1985:
Thirteen-year-old Toby Goodman has gotten back to reading comics to cope with
his parents’ divorce. He lives with his mother and rich stepfather and is doing
poorly in school. His dad Jerry, an unemployed musician, stops by for him and
they go out to see the old Wyncham place, just purchased by some people
planning to turn it into a hotel or rest home. Jerry grew up with the son of
the household, Clyde Wyncham, until he had an accident as a teenager that left
him brain damaged. One of the new owners, a creepy little guy, offers Toby a
cache of comic books found in the basement but Jerry, prompted by honesty,
tells the guy the books, a complete set of the earliest Marvel comics, are
valuable and he should sell them himself. Toby glances up at the house and sees
the Red Skull peeking at him through the curtains….
In
school, Toby tells his friend Darius he saw a guy dressed as the Red Skull but
was afraid to tell anyone else. A few days later, his mom has heard about
Jerry’s giving back a load of valuable comics and questions his intelligence.
Toby sees a news report of a man with wings perched over the city and
recognizes him as the Vulture from comics….
Late
at night, Toby goes out to the Wyncham place and finds Doctor Doom balking at
spending any time there, while gathering that some powerful being has brought
the villains there from another dimension because here there are no superheroes
to protect anyone. Doom burns the furniture stacked outside with a blast from
his gauntlet…and then he hears Toby. Toby runs away and slams into the Hulk….