I have survived. Though I found myself in mortal danger, I live on. After a near-fatal Funko Pop avalanche, I crawled out from beneath the collectible rubble to press on and give you my comprehensive look back at “Death’s Head II” #2 by Marvel Comics. Only light injuries were sustained. (So…..much…..Disney….! I only slightly blame Mrs. Symbifan for her addiction. I have also been advised to tell you that I collect Funkos too and should probably just shut my trap. ) Moving on…..
It is the year 1992 and lightning strikes ominously as the Minion cyborg suddenly appears in a grungy back alley in New York City. Energy crackles from his metallic form as he constructs a deadly weapon out of the liquid metal in his right arm by sheer will. The cyborg is now ready to continue its mission. It will kill and assimilate the mind of one Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four! At that exact moment, Mr. Richards sits in a fancy, French restaurant, awaiting the arrival of his lovely wife, Sue. He looks up as the waiter appears with a phone. Mr. Fantastic takes it with a small thank you and answers. It’s Sue. It seems that she’ll be late for the date as she’s currently being held up at a charity event. He replies for her to take her time as he hangs up, amused. For once, she’s the late party. (For those of you that don’t know, Reed’s a crappy husband. He’d rather invent new technologies than satisfy his wife’s needs. Now, the sexy, aquatic monarch, Namor, wants Sue for his very own. So, emotionally cold but genius husband, or kingly and powerful bad boy. Let’s take a vote. Come on, ladies!)
Reed raised his water glass to his lips to drink, but is interrupted by the sudden appearance of a sexy, redhead dressed in strange garb and toting an enormous gun! She tells him that she’s Dr. Evelyn Necker from the year 2020 and that to live, he must do exactly as she says! Before Richards can question her further, Minion enters the restaurant, tossing staff aside like rag dolls as it advances on his target! Minion fires! But Necker pulls Reed to the floor and returns fire! She connects, stunning the powerful construct momentarily! She then rises to her feet to fire a killing shot! But this opportunity is taken away from her as Mr. Fantastic pulls the rifle from her grasp! He demands she stop firing in such a confined place with civilians present and that they take this fight elsewhere. Begrudgingly, she complies. Minion continuse to open fire as they race out the door! (Well, Necker had Minion dead to rights, but Mr. Goody-two-shoes had to ruin it. And the award for dumbass of the year goes to……) Forcing a cabbie from his vehicle, they get in and race off! But the cyborg won’t be dismissed so easily. It leaps and drops in front of the cab! Richards hits the gas, hitting Minion full force! Seconds pass and Minion rises from the street with a slightly annoyed look.
As the vehicle races through New York traffic, the Minion cyborg follows, running at super velocity! Cracking the pavement beneath its powerful footfall, it nearly catches up! And all the while, it fires blast after blast at the fleeing duo! As Reed tries to out-maneuver the shots, he demands an explanation from Necker. She reveals that it’s out to murder him and then absorb his superior intellect. How does she know this? Because she programmed it! It’s already done so with over one hundred victims, but it’s been acting uncontrollable since killing and absorbing the mind of the robotic Death’s Head. Just then, Minion catches up to the cab! But before it can attack, Richards sideswipes it into a lamppost and it tumbles into a store window! Glass explodes everywhere! The now-damaged cab speeds away! (Damn! Maybe old Reed needs to be taught a lesson by Minion. I mean, look at the mess he’s creating! Move the fight away from innocent bystanders my ass! Superheroes. Am I right?) Back in A.I.M. headquarters in the year 2020, a young man named Spratt, a sometimes-sidekick to Death’s Head, walks through the advanced lab, seemingly undetected as an outsider. He wears the uniform of a lowly A.I.M agent as he pushes Death’s Head’s remains down an empty corridor. As he walks, he vows to bring his friend back, no matter the cost!
Meanwhile, at the Fantastic Four’s base of operations, the Thing passes by a television set and happens to see the news as a frantic reporter recounts the recent events involving Mr. Fantastic, an unknown redheaded woman, and a superpowered attacker! Shocked, the Thing readies himself for action! As this is going on, Sue has finally arrived at the restaurant only to see the carnage! She pleads with the waiter as to her husband’s whereabouts! The man replies nervously about the pretty woman and the robotic assailant. (Ooooooh! Reed’s gonna be in trouble! Hehehe! Sorry. That was very juvenile of me…..He’s gonna get it! Hehehe!) Back to the action! Necker retrieves her firearm only to see that it’s damaged beyond repair. So instead, she throws an explosive at the gaining cyborg to slow it down! But shrapnel hits the taxi’s back tires and gas tank! This sends it spinning as it smokes! Mr. Fantastic wraps his rubber arms around Dr. Necker and rolls from the vehicle just as it explodes! Hearing a gravely voice, both look up to see the Thing sitting upon a hovering vehicle close by! The Thing asks for an explanation. Reed tells the large, rocky behemoth that, in short, the cyborg wants him dead. That’s all that Ben Grimm needed to hear. The Thing slowly approaches the cyborg as it walks towards him, through the flames!
The Thing doesn’t get too close however as Minion blasts him with his cannon arm! The rocky superhero pulls himself back to his feet and takes the cannon in both of his gigantic hands! He then crushes the weapon! Unfazed by this, Minion forms a blade-arm from where the cannon once was! Sensing that this fight might take him longer than expected, Ben orders the other two to take his vehicle and flee. Unsure at first, they finally comply. (That’s right, Mr. Grimm. Maybe this’ll teach you to only refer to people by nicknames for like ever! I’m sorry. I just can’t stand the Thing. How hard is it to remember three other people’s names after all of this damn time I ask you? Sheesh!) The Thing hits the cyborg assassin with two good punches, actually drawing blood! But Minion merely picks up the titan and throws him backwards off of the bridge they’ve been standing on and onto a passing boat far, far below! Minion, now satisfied there will be no more interference, continues searching for it’s prey!
A short time later, back at Mr. Fantastic’s lab, Necker lays Minion’s origins out for the superhero in the hopes that the explanation will help in stopping the killing machine. That’s when it hits him. Yes, Minion was built to assassinate and absorb the skills of several hundred organic hosts, but Death’s Head was mechanical! And if Richards didn’t miss his guess, the Death’s Head personality was inside and fighting for dominance of the cyborg’s mind. This would cause increased hostility and confusion. (Umm. Yes. I surmised this myself. Cough. -Clears throat.- Actually, I had no idea. But I love the pretty colors.) Reed immediately begins work on a device meant to force the robotic bountyhunter’s consciousness into the driver’s seat permanently! Less than an hour passes. The Human Torch comes home from a night out on the city, but is instead met at the door by Minion! Before the Torch can fully power up, he’s knocked out with a strong backhand! Minion enters the Fantastic Four’s HQ with ease! But when it makes it’s way into the lab area, it’s met with an energy burst that stops the cyborg in its tracks! Slowly, after a couple of minutes, it rises again. Only this time, it’s speaking like Death’s Head! The invention was a complete success! Death’s Head walks towards a nearby console and downloads all known knowledge on, Reed Richards, eliminating the need to kill him! He then turns and says his farewells before teleporting away! An annoyed and shocked Dr. Evelyn Necker does the same soon after.
Elsewhere, Spratt awaits a visitor with knowledge that can hopefully help bring his friend back. The man enters the room, announcing himself as Baron Strucker the 5th! He then strikes at poor Spratt, knocking the young man flying. Strucker approaches the remains of Death’s Head’s corpse with delight. He examines it closely and exclaims that with it under his command, A.I.M will pay and his family’s name will be avenged!
To be continued…..
The Unspoken Decade: 90's Comic Book Blog Extraordinaire 