Marvel Two-In-One #69
Homecoming!
While making breakfast for Sue and Franklin, Ben and Sue talk about the man that Ben saw Alicia previously and Sue tries to get him to consider the idea that Alicia might not have found a new man in her life. They are suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Starhawk of the Guardians of the Galaxy, who tells Ben that their leader Vance Astro has gone AWOL and they fear that he has gone to confront his past self and try to alter history so that his younger self doesn't become an astronaut and lost in space until the 30th Century like he did. Starhawk warns that this may have grave consequences on the fabric of time and asks for Ben's help, Ben and Sue agree to get the rest of the Fantastic Four to help and leave to rendezvous with the Guardians.
Meanwhile, in Saugerties, New York, young Vance Astrovik (Vance Astro's younger self) is on his way to school when he is confronted by Vance Astro. Astro convinces the boy to follow him and begins explaining about his future, as he does so a strange fog begins to swirl and envelop the town.
Back at the Baxter Building, one of Mr. Fantastic's devices picks up the strange mist and the Fantastic Four head off to investigate, splitting the Fantasticar into its component parts to explore the fog separately. As the FF explore the fog, Vance Astro desperately tries to warn his younger self about his future, however, his frantic behavior scares the boy who flees. Astro ends up running into the Thing who tries to talk Vance out of trying to change history, explaining that his past experience doing so did nothing more but create an alternate reality, instead of changing his future. When Vance explains that he doesn't care, so long as at least one version of himself doesn't endure the Hell he's lived, Ben agrees to help him find young Vance.
They try the Astrovik home first, where they run into the other Guardians of the Galaxy, who easily overpower the Thing and take Vance prisoner, bringing their errant leader back to their space station, Drydock. Back aboard the ship, the heroes realize the cause of the fog was not their leaders encounter with his past self, but the manifestation of young Vance Astrovik's latent mutant powers. Realizing the mistake, the Guardians return to Earth where Vance uses his powers to stabilize the abilities of his younger self. However, this causes the young Vance to lash out uncontrollably, however, Ben manages to talk the boy into controlling his powers and suggests that perhaps with is newfound abilities the young man could someday be a super-hero.
When Vance's father has stern words about the Guardians of the Galaxy's involvement in their son's life, Arnold Astrovik is in for a shock when Vance Astro briefly removes his mask revealing that he is his son, all grown up, before the Guardians depart back for their space station.
As Vance Astro tells his crew members that he is content that he saved at least one version of himself, Ben is reunited with Reed and the rest of the Fantastic Four and introduces them to the "newest super-hero on the block."
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Thing, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch), Guardians of the Galaxy (Vance Astro, Starhawk/Aleta, Charlie-27, Yondu, Martinex, Nikki), Vance Astrovik, Franklin Richards, Arnold Astrovik, Norma Astrovik, Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Vision, Storm), Spider-Man, Daredevil, Aquarian, Captain Marvel
Continuity Notes
The Thing broke up with his longtime girlfriend Alicia Masters in Marvel Two-In-One #64, the two get back together next issue. He mentions seeing Alicia with "another man" in Marvel Two-In-One #67 and mistook him for a new boyfriend.
Ben recalls the last time he fought alongside Starhawk in Marvel Two-In-One #61-63 when the pair assisted Her and Moondragon on their failed attempt to resurrect Adam Warlock.
Starhawk mentions how the dangers of Vance Astro meeting his past self. This danger first came up in Giant-Size Defenders #5 when both Vance's met each other for the first time. The memory of these events was erased from young Vance's mind by Doctor Strange.
The events where Vance Astro ended up lost in space and awoken from suspended animation in the 31st century were first recorded in Marvel Super-Heroes #18.
The Thing recalls meeting Vance Astro in Marvel Two-In-One #5 when he and Captain America traveled to the future and helped the Guardians liberate Earth from the Badoon.
Ben tries to rationalize the errors of trying to change history, mentioning how he traveled back in time to try and cure himself in Marvel Two-In-One #50. Although Ben thinks this created an alternate reality where he was cured, it is later revealed in Marvel Two-In-One #100 that he actually visited an alternate reality.
Because Vance Astro activates the mutant powers in his younger self earlier than when they first manifested, Astro apparently diverged Earth-616 from his future world of Earth-691. Instead of joining the space program, young Vance eventually becomes a super-hero as seen in Thor #411. Avengers Forever #6 reveals that Immortus instigated this meeting in order to create this divergence.
