It was August 1943. At least, on Earth it was. But not in Limbo. In Limbo, there was no time. Limbo is beyond space and time. It is adjacent to all space and all time. It exists in non-existence.
Limbo was ruled over by Immortus, the Master of Time. There was no telling how long Immortus had been there, since time didn't exist in his realm. He merely sat in the temporal throne room and watched the realms of time and space go by as he remained forever unchanging and unchangeable.
And alone.
Immortus was alone in his kingdom. As mortals grow, marry and reproduce, Immortus keeps his lonely vigil from his timeless home. He has been able to master time, but he is no longer able to master his heart. He wants company. Friendship. Love.
Suddenly, Immortus sensed that he was not alone. He looked around. Three beings had arrived in Limbo. One was the smiling red hellspawn Mephisto. The second was a god clad in black armor. He was the god of war known as Ares. The third was an Elder of the Universe called the Grandmaster.
Immortus watched the newcomers with interest. He was always glad for company, but he was wary of uninvited intruders as well. "Welcome to Limbo," he said.
"Thank you, sir," Mephisto said. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"We've so looked forward to meeting you," Ares said.
"We've heard so much about you," the Grandmaster said.
"What can I do for you?" Immortus asked.
"The question is, what can we do for each other?" Mephisto said.
"You have a proposition for me," Immortus reasoned.
"Indeed," the Grandmaster said. "We can help each other."
"I want nothing," Immortus countered. "I need nothing."
"We all need something," Ares argued.
"Not I," Immortus insisted.
"No?" Mephisto asked. "Not even . . . this?!"
He created an image in the air. An image of the most beautiful female that Immortus had ever seen. He knew who she was.
"Aphrodite," Immortus whispered, awed by her beauty.
"She can be yours!" Ares said.
Immortus was now very interested. "What are you proposing?"
"You watch Earth closely. So you must know of the Justice Society," the Grandmaster said.
"Of course," Immortus answered.
"We want them dead!" Ares hissed.
"We can't do it ourselves," Mephisto said. "If we did, it would bring us into conflict with the White Council, which would draw the attention - and anger - of the Living Tribunal."
"So we ask you to destroy them for us," the Grandmaster said. "And in return, you will have the most beautiful companion of all, to keep you company here in your quiet realm."
Immortus tried not to show his excitement. The idea of having Aphrodite residing in Limbo with him was more than he had ever hoped for. But he still had some doubts.
"How can you deliver Aphrodite?" Immortus asked.
Ares smiled. "I shall return momentarily."
He vanished.
It was the first week of August, in Washington DC.
In the mansion, which was the official headquarters for the JSA, the owner - the beautiful Miss Venus - was in a private chamber. Although she had this dwelling on Earth, she seldom actually resided there. She preferred Olympus. But sometimes she descended to the mortal realm to experience what mortal's experienced. At the moment, she was looking into a crystal orb, which showed her many parts of the mortal world. She was saddened by the mortal suffering she witnessed.
She didn't sense the evil figure materializing behind her until it was too late.
"You!" she cried.
Elsewhere in the mansion, Queen Hippolyta, the Wonder Woman, heard the fearful shout. Wonder Woman ran to Miss Venus' chamber. No one was there. The orb lay on the floor, shattered. And there was an aura of evil in the room. A familiar one.
"Ares!" she said.
Ares reappeared in Limbo, carrying the unconscious form of Aphrodite.
"What have you done to her?" Immortus asked, worried about his future companion.
"She'll be fine in a short while," Ares said.
The Grandmaster handed a vile to Immortus. "Give her two drops of this. It will make our lovely goddess forget everything, She won't remember Olympus or the war or anything else. All she'll know is you, my friend Immortus."
"You can mold her to your will," Mephisto said.
Immortus smiled. "Excellent."
"You realize, of course, that the JSA will be coming for her," Ares said.
"Let them come," Immortus said. "They will find only death!"
Back at the mansion, Wonder Woman had used her emergency alert beacon to summon the whole JSA. The team members listened as she explained her fears about Ares and Aphrodite. After she finished, Captain America considered the best course of action.
"And you're a hundred percent sure that Ares has taken Miss Venus? There's no mistake?" Cap asked.
"I've prayed and tried to contact her, but there has been no answer," Wonder Woman said. "And I definitely sensed Ares' evil stench in the mansion."
"I remember how powerful Ares is from our last run-in with him," Flash said. "I hope we don't have to try an tackle him again."
"I agree," Sentinel said. "Is there a way to make absolutely certain that Ares is our man before we start a war with him?"
Dr. Fate, who rarely answered the JSA summons, fortunately happened to be on hand this day. "I can perhaps be of service in this matter," Fate said. "Come with me."
He led the others to the room from which Miss Venus had disappeared. He looked at Wonder Woman. "I want you to concentrate on Aphrodite, Queen Hippolyta."
She nodded, and focused her thoughts on the event. Dr. Fate muttered a soft incantation and waved his arms. Suddenly, hazy, transparent images appeared in the room. "We are seeing the events that took place in this room the last time Miss Venus was present."
The JSA members watched the grim reenactment with keen interest. They saw Miss Venus looking into her orb. They saw Ares materialize behind her. They saw Miss Venus sensing his presence and turning. They saw Ares strike her with a mystic bolt that overcame the unprepared and outmatched Goddess of Love. They saw Miss Venus crumble to the ground, knocking over her orb. They saw Ares scoop her up and vanish with her.
The visions faded. Wonder Woman was visibly angered at what she'd seen.
"OK. That confirms Wonder Woman's suspicions," Cap said. "The question now, is what do we do about it?"
"What do we do?" Hippolyta repeated, surprised by Cap's question. "What do you mean? We rescue her!"
"It's not that easy, your Highness," Sentinel said. "Ares is not your garden variety bad guy."
"Yeah," Star-Spangled Kid said. "He won't be hiding in an old warehouse downtown."
"I must agree with the others," Namor told his beloved Aphrodite. "Dealing with Ares brings unusual complications. He will be hard to locate."
"And even if we find him, he'll be ready for us," Dr. Mid-Nite said. "And he'll be prepared to repel trespassers."
"And the defenses of a god are not to be taken lightly," Toro said. "Trust me. I know what I'm talking about. I was raised by a demigod."
"All I hear are excuses!" Hippolyta snapped back. "I don't hear anything constructive! Are you going to help me rescue Aphrodite or are you not?"
"Of course we are," Flash said. "We're just saying that we have to tread more carefully than usual."
"And the first step is finding him," Cap said. "Does anyone have any thoughts on that?"
Perhaps," Dr. Fate said. "If the Sentinel assists me with his magic ring, then there is a possibility that we can trace Ares to whatever place he re-materialized."
"Do it!" Cap ordered.
"Please leave us," Fate said.
The other team members left the room as Fate and the Sentinel went to work tracking Ares. The Black Canary pulled Cap aside. "We know how powerful Ares is," she said. "And we may need some extra power."
"I was considering calling in the Society of Substitute Heroes, but it will take time to assemble them," Cap said. "We don't know what is happening to Aphrodite, and we can't delay!"
"Actually, I was thinking about Thomas," the Canary said.
Cap felt a wave of discomfort at the mention of Thomas Halloway. He knew where this was heading. "I see. You're suggesting that the power of the Hulk could be an equalizer for us."
She nodded. "You can't deny that he saved us from Kang. And who knows what might have happened when we fought the Champion of the Universe if not for the Hulk. Think about it. If we're going up against a god of immense power, wouldn't it be good to have an ally with unlimited strength?"
Cap paused. "Give me a few minutes to think it over."
She nodded. Cap immediately sought out his most trusted advisor Dr. Mid-Nite. The two slipped away for a private conference. Cap explained Black Canary's idea.
"So what's your opinion?" Cap asked. "Is the Canary letting her affection for Tom Halloway cloud her judgment?"
"Probably," Dr. Mid-Nite said. "But she also happens to be right."
"You mean you actually agree with this crazy idea?" Cap asked, surprised.
"Yes I do," Dr. Mid-Nite replied. "We've won the Hulk's trust. He sees us as his friends. I believe that the Canary can control the creature, and I have some influence with him, too. It's true that he's unpredictable and savage but I think that, in this case, the benefits outweigh the dangers. The Hulk will be an invaluable asset if we are heading into unknown lands to battle a God. Especially when you consider the element of surprise. Ares will be expecting the JSA, but the appearance of the Hulk will take him off guard and hopefully throw him off his game. And who knows, we may need a mountain pulverized."
Cap smiled and nodded. "Doc, as always, your logic is inescapable."
Cap and Dr. Mid-Nite returned to the group. Fate and Sentinel reappeared at the same time.
"What did you find?" Cap asked.
"Oblivion," Fate said. "Emptiness. Nothingness. A void of timeless eternity."
The Star-Spangled Kid leaned over and whispered to Toro. "That doesn't sound like fun."
"Yeah," Toro whispered back. "Why don't these bad guys ever hide in the Caribbean?"
Wonder Woman's concern for Aphrodite was growing. "What does all this mean?" she asked Dr. Fate.
"I believe that Aphrodite is being held in Limbo!" Fate said.
There was silence as a chill ran through the group. Cap realized that he had to set a positive example. Jaw jutting and shoulders squared, he stepped into the center of the group. "Fine then. We've been to the Planet Rann, Counter Earth, an alien ship, and the land of fiction. We've always survived. We'll return from Limbo, too. Fate, can you get us to Limbo?"
"I can," Fate said. "I will need a few minutes preparation."
"Then start preparing," Cap said. "The rest of you use the remaining time to make phone calls or whatever preparations you may need to make. We don't know how long we'll be gone."
Vulcan Island
Thomas Halloway sat on the beach of the remote island, fishing. It was very peaceful there. Very quiet and serene. There was not a sole around except for the man formerly known as the Angel. He enjoyed fishing. And any activity helped him get his mind off the loneliness of his exile.
On one hand, he was relived that the Hulk could hurt no one while stranded here on the Island. But the loneliness was terrible. He had agreed to it, but that didn't make it easier to take. True, the Canary and Dr. Mid-Nite came to visit once in a while, transported by either Dr. Fate or the Sentinel or Miss Venus, but those visits were not enough to make up for the days of isolation in between.
He heard a sound behind him. Something was moving. Was it an animal, he wondered? There were plenty of them on the island.
He smiled when he saw the beautiful blonde woman stepping out of the bushes. "Dinah!" he called, delighted.
The Canary smiled. She ran to meet Thomas. They embraced and kissed.
"I've missed you," she said.
"It's been torture here without you," Thomas said. "Thanks for coming. These visits of yours keep me sane."
Black Canary's smile faded a bit. "Thomas. I'm sorry. But I didn't come here for my usual visit. I came here because I need your help."
"Anything I can do for you, I'll do. You know that!" Thomas said. "I can't imagine how I can possibly help, but if it's in my power, I'm at your service."
"You're not going to like what I'm asking, darling, but believe me, it's important!" she said.
"So what is it?" he asked, curious and a bit apprehensive.
"I need the Hulk!"
"What?!" he cried, incredulously. "You want me to become the Hulk? Why, in Heaven's name?"
Black Canary explained the situation to Thomas. Thomas listened, torn with conflicting emotions. He was a noble soul and he wanted to help Miss Venus. But he was afraid of what the Hulk might do.
"If it makes you feel better, we won't be anywhere near people," Black Canary said. "Where we'll be going, they'll be no one to hurt, except the bad guys."
"Where's that?"
"Limbo!"
Thomas didn't know what to say. How do you react when someone asks you to turn into a monster and go into Limbo? Thomas closed his eyes. Fate always seemed to drag him back into the heart of danger, no matter how he tried to avoid it. Maybe there was no way to fight destiny. He surrendered to the inevitable.
"All right," he sighed. "I'll do whatever you say."
"I'm so sorry, Thomas!" she said compassionately.
"Let's just get this over with!" he snapped, angrily.
The Canary didn't say anything else. There was nothing else to say. She led him to the other JSA members who were waiting near the castle that Toro had once lived in. Toro was pointing out things of interest on the island to the Star-Spangled Kid. Cap stepped up to meet Thomas Halloway.
"I'll do it," Thomas said.
"Thank you. I - " Cap began.
"Just do it!" the Angel shouted.
Cap gestured to Dr. Fate. "Proceed, Fate," he ordered.
Dr. Fate raised a hand in front of Thomas. "This will not hurt," Fate explained.
"That's what you think," Thomas Halloway replied.
He took one last look at the Black Canary. She blew him a kiss. And then he started to change. Fate's magic activated the physiological changes that triggered his transformation. He grew, ripping out of his clothes, except for the little, expandable shorts that had been made for him. His muscles bulged to immense size and his skin turned gray. His head took on a Neanderthal-like shape. He stood seven feet tall, 2000 pounds.
All at once, the strongest being in the world stood before the assembled heroes . . . the rampaging Hulk!
The Hulk looked around. He was surrounded by his ‘Puny human' friends. Black Canary approached him. "Hello, Hulk," she said, tenderly.
The Hulk smiled at her. "Hulk is glad to see pretty blonde girl. Hulk is glad to see all his friends."
"Hulk. We need your help," Black Canary said. "Will you help us?"
"Hulk likes pretty blonde girl," the creature said. "Hulk will help you! Do you want Hulk to hit somebody?"
"Yes, you'll probably have to hit someone," she said.
"Good," the gray creature said. "Hulk is good at hitting. Hulk is strongest one there is!"
"Yes you are," she replied. "That's why we want you to come with us."
"Come?" Hulk said, confused. "Is Hulk and his friends going someplace?"
"Yes," she said. "We're going into a place called Limbo to rescue a goddess who is very important to us and to the world. She is being help by an evil god and we must rescue her before this evil god succeeds in whatever nasty plan he's hatching. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Hulk said, but then he started to scratch his head. "No. Hulk doesn't understand. But it doesn't matter. Hulk will go with you anyway, and hit things. Hulk is good at hitting, not at understanding."
"That'll be fine, Hulk," she said. "That's great."
She stroked the Hulk, gently. It was more than a master/pet type of contact. There was affection there. And the Hulk was looking at here with star-crossed adoration. The Human Torch watched all this, trying not to feel jealous . . . and failing. A monster can get more affection from her than I can! he thought, bitterly.
"All right, it's time!" Cap announced, "Fate, work your magic. Next stop - Limbo!"
Limbo . . .
Immortus looked down at the sleeping form of Aphrodite. Her beauty was indescribable. He was magnificent. He desperately wanted to keep her there with him in Limbo. And woe at any who would try to take her away.
Immortus opened the vial that the Grandmaster had given him. He tilted it over and two drops fell onto the goddess' moist lips. She made a slight sound but continued to sleep. There was nothing for Immortus to do now but wait for her to wake up. Waiting was a strange concept in a place where time did not exist.
Just then, Immortus sensed something that enraged him. Someone was trying to pierce the time barrier and enter Limbo. He knew immediately who it was.
"The Justice Society!" he hissed. "They've come for Aphrodite! But they won't get her!"
Immortus walked over to the massive - but surprisingly low-tech looking - machines that could control time and space, and which gave Immortus his power. He manipulated the controls. He managed to intercept the JSA and alter their place of arrival.
Immortus smiled. "Enjoy the most inescapable place in, or out, of existence . . . the Labyrinths of Limbo!"
The JSA members reappeared in the endless Labyrinths of Limbo. And when they appeared, they appeared separately. Immortus had managed to scatter them, dividing their forces. All the easier to destroy them!
Each JSA member looked around, confused by the absence of his, or her, companions.
Captain America didn't give a thought to his own predicament. He was worried about his men. He strolled defiantly down the stone corridors, hunting for them.
Dr. Fate tried to use his magic to transport himself to his allies but found that he couldn't. He realized that he was trapped in the legendary Labyrinths of Limbo, from which there was no escape!
Sentinel similarly used his ring to try to escape, but also failed. He tried to blast his way through the walls, but they were not normal stone. They were an eternal, unchanging, mystical substance that couldn't be shattered.
Flash began to race around the corridors of the labyrinth, hoping to cover the entire maze and find his friends. But the place seemed endless. As fast as he ran, there was always more to it.
Wonder Woman tried to sense the presence of Aphrodite or Ares, but couldn't. She decided to just search, randomly.
Dr. Mid-Nite stayed calm and dispassionate as always. He hid in the shadows waiting for danger to come to him, rather than vice-versa.
Namor made one attempt to breech the walls, but immediately realized that it was impossible. He started to use his dolphin-like sonar to search for his companions or for a way out. He found none. He began walking.
Black Canary used her sonic scream to call out to anyone else who might be around. The sonic cry echoed throughout the maze of tunnels. But no one heard.
Human Torch tried to burn through the walls but couldn't. He ignited his flames and started to fly along the halls of the labyrinth.
Toro used the same strategy as the Torch and got the same results.
Star-Spangled Kid took stock of the situation. His first instinct was to search the tunnels for Cap.
Hulk was confused when he materialized alone. "Where is Hulk? Where are friends?" He stomped down the halls but couldn't find anyone. "Hello?" he shouted repeatedly, but got no answer. In anger and confusion, he decided to make his way through the walls. He struck at them but he couldn't pierce them. He struck again and again, stubbornly unwilling to accept that there was anything that he couldn't punch his way through. His instincts told him that the Black Canary was in danger somewhere and he had to get to her! He continued battering away at walls that wouldn't break.
Elsewhere, Immortus was watching them via a device that could see all of Limbo at once. He considered. They were powerful and resourceful. Was trapping them enough? No, he decided, it wasn't. He needed to send something nasty their way. He needed to soundly destroy them. And especially, Dr. Fate. He knew best of all of them what he was facing, so he was the most dangerous. He had to be dealt with first, and then the rest!
Dr. Fate flew through the corridors of the Labyrinth, trying to use his mystic senses to detect the presence of his partners. Before he could succeed, a massive suction of wind yanked him into an antechamber. A door slid down and locked him in the large chamber, which was a huge as a music hall.
In the chamber with Dr. Fate was an albino giant, with spikes on his head and a gigantic mallet. "Ho, little mortal. You shall go no further!" the giant bellowed.
Dr. Fate searched his knowledge of mythology. "Tempus!" he said.
"Indeed, little mortal, I am Tempus, guardian of Limbo and champion of great Immortus!" the colossal albino said. "I am sent with mallet in hand, to see that you go no further!"
Tempus swung his massive quartz-like bludgeon at Fate. Fate barely managed to avoid the blow. Fate unleashed a mystical attack on Tempus, who was shaken but not stopped by the sorcerer's attack. Tempus opened his mouth and a powerful wind blew out. Fate realized where the suction that pulled him in had come from. Now, Tempus was exhaling and Fate was knocked into the wall, stunned. He fell unconscious. Tempus picked him up and carried him back to Immortus.
Immortus nodded with satisfaction at the defeat of Dr. Fate. And now, he thought, for the rest. "It is time to let slip the Dogs of War!"
Immortus worked the controls of his amazing temporal machines.
Elsewhere, a group of criminals were exiled to a small pocket dimension. They had been stranded there by the Squadron Supreme of Counter Earth. They had been known as the Crime Syndicate, and also as the Squadron Sinister. Suddenly, they heard a booming voice . . . the voice of Immortus!
"Here me, members of the Squadron Sinister! I can free you from your imprisonment. But in return, you must help me destroy the group called the Justice Society!"
The Squadron had no problem with that. The JSA had helped to imprison them. Owlman, the leader-by-default of the group, since Ultra-Man fled Counter-Earth, accepted the offer.
Members of the Squadron Sinister appeared in the Labyrinths, each one face-to-face with a JSA member.
The powerful female warrior known as Super-Woman faced off against Wonder Woman. "Did you think you'd seen the last of me, Wonder Woman?" Super-Woman asked. "Well this time, it will be the last!"
"Don't force me to fight you, sister!" Wonder Woman said. Her pleas did no good. Super-Woman attacked.
Close by, the leader of the Squad, Owl-Man, was creeping stealthily along, keeping to the shadows. He sensed someone close by. He spotted Dr. Mid-Nite. "Ah, there you are. Come out and meet your master!"
Dr. Mid-Nite obliged.
Flash was still searching when he came across another speedster. "The Blitz!" he exclaimed.
"Glad you remember me, Flash," Blitz said. "Because I'm gonna be the last thing you see!"
Power Ring and the Sentinel ran into each other flying through the corridors. Sentinel didn't have time to say a word. Power Ring blasted away at him with his own ring. The Sentinel blocked it and they engaged in a fierce battle of ring-wielding powerhouses.
Namor was passing down a corridor when a door slid open. Inside was a pool. Namor was suspicious, but he needed water. He went into the chamber and dived into the water. It was refreshing. But no sooner did he submerge then did he spot someone else in the pool. The other person wore a black scuba outfit with a large diving helmet, which had big eyes in it.
"I am the Black Manta," the other man said. "Perhaps you remember me?"
"I remember!" Namor said. "Are you part of this nefarious plot?"
"All you need to know is that I'm here to kill you!" Black Manta said as they locked up.
Black Canary was jumped from behind by Doctor Decibel. She flipped him over. He landed with a thud. She attacked him. He unleashed a sonic barrage but the Canary gave as good as she got.
Human Torch almost crashed into an ice pillar created by Thermite. "I know you!" the Torch said.
"Good," Thermite said. "I'll remember you too . . . after you're dead!" Thermite unleashed a burst of flame that did not hurt the Torch at all. Thermite decided to stick to an ice attack.
Toro was cut off by Haywire. He used his power to make tendrils appear out of nowhere. They crept toward Toro and threatened to entangle him. He increased his flame to burn threw them.
The Shape found the Star-Spangled Kid walking alone in the corridor. The simple but powerful shape stretched himself out and rapped up the Star-Spangled Kid who tried to slip out of his grasp, but couldn't.
The Hulk saw a man in a top hat and a woman standing in his way. "Halt, beast," the man in the top hat said. "I am the Wizard. This is Inertia. We are here to tame your savage nature. Surrender or die!"
The Hulk didn't know who these people were, but even his simple mind was able to comprehend that they were threatening him. The Hulk's temper flared. He raised his fists and he roared.
"Hulk smash!"
The Wizard created a bunch of snakes to entangle the Hulk. The Hulk tossed them aside easily. The Wizard sent fireballs at the creature, but they had no effect. Then, the Wizard created the image of a large bear. The Hulk swung at the image. His fist went right through it. But Inertia absorbed the inertia of the Hulk's mighty blow and returned it to him. The Hulk was struck by a power that could stagger even him . . . his own power! The Wizard resumed his attack on the stunned Hulk.
Captain America was walking along the labyrinth. He spotted a gigantic shadow. He ducked around a corner for cover. He saw the giant Tempus carrying the unconscious Dr. Fate. Cap wanted to rush out to save Fate, but common sense deterred him. The giant was big, and no doubt powerful if it defeated Dr. Fate. Cap would have to bide his time and wait for a chance to free Dr. Fate. Besides, maybe that giant would lead him to the mastermind behind this dilemma. He followed stealthily behind.
Immortus watched the battle between the Squadron and the JSA. He was not satisfied with what he was seeing. The Squadron was not as good as he had believed. Some of them had been defeated already. Others were on the verge of losing. Most of the rest were merely fighting their opponents to a draw. Only the Shape seemed to have the Star-Spangled Kid well in hand, but the Kid was doing some fast-talking and was playing mind games on the Shape. Immortus shook his head. He had recruited the wrong men. These were not the people to take care of the JSA.
With a push of a button, the members of the Squadron Sinister vanished, returned to their pocket-Universe prison. Immortus needed someone else to deal with the JSA.
And just then, he got his wish. Some new people were passing through the time barrier, trying to reach Limbo. They were powerful, and strangely enough, one of them was already in Limbo. He would be in two places at once. Normally, that would cause great cataclysms, but here in Limbo, there were no solid rules about time and place. The same person could be in numerous places at once. This person, and his allies, were just the warriors Immortus needed.
The assorted JSA members were surprised at the sudden disappearance of the Squadron. They waited, tense, anticipating a new attack.
"Attention, all you members of the Justice Society!" Immortus announced, using his machines to transmit his voice to various parts of Limbo where JSA members were. "You survived the warm-up battles, but the next test will be much more difficult! The next warriors you face will come from another place and time, but they will be a match for you! Prepare to die, heroes!"
The JSA members prepared themselves. They were coiled springs, just waiting to unleash themselves. Whoever was coming, the JSA would battle them with all the power at their command!
The new arrivals in the realm of Limbo were no pushovers. They were great warriors, probably the greatest warriors of their time. Warriors of a new century. The greatest heroes of the early twenty-first century. Their leader was a man named Captain America. The members included Iron Man, Batman, Martian Manhunter, Wasp, Wonder Woman, Quasar, Flash, Vision, and the mighty Thor.
They were known to the world of the their time as the Avengers League!
Continued in Avengers League #17!