Quasar #33 — Nick Peron

Mar 22

Mar 22 Quasar #33

1990s, Operation: Galactic Storm

Operation: Galactic Storm, Part 10: Spatial Deliveries

This story continues from Avengers West Coast #81…

Trying to prevent another Shi’ar cruiser from escaping Earth’s solar system with the Nega-Bands of the late Captain Marvel, Quasar and Her are ambushed by Neutron and Starbolt of the Imperial Guard.[1] While Starbolt is easily contained in a sphere of quantum energy, Neutron proves to be a more difficult foe to deal with. Rather than having a prolongued battle, Quasar sneaks up behind his foe and then quantum jumps light years away and leaves Neutron stranded with no way back home.[2]

With the battle now over, Quasar asks Her to stay behind an guard the star gate while he catches up with the Shi’ar warbird.

Aboard the alien ship, the Imperial Guard have the Kree Captain Atlas as their prisoner. With the Captain restrained, Oracle begins using her mental powers to probe his mind and learn his secrets. That’s when the ship’s crew suddenly detects Quasar’s approach and calls all hands on deck.

As Quasar nears the Shi’ar ship, he contacts Epoch to see if she can give him any useful information on the aliens. Unfortunately, Epoch hasn’t fully learned how to use the Cosmic Consciousness and isn’t much help. Deciding to engage the enemy anyway, Quasar breaches the hull of the ship. Inside he is confronted by Electron, Glom, Hobgoblin, Nightside, Oracle, and Warstar. However, Electron calls a halt to hostilities and tells Quasar that the Nega-Bands are no longer on their ship, and were raced to the Shi’ar throne world as soon as they crossed over the star gate. Since there is no reason to fight, Quasar recovers Captain Atlas and leaves, but not before using his Quantum Bands to damage the Shi’ar’s stardrive. As the Imperial Guard emerges from the ship to attack, Quasar then quantum jumps away.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Kayla Ballentine is plagued by yet another nightmare. As she tosses and turns in her sleep she suddenly begins to float and is woken up when her head hits the ceiling. When she abruptly falls back into bed and is left wondering if she dreamed that she was flying.[3] Little does she know that the villain known as the Angler is watching her from her window waiting for the right opportunity to strike.[4]

While on Chandilar, the Shi’ar throne world, a delegation of Avengers — which includes the current Captain Marvel, Thor, Wonder Man, the Scarlet Witch, and the Living Lightning — meet with Araki, Empress Lilandra’s Prime Minister. Marvel demands to meet with Lilandra, but is told that the empress is busy. Annoyed by the bureaucracy, Captain Marvel explains that she and her fellow Avengers have come to demand that the Shi’ar stop using the star gate they have set up near Earth’s sun as it is creating irregular sunspot activity that threatens their planet. When Araki says he’ll pass the message along, Thor loses his temper and slams Mjolnir while demanding they speak with the empress. The others are surprised when this display convinces Araki to fetch his empress for them.

By this time, with Epoch’s help, Quasar manages to track down the fleet of ships that are carrying the original Captain Marvel’s Quantum Bands. Before he can begin searching for the weapons he and Captain Atlas are attacked by Binary, a member of the Starjammers and an ally of Empress Lilandra. As the pair fight, they are joined by Glom, Moondancer, Onslaught, Solar Wind, and Voyager. The attack is to separate Quasar from Captain Atlas and — using the same tactic Quasar used on Neutron earlier — the Imperial Guardsmen trick the Avenger through a portal and leave him stranded in the middle of nowhere. While on the surface of a nearby planet, Shi’ar scientists contact Lilandra and inform her that they have been able to split the Nega-Bands and tap into its anti-matter energy source to create a powerful bomb to use against the Kree empire.

Meanwhile, Captain Atlas is locked in a Shi’ar holding cell. However, the moment he is left alone a rescuer teleports into the room to free him…[5]

… This story continues in Wonder Man (vol. 2) #8.

Recurring Characters

Quasar, Avengers (Thor, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Captain Marvel, Wonder Man, Living Lightning), Captain Atlas, Imperial Guard (Electron, Glom, Hobgoblin, Manta, Moondancer, Neutron, Nightside, Oracle, Onslaught, Scintilla, Solar Wind, Starbolt, Warstar, Voyager), Angler, Her, Kayla Ballentine, Empress Lilandra, Binary, Shatterax

Continuity Notes

The Nega-Bands were the weapons of Captain Marvel from Captain Marvel #17 until his death in Marvel Graphic Novel #1. They were buried with him in his tomb until they were taken by Captain Atlas last issue. They were subsequently stolen by the Shi’ar in Avengers West Coast #81.
This will come back to bite Quasar in the ass, as Neutron will be rescued and brought to Earth by the Presence to get revenge in Quasar #45.
What Kayla doesn’t know is that she has been given the Star Brand, a powerful artifact from another universe. It was brought to this reality by our titular hero in Quasar #31 and unknowingly passed to her in that very same issue. Kayla won’t learn she has this power until issue #38 and won’t learn how until issue #49.
The Angler is targeting Kayla in convoluted plot to restore his lost humanity. See Quasar #51-52.
This rescuer is revealed to be Shatteraxe in Avengers #346.