VISION #1 - #4

"DREAMS AND MADMEN" | "IMPAIRED VISION"
"VISIONARY DREAMS" | "CHANGING VISIONS"
Writer: Bob Harras | Penciler: Manny Clark | Inker: Mike Machlan
Additional Inkers: Al Vey, Steve Alexandrov, Charles Barnett,
Johnny Greene, & Rich Perrotta | Plot Assist: Ben Raab
Letterer: Bill Oakley w/NJQ & Jeff Powell | Colorist: Linda Gilmore
Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Gruenwald

The Plot: (Issue 1) Vision dreams of his wife and children, then stops a mugging on a pier. Deathcry finds him there and the two speak of dreams before returning to Avengers Mansion. There, Vision confides in Jarvis that he started dreaming a week ago. The next morning, Vision undergoes tests conducted by Giant-Man, but abruptly leaves when his fellow Avenger raises the subject of his dreams. Homing in on a mysterious beacon, Vision arrives in New Orleans, where he finds Ultron drunk inside a local bar. Ultron tells Vision that he started dreaming as well, and then a skirmish breaks out between the two. Ultron defeats Vision and leaves. Later, Vision awakens in a motel room with the Gatherer version of Jocasta. She calls Vision Simon, and then the two embrace and kiss.

(Issue 2) Four weeks later, Crystal and Deathcry arrive in Chicago in search of the Vision. They enter the office of "Simon Williams, Private Detective", to find Vision playing the role of a 1930s P.I., with Jocasta as his gal Friday. A fight soon breaks out, but Vision falls unconscious. Briefly, he dreams again of his wife and sons, then awakens, back to normal. Vision tells Crystal that he believes someone has "infected" various synthetic beings with dreams and emotions. A moment later, Vision and Jocasta detect the same beacon that drew Vision to New Orleans, and then the Gatherer android, Tabula Rasa, arrives with Ultron his prisoner. Tabula kidnaps Deathcry and Jocasta and departs, while Vision flies into a rage and turns on Crystal.

(Issue 3) Laurie Lipton arrives at her beachhouse on Long Island, where Vision, in the persona of her late husband, Alex, is waiting. But Crystal and Giant-Man show up a moment later and try to convince Vision of who he is. Giant-Man stuns Vision with a stasis ray. Elsewhere, Deathcry, Ultron, and Jocasta sit in a cell. They are confronted by Tabula and his master -- the Anti-Vision; the Vision who once served Proctor and who now resides in the real Vision's white body. Meanwhile, Vision dreams again of his wife, an amalgamation of Wanda Maximoff and Laurie Lipton. He awakens and battles Crystal and Giant-Man. Back in the cell, Tabula changes to resemble the Kree warrior Dylon Cyr, and then begins to crush Deathcry. On Long Island, Vision takes out Giant-Man and then fights Crystal. But suddenly, he is called away by a signal from the Anti-Vision. Elsewhere, Tabula abruptly lets Deathcry go. She tries to convince Ultron and Jocasta to attempt escape, but suddenly Vision arrives, now apparently in the service of the Anti-Vision.

(Issue 4) Vision again dreams of his wife, while Anti-Vision brags to Deathcry, Jocasta, and Ultron that the "wife" is actually a Trojan Horse he planted in Vision's brain to erase his memories and personality, freeing up space for Anti-Vison to move in. Anti-Vision tested the program on Ultron, Jocasta, and Tabula, and has now placed the perfected version inside Vision. Meanwhile, Giant-Man, Crystal, and Laurie are searching for Vision when they detect Deathcry's life readings and set course toward her. In his hideout, Anti-Vision prepares to kill Deathcry. In his dream, Vision is confronted by the personifications of the two men who make up his mind -- Simon Williams and Alex Lipton -- and they convince him to turn away from his "wife" and save Deathcry. Vision reactivates, the Trojan Horse program disabled, and attacks Anti-Vison. Meanwhile, Ultron and Jocasta battle Tabula. Vision reveals that his emotions have returned, and nearly kills Anti-Vision until Giant-Man, Crystal, and Laurie arrive and stop him.

Vision leaves Anti-Vision and Tabula with the Avengers, then resigns from the team, taking Ultron and Jocasta with him so they can explore their newfound emotions together.

AVENGERS #368

Plus X-MEN #26, AVENGERS WEST COAST #101, and UNCANNY X-MEN #307

"BLOODTIES PART ONE: FAMILY LEGACY"
Writer: Bob Harras | Penciler: Steve Epting
Inker & Colorist: Tom Palmer | Letterer: Bill Oakley
Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco
Special thanks to X-MEN scribes Scott Lobdell & Fabian Nicieza

The Plot: In Hammer Bay, Capital of the island nation of Genosha, Fabian Cortez holds Luna and looks down on the city. In Washington, D.C., Doctor Valerie Cooper briefs Henry Peter Gyrich and Nick Fury on the fact that Genosha has devolved into civil war between its human and mutant populations. Gyrich says that the president has hand-picked a civlian to travel to Genosha in an attempt to broker peace, and Gyrich is to escort this individual. Later, at Avengers Mansion, Fury and Gyrich brief the assembled East and West Coast teams about the situation in Genosha. Gyrich takes U.S. Agent with him for a secret mission, while Crystal realizes that Cortez may come for Luna. She goes to check on the child, who reveals herself as a disguised Genoshan mutate. The Genoshan lets loose an explosion which blows the roof off the mansion.

At Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, Gyrich and U.S. Agent, along with Genoshan expatriates Philip Moreau and Jenny Ransome, recruit Professor Charles Xavier, the president's ambassador. Xavier asks that the Beast come along as well. Meanwhile, in the Danger Room, the X-Men conduct a trianing session. Xavier telepathically informs them that he and Beast are leaving immediately, and reminds the X-Men to meet them in Genosha in twelve hours. Back at Avengers Mansion, Crystal has used her powers to save herself and her friends. The Avengers attempt to depart for Genosha, but Fury tells them that the United Nations does not want them to interfere in Genosha. When the team reaches their hangar, they find several SHIELD troops blocking their exit.

Aboard their Air Force plane to Genosha, Xavier, Beast, and the rest see Cortez on television, announcing that he has assassinated Genosha's rulers and, if the Genoshan army does not surrender by the next morning, he will begin executing every human in Hammer Bay -- beginning with Luna.