The Vision was a "Keeper of Law" on Smokeworld and was responsible for capturing the criminal who committed the first murder on Smoke World in centuries. The Vision, assisted by the "Law-Giver," was looking for a suitable place of banishment for the murderer when he lucked into contact with an Earth scientist by the name of Markham Erickson. Erickson had pierced the spatial/dimensional barriers and asked the Vision to come to Earth to act as a super-powered guardian over humanity. The Vision's first attempt to come to Earth resulted in him going to Jupiter, where he left the murderer. The incident inspired him to devote himself to fighting crime^[1].

Months after this encounter in November of 1940, the Vision was brought to Earth once again by Enoch Mason's "Dimensional Smasher" device. When mobster Brains Borelli sought to eliminate Mason and his daughter Shiela, for their inability to pay back the loan that Enoch go to fund his experiments, the Vision came to their aid. After the Vision turned Borelli over to the authorities he became became an ally to the Masons^[2].

During this time, the Vision fought crime in the area, and adopted a human guise of "Mr. Aarkus" and remained close with the Masons. The Vision and Shiela grew to be very close while Enoch continued his studies of the Vision's home dimension. When a mobster named O'Shaugnessy sent one of his minions to learn the connection between the Masons and the Vision, the resulting attack on the Mason home caused Enoch's device to be opened unleashing a Kalimachh from the Smoke Dimension on Earth. The Vision killed the creature, but Enoch's device was destroyed in the process, trapping the Vision on Earth. The Vision considered this a whim of fate, and was glad to be among friends such as the Masons^[3].

However, despite these friends the Vision ceased using a human guise and continued his quest to battle evil caused him to drift away from the Masons becoming a mysterious guardian of those in need disappearing as quickly as he came to peoples aid.

World War II

Solo Adventures

The Vision had many solo adventures on Earth fighting foes that ranged from the paranormal, to the average criminal, as well as Nazi and Imperial Japanese during World War II.

The Vision battled the werewolves Gordon and Llhupa Sanders^[4], phony mystic Rhamu Rondi^[5], a horde of Dinosaurs hatched from prehistoric eggs^[6], mobster Vince Garone^[7], crooked politician Tim Skelly and his partner Heinie Mayers^[8].

In May of 1941, the Vision officially got involved in World War II when he appeared in a Nazi concentration camp to rescue Professor Bauer, who was imprisoned there for his outspoken writings against the Nazi regime. The Vision broke Bauer out of the camp and assisted him in fleeing to Portugal^[9]. Later, investigating a series of "vampire murders" in Star City, the Vision faces off against the living plant Florus Homo, killing the murderous creature^[10]. After this, the Vision exposed a corrupt builder who used shoddy material to build a school^[11].

The Vision then began to face strange paranormal foes such as the ancient magician Khor of the ageless land^[12], African shark-god Kai-Mak^[1], Grosso from the "Dimension of War Dust"^[13], black arts practitioner Enric Zagnar^[14], giant plant creatures accidentally created by Professor Rudolf Horsen^[15], and the demons of Hades Inc.^[16]. When clashing with the soul stealing scientist Professor Igor Koreau, the Vision also battled the so-called Guardian of the Spirit World in order to rescue the souls that Korbeau had taken^[17]. Following those adventures, the Vision began to once more face more mundane foes such as mobster Legs Cochone^[18], and the saboteur known as the Crank^[19].

By May of 1942, the Vision once again began focusing his crusade on the Axis Powers. In his first recorded clash with Imperial Japanese forces when he stopped their monstrous creation the Jelly Men^[20]. On the Pacific coast, he also helped a government agent defend Santa Cruz from attacks by Japanese subs disguised as sharks^[21]. In New York, the Vision defended the city from giant octopi created by a Nazi mad scientist^[22].

Later, he would clash with the Beast of Cactus Canyon^[23], carnivorous plant breeder Kamentin^[24], defended the citizens of New York from the Sewer People^[25], and apprehended mobster Joe Marone while posing as young boys genie^[26]. After, he clashed with mad scientist Maxim Dreer^[27], exposed murdering playwrite Horace Smith^[28], the so-called Monster of Negley Hall^[29], the Master of Madness^[30], and thwarted an invasion of Earth by the so called "Asteroid Monsters"^[31].

In the spring of 1943 the Vision appeared in Egypt where he stopped Nazi sympathizer Professor Rocher sought to use the Gas of Evil found in an Egyptian crypt to enslave the world^[32]. He later clashed with the jewel thief Seni Karlan^[33], defended the Pillow of Life and Death from Japanese agents^[34], rescued American envoy John Adams from Imperial Japanese forces^[35]. He next led a group of angry miners whose coworkers were injured by mobster Lucky Wilson who was hired by Nazi agent^[36]. In his last recorded solo adventure, the Vision once more battled against Nazi forces^[37].

Invaders

Aarkus later accompanied Captain America, the Invaders and a cadre of other super heroes in an assault on a Nazi stronghold. The exact purpose of this mission are unrevealed^[38].

Later still, Aarkus was actually forced by Dr. Death of the Battle-Axis under threat of being trapped forever on Earth, to fight against the heroic Invaders^[39]. However, in the ensuing battle, Dr. Death's version of Dr. Erikson's machine was destroyed, generating enough smoke to allow Aarkus a route home. To redeem himself somewhat, when he departed, he took the poison gas which the villains had pumped into the room to kill the Invaders^[39].

Modern Age

Avengers/Invaders

Years later in the modern era, the Vision reappeared when the Mighty Avengers and New Avengers sought the Cosmic Cube to return the time displaced Invaders back to their own time. He was briefly transformed into the demon known as D'Spayre by the cube until he was restored to normal by Dr. Strange. The Vision then claimed that his people came to Earth's dimension as "mid-wives" for the fledgling cubes to usher them to their sentient forms. He then accompanied all three groups of heroes with the cube back to the year 1943^[40].

When the Cube came into the possession of the Red Skull, the Vision appeared before him and explained to the Skull how the Cube was used^[41]. However this was a ploy to further help the Cube reach its sentience and the Red Skull's attempt to take over the world. When Toro briefly held the Cube after being told by the future counterpart of his old friend Bucky (the modern era Captain America) of his death, he used it to resurrect himself in the future years after his death. Upon rising from his grave, Toro was greeted by the Vision to show him a world that had moved on without him^[42].

The Torch

The Vision came to him and helped him cope in a world that had moved on without him. When Toro returned to the home he once shared with his wife Ann to find that she had remarried since his death, the Vision attempted to explain that when the Cosmic Cube brought him back to life it did so in the most logical way to not effect history. Despite this, the emotionally troubled Toro fled the Vision, but the Vision knew full well that he and Toro would cross paths again^[43].

Later when the Human Torch was infected by an enzyme created by the Mad Thinker, the Vision led the Torch to reunite with Toro and travel to "New Berlin" to battle the Thinker and his creation the Inhuman Torch^[44]. After the Torch had destroyed the Mad Thinker's creation and cure himself the Vision appeared once more and assisted the heroes return back to the United States, telling them that they learned a lot about humanity in their trials^[45].

Invaders Now!

The Vision joined a reunion of the Invaders formed by Steve Rogers^[46].

Unexplained Appearances

There are two accounts of the Vision's activities on Earth that predate his first appearance in the final months of 1940.

By the accounts of the people of Shangri-La, the Vision was the founder of their society and tough their most recent leader (circa 1943) Leme Tel the secrets of the Pillow of Life and Death. This would predate the Visions first recorded appearance on Earth by many centuries^[34]. The second such account was during the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, a full year before the Visions first appearance. In this account, the Vision came to the rescue of Baron and Baroness Pavlek who were betrayed to the Nazis by the Baron's brother Felix. The Vision rescued the couple and slew Felix and the Nazi forces come to capture them^[47].

There is no explanation for these appearances, except or perhaps the possibility that the Vision's teleportation abilities allowed him to traverse through time as well as space. However, all possibilities are speculative at best.

Powers and AbilitiesEdit

Powers

Smoke/Vapor Control:

Teleportation: Aarkus is capable of manifesting anywhere in the world, as long as there is smoke for him to emerge from. He can even travel between dimensions via the smoke or vapor.

Molecular Manipulation: Can breathe in virtually any atmosphere.

Matter State Manipulation: Can handle gaseous substances as if solid.