Essential Avengers: Avengers #279: COMMAND DECISION
May, 1987
WHO Will Lead The Avengers?
Well, you’ve got some very good options and also Doctor Druid here.
This is a pretty solid roster, and Doctor Druid. I notice that the roster box on the cover has updated to reflect the post-Siege team.
But with Wasp going on a well-deserved vacation, who will lead?
The funny thing about the question is that in the issue, its not much of a contest. Not many of the team actually wants to take the top job.
But who do YOU, the viewer, think will lead the Avengers and Doctor Druid? Print your answer on a self-addressed 8x10 card and put it under your pillow. There’s no reason to do this.
ANYWAY:
Last times in Avengers: the Masters of Evil seized Avengers Mansion and tried to destroy the team. The Mansion is a pile of firewood now, more or less. And Hercules is in a coma. Namor is somewhere in the ocean being sad about his monster girlfriend instead of being thrilled at having a monster girlfriend. And Wasp wants a break.
So Thor, She-Hulk, and Doctor Druid re/join the team. Captains America and Marvel hold over from the previous roster.
A giant fishman named Tyrak attacks Hydrobase, looking for Namor but the Avengers manage to defeat him through the judicious application of swords and infrared radiation. Fishmen hate those things.
With that sorted out, all that remains is to decide who will take over for Wasp.
Hah. Command decision. Clever title.
And now,
a hostage situation.
A man in Atlanta called Joshua Lanning has been hearing voices and the voices have been telling him that his family is demons.
Not great.
Thankfully, Captain Marvel is passing by and pops down to see what’s going on.
The cop police on site has no time for Monica. Because: its still a thing that people outside of New York don’t really take superheroes seriously. This guy sees a woman in a garish costume and tells her he has no time for trick or treat.
So Monica is like okay and neutrinos into the house.
Reasonably, a jumpy dude with a gun who is sure there are demons everywhere that only he can see reacts excitedly to a woman suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
Also reasonably, Captain Marvel appeared in her hologram form so as not to get shot.
Joshua is stunned that shooting her a bunch didn’t do anything and jumps to the conclusion that Monica is an angel!
She neither confirms nor denies.
Captain Marvel: “I’m a friend who’s come to help you... to keep you from doing wrong. Get up off your knees and come with me. I’ll take you to people who will help you!”
Joshua Lanning: “Yes, I must follow the light to salvation! The light will lead the way!”
So she gets Joshua to turn himself over to the authorities.
And then she comforts the kids who aren’t really sure what’s going on.
Annie: “The man said papa is sick.”
Captain Marvel: “That’s right, Annie. He has to go away, to get better. While he’s gone, your mother’s going to need all the love and help you can give.”
There doesn’t seem to ever be follow-up on this family.
Shame. In all the up and downs in public opinion that superheroes and the Avengers have, it’d be nice to hear from someone Monica helped just by talking and also by being bulletproof and glowy.
At the least, Monica has impressed these random Atlanta cops with her actions. One of them saying that until now he thought everything he was hearing about Captain Marvel was just hot air and the other saying that the whole family probably would have died if she hadn’t happened by.
Meanwhile, in New Orleans, parents Frank and Maria Rambeau are sitting and watching tv when Captain Marvel appears on the screen.
She controls the horizontal and the vertical.
Its not plot important, I just think its a neat use of her power.
She beamed into the tv as VHF-radio waves and waited for the commercial so she could imitate a PSA in case her parents had anyone over.
Maria Rambeau: “Mind? Child, you’re the best thing to come over that set... oh... at least, since the Odd Couple was cancelled!”
Monica’s powers are incredibly handy.
Anyway, Monica decides to get her parents’ take on the leadership crisis afflicting the Avengers.
Its nice that she can be open with her parents about whats happening in her superhero life but is she allowed to just tell her parents everything that happens in meetings?
I guess so!
So, at the meeting that last issue ended off with, Doctor Druid is voted in as a new member of the Avengers. Wasp nominated him and the Avengers tend to just accept whoever is standing nearby when they need new members so, yeah, not surprised. It fits the pattern.
Its when Cap(tain America) opens the floor for chairperson nominations that things get spicy.
Captain Marvel nominates Captain America because Wasp left him in charge and he’s very qualified for the job. I hear he has leadership experience.
But Cap(tain America) declines the job because he’s got his own solo ongoing with its own ongoing plot and this is the time in Marvel where that meant something.
Nowadays, Black Panther can get lost in space for an extended period of time during which he loses his memories and it doesn’t seem to affect his ability to lead the Avengers.
I blame Wolverine really.
Being on three teams and having his own solo adventures and guest starring roles and crossovers and the fans ate it up.
You ruined the tight continuity, Logan!
Captain America: “My obligations to my nationwide telephone hotline don’t leave me the time needed to devote to leading the Avengers. Besides, we have another excellent choice on the team... Captain Marvel, I nominate you!”
Excellent decision Cap. She doesn’t have leadership experience but on the other hand, I like her.
Black Knight seconds the nomination based on Monica taking charge during Secret Wars II while Wasp was missing and Captain America got Beyondernapped.
Also, she managed to get Hercules and Namor to behave and that’s an accomplishment.
Captain Marvel: “I’m honored... and I do want to lead the Avengers someday... but, I’m not sure I’m ready.”
Now to mention having the nomination sprung on her made Monica feel anxious.
And makes her uneasy because Doctor Druid is staring daggers at her, thinking “The things I could accomplish, were I to lead the Avengers! If only new members were allowed to take office during their probationary period... but, no matter. I shall bide my time.”
My cursed future knowledge senses are tingling.
Thor also has his own ongoing with his own ongoing plot concerns, like being under a can’t-heal-can’t-die curse that will eventually reduce him to flesh goo pooled at the bottom of his spiffy new outfit.
But he also wants to get this show on the road and given that the one person nominated so far doesn’t seem certain, Thor throws his own name onto the table.
And hey, he’s got leadership experience coming out the wazoo. He’s qualified to lead the Avengers. It’s not much of a thing today when everything is the tug of war between Steve and Tony but Thor used to be a frequent chairman of the team.
She-Hulk objects because she feels like Thor is trying to discourage Monica so he can have the job. In fact, hey, she thinks he’s bullying Monica!
And Thor doesn’t like her tone and Cap has to bang the leadership gavel and tell everyone to calm down.
Since things got acrimonious, Cap(tain America) decided to table the discussion until the next meeting. Which helpfully gives Monica time to sort out her feelings on whether she wants to accept the nomination or not.
Her parents are immediately supportive of her taking the job.
Frank Rambeau: “You’ll be great! Even Captain America thinks so! Captain America! Dang! You can’t turn down an endorsement like that!”
Captain Marvel: “I don’t know, daddy. The chance to lead is something I’ve dreamed of since before I went into law enforcement. But I never expected an opportunity like this so soon.”
Maria Rambeau: “But you’ve always been a quick study, Monica.”
A quick sidebar but maybe the Avengers should have like. More opportunities where someone is put in charge of a smaller group of the team to do a mission or task but basically let them get field experience leading.
Because otherwise, the title is going to get bounced back and forth between the same people who always have it because they’re the only ones who get a chance to get that leadership experience.
Wasp had to basically girlboss a meeting while everyone was feeling awkward about her divorce to get the chance to lead and she did great at it. But if she hadn’t been pushy, would she have ever gotten the chance?
Would Monica now if Tony wasn’t off with the West Coast team and Cap and Thor busy with their ongoings?
Start a membership program, the Avengers!
Anyway.
Monica also brings up that whole subplot where she wants to start her own business because if she takes on the chairwoman position, she won’t have time to do business.
Frank argues that Monica can start her business any time but Maria realizes (because I think she and Monica are in cahoots) that part of Monica’s business plan is to get Frank to take an early retirement from the fire department and go into business with Monica, so he won’t be running into flaming buildings and worrying everyone.
But Mom Rambeau is also torn between wanting the secret business plan to get her husband into something less dangerous and wanting Monica to live her best life so she just tells her to take her time and make the decision that’s right for everyone.
Meanwhile, She-Hulk is realizing that the Avengers leasing an island means the Avengers BASICALLY have a private beach.
AND SHE IS ALL OVER THAT.
Especially because its a decent beach and thus she throws shade at New York’s beaches.
She spots Black Knight already on the beach doing some anime level cutting a thing and having it only fall apart later exercise.
Its about training precision, apparently.
He cuts a granite boulder without disturbing it so he can lightly tap it later and have it fall apart.
Plus, it looks cool.
If the major thing you’re bringing to a team is ‘owns incredibly cursed sword’ you might as well practice sweet anime moves.
She-Hulk decides sweet anime moves are sweet but lets talk plot and pivots the conversation over to whether Captain Marvel will accept the chairwoman nomination.
Black Knight hopes so because she seems the best candidate to him. He doesn’t want it, Cap doesn’t want it, and She-Hulk doesn’t want Thor to have it. Because in fairness to Thor, she finds him too high-and-mighty to take orders from.
Heck, if Captain Marvel doesn’t run, She-Hulk will. Just so Thor can’t have it.
Damn, Jen, Thor’s been team leader before and done an okay job!
She-Hulk: “I mean, how hard could it be? A leader has to be able to delegate and to think fast... I can do that!”
Anyway, political discussion aggros Dr Druid.
Like, he literally just appears out of the surf when She-Hulk and Black Knight are talking about the chairmanship.
This is why people think you’re a creep, Dr Druid.
Speaking of appearing out of nowhere, a giant... gorilla... thing? appears on the beach.
She-Hulk tries to tackle the beach gorilla but falls right through it.
Because it was a psychic illusion that Dr Druid planted in She-Hulk’s brain.
Y’know. As a prank.
Dammit, Dr Druid, don’t make me like you!
Because, like, look. Him pulling a beach prank is the most human thing he’s done so far.
She-Hulk takes it in “good” spirit.
She-Hulk: “Funny, doc... r-e-a-l funny. Didn’t know you had it in you. I enjoy a good gag as much as anyone! But watch your step... you might not like my sense of humor!”
Oh please, please, please let this lead to a prank war within the Avengers.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Captain Marvel decides to visit the prison war of the central New Jersey hospital where Moonstone is being held after she broke her neck flying into a cliff.
Monica feels bad about that whole thing but Moonstone immediately launches into a rant.
She accuses Monica of being here to gloat, blames Monica for her broken neck, and blames Zemo for how things turned out because by god if she ran the zoo!
Monica loses her patience and tells Moonstone that flying into the cliff was her own darn fault.
Captain Marvel: “A fine leader you’d be... always ready to blame someone else! Goodbye, Moonstone! You’ll heal -- but with your attitude you’ll never be well!”
and thinks: “I’ve met too many people like her. They want all the flash and glory that come with power, but none of the responsibilities. How does a person get that way? Visiting Moonstone was a waste of sympathy! There are others much more worthy of my time!”
One of the people more worthy of her time: Hercules, at Manhattan Newhope Memorial Hospital.
Yes, he’s still in a coma.
Chill out, it hasn’t been a day since the last time we saw him.
Monica talks to the comatose Hercules, telling him about Wasp stepping down and Captain America nominating her (Monica) to the position. Wondering aloud whether Hercules would follow another woman leading the Avengers. Whether he could follow any mortal for long.
Eventually, Monica flies off somewhere else to think and misses comatose Hercules saying something in I presume Greek.
If google translate is of any use, what he’s saying is “father.”
Calling a Zeus.
Elsewhere, Monica arrives at Roxxon oil tower #25, the place where she got her powers a few months ago.
Wow, that timescale!
She recaps to herself getting passed over for a captaincy promotion in the boat police, how old family friend Professor LeClare asked her with a South American dictator that was using his research to make a super weapon, how the whole situation ended up FUBAR’d and Monica punched a science machine to stop the super weapon, and was caught in an explosion that gave her powers.
Captain Marvel: “Not long afterward, I met the Avengers... and I’ve been going non-stop ever since! I’ve helped rescue the president... traveled to the Moon, the Sun, and other galaxies... I’ve seen and done things I couldn’t even have imagined a year before! I can accomplish more good in a week as an Avenger, than ‘Lt. Rambeau’ could in a lifetime. But all that good hasn’t come without a price.”
“Being an Avenger is so... consuming! I’ve been on call 24 hours a day. My private life has already dropped to almost nil. What would happen if I were to become chairwoman? I’m starting to realize why the Wasp needed a vacation... and why Cap doesn’t have time to take over full time. Whoever chairs the Avengers has so many responsibilities! Can anything be worth that kind of stress? I’d better have a long talk with someone who’s been there!”
Hm... I hadn’t realized it until Monica just up and said it but I do wish she had more of a supporting cast. Some civilian friends. I do like that she has her parents to talk to.
Now that its been brought up that Monica needs a better supporting cast, I hope she gets a better supporting cast.
Didn’t she have a thing with Agent Freeman? He could be a supporting cast. A love interest or something.
But she probably also needs a non-super friend. Even though She-Hulk is on the team now and she’s a super super friend.
Over at Kozak’s Cavern, a cave high in the Appalachian Mountains, Captain America.
He’s here to save six children and a guide who were trapped in the cavern after an earthquake.
Now Captain America may not have great super powers but he can use his shield as a shovel.
Also, peak human stats but I don’t know if that’s been established yet.
Jokes aside, he heard there was trouble and he came to help because that’s the guy Captain America is.
As soon as the rescue effort clears a hole big enough for a single beefy man, Captain America squeezes through to go look for the trapped people while the rest of the rescuers down under this mountain keep working to enlarge the opening.
And since this is a Captain Marvel focus issue, she shows up to talk to Cap(tain America) and also help once she learns there’s a situation ongoing.
Monica flies ahead to light the way and finds the trapped group.
Soon, Cap and a very bright Monica are leading the group towards the exit.
There’s another tremor though and the ground collapses under two of the children. They wind up on a rock hanging out over a chasm.
Captain Monica goes down (because she can fly) to help boost the kids up to Captain America who is hanging upside down from the ledge above.
They get kid one Joey rescued but kid two Bobbi Sue panics.
Bobbi Sue: “No... please don’t make me! Please!”
Captain Marvel: “I know you’re scared, honey, but you have to do this! Ever climbed a tree?”
Bobbi Sue: “Yes’m!”
Captain Marvel: “Then pretend that I’m a big ol’ friendly tree! Will you do that for me?”
Bobbi Sue: “Ah’ll try.”
But when Monica starts to boost Bobbi Sue, the rock they were standing on collapses into the chasm.
Leaving Monica hanging onto the cliffside with a child on her shoulders.
And probably lamenting that her powers don’t let her fly as her meat self and that she can’t hold anything when she’s made of energy.
I guess the ability to move at the speed of light and broadcast yourself onto television is a consolation but it would be neat to just pick up child and fly to safety.
(But: its also a limitation to Monica’s powers that keep her from being all-powerful so you have ways to write tension into scenes with her)
Speaking of limitations to Monica’s powers, she needs to be conscious to use them.
Monica manages to pass Bobbi Sue up to Captain America but the little foothold she has crumbles underneath her and a rock bonks her in the head.
Captain Marvel plummets into the void.
But nah, she recovers before the bottom and nyooms back up as Shiny Monica.
Hah. Monica the Many Colored.
Anyway, she leads the group out of the cave.
Cap(tain America) tells Captain Marvel that if she hadn’t showed up, he might not have rescued these cave kids.
The whole experience really made up Monica’s mind about whether the pressures of leadership were worth it and she tells Cap(tain America) that she accepts his nomination.
Woo, the Captain Marvel run Avengers!
Oh and one last thing:
A shadowy figure sneaks into Newhope Memorial Hospital and godnaps the comatose Hercules.
And by a shadowy figure I mean that’s definitely Batman.
Dammit, Batman! Stick to your own universe!
Follow @essential-avengers in memory of Hercules. Like and reblog, for Captain Marvel!
10 notes
·
View notes
Why Scientists Are Starting To Worry About The Moon Shrinking
Some Seismic Activity is Near the Lunar South Pole, Where NASA Wants to Send Humans
— By Kasha Patel | February 4, 2024 | The Washington Post
Stargazers across large swaths of the globe had the chance to witness a rare "super blue blood moon" on Jan. 31, 2018. NASA is aiming to send humans back to the lunar surface by 2027. Photograph: Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images
For hundreds of millions of years, our moon has been shriveling like a raisin. Now, scientists say that decrease in circumference is leading to shallow moonquakes — including near NASA’s potential sites for human visits.
“A concept that I think that many people have is that the moon is this geologically dead body, that something on the moon never changes,” said lunar geologist Tom Watters. But “the moon is a seismically active body.”
Studies of moonquakes date back to the Apollo era. More than 50 years ago, astronauts placed seismometers around the near side of the moon’s surface to record trembles. The most powerful shallow quake was located near the south pole, which is near landing spots for NASA’s Artemis III mission to send people back to the moon, potentially in 2027. The lunar south pole region is enticing because it contains permanently shadowed regions that some speculate could have water-based ice.
In a new study, Watters and his colleagues state that this powerful quake is tied to a group of currently seismically active faults, which were created as the moon has shrunk. Quakes in the area could trigger landslides from loose rocks and dust from surrounding craters, according to models.
Other researchers say we still don’t have enough information to determine hazardous places to land on the moon.
How A Shrinking Moon Could Lead To Quakes
The moon’s shrinking has been measurable, but small. It has contracted about 150 feet in diameter over the last few hundred million years. Much of the shrinking is driven by natural cooling of our moon’s molten core. As the core cools, the moon’s surface contracts and adjusts to the change in volume. As it shrank, portions of the crust pushed together to form ridges known as thrust faults.
Moonquakes are different from earthquakes in a few key ways and can last much longer, sometimes for hours. Photograph: NASA/LRO/LROC/ASU/Smithsonian Institution
The shrinking of our moon has negligible effects for Earth. The change in size won’t alter the occurrence of eclipses, for example. Its mass also isn’t changing, so Earth’s tides are not affected differently.
There’s no reason Earthlings would need to be concerned with a shrinking moon — unless we move there.
“The idea is not to discourage anyone from exploring the south pole of the moon,” said Watters, a senior scientist emeritus in the National Air and Space Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies. “But just to make sure that it’s understood that it’s not a benign environment.”
Like on Earth, these faults are often associated with seismic activity. The thrust faults can appear like a wall tens of meters high — detectable but certainly no mountain. Thousands of small thrust faults have now been discovered across the moon, thanks to high-resolution imagery from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The fact they remain on the surface, instead of being eroded to nonexistence, means they must be young and probably active, Watters said.
When they located the thrust faults in images, team members reanalyzed data from the Apollo seismometers. Using an algorithm, they were able to narrow down the thrust faults that were likely triggered the moonquakes. They found the largest earthquake — a magnitude of 5 on the Richter scale near the south pole — was linked with a cluster of likely still active faults.
To determine potential damage, the team modeled surface slopes in the south polar region to see if any areas were more susceptible to landslides from seismic shaking. It found some slopes in permanently shadowed areas, like the Shackleton Crater that is one of the potential landing sites for the NASA’s Artemis III mission, was very prone to landslides than seismic activity. Even a light amount of shaking triggered landslides along its steep walls.
“It’s not like a huge mass of material, but it’s still significant enough that you wouldn’t want to be anywhere near it,” Watters said.
Moonquakes are different from earthquakes in a few key ways. They can last much longer on the moon, sometimes for hours. Because of the moon’s weaker gravity, a quake will also feel much stronger than on Earth. Even a moderate amount of shaking could take you off your feet, Watters said.
The study brings “more evidence that there are moonquakes and some of them may be relatively large,” said geophysicist Allen Husker, who was not involved in the research. The combination of the moon’s shrinking and pull from Earth “combine to make these moonquakes larger than we would have guessed beforehand.”
How The Quakes Could Affect Future Human Visits
Even if the quakes are big, they don’t occur too often. Husker’s research estimated that shallow moonquakes occur about once every 100 days on average across the entire lunar surface. It would be very serendipitous if a quake hit right where the astronauts land for a few days.
This May 13, 2019 shows a view of the moon from Cannes, in southern France. Photograph: Laurent Emmanuel/AFP/Getty Images
The hazard, he said, would be important to protect against if and when people build an outpost for visiting or even living on the moon — much like a strengthening a building in earthquake-prone areas in California.
“Future moon bases should be installed far from seismic sources to avoid damage or built to withstand seismic shaking,” said Husker, also a researcher professor at California Institute of Technology. “If we can map those as we have done on the Earth, then we can avoid them.”
Not everyone is convinced of this potential hazard, though. One separate study published in 2022 concluded that shallow moonquakes from these thrust faults would be weaker than what this new research describes. It also wouldn’t affect many areas on the moon, including the majority of Artemis III landing site candidates.
Senthil Kumar, an author of the 2022 study, said his “stand remains the same” despite the new research. In fact, the new study presents “one of the rarest possibilities."
“It is too early to argue for such hazard scenarios to Artemis sites, [which] might devastate the lunar base,” said Kumar, a researcher at the National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad, India.
To make an accurate hazard assessment, he said the scientific community needs a better understanding of the local site conditions, properties of potential moonquake sources and the conditions that would propagate the seismic ground motion.
The best way to get some of those details is probably to go to the moon.
0 notes