Defenders #16
Title: "Alpha, the Ultimate Mutant!”
Writer: Len Wein
Penciller: Sal Buscema
Inker: M. Esposito
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Roy Thomas
Magneto tells them to all look at Alpha, the ultiamte mutant, who will soon make him master of the world. Strange says that will never happen so long as a Defender draws breath. Alpha looks like a missing link with a small cranium and long ape like arms. Without hesitation Strange blasts Alpha. Strange finds that his Bolts of Bedevilment barely phase Alpha, but Alpha seems to be grunting his protest. Xavier tells Strange to renew his assault and that Magneto and his creation must not be allowed to leave. Strange tries his Ruby Rays of Raggadorr, but finds that Alpha has put up an invisible barrier that prevents Strange’s attack from even reaching him. Hulk says that he will help Magician because he is the strongest one there is, but Hulk is bounced off the barrier as well. Magneto says that all of Alpha’s powers far exceeds those of the evil mutants. Unus says that Alpha is very impressive. Blob says that if Alpha is as powerful as Magneto says that he should just have him wipe out Xavier and his pals. Magneto asks where the fun would be in that. He says that if Alpha kills them too soon that the victory would be hollow. Magneto says that Xavier must live to know that he is powerless to stop him. Magneto uses his power and collapses all the exits to the cavern. Nighthawk says that Magneto has trapped himself down there as well. Val says that judging by Magneto’s smug expression that he hasn’t. Magneto says that Val is very perceptive, and that he told them that Alpha’s powers were impressive. Magneto tells Alpha to take them away from this place. Alpha starts to glow and then they are suddenly gone.
Xavier asks if they can follow them. Strange says that his teleportation powers are far too meager to imitate Alpha’s. He says that the only way out is through solid rock. Val starts swinging her sword around breaking up rock. Hulk starts punching and Strange starts blasting the falling pieces. They keep going until they see light. The cavern starts to shake and Nighthawk says that the whole thing is about to come down around their ears. Hulk says that if tunnel is falling that he will hold it up until his friends are out. Nighthawk is the last one out of the tunnel as he pushes Xavier’s wheelchair out. Nighthawk tells Hulk that they are out and that he should get out of there as well. Hulk lets go of his hold on the tunnel and it comes tumbling down on top of him. Nighthawk and Val are stunned. Val says that this cannot have happened to the Hulk. Strange says that perhaps this is for the best, and maybe the Hulk has finally found peace. Suddenly rocks start flying over their heads as they explode from the now collapsed tunnel. Hulk walks forward out of the now opened again tunnel. Hulk says that stupid rocks tried to smash him but that he smashed back. Hulk asks why everyone is staring at him. Val says that they thought that he was dead and that they would never see him again. Nighthawk says that Magneto seems to be gone. Strange says that Xavier knows Magneto better than they do and asks if he knows where Magneto might have went. Xavier says that he doesn’t know, but that perhaps he can find out. Xavier becomes very silent and still as he scans the entire country for Magneto’s mind. Xavier says that Magneto is in New York City. Strange says that they have a journey ahead of them then. Val flies on Aragon while Nighthawk uses his jetpack. Strange flies and holds Hulk in his power while Hulk holds Xavier’s chair. Strange and Val say that this time they are going to defeat Magneto or die trying.
Magneto, Alpha, and the other Brotherhood walk up to the United Nations building. Alpha seems to have evolved somewhat. His cranium is no longer so small and his arms are less ape-like. Unus asks Magneto if he is sure this will work. Magneto asks Unus if he doubts even after seeing Alpha’s power. He says that Alpha is growing more powerful as they speak. The people recognize Magneto. He says that it appears that humanity has not forgotten him. The guard says that there is no chance of that after what he tried to pull last time he was there. The guard tells Magneto to stop, but Magneto just knocks them aside with the wave of his hand. Magneto storms into the General Assembly. Magneto tells them to stand in silence because Homo Superior walks among them once more. One of the assembly says that Magneto has returned to destroy them. Magneto says that he is only there to talk for now. Magneto waves his hand and tosses aside the man at the podium. Magneto tells them all that he is there to take over the world. Another man in the assembly says that the United Nations will never concede to the likes of a mutant freak like him. Magneto says that he misunderstands and that he is not giving them a choice. Magneto tells Alpha that it is tim for him to help his fellow mutants. Alpha mumbles, “Alpha… helps… you…!” Suddenly the entire area around the United Nations raises into the air a half mile high. Magneto says that they are going to remain here until they produce a document giving mutants everywhere control over every civilized country in the world.
On the streets below, Val says that Strange’s invisibility spell is really working well. Strange says that the fewer people that know about the Defenders the better. They get to United Nations Plaza and find that it is gone. Strange notices that it hasn’t vanished, but that it is in the sky. Strange says that he bets that is the work of Alpha. The Defenders fly up to the floating island.
As the Defenders touch down, Mastermind interrupts Magneto. Magneto asks how dare he interrupt him. Mastermind says that he senses that Xavier and his friends are right outside. Magneto says that he gave them a chance to survive, but that they will not get a second chance. Magneto tells Alpha to destroy them. Alpha says, “Destroy… them? Why?” Magneto says that it is because he commanded him to do it. Alpha starts to glow again.
Outside the building, Rock people start to form out of the ground. The Defenders start fighting the rock people. Hulk blast them apart with a punch. Val smashes them with her sword. Nighthawk kicks them while Strange blasts them. Strange asks if everyone is all right. Val says that they fared better than their rocky opponents. Hulk says that when he smashes something that it stays smashed. Val says that Hulk still has to smash Magneto. The Defenders smash through the door to the UN building. Magneto says that he thought that he told Alpha to destroy them. He tells Alpha to obliterate them and not to disaapoint him again. Alpha is now human in appearance. He says that he will not take another’s life and asks why should he. Magneto grabs Alpha’s face and says it is because he told him to. Magneto says that Xavier and the others are evil men. He says that Alpha will do it because if he doesn’t that he will return him to the black void spawned him if he refuses. Hulk starts to charge Alpha, but Alpha turns Hulk into concrete. Alpha apologizes to Hulk, but says that Magneto says that he is evil, and that evil must not be permitted to go unchecked. Nighthawk says that they will carve that on Alpha’s tombstone. Alpha says that Nighthawk attacks him after seeing what happened to his friend and that he is bringing this upon himself. Alpha causes Nighthawk to spin around and around until Nighthawk passes out. Xavier notices that with each expenditure of power that Alpha seems to be evolving. His cranium is now larger than normal. Val charges Alpha, but Alpha turns her legs into putty. He asks them to surrender and says that he has no wish to harm any of them. Strange says that they will never surrender, but Xavier says that there is another way to deal with this situation. Xavier tells Alpha that he opposes them because Magneto has told you that they are evil, but that justice can seem evil when described by someone evil. He says that Magneto is the evil here and that he dares Magneto to deny it. Alpha’s head is now abnormally large, as he has evolved beyond normal parameters. He says that Xavier’s argument intrigues him, but Magneto tells Alpha not to listen to him and that he is lying. Strange tells Alpha to listen to the fear in Magneto’s voice and that maybe Magneto protests too much. Xavier says that if Magneto is what he claims to be that he should prove it. He tells Alpha to look at Magneto and his followers and to look at them and decide who is evil. Alpha says that he perceives sincerity in his words and that he senses duplicity abounding here and that it is time to determine where the duplicity lies. Alpha examines everyone’s souls. He tells Magneto that he has lied to him. Magneto says that he did lie, but that he did it for his own good. Magneto says that Alpha was born an emotional infant and that he couldn’t be expected to understand the reasons for their actions and the persecution that forced them to take them. Magneto says that despite the lie that Alpha is still a mutant like him and that he must stand with his own kind. Alpha says that he is not like Magneto and that he and his followers are little more than a band of selfish children. He says that they are arrogant, untrustworthy, and that they want to take what they want instead of earning it. He says that like children they must be made to learn from their mistakes. Alpha says that Magneto must not be allowed to continue his mad quest for power. Alpha zaps Magneto and the Brotherhood.
Alpha tells Strange and Xavier that Magneto
won’t bother them anymore. He says that he apologizes for
his actions that have inconvenienced them. Strange says that he
accepts his apology with gratitude, but that he can’t speak
for the United Nations. Alpha says that he understands and that
he will make amends. Alpha glows and the UN building is instantly
returned to its rightful place. The Defenders are also returned
to their natural states. Alpha says that everything is back the
way it was before they arrived and that he has wiped the memory
from the minds of men. Strange asks Alpha what he will do now. 
Alpha says that
his evolution shows that he doesn’t belong among mankind and
so he will seek his destiny elsewhere in the universe. Hulk holds
his head and says that he doesn’t understand. Strange says
that all he needs to know is that a godling passed among them
today and left a gift. Strange asks how many lost souls are given
a second chance at life. Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil
Mutants have been transformed into babies.
Dr. Strange’s rating: 5.5 out of 10
Pretty stupid story if you ask me. The “yet another most powerful mutant ever” turns from a barely functional to a god and in time realizes that Magneto is evil… so he turns him into a baby. Ugh. Buscema does a decent enough job, but how well can you make this crap look? Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and all that.
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