Someday a Marvel movie will end with the Snarks or Friday showing up, and the true heads will lose it.

I was pleasantly surprised that I liked Eternals when it got to Disney+. While I think it maybe could've used a bit more of the bombast and color of the classic Kirby art; there is a bit more characterization and plotline; and since they didn't all have the laundry list of powers they had in the comics, they were more vulnerable as well. (As in, not unstoppable, unkillable tanks!) 

A mild spoiler: not all of the Eternals make it to the end, but I was surprised that one did, who I thought wouldn't cost out. She was basically Wonder Woman with early-onset dementia; and I hope she shows up again! But two characters I also didn't expect to show up in the MCU appear at the end: somehow I managed to avoid spoilers on that one, or I saw it and pushed it out of my skull...not these characters anyway. Not yet! From 1989, Power Pack #50, "Friday's Children" Written by Jon Bogdanove, pencils by Tod Smith, inks by Mike Manley and Al Williamson.

The Power Pack--with Franklin Richards--had finished one adventure only to immediately start another: their Kymellian friend Kofi returns, to enlist their help. The smartship Friday, that originally gave the Powers' their powers, was gravely ill; and Kofi thought they could help. Somehow, the Power kids are able to talk their parents into letting them zip off into space for a couple days--it seems weird to the kids, that they're being reasonable-slash-borderline negligent. I don't think we see Franklin call his folks, but for him even at that age going into space was probably like going to the 7/11. They arrive too late, though: Friday's "spark" has gone out, the smartship is dead.

After an interlude with the Snarks' Queen Mother looking to drop some serious quatloos on a doomsday weapon (that's two Star Trek references and a Transformers one so far!) the kids are not keeping it together at Friday's funeral, jumping on the coffin and wailing. Of course it works, rekindling what lifeforce the ship had left. Meanwhile, the Queen Mother checks out the "Galactus-matic DLX" at the dealership--hey, that's just the Doomsday Machine from the Star Trek episode of the same name! They even name-check the neutronium hull! (The dealer, Crazy Freddie, admits they did lose one of those things, when somebody accidentally left one on automatic.) The test-drive goes well: "Note the smooth trigger-action, the maniacal feeling of power!" Until the Queen Mother blows up Crazy Freddie's asteroid dealership. Arms sales seem tricky!

Back on the Kymellians' orbital habitat, the kids can't help but pick up on the bad vibes: they had accidentally blown up their homeworld with anti-matter power, which necessitated their new home. Old folks that remembered things like skies and grass were pretty depressed, while most everyone else was pacified by technology. They also meet, somewhat unwillingly, the Kymellians' own super-horses--er, heroes; Force 4. Kids with powers were raised by the state and treated like superstars, so they were dicks, except for their leader Ghostmare. She had phasing powers, and an affinity for nature her people didn't share anymore. But she does look forward to meeting them in battle!

Battle? It's supposed to be more like training: the argument is, since the Powers got their powers from Kymellians, they were responsible for teaching them how to best use them. Alex thinks it's unnecessary, they had been doing fine on their own, and was also upset that it was a spectator sport in a stadium. Of course there's some anti-earther sentiment to boot, those that felt they shouldn't even have Kymellian powers. Predictably, the kids are curb-stomped the first round; until their wild card, Franklin, is able to use his powers to distract one and turn the tide. Since they are kids, they're also going to play as rough as they're played with: the adults are predictably aghast, but later Force 4 apologizes: they were following orders and were sorry. 

Increasingly disillusioned, the kids then get to see Friday installed into a new smartship body--new and improved, with much more weaponry. Kofi's father tells them their "rapport" with Friday wasn't special, it was merely following programming; but also has another revelation: the Powers no longer have to worry about their parents freaking out. He had altered their personalities slightly, to be suggestable to whatever the kids told them: if they wanted to stay up late, have ice cream for dinner, or go into space; the folks would nod and agree. The Powers, and Kofi, are furious--OK, honestly I could see Jack being completely on board with that, he could be a bit of a stinker.

While the kids smash some furniture, Friday realizes she does care for them, and could not simply be property: her former captain, Whitey, had freed her from restrictions and directives. She breaks free, gathering up the kids and Power Pack's newest member: Kofi, who no longer feels like he belongs with his people. They take off, with the Kymellians trying to track them, but there was a sudden interference: the Queen Mother's arrival, as she appears to destroy the Kymellian sun...! 

 This was a double-sized issue, and a dense, and wordy, one. I was also surprised to see Bogdanove as writer instead of artist; I think he would write a couple more and do a bit more art later.