NOTE

Monday, October 16, 2023

AVENGERS #386

"SHADOW HUNT"
Plot: Bob Harras & Terry Kavanagh | Script: Bob Harras
Guest Penciler: Angel Medina | Guest Inker: Scott Koblish
Colorist: John Kalisz | Letterers: Bill Oakley & NJQ
Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Gruenwald

The Plot: In a complex deep beneath the ground in Canada, the Red Skull escapes from the Avengers, leaving the Black Widow's beaten mentor, Ivan, behind. As the heroes tend to Ivan, Hercules climbs back out of the complex to get a medical kit from their Quinjet. Meanwhile, on the island of Boca Caliente in the Caribbean, a mystery man inflitrates another hidden complex. Back in Canada, Hercules emerges from the ground to find an injured Captain America waiting. But Cap stuns Hercules and reveals himself as the Red Skull in disguise.

Down in the complex, the Skull appears and knocks out Crystal, leavng Quicksilver and Black Widow the only Avengers standing. The Skull is about to kill Quicksilver when Black Widow rescues him. Back in the complex on on Boca Caliente, the mystery figure attempts a power drain on the computer, but instead the structure self-destructs. In Canada, Black Widow fights the Red Skull one-on-one. He gains the upper hand, but she uses her Widow's Bite to overlaod his powered suit -- however, the Skull still stands. But before he can finish the Widow off, he receives a transmission from Boca Caliente and aburptly teleports away.

The Avengers return with Ivan to their mansion, where they are greeted by Captain America, wearing a suit of battle armor.

Monday, October 9, 2023

AVENGERS #385

Stan Lee presents a new threar for the mighty Avengers...
"EVIL IN A COLD AND LONELY PLACE"
Story: Bob Harras & Terry Kavanagh | Script: Bob Harras
Breakdowns: Mike Deodato & John Buscema | Finishes: Tom Palmer
Colorist: John Kalisz | Letterer: Bill Oakley
Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Gruenwald

The Plot: Black Widow meets with her mentor and father figure, Ivan, in Manhattan. Ivan tells her that he recently learned of a massive energy surge in Canada. The Widow leaves to assemble the Avengers, warning Ivan to watch his back. But as he drives home, Ivan is ambushed and captured by a mystery figure.

At Avengers Mansion, Deathcry is injured when the strange door in the basement emits a blast of flame. The Avengers depart for Canada, leaving Deathcry behind on monitor duty. Nick Fury learns of the group's course for Canada, and is none too pleased. When the Avengers reach their destination, they find a massive crater in the ground. The group descends, but they are ambushed at the bottom by the Red Skull, standing over Ivan's body.

Continuity Notes: It is revealed that Ivan is who the Black Widow spoke with on the phone in the prior issue.

As described above, the Avengers' mystery door shoots fire at Quicksilver, Crystal, and Deathcry as they scan it. However, though she is hit by the flames, Deathcry is not burned. Quicksilver speculates that a temporal paradox is involved, though how he arrives at that conclusion is beyond me. (I mean, yes, the Avengers scanned temporal energy behind the door when they first discovered it, but what would that have to do with flames not burning someone?) As the trio walks away from the door, they fail to hear someone or something inside tapping on it.

Monday, October 2, 2023

AVENGERS #384

Stan Lee presents a tale of losses and lies
"DREAM LOVER"
Story: Bob Harras & Terry Kavanagh | Dialogue: Bob Harras
Pencils: Mike Deodato | Inks: Tom Palmer | Colors: John Kalisz
Letters: Bill Oakley | Editor: Ralph Macchio | Boss: Mark Gruenwald

The Plot: In Manhattan, two mysterious men visit the apartment of Taylor Madison and Augustine Jones, but find the women aren't there. Meanwhile, Augustine leads Taylor to Avengers Mansion. At the same time, Hercules and Quicksilver visit the Schuyler Hill Memorial Daycare Center, where Taylor works -- but Hercules is told that she resigned weeks ago. Back at Avengers Mansion, Augustine ensnares the Avengers with magic. When Hercules and Quicksilver return home, Augustine reveals herself as Hera. She knocks out Quicksilver, then Hercules attacks. But their battle is interrupted by the arrival of the two men: Zeus and Ares.

Ares reveals that, in order to get back into his father's favor, he told Zeus about his wager with Hera way back when they first made it. Zeus then explains that in order to draw Hera out, he created Taylor Madison -- a construct with all the qualities to become Hercules' soulmate. Zeus tells Hercules that with Hera's defeat, Taylor will now vanish. She and Hercules share a kiss as she fades away. Enraged, Hercules attacks his father, and Zeus punishes his impertinence by stripping him of his immortality and banishing him from Olympus forever. Zeus then vanishes with Hera and Ares, while Hercules weeps for Madison.

Continuity Notes: Black Widow has a phone conversation with an unknown party, promising him (or her, but my money's on him as I'm pretty sure I know who it is) that she will meet him tomorrow.

In the same scene, Widow asks Giant-Man about the mystery chamber in the mansion's sub-basement, which the group discovered in issue 382.

Monday, September 25, 2023

VISION #1 - #4

"DREAMS AND MADMEN" | "IMPAIRED VISION"
"VISIONARY DREAMS" | "CHANGING VISIONS"
Writer: Bob Harras | Penciler: Manny Clark | Inker: Mike Machlan
Additional Inkers: Al Vey, Steve Alexandrov, Charles Barnett,
Johnny Greene, & Rich Perrotta | Plot Assist: Ben Raab
Letterer: Bill Oakley w/NJQ & Jeff Powell | Colorist: Linda Gilmore
Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Gruenwald

The Plot: (Issue 1) Vision dreams of his wife and children, then stops a mugging on a pier. Deathcry finds him there and the two speak of dreams before returning to Avengers Mansion. There, Vision confides in Jarvis that he started dreaming a week ago. The next morning, Vision undergoes tests conducted by Giant-Man, but abruptly leaves when his fellow Avenger raises the subject of his dreams. Homing in on a mysterious beacon, Vision arrives in New Orleans, where he finds Ultron drunk inside a local bar. Ultron tells Vision that he started dreaming as well, and then a skirmish breaks out between the two. Ultron defeats Vision and leaves. Later, Vision awakens in a motel room with the Gatherer version of Jocasta. She calls Vision Simon, and then the two embrace and kiss.

(Issue 2) Four weeks later, Crystal and Deathcry arrive in Chicago in search of the Vision. They enter the office of "Simon Williams, Private Detective", to find Vision playing the role of a 1930s P.I., with Jocasta as his gal Friday. A fight soon breaks out, but Vision falls unconscious. Briefly, he dreams again of his wife and sons, then awakens, back to normal. Vision tells Crystal that he believes someone has "infected" various synthetic beings with dreams and emotions. A moment later, Vision and Jocasta detect the same beacon that drew Vision to New Orleans, and then the Gatherer android, Tabula Rasa, arrives with Ultron his prisoner. Tabula kidnaps Deathcry and Jocasta and departs, while Vision flies into a rage and turns on Crystal.

(Issue 3) Laurie Lipton arrives at her beachhouse on Long Island, where Vision, in the persona of her late husband, Alex, is waiting. But Crystal and Giant-Man show up a moment later and try to convince Vision of who he is. Giant-Man stuns Vision with a stasis ray. Elsewhere, Deathcry, Ultron, and Jocasta sit in a cell. They are confronted by Tabula and his master -- the Anti-Vision; the Vision who once served Proctor and who now resides in the real Vision's white body. Meanwhile, Vision dreams again of his wife, an amalgamation of Wanda Maximoff and Laurie Lipton. He awakens and battles Crystal and Giant-Man. Back in the cell, Tabula changes to resemble the Kree warrior Dylon Cyr, and then begins to crush Deathcry. On Long Island, Vision takes out Giant-Man and then fights Crystal. But suddenly, he is called away by a signal from the Anti-Vision. Elsewhere, Tabula abruptly lets Deathcry go. She tries to convince Ultron and Jocasta to attempt escape, but suddenly Vision arrives, now apparently in the service of the Anti-Vision.

(Issue 4) Vision again dreams of his wife, while Anti-Vision brags to Deathcry, Jocasta, and Ultron that the "wife" is actually a Trojan Horse he planted in Vision's brain to erase his memories and personality, freeing up space for Anti-Vison to move in. Anti-Vision tested the program on Ultron, Jocasta, and Tabula, and has now placed the perfected version inside Vision. Meanwhile, Giant-Man, Crystal, and Laurie are searching for Vision when they detect Deathcry's life readings and set course toward her. In his hideout, Anti-Vision prepares to kill Deathcry. In his dream, Vision is confronted by the personifications of the two men who make up his mind -- Simon Williams and Alex Lipton -- and they convince him to turn away from his "wife" and save Deathcry. Vision reactivates, the Trojan Horse program disabled, and attacks Anti-Vison. Meanwhile, Ultron and Jocasta battle Tabula. Vision reveals that his emotions have returned, and nearly kills Anti-Vision until Giant-Man, Crystal, and Laurie arrive and stop him.

Vision leaves Anti-Vision and Tabula with the Avengers, then resigns from the team, taking Ultron and Jocasta with him so they can explore their newfound emotions together.

Monday, September 18, 2023

AVENGERS #383

"SHATTERED VOWS!"
Writers: Tom Brevoort & Mike Kanterovich | Artist: Mike Gustovich
Letterer: Bill Oakley | Colorists: Kevin Somers & Marie Javins
Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Gruenwald

The Plot: At the former site of the Inhuman city, Attilan, in the Himalayas, a being of energy appears, startling the local Alpha Primitives. Seeing that Attilan is gone, he leaves and next appears at Avengers Mansion, where he attacks and kidnaps Crystal, who recognizes him as an old enemy of the Inhumans; a Kree warrior named Shatterstar. Shatterstar next travels with the unconscious Crystal to the headquarters of the Fantastic Force in SoHo. Shatterstar kidnaps a member of the Force, an Inhuman named Devlor. The Avengers -- Giant-Man, Vision, Thunderstrike, and Deathcry -- arrive a moment later and team up with Fantastic Force leader, Psi-Lord, to search for Shatterstar.

Elsewhere, at an abandoned Kree facility in Florida, Shatterstar attempts to contact the Kree Empire but receives no response. The Avengers and Psi-Lord arrive and attack, but Shatterstar seem sto have the upper hand until Deathcry informs him that the Kree Empire was conquered and annexed by the Shi'ar. Vision furthers Shatterstar's distraction by informing the warrior that he is permanently trapped in his energy form. When Shatterstar tries to prove Vision wrong, he finds that he cannot revert to normal. Enraged, he flies off into space toward the Kree homeworld.

Continuity Notes: Narration informs us that the Inhumans emancipated the Alpha Primitives "years ago," though I have no idea when it actually happened.

Per Crystal, the Inhumans last battled Shatterstar in issues 4 - 6 of their 1970s comic. Shatterstar tells her that he's not worthy to use that name at the moment, which is quite prescient of him, since while he was out of circulation, a much more popular character named Shatterstar joined X-Force.

Monday, September 11, 2023

GIANT-MAN #1 - #4

Note: AVENGERS #379 - 382 were published as "Double Features" with a GIANT-MAN limited series included as a "flipbook" within those issues. Here now is that GIANT-MAN saga...

"IT'S THEM AGAIN!!" | "THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING GIANT-MAN"
"ATTACK OF THE 50 FT JAN" | HANK THE GIANT KILLER"
Story by: George Pérez | Pencils by: Jeffrey Moore | Inks by : Tim Dzon
Colors by: Maryanne Lightle | Lettering by: Ellie deVille
Editor: Richard Ashford | Group Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The Plot: (Issue 1) Ant-Man arrives in Arizona to battle a group of gigantic rampaging ants. One of them is an ant he knows, named Nash. When his control helmet proves useless against the ants, Ant-Man grows to become Giant-Man and is forced to kill Nash. Meanwhile, Hank Pym's ex-wife, Janet van Dyne, speaks with her therapist about what she's been doing since she and Hank both left the West Coast Avengers. However as she describes Hank crashing a party to celebrate her return to the fashion industry, Jan passes out. Meanwhile, at a laboratory in Nevada called Project B.I.G., Hank is informed by his lab partner, Bill Foster, that more renegade insects are on the loose in New Mexico. Giant-Man heads out to battle them. He calls off a squadron of Air Force jets and engages the ants hand-to-hand. Bill sees this on a video monitor and leaves the lab to go help his friend. After Bill leaves the lab, Jan's therapist, Doctor Rossin, calls for Hank to tell him about Jan's condition.

(Issue 2) As Bill prepares to depart Project B.I.G., he is ambushed. Meanwhile, Giant-Man fights the monster insects in New Mexico. Despite Pym's warnings, the Air Force jets remain in the area and one pilot is killed by a huge grasshopper. Giant-Man defeats all the insects and passes out. Elsewhere, Bill awakens, in his Goliath costume, miniaturized in a spider web. Nearby, a miniaturized Captain Atlas and Doctor Minerva, accompanied by some Shi'ar troops, search for him. But Goliath is rescued by Scott Lang -- Ant-Man -- and then a moment later, Atlas and Minvera escape. Goliath explains to Ant-Man that Project B.I.G. is a habitat created by Hank Pym and himself to study the effects of Pym Particles on enlarged insects. The duo exits the habitat, but Bill is unable to return himself to normal size. Meanwhile, Hank is incarcerated by the Air Force -- while in California, Jan's therapist tries again to reach Hank, to report that Jan has spontaneously started growing.

Monday, September 4, 2023

AVENGERS #382

"OFFERINGS"
Writer: Bob Harras | Breakdowns: Mike Deodato | Finishes & Colors: Tom Palmer
Letterer: Bill Oakley | Editor: Ralph Macchio | Chiefs: Tom DeFalco/Mark Gruenwald

Note: AVENGERS #379 - 382 were published as "Double Features" with a GIANT-MAN limited series included as a "flipbook" within those issues. I will cover the GIANT-MAN serial in one post after issue 382.

The Plot: Crystal, Quicksilver, Bova, and the High Evolutionary emerge from the wreckage of Bova's cabin as some of the Evolutionary's New Men approach. But the mutated Fydor, now calling himself Rakkus, kills the New Men. The Avengers and the Evolutionary battle Rakkus, who continues to evolve. Bova tries to reason with the beast, but it grabs her -- so the Evolutionary blasts its chest, killing it. Rakkus, who was actually a mutant inhabiting and changing Fydor's body, retreats, and Fydor reverts to normal, dying in Bova's arms.

Continuity Notes: At Avengers Mansion, Black Widow finds Captain America asleep in an easy chair and notes how unusual that is for him. She recalls meeting him during World War II in Madripoor (and note the little jab Ralph Macchio takes at the UNCANNY X-MEN issue which featured that meeting in his editorial note, indirectly calling out the fact that Widow was presented as a child in that story, which circa 1994 -- or even 1990, when the UNCANNY issue was published, would've been pretty hard to reconcile.

The Widow also suddenly finds herself attracted to Cap and reaches out to touch him as he sleeps, but is interrupted when Jarvis wanders into the room. In the aftermath of this moment, the Widow thinks to herself that she's entertaining some "very dangerous thoughts" about Cap. (Notably, in the backup story, covered below, when Cap radios the Widow at one point, she replies by calling him "Handsome.")