Epic Illustrated #5 (April 1981) Story & Art by James Starlin
Synopsis: Aknaton has brought his group together. Now, he's got to unlock the secrets of the amulet so they can locate the Infinity Horn. Unfortunately, that sort of secret can't be discovered "on a plane of existence such as this one" or in the company of others, so Aknaton leaves them for an appropriate place.
With him gone, Whis'par, Za and Juilette are able scrutinize the newcomer. They are not much impressed with Vanth and his beard. Za starts to check under Vanth's hood to see if the little man is hiding special powers there.
Vanth storms off to keep watch on a nearby ridge. Za, rubbing his head, opines that "Master chose well." Juliette asks Za why he calls Aknaton "Master." Za replies that Aknaton saved him from death. Save him from himself.
"What did he save you for?" Juliette asks. Za isn't sure. "Maybe a better death," he replies, finally.
Whis'par finds Vanth. She apologizes for their testing him earlier thanks him for not hurting Za. She says they were nervous, but she recognizes Vanth must be as well. He agrees. He doens't know why he's here.
Whis'par knows--and she thinks Vanth does too, really. His eyes have death in them. Aknaton needed someone who could understand the Zygoteans. Vanth realizes she's right:
He wonders what he's gotten himself into. "Death," Whis'par says. "On a scale undreamed of." She can't believe he doesn't know, that he hasn't guessed. Vanth begins to get angry at her obscureness. She realizes her people have had a long time to become inurred to the horror of "Aknaton's madness." She surmises Vanth just can't accept the truth.
Vanth still isn't buying it. Everybody's talking about death and destruction, but nobody is saying when or where or who. Whis'par reminds him there has also been talk of suicide.
The Orsirosians couldn't defeat the Zygoteans. They looked into the future and saw the galaxy enslaved by their foes. They devised the Infinity Horn, the ultimate doomsday weapon:
With him gone, Whis'par, Za and Juilette are able scrutinize the newcomer. They are not much impressed with Vanth and his beard. Za starts to check under Vanth's hood to see if the little man is hiding special powers there.
Vanth storms off to keep watch on a nearby ridge. Za, rubbing his head, opines that "Master chose well." Juliette asks Za why he calls Aknaton "Master." Za replies that Aknaton saved him from death. Save him from himself.
"What did he save you for?" Juliette asks. Za isn't sure. "Maybe a better death," he replies, finally.
Whis'par finds Vanth. She apologizes for their testing him earlier thanks him for not hurting Za. She says they were nervous, but she recognizes Vanth must be as well. He agrees. He doens't know why he's here.
Whis'par knows--and she thinks Vanth does too, really. His eyes have death in them. Aknaton needed someone who could understand the Zygoteans. Vanth realizes she's right:
He wonders what he's gotten himself into. "Death," Whis'par says. "On a scale undreamed of." She can't believe he doesn't know, that he hasn't guessed. Vanth begins to get angry at her obscureness. She realizes her people have had a long time to become inurred to the horror of "Aknaton's madness." She surmises Vanth just can't accept the truth.
Vanth still isn't buying it. Everybody's talking about death and destruction, but nobody is saying when or where or who. Whis'par reminds him there has also been talk of suicide.
The Orsirosians couldn't defeat the Zygoteans. They looked into the future and saw the galaxy enslaved by their foes. They devised the Infinity Horn, the ultimate doomsday weapon:
Things to Notice:
After all the hinting and circumspection, Aknaton's plan is finally revealed: He's going to destroy the galaxy to get rid of the Zygoteans. Whis'par describes it in negative terms, though she is clearly going along with it. It's unclear at this point how much Juliette and Za know, and we don't get to see Vanth's reaction to the revelation this chapter.
- "Pulsar sucker" is another space insult.
- Starlin has the Infinity Horn here and later the Infinity Gauntlet when he returns to work at Marvel.
After all the hinting and circumspection, Aknaton's plan is finally revealed: He's going to destroy the galaxy to get rid of the Zygoteans. Whis'par describes it in negative terms, though she is clearly going along with it. It's unclear at this point how much Juliette and Za know, and we don't get to see Vanth's reaction to the revelation this chapter.
4 comments:
I forgot about the Infinity Horn. I bet that was the inspiration for the Infinity Gauntlet.
Sort of glad he refined it to a gauntlet. While it lacks some of the biblical allusion, it makes for a cooler image.
True, though I think a Horn is a better doomsday weapon than a gauntlet, for the religious connotations you allude to.
I'll try "Pulsar Sucker" on Ray!
Let me know how that goes.
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