Marvel: The Lost Generation Vol. 1 # 6
(seven of twelve)

September 2000

Cover: John Byrne (penciller, signed); Al Milgrom (inker, signed)

Story: "Crisis of Conscience" (22 pages)

Credits: Bob Harras (editor-in-chief); Ralph Macchio (editor); Matt Hicks (colorist); Jack Morelli (letterers); Al Milgrom (inker); John Byrne (penciller, co-plotter); Roger Stern (scripter, co-plotter)

Feature Characters: The Black Fox, Katyusha, Effigy, Blackjack, Nightingale, Oxbow, Pixie, Firefall, Howler, Axis, Typhoon, Positron, Scythe (II),

Supporting Characters: Dr. Alex Locke, Gene

Other Characters: Unnamed Skrulls

At the First Line's Colorado Headquarters, Effigy tries to contact the Black Fox to no avail, he informs the other members of the First Line (Firefall, Mr. Justice, Oxbow, Pixie, Blackjack and Nightingale) about alien activity. He continues by saying he's discovered a signal from the race that built an extra-terrestrial craft discovered years earlier and he believes they are planning on destroying the Apollo mission.

Elsewhere, three villains (Howler, Axis and Typhoon) have been recruited by unknown people. Axis and Howler fight with each other and are stopped by two other recruits (Scythe and Positron). The five villains are told they have been brought together to stop the Apollo 11 mission, and are shown a spacecraft.

At the same time, Effigy is showing the First Liners the extra-terrestrial craft. Mr. Justice asks why NASA spent billions on Apollo when they had this - Effigy replies saying that NASA didn't know about the spacecraft, and did it matter as the U.S. has shown they can get to the moon by themselves.

The First Line take off in the spacecraft unaware of it's origins (see Issue #4). Oxbow asks about spacesuits, but Effigy explains they aren't needed as the ship contains "lifeboat technology" which temporarily supercharges the body's natural electromagnetic aura while hyper-oxygenating its tissues. Mr. Justice thinks about the memorial to the Yankee Clipper which he planted on the lunar lander.

The villains arrive on the moon in time to watch the lunar lander land on Tranquility Base, Howler isn't feeling too good - Positron works out it's because they are on the moon and Howlers powers are affected by the moon.

In the 22nd Century Pixie explains to Gene and Dr. Alex Locke that she was on the moon the day the Eagle landed (although she didn't see it). Dr. Alex Locke asks Pixie about his daughter Cassandra, Pixie replies by saying she doesn't know much, but learnt about the message on the lander later. Gene goes on to say that the Eagle was scanned and no message found - Pixie assumes that was because Cassandra hadn't gone back in time, but the message should be there now. Before they can discuss anymore Pixie is arrested by Skrulls for threats against the Skrull Ambassador and suspicion of sedition.

Back in 1969, Neal Armstrong takes the first steps on the moon. Whilst doing so the First Line get hypercharged in the "lifeboat technology" tubes and then leave the craft and head for the moons surface. Blackjack is the first to spot one of the villains, it turns out to be Positron. They argue and she accuses him of selling-out. The other villains here Blackjack is in the area, they are not impressed that he reformed and joined the good guys - Howler takes off ready to kill him.

Firefall attacked Scythe and Typhoon and learns that Typhoon's power isn't weather based, his is the power to command particulate matter itself. Oxbow and Pixie come up against Axis - Oxbow tells him that the people he's working for are aliens, but Axis doesn't believe him saying that they are as Aryan as he is.

Effigy finds the Skrull mothership and is impressed with the advances the empire has made in the last 20 years. Effigy enters the craft and reveals his true Skrull form, he explains that he is Lt. Velmax of the 21st Observation Corps - he continues by saying his craft crashed on Earth and that for the passed two solar decades he's posed as an Earthman. The other Skrulls feel sorry for him and say that when he returns home he will have a hero's welcome. Unfortunately for Effigy the other Skrulls discover the First Line attacking their villains, when asked why he brought them to the moon Effigy replies by saying that they're his team.

On the surface of the moon Axis and Howler have another fight, Howler murders Axis and is in turn killed by Scythe. Typhoon decides to go back to the ship to attack his "benefactors" upon entering the ship he sees the bodies of the Skrulls, the ship then takes off and self-destructs.

Positron and Scythe (being the only two villains left alive) are taken prisoner by the First Line, Effigy announces that the ship was set to self-destruct by the aliens - he goes on to say that they are called Skrulls and that it wasn't their first mission to Earth, he warns that from now on they must be vigilant.

Several days later Effigy (in the form of Special Agent Jacob Scott) visits a courthouse where new immigrants are swearing allegiance to the United States of America, he finally realises that after all these years America is his home.