this is none of than the PRIDE Generator, which they have used to project a shield around the Elysian village banishing all those who come into contact to another dimension. As this is the device they need, later that evening, Starfox concludes that the only way they can convince the Elyisan's to shut down the PRIDE is by neutralizing the threat of the Mahko. The pair then sneaks out of the Elyisan camp and fly to the Mahko camp. There, they challenge the Mahko's to a battle with their leader. Starfox is confident he can easily best the Will-Killer. However, something in this dimension makes him incredibly ill just moments before the battle. This leaves Spider-Man to fight the Will-Killer alone. The massive and brutal Will-Killer leaves Spider-Man on the defensive. However, the massive warrior manages to get in some powerful blows, proving that he is more than a match against Spider-Man. Ultimately, the wall-crawler wins the battle by flipping the Will-Killer off the edge of a cliff to his demise. With this, Starfox fights off his illness and sends the rest of the clan fleeing into the wasteland.

The pair returns to the Elysian's and tell them of their victory and they gladly deactivate the PRIDE Generator. With their mission complete, Spider-Man drags Starfox back to their dimension before he can delay their return with yet another romantic interlude with Sondia. The pair narrowly makes it back, but are helped across the dimensional void by Captain Marvel, who has been restored to normal. With their adventure over, the Captain thanks her two allies for helping her regain control of her powers.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Starfox, Captain Marvel, PRIDE (Dr. Eric Paulson, Dr. William Lorber)

Continuity Notes

• The origin of Captain Marvel was first depicted in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16.