The Champions,
test-driving their new sky-car, are in danger when the controls suddenly freeze
up in Black Widow’s hands and the car heads for a rooftop where Bill Foster is
standing. Bill suddenly transforms into Black Goliath and catches the ship, its
momentum pushing him toward the edge. Angel flies Iceman overhead where he is
able to construct a platform of ice to support Black G. Introductions are made,
with Bill dropping the name of Tony Stark, and Darkstar arrives, the Russian
defector having been permitted to remain in the USA though the intervention of
Nick Fury….
In Arizona, Johnny
Blaze is riding his motorcycle through a canyon when imminent danger causes him
to transform into Ghost Rider. He is then run down by a herd of stampeding
cattle, destroying his bike. He creates a new cycle out of hellfire and rides
away as explosive arrows seal the canyon on either side. He is captured by a
sheriff and a group of ranchers but Hawkeye, accompanied by the Two-Gun Kid,
arrives to vouch for him. Hawkeye tells GR they are investigating some strange
phenomena in the area—and then they all discover a flying saucer over the Mesa
of Lost Souls….
As Hercules holds
up the sky-car, Black Goliath (who designed the ship) discovers that the craft
was constructed from inferior metal which caused it to malfunction. It was
built by a team led by the group’s lawyer Emerson Bale and Angel promises to
look into the matter. Then they see a TV news report of the incident in Arizona
and head out there in the newly repaired sky-car, joined by Darkstar with Black
Goliath remaining behind….
Hawkeye, Ghost
Rider, Two-Gun Kid, and the ranchers discover a race of shadow people led by
Kaa who are able to control men’s minds by possessing their shadows,
preparatory to invading Earth. The possessed ranchers attack the heroes just as
the rest of the Champions arrive. Darkstar uses her darkfield to trap the shadows
but they can easily move through darkness and try to capture her shadow. Iceman
creates an ice cover to put them in the shade. Hercules tries to bash the
shadows with a rock but they take over his mind and send him to kill Black
Widow. In a few tense moments, Natasha is able to talk Herc though the
possession and he is able to snap out of it with his divine power. Angel is
possessed by Kaa himself and he fights back, flying upward until his shadow on
the ground becomes so small that Kaa is killed. Hawkeye fires an explosive
arrow into the alien ship and the blast of light kills all of the other shadow
people….
As the heroes are
saying their goodbyes, Black Goliath contacts them about a woman with the box
stolen from Bill Foster’s lab and she is being pursued by…and then Stilt-Man
crashes into the lab…and the box belongs to the Stranger….