Amazing Adventures Vol 2 15

 ... death is the reward for incompetence in the Secret Empire! 

—Number One

Appearing in "Murder in Mid-Air!"

Featured Characters:

• ⏴ Beast (Henry McCoy) ⏵ (Main story and recap)

Supporting Characters:

• ⏴ Patsy Walker ⏵
• ⏴ Angel (Warren Worthington III) ⏵
• United States Air Force / Brand Corporation
  • ⏴ Buzz Baxter ⏵

Antagonists:

• Secret Empire
  • ⏴ Number Nine (Linda Donaldson) ⏵ (Main story and recap)
  • Griffin (John Horton) ⏵ (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
  • Number One ⏵ (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
  • Number Fifteen (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
  • Number Twelve (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
  • Number Three ⏵ (First appearance) (Only in flashback)

Other Characters:

• Iron Man (Anthony Stark) (Only in recap)
• Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde) (Only in recap)
• Quasimodo (Only in recap)
• X-Men
  • ⏴ Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) ⏵ (Cameo)
  • ⏴ Professor X (Charles Xavier) ⏵ (Cameo)
  • ⏴ Cyclops (Scott Summers) ⏵ (Cameo)
• ⏴ Vera Cantor ⏵ (Shadow only)
• Avengers (Mentioned) (Only in recap)
• The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Mentioned) (Only in recap)
• Magneto (Max Eisenhardt) (Referenced)
• Sauron (Karl Lykos) (Referenced)
• Factor Three (Referenced)
• Carl Maddicks (Mentioned)
• Greta Garbo (Topical Reference) (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

• Mutants (Main story and recap)
• Humans (Main story and recap)
• Robots (Only in recap)

Locations:

• Earth (Main story and recap)
  • North America (Main story and recap)
    • United States of America (Main story and recap)
      • New York (Main story and recap)
        • New York City (Main story and recap)
        • Westchester County
          • North Salem
            • Salem Center
              • Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
        • Long Island (Main story and recap)
          • Brand Corporation Laboratories (Main story and recap)
      • Louisiana (Only in flashback)
        • New Orleans (Only in flashback)
      • Chicago (Mentioned)

Items:

• Iron Man Armor Model 3 (Only in recap)

Synopsis for "Murder in Mid-Air!"

Continued from last issue....

Injured during his battle against Quasimodo, the Beast stumbles to the apartment shared with Patsy Walker and her husband Buzz. Only Patsy is home, and she takes the wounded Beast to her couch and administers first aid. In a delirious state the Beast reveals that he is really Hank McCoy and explains the series of events that led to him being turned into the Beast. While explaining that he was injured while fighting Quasimodo, Beast considers the idea that he is continuing to mutate.

Awakening, the Beast realizes that his fur has now turned black and tries to flee the scene despite Patsy's insistence that he stay and rest. Before he can bolt out the door, Patsy calls Beast by his real name causing him to pause when he considers the fact that she knows his secret identity. While at the X-Mansion in Westchester, Angel is concerned about Hank's well being after reading a report of the Beast sightings at the Brand Corporation compound and Hank's continued refusal to meet with the rest of the X-Men. Despite Professor X's attempts to get Warren to leave Hank to sort out his own issues, Warren decides to investigate the situation and flies off to the Brand Corporation.

Meanwhile, Beast has left Patsy's apartment and is thinking about his conversation with her and the deal they made when he is attacked by a new villain known as the Griffin. As the two beast-men battle each other, the Angel arrives and wonders who he should aid, if anyone at all in this fight. As Hank continues to fight the Griffin, he notices Warren watching the fight and wonders why his former comrade is not lending a helping hand in the fight. Warren realizes who's the bad guy too late when the Griffin is knocked near Angel and tries to take the winged mutant out with a punch, sending him off the side of the building and forcing the Beast to go to his rescue while the Griffin escapes. When Warren revives later, Beast reveals himself as Hank McCoy, much to Angel's surprise. The two friends return to Hank's apartment where the two conceal their mutant nature and Hank asks Warren to help him out with his current dilemma with Buzz Baxter. They two leave in a cab just as Vera arrives once more in another vain attempt to get a hold of Hank.

While Linda Donaldson reports to her master, who turns out to be Number 1 of the Secret Empire. Linda is angered that the Empire continues to send in other operatives to interfere with her mission. Just then the Griffin enters the room, infuriating Linda further because Griffin's broad-daylight entry could blow her cover. The Griffin complains how he was just a simple hood who had visions of being a supervillain however got more than he bargained for when the Empire hired him and converted them into their super-operative by surgically grafting animal parts onto him, turning him into the Griffin. Linda is less than interested in listening to Griffin's gripes, before turning her attention to spying on the meeting between Buzz and Hank McCoy.

When Hank arrives at Buzz's office with Warren, Hank tells Buzz that he was lying about his whereabouts, because Warren had come into town to discuss a class reunion. Explaining that his lie about being with Linda the whole night was to cover for the fact that Warren and Hank were having an argument over a woman while out for dinner and that he didn't want to mention the incident in earshot from Linda. Buzz finds this story hard to believe when Patsy suddenly pipes up and corroborates the story, telling him that he saw the incident on a night when she went out for dinner on her own. While finding Hank's story fishy, he still can't bring himself not to trust his wife and decides to accept the story, but tells Hank that he knows something is up and will keep a close eye on him.

Doffing their disguises, Hank and Warren head back to Hank's apartment when they are once more attacked by the Griffin. The two X-Men fight the Griffin across the Brand Corporation building until Hank finds a way to defeat the Griffin: While fighting the villain in midair, Hank pins his wings, causing the Griffin to fall to the ground. Stunned from the fall, the Griffin is then knocked out by punch delivered from Warren. The two mutants then flee the scene as the authorities arrive and apprehend the Griffin. After returning to Hank's home and resuming their disguises, Hank thanks Warren for coming by and helping him against the Griffin. They part on good terms, Warren agreeing to let Hank be his own person but tells his friend not to hesitate to call on his friends the X-Men if he should ever need help.

Deciding to go to the library, Hank is checking out Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when he is surprised by the arrival of Vera who has finally managed to catch up with Hank.

This story is continued next issue....

Notes

See Also

• 4 image(s) from Amazing Adventures Vol 2 15
• 3 reprint(s) of Amazing Adventures Vol 2 15

Links and References

References