Issue(s): Avengers #125
Cover Date: Jul 74
Title: "The power of Babel!"
Credits:
Steve Englehart - Writer
John Buscema - Penciler
Dave Cockrum - Inker

Review/plot:
This issue is a tie-in with the ongoing Thanos storyline in Captain Marvel. It actually takes place during Captain Marvel #31. The main focus of this issue is the Avengers fighting Thanos' space fleet while Marv deals with Thanos himself. It's pretty cool to see a tie-in like this.

On the left you see the Avengers' Quinjet, which is now designed to work in space (unlike during the Kree-Skrull War). On the right with that weird star-shape in the front is a ship that the Avengers acquired from the Zodiac, piloted by the Black Panther (at first i kind of zoned out past a narration box and thought the Panther had picked up his own ship from Wakanda! Hurray! Finally acknowledging the high-tech side of the Black Panther! But no such luck).

The Avengers' solution to defeating the hodge-podge group of aliens that Thanos has assembled is pretty novel as well.

They destroy the computer that coordinates the language translation, making it impossible for the army to communicate.

Also, they have Thor.

Tensions are high in the group, and during the battle the Swordsman makes a lewd comment to the Vision implying that the Viz is interested in Mantis (In issue #121, the Vision told Swordsman that he admires the Mantis' mind. This issue, the Swordsman says "we both know what you really mean, don't we?"). Look at the Scarlet Witch's near-breakdown reaction.

Captain America returns to the Avengers after his fight with the Secret Empire, and he's rattled and despondent.

This one really deserved a Nabisco-corner triangle that said "Thanos War!".

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 3

Chronological Placement Considerations: This issue begins with Libra being taken away by the police, so it's close to a direct continuation of last issue. Takes place over at least a two day period during several issues of Captain Marvel during the Thanos saga. Takes place after Captain America #175, but before Steve Rogers decides to quit being Cap in Captain America #176.

References:

• Captain America defeated the Secret Empire in Captain America #175.
  
• The Avengers have redesigned their Quinjets to work in space after they had to borrow a spaceship from SHIELD in Avengers #96.
  
• Captain Marvel #31 is specifically footnoted in this issue, but it actually takes place across a span of Captain Marvel issues.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The Aakon aliens were usually colored yellow.

Foom #3 announced Jim Starlin as the artist of this issue.

In the panel underneath the double-page spread, the pale blue alien looks like the fake aliens from Amazing Spider-Man #2. Under the Skrull's arm in the panel below that, that appears to be Chameleon Boy from the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Something I just recently noticed: when one of Thanos' ships falls to earth and bounces off a building, a movie marquee at the bottom of the panel reads "Deep Throat".

Since I had #126 but have never actually read #125, I'm glad you put in the panel about Vision / Scarlet With / Mantis / Swordsman. It helps provide context for a lot of what happens in #126.

Iam Reading Avengers Versus Thanos softcover André also notice that reference of The pornô movie Deep Throat. That was genial.

The same that Mark Drummond spoke at 2014 almost 2 and a half years later for me.

The name Yggthion mentioned by that alien is a reference to a character in the early 1970s SF stage play "Warp".

Actually, given how long both races have been around, you'd think you could find some Aakon who could speak Skrull, and vice versa. Not everybody on Thanos's polyglot fleet, I'll grant you, but enough to keep the situation from heading south quite so quickly.

Perhaps a race of shapeshifters might have some physically impossible pronunciations; indeed, I'd think a central problem with extraterrestrial communication might simply be anatomical. Even in the MU, you've got Mephitisoids, who sue scents to communicate with one another, and Thanos's minions seem to include snake-creatures and even aliens with no mouths.

Ha, Aakon speak german: "Chirraks sicherrr izz?"
which means: Is Chirraks sure?