An Eagle from America!

The Thing finds himself pacing around the Baxter Building trying to find something to quash the feelings of loneliness that he is feeling. Deciding to lift some weights, Ben finds that this cannot him get over his feelings. Checking the security monitors he notices that the Fantastic Four's long time ally Wyatt Wingfoot is making his way up to the team's headquarters in their private elevator. Wyatt tells Ben that he has come seeking the aid of the Fantastic Four, but Ben informs Wyatt that he is the only one around. Wyatt admits what he is about to tell is steeped in superstition and myth, but he tells Ben about a legend that is told among the tribe that neighbors his people. The tale involves a group of Native Americans who were fighting against white settlers during the days of the American Frontier. With their chief wounded and dying, with his two sons fighting over who should lead, the dying chief ordered his sons to enter a nearby cave where the spirits reside and they will choose who will be the new leader of the tribe. The two brothers waited in the cave until they were visited by a great spirit who asked which of the two men could lead their tribe. When the spirit could not decide himself, he endowed the two brothers with the strength of truth and set them into a battle across the wilderness to see who was the greater champion. One of the brothers was the victor and crowned chief of the tribe. They then fought off the white settlers from their area. After celebrating their victory the tribe was shocked when their leader suddenly departed in a wisp of smoke to return to the great spirits.

Hearing this story, Ben finds it hard to believe and hopes that Wyatt doesn't believe it either. However, Wingfoot is not too sure, as this legend relates to recent activities that have been happening on the land of the tribe of which the legend came from. Recently a mining company had come to try and remove minerals from the land, creating a dispute between two brothers, Ward and Jason Strongbow. While Ward wanted to mine the land and reap the benefits, Jason refused to allow outsiders to defile their ancestral land. While Ward allowed the miners in, Jason organized protests and tried to get the law to intervene, but nothing worked. Things got worse when one of the protesters was shot. Instead of allowing a riot, Jason Strongbow decided to go into the cave and find the killer and bring him to justice. Down below Jason came across his brother Ward and the two began to argue. While they were down below there was a sudden explosion and only Jason managed to emerge from the ruins, using his newly gained strength to burst free. With Jason glowing in the night and an eagle passing overhead, the tribe now believes that Jason Stronbow is the embodiment of the legend. Jason then went after his killers, and after learning this story Wyatt decided to try and find Jason and lend him a hand. This brings Wyatt to why he has come to get help from the Fantastic Four: He needs to get to Antarctica because the murderer Jason is looking for is in the Savage Land. Without further consideration, the Thing agrees to take Wyatt and the pair are soon blasting off in the Pogo Plane.

Deep in the Savage Land, Jason Strongbow is stalking his foes in his newly crafted costumed identity of the American Eagle. As American Eagle walks through the jungle looking for his prey, he is unaware that he is being tracked by Ka-Zar, Lord of the Savage Land. Not far away are a group of men with the mining operation who are hunting for something to eat. As American Eagle fires his crossbow, the arrow narrowly avoids a unicorn that the men are hunting and barely misses them as well. As the men flee, American Eagle tries to chase after them but is jumped by Ka-Zar who believes that the strangely garbed man was hunting the sacred animal. The two trade blows until American Eagle's superior strength overpowers Ka-Zar. When the two begin arguing with one another about American Eagle's presence in the Savage Land, they both learn that they have a mutual enemy in the miners who are exploiting the region here as well. As they track their enemies, American Eagle tells Ka-Zar of his origins, and the two are later joined by Ka-Zar's faithful ally Zabu. That evening as the pair camp out for the night they suddenly spot the Fantastic Four's Pogo Plane coming in for a landing and head to it. There they meet with Wyatt and the Thing. When everyone compares notes they decide to camp out for the night. Later that evening, while the Thing and American Eagle arm wrestle, the Thing asks Eagle what really happened in the mine before the explosion. He says that while he and his father Ward were fighting, they were interrupted by the mining operations leader: Klaw. Ben finds this incredible because the last he saw of Klaw was when the villain was dissipated during a fight at the Project PEGASUS facility. Eagle continues his story, saying that he was blasted by Klaw's sonic weapon and was sent flying into one of the burning machines and that the two forms of radiation were what endowed him with his great strength. With the tale finished, the four heroes decide to press on.

Later that, Klaw is continuing his Vibranium extraction, staging their operation from within a Dinosaur graveyard where they have set up massive cages to contain live dinosaurs. The heroes soon arrive and begin scaling the bowl-shaped mountains around the graveyard. The Thing manages to confront Klaw first and wants to know how Klaw managed to escape their last encounter. Klaw explains that he was freed when a cleaning lady at Project PEGASUS foolishly reactivated his sonic blaster, allowing himself to become free. While Ben and Klaw battle it out on the ridge, both Ka-Zar and American Eagle confront Jason's brother Ward. While the two brothers fight it out, Wyatt lends Ben a hand by throwing a rock at Klaw's sonic blaster, spoiling his aim. When the Thing tackles Klaw, they land in the graveyard, smashing open the cages holding the dinosaurs. While Ben, Ka-Zar, and Zabu try to contain the dinosaurs and Klaw, American Eagle continues to fight with his brother. During the struggle, one of the minors tries to take a shot at American Eagle with his rifle, but instead strikes and kills Ward. At that moment, the Thing has defeated Klaw in battle and removed his sonic blaster. With the dinosaurs quelled, the Thing and his allies are preparing to leave with their prisoners. When Ben apologizes for the trouble brought to Ka-Zar's land, Ka-Zar tells him that he should instead be offering his pity to American Eagle, who mourns the loss of his brother.

Recurring Characters

Thing, American Eagle, Ka-Zar, Wyatt Wingfoot, Klaw, Zabu

Continuity Notes

• Klaw was trapped in his sonic blaster while fighting the Thing at Project PEGASUS facility after being exposed to Aquarian's null field in Marvel Two-In-One #58.