Speedball in the MC2

 

Now that I’ve started, I can’t stop. After covering Justice in the MC2 and Firestar beforehand, I’ve gotten a taste for covering the former members of the New Warriors, so today I wanted to show some love for everyone’s favourite heroic bouncing ball of energy, Robert ‘Robbie’ Baldwin aka Speedball in the MC2.

 

While he made his first published appearance in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22, Speedball’s origin is depicted in his solo title with Speedball #1 wherein Robbie is accidentally exposed to energy from an other-dimensional source while working at a science lab which gifts him his kinetic energy abilities. Eventually, Speedball teams up with other young heroes Marvel Boy (later known as Justice), Nova, Namorita, Firestar and Night Thrasher as the New Warriors beginning with their formation in Mighty Thor #411.

 

Now let’s jump ahead to the look at Speedball in the MC2. While Robbie’s first MC2 appearance is in What If #105 as a cameo which depicts Speedball as member of the new Avengers when Peter Parker comes seeking aid.

 

However, in terms of chronology this brief cameo of Robbie would seem to take place shortly after the events of A-Next #1, wherein we see the formation of this next generation of Avengers. Robbie is revealed to have been a former member of the Avengers, but now mostly prefers to be a solo act and so declines membership in this nascent team. While he’s not actually seen in the pages of A-Next #7, we learn that following the tragic final mission of the original Avengers (which claimed the lives of Robbie’s fellow former New Warriors Firestar and Justice) a new team formed and operated in their wake before eventually falling apart.

 

Next showing up in Spider-Girl #15, Robbie teams up with the titular web-head to battle the malleable villain (and avid DC Comics collector) known as Mr Abnormal. While we don’t learn a great deal about Robbie in this issue, we do get to see him in action solo and learn that he is a well-respected superhero by this point in his career.

 

Later, we learn from the Steel Spider (Ollie Osnick) that he had been a member of the team of Avengers who assembled after the aforementioned original team’s membership was nearly all killed. In addition to the Steel Spider, this ‘interim’ Avengers team included Jolt, Jubilee, fellow New Warrior Nova and, of course, Speedball (Spider-Girl #32).

 

We don’t see Robbie again on-panel in the MC2 until the events of Last Hero Standing, when Speedball is one of the many heroes who gather at Avengers Compound to investigate the disappearances of various other super heroes.  Here, he and former team mate Nova are briefly seen as they prepare to head out on a mission to rule out former New Warrior foe Terrax, joined by Bluestreak and Argo in the process (Last Hero Standing #2). Off-panel their mission is a dead end and at some point Nova is captured and ensnared by the dark magical influence of Loki, before being sent to stir up conflict between the assembled heroes. Despite this, no other members of this team appear to have been influenced by Loki, including Speedball (Last Hero Standing #3-#4).   

Speedball doesn’t actually appear on-panel for his final cameo appearance, instead his energy matrix duplicate created by the magic of Sylene makes an appearance in Avengers Next #4-#5, indicating that Robbie Baldwin fell victim to this spell before the Avengers managed to save the day.

 

 It’s nice to see that some of the younger heroes of the Marvel Universe like Speedball rose to prominence in their later careers within the MC2 even if others like Firestar and Justice met an untimely end. I like to think that Robbie joined the ‘interim’ Avengers team alongside Nova in honour of their fallen friends. It’s very interesting to me that Speedball generally shies away from working in a team in his adult life, almost certainly a reaction to this loss and perhaps additional unseen events which led to the collapse of this Avengers team.

 

Until I master the art of throwing myself violently at objects without doing any harm, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Justice in the MC2

As part of my endless delving into the obscure and wonderful characters of the MC2, today I’m going to take a look at the leader of the New Warriors and the Avengers teammate, the long-time love interest of Firestar. Yes, this post is about the telekinetic mutant hero Vance Astrovik aka Justice in the MC2.

While the older alternate reality 30^th century future Guardians of the Galaxy counterpart to Justice known as Major Vance Astro first appeared in Marvel Super Heroes #18, it wasn’t until Giant-Size Defenders #5 that the Main Marvel Universe Vance Astrovik debuted as a teenager. Due to encountering his older time-travelling self (twice!), not only did Vance’s life take a different path, but his telepathic abilities emerged earlier (Marvel Two in One #69).

 

Eventually, Vance becomes his own hero as Marvel Boy and later Justice, joining the New Warriors along the way. But it was his eventual membership as an Avenger that we will be discussing today, particularly as it relates to the History of the MC2 Avengers. As I’ve detailed in previous posts, it appears the events surrounding Heroes Reborn and Heroes Return unfolded in the MC2 just as they had in the Main Marvel Universe. However, with the start of the third volume of the Avengers series, it becomes less clear how closely the two worlds mirror each other after this point. What is likely is that in the MC2, the Avengers team reformed much as they had in Avengers vol. 3 #1-4 with Justice and his fiancé Firestar joining the group officially in Avengers vol. 3 #4.

 

 

 I mention all this to lend context to the limited information we have available regarding Justice in the MC2. In the Main Marvel Universe, Justice (alongside Firestar) received a new costume designed by fellow Avenger Janet Van Dyne aka The Wasp in Avengers (vol. 3) #8.

 

As I’ve discussed previously, we know the original Avengers team’s last mission was nearly 12 years prior to the events of A-Next #1, as mentioned by Jarvis when he recounts the details to the new Avengers. Both Firestar and Justice are seen amongst the assembled Avengers during the flashback where it is decided the team must venture through the portal to the alternate world to halt Doom’s multiversal threat. While it is difficult to discern from this cameo, Justice appears to be wearing the Van Dyne-designed Avengers-era costume mentioned above, so we know he was by that point in time a well-established member, either one who was on the then-current roster or simply returning for this major emergency summons (A-Next #7).

 

 

Justice was among the first who agreed to embark on the grave mission which saw only seven members return through the portal. While we don’t get a 100% confirmation, it’s assumed Vance Astrovik died along with almost all of the Avengers who went on this final mission, including his lover Firestar. Despite the sobering tragedy of such a massive loss, the team did succeed in saving their Earth from the threat of Doom (A-Next #7).

 

While I believe it’s extremely unlikely that either Justice or Firestar are somehow alive on the alternate Earth ruled by Doom, it should be noted that the reports of Captain America’s death were greatly exaggerated as revealed in A-Next #10. It’s such a huge tragedy that both these young heroes gave their lives for the cause, especially as they were engaged or had even married by this point. Sadly, we’ll probably never know.

 

Until I meet my future self who has not only been in suspended animation for centuries but also travelled back in time, I remain

 

frogoat

 

The Drago Family Tree

 

Today I present another MC2 Family Tree, this time a smaller one but still one directly connected to both of the most recent entries, the Allan Family Tree and the Osborn Family Tree. For this entry, we take a look at the Drago Family Tree.

 

Let’s start at the beginning with Raniero “Blackie” Drago who first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #48. As a fellow inmate and cellmate of Adrian Toomes aka The Vulture, Blackie Drago failed to uncover the location of Toomes’ hidden set of Vulture wings so instead arranged an accident to try to force Toomes to divulge the location on his seeming deathbed. The ploy worked and Drago quickly made his escape from prison and made use of the Toomes’ wings to begin a crime spree. Defeating a sickly Spider-Man, Drago was quickly trapped by Kraven the Hunter, who resented this new Vulture for defeating the web-head before him. Defeated when a recovered Spider-Man tricking the two foes, Blackie was arrested and returned to jail (Amazing Spider-Man #49).

 

Blackie wouldn’t stay in jail for long though as in Amazing Spider-Man #63, a very much alive Adrian Toomes busts him out of jail, forces him to suit back up in the wings just so they can battle it out to determine who kept the mantle of the Vulture. Soundly defeated by Toomes, Drago was captured by police and swore off using the wings ever again. This turned out to be true as Blackie Drago hasn’t been seen as the Vulture since.

 It’s worth noting that despite only having his real first name revealed in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover years after the MC2’s divergence from his 616 counterpart, I can include ‘Raniero’ in the Drago Family Tree due to its inclusion in Raptor’s own profile entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update #3. Which brings me to the next family member…

 

Brenda Drago is the daughter of Raniero ‘Blackie’ Drago, first appearing in Spider-Girl #18 wherein the Daily Bugle dubbed her the ‘Sky Bandit’ following a score of robberies and burglaries. At the time Brenda was in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend Tony, who had converted the Vulture technology to enable Brenda to follow in her father’s footsteps. During her crime spree as Raptor, Brenda dropped a courier from several stories up in an attempt to obtain a case of gemstones he was transporting, leaving the man crippled. Brenda was captured by the combined efforts of The Buzz and Spider-Girl.

 

On her way to court, Brenda was freed on the orders of the villain Funny Face and recruited into his Savage Six team. Sent to defeat Spider-Girl as Raptor, instead Brenda found herself quickly defeated and left webbed up for the police (Spider-Girl #25). Escaping, Brenda attempted to make amends for her past deeds by stealing food and leaving it for the family of the courier she had previously disabled (Spider-Girl #28). Alongside Spider-Girl and The Buzz, Brenda came into conflict with the Avengers. It’s here we learn about Brenda’s childhood: ‘Her father was a career criminal who clothed himself in lies. Her mother was an alcoholic who could only be depended on to be undependable.’ (Spider-Girl #30-31)

 Realising she was genuinely trying to make amends, Spider-Girl with the encouragement and assistance of the recently reformed Normie Osborn helps Brenda to navigate the legal system with an aim of getting a pardon (Spider-Girl #34). During this time, Normie and Brenda grew close and began dating, but the District Attorney seemed determined to have Brenda do jail time (Spider-Girl #34, #37, #44, #49-#50).

 

Brenda also joined a new version of the New Warriors organised by Spider-Girl to end a deadly crime war between The Kingpin and Canis (Spider-Girl #42). However, when Spider-Girl allowed Angel Face and Funny Face to escape in exchange for promising to stop their criminal activities, the Warriors decided to go on without the webhead, with Raptor herself letting Spider-Girl know she’d screwed up (Spider-Girl #43-#44). Despite her loyalty to Spider-Girl, Raptor continued to serve with Warriors (Spider-Girl #46) until turning herself over to the authorities (Spider-Girl #50).

Once taken to prison, Brenda was recruited by Special Agent Arthur Weadon to join an experimental team of reformed supervillains employed as agents of the government to earn their freedom rather than serving jail time (Spider-Girl #52) Initially unable to make contact with Normie, Brenda alongside her new teammates was mistaken for participants in a new crime war by Spider-Girl. When Normie is targeted and nearly killed, Brenda is devastated that she is unable to visit him in hospital, convincing Spider-Girl of her intent and sincerity when she professes her love for him (Spider-Girl #65). After helping to end the crime war, Brenda is finally able to visit Normie during his recovery up until his discharge when she realizes she wants to ask him to marry her (Spider-Girl #66-#67, #72).

 

Unfortunately, Normie calls things off without explaining his reasons to Brenda and shortly after Elan DeJunae announces herself as Normie’s wife (Spider-Girl #73). While it’s soon revealed that the marriage was arranged by the late Norman Osborn while the two were children and not legally binding, Brenda’s team is caught up in a conflict involving the Black Tarantula and Lady Octopus alongside Spider-Girl (Spider-Girl #77-#78). When Elan as Fury the Goblin Queen kidnaps Normie and attempts to expose him to the Goblin Formula, Brenda teams up with Spider-Girl to save him (Spider-Girl #79). Shortly afterwards Normie and Brenda announce they are engaged to be married (Spider-Girl #81).

 

At the couple’s engagement party, Brenda witnesses the return of Fury the Goblin Queen, who forces the Venom Symbiote to bond to Normie, transforming him into a new Venom. Caught by surprise, Brenda is unable to do anything to prevent Fury and Venom escaping. Brenda rallies with the Avengers to launch a manhunt, only to learn that Spider-Girl has saved Normie. Normie tells Brenda the symbiote has been dealt with, secretly keeping the surviving alien bonded to himself (Spider-Girl #82-#84).

Brenda is happy to have Normie back but is not told the details of his plan to move up their wedding date and secure their financial independence (Spider-Girl #85). Brenda is impressed by Normie’s newfound confidence as he assumes an active role at his family’s company, Osborn Corporation, but becomes somewhat concerned witnessing him order the creation of new Goblin equipment -actually intended to empower friend Phil Urich (Spider-Girl #86).

 

These two things come to a head when Weadon orders Brenda to spy on her fiancé due to concerns his reason actions mean he’s considering a return to crime. Upset about being placed in this position, Brenda attempts to talk to her teammate Kaine but ends up witnessing him having a precognitive vision about Spider-Girl. With Kaine’s belief she is in danger he is motivated to find Spider-Girl, with Raptor accompanying him. When the symbiote-disguised Normie appears on the scene, Raptor attacks him believing him to be the Venom who attacked Normie. When Normie reveals he is in control of the symbiote, Brenda becomes distraught at the thought the two of them will never again be free (Spider-Girl #93).

The situation causes conflict between the couple, but the arrival of the Avengers on the orders of Tony Stark quickly escalates matters. The Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man and Hawkeye are joined by Stark's 'personal bodyguard'  James Rhodes on a mission to investigate and apprehend Normie Osborn. Things go awry when Rhodes (now more machine than man) is inadvertently hit by a hex bolt from the Scarlet Witch, triggering a violent rampage. As Raptor, Brenda is among the gathered heroes who attempt to stop the nanite-driven Rhodes’ rampage. Ultimately, Normie and the symbiote play a vital role in saving the day before placing himself into Raptor’s custody (Spider-Girl #93-#95).

Meeting with Special Agent Arthur Weadon, Normie makes it clear he is willingly volunteering the symbiote and himself to Weadon’s super-team in exchange for Brenda’s pardon (Spider-Girl #96).  While Brenda is angry about this turn of events, Normie promises they will ensure he has more freedom than she had working for Weadon and that they also need to plan for their wedding (Spider-Girl #97).

Things take a dark turn when the Brotherhood of Scriers hire the original Hobgoblin to kill Spider-Girl. Aiming to remove her support structure, the Hobgoblin targets Spider-Girl’s closest allies, including Raptor who is brutally beaten and left tied to a fence (Spider-Girl #98). Brenda is rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after which Normie asks Brenda to stop being Raptor and the two move up wedding ceremony to later that same night (Spider-Girl #99). Learning he has an opportunity to avenge Brenda, Normie joins the fight against a team of Scriers and the Hobgoblin, eventually losing the Venom symbiote when it dies protecting Spider-Girl. Fortunately, Normie returns in time and he and Brenda Drago are wed in a small ceremony at the hospital (Spider-Girl #100).

Brenda and Normie go on an extended honeymoon in Europe, only returning to New York in Amazing Spider-Girl #15, where they learn the news of Benjy Parker having lost his hearing following an attack by the Carnage Symbiote. Brenda suggests Normie try and help using his connections through medical research at the Osborn Corporation, which eventually results in Benjy’s hearing being restored through an experimental process.

 

Later, Brenda noticed Normie has been stressed since returning from their honeymoon, often disappearing to his basement laboratory. While Brenda believes he is concerned about Fury’s escape from prison, he assures her he isn’t worried and that he is simply working on a project with Peter Parker. In fact, Normie is troubled by a recently discovered clone of May found while abroad. The lie doesn’t last long, as the clone May escapes and Brenda finds Normie knocked unconscious in his lab after which he comes clean and admits it’s part of a mad plan by his grandfather (Amazing Spider-Girl #23-#24).

Working with Kaine and Darkdevil, Normie and Brenda learn that Peter Parker was kidnapped by Fury the Goblin Queen on his way to meet them. With the situation dire, Brenda suits up as Raptor once more to help the others, teaming with the Green Goblin to confront Fury, only for her to escape. Normie decides to exchange himself for Peter, but finds he is too late: Peter Parker is now inhabited by the mind of his grandfather Norman Osborn. With the Norman-possessed Peter bonding with the hybrid symbiote-clone May to become Goblin God, Brenda and the others desperately try to save Mary Jane and Benjy from his clutches, holding him off long enough for Peter, Spider-Girl and her clone to break free and defeat Norman once and for all (Amazing Spider-Girl #25-#30).

After this, we don’t see Brenda Drago again beyond a cameo or two, effectively ending her chronicled journey and with it, the Drago Family Tree. If you feel I’ve missed anything or have any comments please let me know. I very much enjoy producing these Family Tree posts, but they are extremely time consuming so some feedback is always appreciated.

 

Until I find another excuse to write the name ‘Drago’ without referencing Rocky, I remain

 

frogoat