Solo Avengers #19 — Nick Peron

Feb 8

Feb 8 Solo Avengers #19

1980s

Desert Doom

Investigating a series of bank robberies in the Los Angeles area, Hawkeye discovers that the culprit is the motorcycle riding villain known as the Orb. The villain gives Hawkeye a good chase deep into the Mojave Desert. Eventually, Clint manages to yank the Orb off his motorcycle by attaching a suction cup arrow to the Orb’s eyeball shaped helmet. However, this goofy headgear isn’t just for show. He manages to blast Hawkeye’s sky-cycle out of the sky with his eye-beam. Clint manages to bail out. Luckily, when the sky-cycle crashes into the ground it kicks up debris that strikes the Orb in the head, shattering his helmet and knocking him out.

With his foe down for the count, Clint now has to drag him back to civilization but doesn’t know where he is going. After hours of dragging the Orb under the punishing desert sun, Hawkeye tries to draw water from a cactus based on what he learned watching westerns growing up. However, he discovers that this is a myth. They eventually end up tumbling down a hill and find a bizarre metal dome has been constructed at its bottom. Finding a door inside, Hawkeye and the Orb are shocked to discover a lush jungle with free flowing water.

As the two drink from a river, the Orb decides to use this distraction to pull the gun hidden in his boot. However, he is grabbed by a tree loaded with massive fruits that have freakish faces growing on its crop and in the bark. Crying for help, the Orb is saved by Hawkeye, who then pulls him free. The pair are then ambushed by plant people who quickly restrain them and take them to their master, Plantman. Annoyed that these intruders have interrupted his work he orders them to be fed to a massive carnivorous plant.

Recurring Characters

Hawkeye, Orb, Plantman

Topical References

Hawkeye recalls westerns that starred Ronald Reagan. When he was an actor, Reagan was best known for his roles in westerns which were popular at the time of his career in Hollywood. This was used to make a joke about politics since Reagan had just ended his term as President of the United States when this story was published. As such this should be considered a topical reference.

The Vanities of Philip Whitehead

The Black Panther has gone on a vacation to the island of Mahkarra with his old university friend, poet Philip Whitehead. The pair are taking a break after T’Challa paid off Zambia’s debt to the World Bank as the country has been enduring a devastating drought. Philip has been struggling with new inspiration and wishes he lived a more adventurous life like the one that T’Challa leads.

On the flight back, their private plane explodes, forcing a water landing. Everyone gets to shore on a nearby island. While everyone sets up camp, Philip wanders off to write another poem. It’s here that T’Challa notices that the signs that something is about to happen. Looking for Philip, T’Challa begins cooking a herbal mixture over and open flame and tells him of a local legend. The people in this region would engage in an ancient ceremony where they would transfer their grievances into an ancient drum that becomes a receptor for all their pain and misery. Every decade, this receptor would manifest in the form of a supernatural beast and that it is for the king of Wakanda to defeat this monster.

In order to fight the monster, T’Challa has to drink a psychotropic mixture to be in the right level of consciousness to combat the beast. After drinking this potion, T’Challa changes into the Black Panther to face this monster. Not wanting to wait on the sidelines, Philip also imbibes the drug so he can help. In the ensuing battle, Philip puts his life in danger and needs to be saved by the Black Panther. Although the monster is slain, T’Challa was raked by the monster’s claws and a deadly poison is working its way through his bloodstream. Philip then sucks the poison out, ignoring the warning from his friend that to do so would be fatal.

Although T’Challa survives, Philip dies from the toxin. When T’Challa goes to visit Philip’s wife to tell her the bad news, she coldly dismisses her husband for foolishly wanting to play the hero and asks T’Challa to leave her alone.