STRANGE TALES - #149 "THE END OF A.I.M." (1966 - VG/FN)

💥 CLASSIC BOOK! 

• "The End of A.I.M." – A pair of A.I.M. agents, fleeing the fight with Fury, are picked up on the road by "Number Nine" of "The Secret Empire"-- which turns out to be another branch of "THEM"! But as they drive off, the A.I.M. men are gassed unconscious, as "Number Nine" turns out to be the long-missing Gabe Jones, working undercover! Fury clues in the V.I.P.s as to the situation, while Jasper trails Royale to A.I.M.'s mountain-side hidden base-- just before the entire place is destroyed in a colossal explosion! Dugan comments on how they preferred blowing themselves up because they were discovered, while Fury feels "someone bigger" finished them off when their usefulness ended. When they're almost killed by a mysterious energy ray, Fury realizes "THEM" and HYDRA are one and the same, and it's up to SHIELD to find them, before they strike first.

• "If Kaluu Should Triumph..." – Fighting off Kaluu's initial attack, Dr. Strange attempts to fight back but Kaluu has erected a mystical barrier around his Sanctum Sanctorum to keep the Ancient One and Strange trapped. Outside in the streets, Kaluu unleashes his mystical might on the barrier, attracting attention of the police. Inside Strange and the Ancient One must battle against creatures conjured up by the Kaluu, after much battle Strange manages to defeat the creatuers with the Eye of Agamotto. Outside the police try to stop Kaluu who immobilizes them with a spell then unleashes a powerful attack on the Sanctum, intending it to kill Strange and the Ancient One. However, upon entering the Sanctum, Kaluu is infuriated to find that Strange and the Ancient One had somehow managed to escape.