X-amining Ms. Marvel #21 - Patreon First!

"The Devil in the Dark!"

December 1978

In a Nutshell

Ms. Marvel battles the Lizard People!

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Dave Cockrum 
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letters: Denise Wohl
Colors: Bob Sharen 
Editor-in-Chief: Archie Goodwin

Plot

Thrown into a cell, Ms. Marvel discovers more captives of the Lizard People, including a detachment of US soldiers and missing Woman reporter Sharon Cole. She promises to help them escape. When Ms. Marvel is brought before the leader of the Lizard People, Aracht'yr, she tries to reason with him that she isn't a threat, but one of his guards goads her into losing her temper. She strikes back, causing portions of the stadium where her audience was held to collapse; she escapes amidst the ensuing damage. Later, she confronts Aracht'yr in his home. He tells her the origin of the Lizard People and insists that secrecy is the only way they'll survive and thus, he can't let her and the rest of the humans leave. Ms. Marvel returns to her cell, freeing the other captors, and leading them out of the city by force. She is attacked by the Guardian, a massive cobra-like snake, and manages to defeat it, though not without injury to herself. Bluffing, she tells Aracht'yr that if he doesn't let her go, she'll level the city, something no one could stop now that she's killed their strongest warrior in the Guardian. However, she offers him a deal: release the captives and promise never to take any more, and she'll keep the existence of the Lizard People a secret. After one of the telepathic Lizard People scrambles the memories of the rest of the captives, everyone is allowed to leave. When Carol Danvers returns home, she finds a pet iguana waiting, along with a note from Aracht'yr, reminding her she holds the fate of the Lizard people in her hands. 

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