Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #1
In "A Gathering of Heroes! Chapter 1," the Grandmaster summons Earth’s mightiest heroes to a cosmic arena to compete in a high-stakes game orchestrated with the enigmatic Unknown. With the fate of his brother, the Collector, hanging in the balance and every human on Earth in suspended animation, twelve heroes from each side must race to claim the four quarters of the Golden Globe of Life. Written by Mark Gruenwald, Bill Mantlo, and Steven Grant, with dynamic art by John Romita Jr. and bold inks by Bob Layton, this 1982 Marvel classic sets the stage for an epic clash — cover by John Romita Jr. and Bob Layton.
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The Grandmaster pulls all of the heroes of earth to an orbiting arena to take place in a cosmic game he has set up with the mysterious Unknown. The Grandmaster and the Unknown each pick twelve heroes to compete in gathering four quarters of the Golden Globe of Life. If the Grandmaster's team wins, his brother, the Collector, will be returned to life but if he loses, his life will be forfeit. Every human on earth has been put in suspended animation to give the heroes a good incentive to play. Let the games begin.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).