Random Happenstance

Some time back, we checked out the hundredth issue of Alpha Flight, which I mainly remember for a random alien thug gnawing on She-Hulk. Still, that makes more sense than Moloids chewing on the Thing, on the cover of today's book! From 2012, Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #23, featuring "King of the Mole Men" Written by Brian Reed, pencils by Ray-Anthony Height, inks by Walden Wong; and "The Rise and Fall of the Super-Skrull" Written by Mark Sable, pencils by Tim Levins, inks by Jaime Mendoza.

In the lead story, the Mole Man's Moloids are swarming the Baxter Building, but not to attack: the Mole Man had gone missing, and he had left orders if something like that happened, Ben Grimm's your new king. The Moloids seem harmless enough, so Ben stays behind with his new servants while the rest of the Four head to Monster Island to try and figure out what happened. Despite the Moloids' sandwich-making skills, it doesn't take Ben long to realize it's a trick: they were a distraction, so the Mole Man could trap and destroy the rest of the team! He has them right where he wants them, until Ben shows up to turn it around.

The second story, "The Rise and Fall of the Super-Skrull" bites off way more than it can chew in nine pages; as we meet the Super-Skrull's family, see him foiled by a bit from a Star Trek episode, get trapped in Reed Richard's form by a Hyperwave Bomb Reed had just lying around, get thrown in Skrull jail, face Galactus, and get thrown back in Skrull jail! Also, the Silver Surfer cameos as a surprisingly willing-sounding herald, telling the Skrulls to suck it up and get eaten with some dignity. Well, I quite liked the first story, anyway.