Marvel 1976.01 - Captain Marvel #42

Captain Marvel #42

Title: Shoot-Out at the O.K. Space Station!

Writer: Al Milgrom, Steve Englehart

Artist: Al Milgrom

Villain: Supreme Intelligence, Stranger, Drax

Regulars: Rick Jones

According to the letters page, this issue was plotted by Al Milgrom. If that's what it says, it must be true, but there are elements in the story that were obviously thought up by Steve Englehart, so I judge them to be co-plotters.

The Supreme Intelligence has sent Captain Marvel and Rick Jones to a (seemingly) random planet in the Kree empire. Their arrival is spotted by an old man. That's scene P4 from Captain Marvel #41. The atmosphere is poisonous, so they pass out. They would have died if the old man hadn't given them helmets as protection.  He takes them back to his home town, which is covered by a protective dome.

Rick Jones uses his newly acquired powers to create a costume for himself that matches Captain Marvel's. So now they're Captain Marvel and Marvel Boy? No, he isn't given that name, or any name at all. I hope it stays that way.

The town is in the style of an American western town, even though its inhabitants are a mixture of different races. The old man, whose name is Shabby, is thrown out of the saloon by cowboy bullies who like to pick on a helpless old man. Captain Marvel and Rick fight to protect him. The cowboys say they'll go and get help from the Big Boss.

According to Shabby, the planet is a small moon of Deneb IV. It was a sleepy little planet until the Kree discovered thyamite. Their mining operation poisoned the air, so they built a dome over the planet's only town. The residents are a mixture of the planet's original inhabitants and retired miners. 

Then the Big Boss arrives. It's the Stranger, a rather eccentric powerful being that we last saw in Fantastic Four #116. He says he's taken up residence on the planet because the town is so unique and bizarre. He challenges Captain Marvel to a gunfight.

I'm not sure where Captain Marvel gets his gun from. Al Milgrom didn't think that far. It's possible that Shabby gave him the gun. The Stranger himself goes through the motions of a gunfighter, but his hand is empty. He fires power blasts from his hand. Captain Marvel is the first to hit his target, but the Stranger laughs; he says that no weapons can harm him. That's not a fair gunfight!

Captain Marvel's shot ricochets from the Stranger's body and hits the dome, cracking the glass/plastic/whatever it is. Rick flies up to repair it while the gunfight continues on the ground. A stray blast from the Stranger hits Shabby. Captain Marvel turns to look at him, and the Stranger hits him in the back.

The Stranger says that winning by hitting his opponent in the back has ruined his pleasure. He leaves the planet. Captain Marvel and Shabby are merely stunned.

Rick sees a beautiful woman who's invisible to everyone else.

Captain Marvel and Rick Jones fly to Deneb IV on a small metal horse.

Drax the Destroyer flies through space and turns towards a planet. This is scene P1 from Captain Marvel #41. Drax used to be a real estate agent called Art Douglas. He witnessed Thanos on one of his first visits to Earth, so Thanos killed him. Kronos placed Art's soul in a new body created from the earth and gave him an overwhelming desire to kill Thanos. But Thanos was killed in Captain Marvel #33, so Drax has nothing left to live for. Or does he? Next issue will reveal all.