This issue continues Steve Rogers' gradual return to the Avengers that began in Avengers #298, although this annual does not feature any Avengers team we've seen before (which will be explained later). It is also part of a multi-part storyline, "The Evolutionary War," stretched across the 1988 annuals, in a practice that would continue for... Continue Reading →
Captain America #348 and Avengers #298 (December 1988)
Each of these two issues heralds a return: Captain America #348, as you can see from the cover, features everybody's favorite anti-nationalist, Flag-Smasher, who's looking for Captain America and is not happy with the one he got, while Avengers #298 welcomes the Captain back to the Avengers title, if not, quite yet, the team itself... Continue Reading →
Thor #390 (April 1988)
To say this issue is pivotal in the histories of both Captain America and Thor is an understatement... and we'll find out why soon enough. For now, just know that this is the second half of the Captain's side-trip on the way to confront Tony Stark for his actions in Iron Man #228, the first... Continue Reading →
Avengers #290 (April 1988)
This issue sees the Captain return to the Avengers' side temporarily, before rejoining on a more permanent basis in issue #298—and no time like the present, when the Avengers are facing "Heavy Metal," a short-lived group of malevolent androids/AI. The main threat among them is the Super-Adaptoid, an invention of A.I.M. based on a Cosmic... Continue Reading →
Avengers Annual #16 and West Coast Avengers Annual #2 (September-October 1987)
The final Avengers story featuring Captain America before the cataclysmic Captain America #332 is this crossover between the annuals of the two teams. These comics were actually published after Captain America #332, but for continuity reasons I'm letting them jump the line and be covered first. It's a fairly routine "split up and fight" story,... Continue Reading →
Avengers #281-285, Fantastic Four #306, and Mephisto Vs. #4 (July-November 1987)
This post mainly covers the last adventure Captain America joins the Avengers on in their regular title before the events of Captain America #332—a comic which, you should be warned, is slightly spoiled by the end of Avengers #285. Also, we see the Avengers' installment in a curious little miniseries in which Mephisto tussles with... Continue Reading →
Marvel Graphic Novel: Emperor Doom (June 1987)
Despite the cover shown to the right, this graphic novel is really a Doctor Doom story that features the Avengers: My copy has "Emperor Doom" in large letters at the top and "Starring the Mighty Avengers" in much smaller print below it. As such, I certainly can't do justice to the main part of the... Continue Reading →
X-Men Vs. Avengers #1-4 (April-July 1987)
This looks like a miniseries about the Avengers fighting the X-Men—and, to be sure, it is—but at its heart it's a story about Magneto and his continued struggle to try to be the hero Charles Xavier believes he is, while protecting mutantkind the only way he knows how (which is not Charles' way). There are... Continue Reading →
Avengers #278-280 (April-June 1987)
These three issues are even lighter on Captain America content than usual. Each focuses on a separate character—the Wasp, Captain Marvel, and Jarvis, respectively—as they consider some major life changes. Issue #278 opens with some not-too-bright burglars trying to loot Avengers Mansion, only to run into the Wasp—and, unfortunately for the one who thought he... Continue Reading →
Avengers #274-277 (December 1986-March 1987)
These four issues (together with issue #273) comprise the classic storyline in which Baron Zemo assembles a new line-up of the Masters of Evil and invades Avengers Mansion. It's a cracking good story with an emotional ending for Captain America, but as with many Avengers stories, he does share time with the rest of the... Continue Reading →