This issue sees the Avengers called in on a very special case dealing with Magneto, the mutant master of magnetism, but all is not what it seems—although Captain America didn't know that as of the time of the cover shoot! (It is a very striking cover by Barry Windsor-Smith, isn't it?) There's a lot going... Continue Reading →
Captain America #318 (June 1986)
This issue is the first of three that focus on the story of the Scourge of the Underworld, a mysterious individual who has been killing minor villains across various Marvel titles for the last few months, including Captain America #311, in what was actually an editorial "housecleaning" mechanism designed by editor and current Captain America... Continue Reading →
Avengers #267-269 (May-July 1986)
These three issues present a story of Kang... or Kangs, as it were. The plot resembles the films Highlander or Jet Li's The One in that one Kang tries to eliminate other Kangs created by divergences in the timeline due to all his time-travel shenanigans over the years (extending into the past and future). We... Continue Reading →
Avengers #266 and Vision and the Scarlet Witch #7 (April 1986)
This epilogue to Secret Wars II focuses on the Molecule Man, not the Beyonder, and guest-stars the Silver Surfer (as seen on the cover) and the Fantastic Four (who didn't make the cut, apparently, or else Reed forgot when the photo shoot was). With this issue we finally say goodbye to this sad sequel to... Continue Reading →
Avengers #265, Secret Wars II #9, Vision and the Scarlet Witch #6, and Wonder Man #1 (March 1986)
Out of the four issues covered in this post, Avengers has the most content relevant to this blog, as Captain America and his teammates face off with the Beyonder. This is followed by the conclusion of Secret Wars II, in which Cap and dozens of other Marvel heroes join forces to see Mr. Jumpsuit off... Continue Reading →
Captain America #314, Avengers #264, and Secret Wars II #8 (February 1986)
This time around we cover all three of a month's appearances of Captain America in one post: Most of Cap's action in February 1986 occurs in his own title, where he struggles with issues of duty and extradimensional jurisdiction, while he features in just one page of each of this month's Avengers and Secret Wars... Continue Reading →
Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286 (January 1986)
Fresh from their crossover in the recent Avengers and Fantastic Four annuals, the two teams meet once again in their regular titles in a story that—no surprise, given the FF cover—reintroduces Jean Grey, who seemed to perish during the "Dark Phoenix Saga," and in turn leads into the first X-Factor series, starring the reunited original... Continue Reading →
Avengers #262 and Secret Wars II #6 (December 1985)
This issue of Avengers sees Captain America and his fellow Invader, Namor the Sub-Mariner, meet once again, brought together by the most pedestrian of circumstances that nonetheless prompts some interesting discussions. Also, we have the latest installment of Secret Wars II, for what it's worth. (If you've read our previous coverage of this series, you... Continue Reading →
Avengers #261, Secret Wars II #5, and Amazing Spider-Man #270 (November 1985)
This issue of Avengers is both the aftermath of their recent adventures with the Skrulls in issues #259-260 and the recent Avengers and Fantastic Four annuals, as well as the title's second Secret Wars II crossover, a more substantial encounter with the Beyonder than his sudden surprise appearance in the first (issue #260). This is... Continue Reading →
Avengers Annual #14 and Fantastic Four Annual #19 (November 1985)
These two annuals represent a unique experiment on the part of writers Roger Stern and John Byrne (who also handles pencils or breakdowns): They represent two separate stories that intersect in the third act, at which the issues cover the same events from each team's point of view, with several panels and pages effectively duplicated... Continue Reading →