Adam makes a cameo appearance at the end of Captain Marvel #2, shown working for Eric the Red (who had been seen, frozen in time, fighting in X-Men #41). Adam makes a full appearance in Captain Marvel #3. Adam appears next in the following issue of #CaptainMarvel to hunt down Genis Vell and potentially try and kill him. Let’s take a look and see just how that turns out, shall we?
#CaptainMarvel #3 begins with Adam carrying Legacy (Genis Vell) up the mountain; which is unusual since Legacy has the ability to fly! So we know something strange is afoot! But what? Hang on true believer, we are about to dive deeper into the secret of Adam-X!
So it turns out, had Genis Vell flown, they (we will get to who “they” are in a moment, true believer!) would have sensed his photon trail and blown them both out of the sky! But who is it? And why isn’t Adam fighting Genis like he was told in the previous issue? Just hang on!
This panel explains Adam’s regressive behavior from what we saw in X-Men 39. Adam has called this place home – and returned here for months – not of his own free will, but more like a “brain washing” thing. Things are about to get interesting, true believer!
Adam and Legacy sneak in the back door – literally, Adam jokes – because it’s where the waste comes out. Legacy asks what the white lumpy junk is, and Adam explains it’s Sidri Guano. A personal note: I own the original comic spread for these two pages and had it signed by Fabian.
Eric the Red sees that Adam has returned with Captain Marvel and not killed him as he had commanded. He confirms here that at some point he had gain mental control over Adam (after the events in X-Men 39) and that he had plans for Adam’s ascension.
The Crystal Claws, a religious sect of the Shi’ar hoping to over throw Lilandra, expresses their concern that Adam has not only broken free of Eric the Red’s control, but that he’s also brought Genis Vell with him!
Eric the Red tells the Crystal Claw members he’s well aware of their plans and their use of the “Forsaken One” – better known as Adam-X. Eric the Red also mentions that he knows that the truth of Adam’s past must be kept secret.
Eric the Red dispatches a squadron of Sidri to capture Adam alive and dispose of Legacy! What will happen next, true believer! Well hang in tight because things are about to get extremely interesting!
When the Sidri attack Adam and Legacy, they both know there’s only one thing to do, despite the odds against them! The duo begin the fight against the swarming Sidri!
Adam unleashes his fury upon the Sidri. He throws a bunch of his throwing blades and hits a bunch of Sidri – then shouting his catch phrase – he ignites the electrolytes of the Sidri! With his Sidri defeated – Adam notes, humorously that the insides of the Sidri smell worse than their guano. He checks on Genis Vell who says he’s out numbered – but with a photon blasts kills the Sidri. He then notes the same thing as Adam.
The Crystal Claws sect members voice concern that nothing seems to be stopping Adam and Genis Vell and Eric the Red smiles and says, “Let them come. They want information and we will feed them” The Crystal Claws members don’t think that’s a good idea.
When Adam and Genis Vell reach Eric the Red; he explains that the Majestor (D’Ken) made a mistake by not admitting Adam to the family (since he was a half breed), that they would not be in this situation (of Lilandra sitting on the throne).
Eric the Red wishes to know how it is that Adam broke free of his control – and in exchange for that information, he will reveal secrets to Adam’s past!
Adam agrees to tell Eric the Red how he became free of his mental hold and we flashback to when Adam ambushing Genis Vell on the beach, still brainwashed by Eric the Red!
Adam doesn’t have the advtange for long, when Legacy grabs Adam by the hair and flings him around and nails him with a photon blast!
Adam noticed that Genis clasped his gauntlets together to turn into Legacy so he assumes forcing him to do it again will revert him back – but what it does instead is teleport them to the negative zone! Eric the Red then deduces that the jaunt to the Negative Zone, due to being in another dimension is what severed his control over Adam and allowed him to team up with Genis Vell to see why Adam was sent to kill him.
Eric the Red confirms that Adam is not only a hybrid between Shi’ar & human; but bred specifically to sit on the throne and rule the Shi’ar Empire. Katherine Summers is the only human seen that was kidnapped by D’Ken. Did D’Ken scan her and detect the potential for mutant genes?
When Eric the Red attempts to force Adam to make a choice between over throwing Lilandra and ruling the Shi’ar or wandering aimlessly on Earth, Adam makes his choice clear with one simple word: Burn. Then he clanks Legacy’s bands together.
Eric the Red is completely unaware of Adam’s plan. Having spent his life fighting and wondering who he was – always having people promise to give him answers and never deliver – then to have his mind messed with by Eric the Red – Adam’s hit his limit… Though Adam’s hit his limit with people manipulating him; his anger has no such limit. He pulls down deep when he ignites Eric the Red’s blood – and that fury has what you could say is an explosive effect.
Adam and Genis Vell part ways as friends, both having gotten the answers they sought. The mystery of Adam’s human heritage is _obviously_ Katherine Summers because she’s the only human seen D’Ken kidnapped. The blond hair. The many other subtle hints as well.
