Star Wars Weekly (UK) Vol 1 106

Peter Quill was born in a small Ohio town to the young couple of Meredith Quill and her husband, Jake- but when he was born, Jake realized the young Peter was not his son, as he bore a near identical appearance to his true father Jason of Sparta. In a fit of rage, Jake tore the baby from Meredith's arms and brought him outside, where he intended to take an axe and murder Peter- only to suffer a heart attack and collapse, leaving Peter to lay beneath the stars, watching them in the distance, for an hour before his mother could gain the strength from her childbirth to stand up and carry him back into the house.

As he grew up, Quill had fallen in love with science fiction after discovering the third season of Star Trek on the television. One day, in 1973, as Peter was making his way back from school, he encountered a UFO, and rushed to get his mom to show her that he had seen alien life. Unfortunately, the aliens opened fire and killed Meredith before flying away, leaving Peter alone. When the Sheriff questioned him, he refused to budge on his insistence that aliens killed his mother, and before he was taken to the orphanage, the eleven year old swore that one day he would have his vengeance.

As an adult, Quill moved to Houston to train with NASA to become an Astronaut- but he became infamous for his cold, distant nature and lack of social etiquette. Topping the charts for every test they provided, Quill was by far the best candidate they had in the program- but every action he took, even heroic ones such as saving the life of fellow astronaut cadet Greg Harrelson, lead to others growing to hate him for his bitterness and rudeness. In the end, the program chose three pilots, none of whom were Quill, who stormed out in a fit of rage to drink and trash his home, while talking to his pet owl, Al.

Deciding to appear to reform and get a second chance, Peter presented himself as a sociable and courteous gentleman, eventually landing him a position on a space station, where another form of alien life contact them, telling them that they must choose one of their fellows to be taken and become the inter-planetary hero, the Starlord. Quill volunteered, but the people decided they'd send Harrelson instead. Realizing that he was going to lose his one and only chance to venture free into space and get his vengeance, Peter took a gun and stole a ship, wounding Harrelson and multiple other astronauts as he took his place. He encountered the alien Master of the Sun, and while the Master knew that Peter had cheated his way there, he decided to make Quill the Starlord anyway, giving him a new costume that gave him superpowers, and a gun that fired the four elements of fire, water, earth and air. The Master attempted to "cure" Peter of his need for vengeance by transporting him to the ship of the aliens that killed Meredith, allowing him to strike them all down.

Returning to the Master of the Sun after killing the aliens, the perceptive Peter realized it was more likely that he had never actually left and that his vengeance was an illusion created by the being before him. The Master dismissed this indirectly, and claimed that with his vengeance experienced, he would now be able to forge a new life for himself as the Starlord, if he decided to accept. After a brief moment, Quill decided and traveled with the Master to become the next man to bear the mantle of the space hero.

Appearing in ""Reflections in a Crimson Eye!""

Reprint of the 1st story from
Astonishing Tales #33

Featured Characters:

Deathlok (Luther Manning)

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Simon Ryker
his soldiers
- Bryce
Hellinger (Harlan Ryker) (First appearance)

Other Characters:

Drones (Corpse, skeleton or other remains)
Doctors
- Lemner
- Blaine
Luther Manning Clone (First appearance)
Provisional Revolutionary Army
- Strake

Races and Species:

Humans

Locations:

Earth-7484
- New York City
  - Long Island

Vehicles:

Hellinger's helicopter

Synopsis for ""Reflections in a Crimson Eye!""

Reprint of the 1st story from
Astonishing Tales #33

Feeling like there's a reason he should hang onto the counterfeit money he salvaged, Deathlok returns to the helicopter and repairs it, finding that it was pre-programmed to a spot in Long Island that he hopes is where he can find the surgeon that can fix his body. He lands at a mansion that the computer reveals belongs to Ryker. Deathlok fights past the guards and enters into the mansion's study. He's horrified to find a clone of his living self sitting silently and a man introducing himself as Hellinger in control of the place. Realizing what the clone's presence means, Deathlok demands to know if he can transfer his brain into its body so he can live again, but Hellinger and the computer confirm that there isn't enough of his original brain left for such a transfer. Nonetheless, Hellinger explains that he is the remaining surgeon that helped create Deathlok and has been Ryker's prisoner ever since. He was able to reprogram the computers watching him and used them to manipulate events leading Deathlok to him so they could take down Ryker together. He offers Deathlok new advanced weaponry and a bomb, sending him on a mission to recover Nina and Mike from the Revolutionaries that captured them since their escape so valuable information can be retrieved from Nina's mind-link. Deathlok goes on the mission and makes it to the Revolutionary hideout, but finds out too late that Hellinger's bomb didn't have the safety margin he was told it did. As Hellinger watches from afar, he removes his human disguise and raves that his 'brother', Simon Ryker will soon be forced to confront him again in the form of the prototype for the new man, Homo Ascendant.

Meanwhile, Ryker's operation converting him into the Savior-Machine is complete. His mind is completely merged with the Omni-Computer.

Appearing in "The End of the Universe"

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Tales of Suspense #41

Featured Characters:

Unidentified pilot

Other Characters:

Scientists

Locations:

Academy of Science (3000AD)

Synopsis for "The End of the Universe"

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Tales of Suspense #41

In the year 3000 a faster than light space ship is developed to take man to the very end of the universe. Since the scientists think the chances of returning are slim, they choose a pilot with an unhappy life of no family, friends, or job who doesn't really care if he can return as long as he learns the secret of the universe. He makes it all the way to the end and the ship actually does return to Earth, but when they bring out the pilot all he can repeat over and over is "I know!" The scientists realize they must abandon their quest since the pilot's mind has snapped with his realization, but observe that at least he has finally gained some measure of happiness.

Links and References

References

Star Wars Weekly (UK) Vol 1 106

Appearing in "My Enemies Surround Me!"

Synopsis for "My Enemies Surround Me!"

Appearing in "Starlord First House: Earth!"

Synopsis for "Starlord First House: Earth!"