Random Happenstance

I'm both completely fried and going through some nonsense real-life drama, much of which should be either completely wrapped up or exponentially worse by the time this posts; so better blog a nice relaxing book: from 2011, Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #15, "Back in Time" Written by Paul Tobin, pencils by Ronan Cliquet, inks by Amilton Santos.

In the tailend of the Marvel Adventures, there was more continuity in the stories, some including Spider-Man's girlfriend, Chat, who could speak with animals. While on vacation in Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie, she's enjoying a pleasant picnic with the local critters, when they are interrupted by first a flock of passenger pigeons, then Captain America!

Cap had been trailing a stolen plutonium shipment, to a secret research laboratory in the forest. He expected to find A.I.M. or the usual terrorist lunatics, but instead finds helpful genetic researchers. They had actually brought back several extinct species, like the passengers, dodos, and a quagga. Chat is somewhat dismayed to realize she can't really understand what the returned species were saying--"they were extinct. Their language died with them." Cap can relate to that: when he came out of the ice, people still spoke English, but just barely. Chat thinks the other animals might help the returned build a new language, if they don't mind a lot of words in wolf or something. 

 Unfortunately, the secret research lab was too good to be true: the scientists Cap spoke with had no idea about the plutonium theft, or why they would need that much. Enter the applied side of the program, working on an army of Neanderthal men. (They most resemble Moon Boy from Devil Dinosaur!) The Neanderthals may not have been acting naturally, having been bred for war, but they were unprepared for the army of animals Chat throws at them.

With no time to call for reinforcements before the bad scientist flees with the genetic research, Cap has to count on Chat, who steps up to provide distractions with her animal friends. A very angry Cap punches the bad guy the hell out, and the Neanderthals don't press the fight. Cap wonders if maybe they couldn't find new lives in the Savage Land, and Chat gets a cornball final zing on the baddie. 

 This may have been the last issue with the Marvel Adventures/Paul Tobin continuity with Chat, and sadly doesn't feature any Mini Marvels strips or anything. Still, a fun one, and I like the idea of passenger pigeons and all coming back: these were fun books, not ones where those animals would've died of modern smog instantly.