MARVEL TEAM-UP #9

"The Tomorrow War!"

• Writer: Gerry Conway
• Artist: Ross Andru
• Inker: Frank Bolle
• Print Date: May, 1973

Featuring:

Plot Summary:

This issue declares itself to be "the birthplace of yet another slab of instant Marvel history!" Bold prediction. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that this issue is not going to live up to its billing. Wow, I'm not even off the first page, and I'm already being snarky.

We open with a shot of Avengers' HQ being shaken by a localized earthquake. This shocks one officer so much that he literally draws his sidearm and rushes Avengers HQ with the intent of demanding an explanation. I would've liked to have seen how that played out. What happens instead is that, in view of the officers and other shocked spectators, Avengers HQ vanishes for a split second and then re-appears.

Iron Man arrives on the scene to investigate, so naturally, our gun-happy officer demands an explanation from him. Instead of providing answers, Iron Man announces his intent to enter Avengers HQ to find out the why and how of things. His advance is thwarted by an invisible force field that is (presumably) surrounding the headquarters.

Meanwhile, not very far awake, Peter Parker watches a news report live from Avengers Mansion. A reporter describes it as a scene of incredible violence as Iron Man tries to force his way through a force field. Apparently, one character slamming himself again and again into an invisible wall counts as 'incredible violence' on the streets of New York. After a brief argument with his roommate Harry, Peter decides to head to the scene to lend a hand.

Spider-Man shows up to watch Iron Man futilely try to break through the force field. Iron Man does not appreciate Spider-Man presence on the scene and says "This is my concern, Spider-Man... Not yours" and declares that he doesn't need Spider-Man's help. While the two bicker, a hole literally opens in the force field allowing them entry.

Now, I'm trying to picture how someone would see a hole opening in an invisible force field. I've got nothing. Let's just say it happened and move on.

Weirdly, instead of leaping through the visible hole onto Avengers' HQ grounds, the pair leaps through the hole and find themselves in some sort of limbo. Spider-Man and Iron Man land on some sort of metal platform just floating in space and spot two spaceships buzzing about firing lasers at each other. Let me tell you, this is as confusing to read as it is to describe. One spaceship blasts the other to pieces and lands on the platform. Piloting the ship is "Zarrko, The Tomorrow Man" and he wants to talk to Iron Man and Spider-Man. According to the footnotes, Zarrko previously appeared in Thor #102 just in case you want to go back and read up on the past history of this compelling (sarcasm) character.

Without much by way of explanation, Zarrko says he is battling their mutual enemy. He takes Spider-Man and Iron Man aboard his ship and heads forward in time to Zarrko's era - the twenty-third century! Zarrko says that the Avengers are being held in a massive citadel in the middle of the city of New York in this era (up till now, we, the readers, had no idea that the Avengers were missing/kidnapped). Zarrko drops off Spider-Man and Iron Man who immediately begin to assault the fortress.

You would think that might want to run some reconnaissance, study up on the enemy's technologies, or even verify Zarrko's claim. I mean, some stranger plucks them out of limbo, takes them to the future, and says "Hey, your friends are being held here", so Spider-Man and Iron Man just take his word at face value and go on the offensive?

Spider-Man and Iron Man take out the guards outside of the building, blast their way through a massive front door, and take out another bunch of guards riding flying scooters inside the building. They're finally confronted by a massive robot which shatters Iron Man's batteries and part of his chest plate with a single blow. As Iron Man cobbles together some temporary repairs on his armor (and makes sure his chest plate keeps his heart beating), Spider-Man single-handedly takes down the robot. Then they continue on to an inner chamber.

Outside, Zarrko appears to be a lot less benevolent. He celebrates at Spider-Man and Iron Man's triumph over the guards outside and that the citadel's defenses are crushed. He declares that he will take over the stronghold and control its use before heading inside.

Unaware of this development, Spider-Man and Iron Man finally break into the inner chamber. There they find the Avengers being held prisoner and their captor - Kang, The Conqueror! Before either of the heroes can move, Kang blasts them into unconsciousness. Zarrko arrives and announces his intention to use Kang's fortress in the 23rd century as a base to assault the year 1973!