Issue(s): Astonishing Tales #8 (Gemini/Brothers link story only)
Cover Date: Oct 71
Title: "This badge bedeviled"
Credits:
Len Wein & Mike Friedrich - Writer
George Tuska - Penciler
Mike Esposito - Inker

Review/plot:
The credits UHBMCC list Len Wein as the writer and give thanks to Mike Friedrich "for getting it all together". I don't know if that should if that could qualify as a writing credit (maybe he was the equivalent of an Assistant Editor for that story?). But the UHBMCC lists Mike Friedrich as a writer for this story, and so i have as well.

The story here is about a police officer named Damian Link.

His brother Joshua is a petty criminal.

And he runs into his brother while investigating a robbery at a bio-genetics lab.

And the two brothers get knocked into some high tech equipment during the scuffle.

Damian is initially assumed dead (and his partner is killed) and Joshua's hair turns white. But later it turns out that Damian has survived, and that doesn't go over well with Joshua's criminal cronies.

When Joshua is knocked out pleading for his brother to come rescue him, Damian feels the, er, "link" between them.

Damian finds himself running twice as fast as usual...

...and exhibiting enhanced strength as well.

It does not end with a reconciliation between brothers.

I think no one did write in asking to see more of the Brothers Link, but Marvel let nothing go to waste, so it'll be revealed in Astonishing Tales #17-18 that the two Link Brothers are actually the Zodiac villain Gemini.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - origin for Gemini of the Zodiac

Chronological Placement Considerations: Despite the publication date, this story should take place before Gemini's first appearance in Avengers #72 since it'll retroactively be determined that the Brothers Link are actually Gemini and this is their origin. I've got the Ka-Zar and Dr. Doom stories from this issue in separate entries.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

You do a great service with your diligent research.

Just wanted to say so.