Wasp, escaping from Magneto’s lair in a stolen aircraft, crashlands nears a swamp. She tries to make her way through the fen only to be attacked by the Lizard….
Aboard, Galactus’ starship, Doctor Doom detects a vibratory energy moving through the walls and uses the ship’s technology to reconstitute it into the villain Klaw. The master of sound, driven insane by his experiences, explains how he was absorbed by Dazzler (during their battle in DAZZLER #9) and inadvertently released aboard this ship during her confrontation with Galactus (issues #10-11). Doom searches for a means of delaying Galactus’ preparations to absorb the planet they are on; he teleports Klaw into the midst of the villains with orders for his lackeys….
At Magneto’s fortress, Professor X worries about the X-Men’s distrust of their host. He reconnoiters telepathically and discovers that the Enchantress has mystically sealed the villains’ minds against his prying. Xavier learns enough to dispatch Cyclops and a team to counter a move of Doom’s elsewhere on the planet. This prompts an angry Storm to question his seizing of the reins of leadership from her at a critical time. He demands to be obeyed and she is insulted, though she goes along…for now….
In the alien village, Colossus is torn between his love for Kitty and his growing attraction to Zsaji. When the lovely healer comes to minister to him, he tries to confess his love for her but the Human Torch swoops down and snatches her off for a romantic tryst. Meanwhile, Captain America and the others are plotting strategy to stop Galactus from devouring the planet, while the rest of the heroes are preparing for the disaster as best they can….
Cyclops, Rogue, and Wolverine arrive at the volcanic area to see a squad of bad guys on a mission for Doom. A battle breaks out and Molecule Man is wounded by Wolverine. The villains flee while the heroes wonder what their purpose in the area was. Cyclops, testing a hunch, fires a beam into an active volcano and discovers he has started a chain reaction of eruptions, probably part of a scheme by Doom to stop Galactus from devouring the planet….
Back in the swamp, Wasp has realized that the Lizard is wounded and just wants to be left alone; she offers to help him. As they reach a sort of accord, she is suddenly shot through the chest by a laser beam; the Wrecking Crew arrives in an alien battlewagon and captures the Lizard, on order of Doctor Doom….
At the village, the heroes just watch and wait, unaware they are being spied upon from the shadows….