Battleground Earth

Searching for his missing girlfriend, Kayla Ballentine, Quasar now has to defend a North Carolina town from the massive form of an Antibody creature terrorizing the town. Although he no longer has his Quantum Bands, the hero believes that he can stop the rampage with the Star Brand.[1] However, this task proves easier said than done, as when he attacks the Antibody it splits in two.

Meanwhile, the nuclear powered Russian known as the Presence continues to drift aimlessly through the Quantum Zone after being abandoned there by Quasar some time ago.[2] Suddenly, a small portal opens and a hand reaches out to him. Hoping this is a way out, the Presence grabs hold and is yanked out of into normal space. His savior is the alien known as Neutron, a member of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard, who was stranded in the middle of space by Quasar not too long ago.[3] Learning how they were both stranded by the same man, both the Presence and Neutron agree to work together to get revenge. Able to propel them through space with his nuclear powers, the Presence starts heading back to Earth.

Back on Earth, Quasar’s battle with the Antibody rages on and he suddenly realizes that the creature was a foot-high entity he encountered in another universe not too long ago.[4] As he continues to try and contain the creature it suddenly breaks off into an army of duplicates.

At that same moment, Kayla Ballentine and Holly Steckley were attempting to escape the planet Scadam when their ship was captured by a massive world-sized vessel.[5] Wondering who their captors are, the two are shocked when a tall, lythe alien creature rips the door off their ship in order to get inside.[6]

By this time, the Presence and Neutron have arrived on Earth an ambush Quasar in the middle of his battle, knocking him out.

While back on Scadam, Kismet has been trying to track the source of alien power that defeated the Black Fleet that previously invaded the planet. She follows the source to the ship that abducted Kayla and Holly. However, before Kismet can catch up, the alien vessel jumps into a space warp and gets away.

Back on Earth, Neutron and the Presence are giving Quasar a beating, even going so far as to rip a handful of hair from the heroes scalp. With the situation growing out of control, Quasar attempts to call the Avengers for back-up but the Presence destroys his communicator before he can send out a distress call, much to Wendell’s annoyance. Tackling the Presence, Quasar carries him high into the atmosphere with Neutron and the Antibodies following after him. In the ensuing conflagration the Presence’s containment suit is ruptured causing a massive nuclear explosion that sends them all crashing back down to Earth. The land hard in a farmer’s field and as Quasar pulls himself out of the crater he is confronted by Doctor Druid and his Shock Troop.

Recurring Characters

Quasar, Kayla Ballentine, “Holly Steckley”, Kismet, Shock Troop (Doctor Druid, Shadowoman, Blazing Skull, Living Mummy), Antibody, the Presence, Neutron

Continuity Notes

1. Lots of stuff going on here all at once. Here are the details:

   • Quasar has gotten the Star Brand during an impromptu trip to the New Universe and used it to return home after getting lost in the omniverse as seen in Quasar #31.

   • Meanwhile, Quasar lost his Quantum Bands after accidentally nullifying himself with the Ultimate Nullifier, as seen in Infinity War #1-5 and Quasar #38-40.

   • What Quasar doesn’t know is that his Bands were transported to the embryonic sack of Origin and will not recover them until issue #47-48.

2. The Presence was dumped into the Quantum Zone back in Quasar #20.

3. Quasar left Neutron in the middle of nowhere in Quasar #33.

4. That was the New Universe again in issue #31. The Antibody hitched a ride back to Quasar’s universe and later bonded with Quagmire in Quasar #36.

5. Kayla and Holly had been stranded on Scadam since they were kidnapped by the Chief Examiner back in Quasar #37. This was in the hopes of tapping the power of the Star Brand and stave off an invasion from the Black Fleet.

6. Unidentified by name here, this alien is a member of the enigmatic group called the Dance, last seen in Solo Avengers #18.