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thanks!

is your character heroic in nature?

haha love the puns

not sure if it was the same scene, but I remember Dirk trying to keep pace - and failing miserably. It did make sense that someone with a ranged power, would not be as athletic as someone with a more physical power

Wait what? When did that happen? Are you thinking about the Future State Suicide Squad miniseries? Because that had Waller AND her Earth-3 counterpart.

Or how they were saying recently that Waller was STUCK on Earth-3 when the Light brought her back to her home universe?

AVENGERS 356 (Cover date: November 1992)

This is the one issue from the Epting/Harras/Palmer Avengers run that I am wholly incapable of being objective about! It was not only the very first Avengers issue I bought in "Real Time," it was one of the first Marvel comics I ever bought in "Real Time!" 1992 was a heady, exciting year for Marvel -- the multiplatinum sales record set by X-Men v2 issue 1 pleased the publisher's owners and executives enough that they mostly backed off (for what turned out to be an all-too-short while) and allowed the creators and editors to do their best possible work. In addition to Avengers, there were excellent ongoing runs for every title in the X-Franchise (pretty much the only time that's ever held true for the X-Franchise,) as well as Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, New Warriors, the Spider-Franchise, Quasar, Ghost Rider, Daredevil, and Darkhawk. Even the Summer Blockbuster Event Du Jour, Infinity War, at least had the potential to be a good story, what with Dr. Doom and Kang added to the Warlock/Thanos mix, and the return of the Magus, the evil alternate-future version of Warlock, not seen since the late 70s. That Infinity War didn't live up to its potential was more than compensated for, through its being bookended by my two favorite superhero events of all time: Operation Galactic Storm at the beginning of the year, and X-Cutioner's Song at year's end.

But let's get back to Avengers 356:

The cover is my favorite of all the Epting Avengers covers! I mean, they were never less than good, but this one -- it's like a freeze-frame bursting at the seams with kinesthetic energy, as Magdalene appears to impale Vision with her energy lance (the same lance that injured Hercules in issue 344) while Philip appears bewildered, and the Black Panther leaps into the fray!

The first story page is a gorgeous panorama of the Black Panther's kingdom of Wakanda, finding T'Challa in a contemplative mood, which is disrupted by an intruder whose scent is none other than T'Challa's own -- yes, it's the Coal Tiger again, and he is the bait for a trap set by the Gatherers. Thankfully, it transpires that T'Challa had been forewarned by the Avengers, who recovered from Cassandra's sweeping mind-blast quickly enough to get on the horn to Wakanda. Though the Black Panther manages to dodge Magdalene's fire, he is taken down by...you guessed it, Cassandra's signature psionic attack. Both T'Challas are left unconscious, facilitating the Gatherers' mission to wipe out the Black Panther.

But the anti-heroes' best-laid plans are spoiled, thanks to the Inhumans' teleporting dog, Lockjaw, who zaps the Avengers to the exact spot where they're antagonists are. Inevitably, a fight breaks out (you can't blame the Avengers for drawing first blood, after their humiliating loss of last issue's battle against the Gatherers.)

The only anti-hero reluctant to join the fray is Philip, who confides in Magdalene his ambivalence and confusion about the mission.

Vision floats over to where the two T'Challas fell, only for the Black Panther to unmask so as to confirm that he and Coal Tiger are nearly-exact counterparts. In an exquisite bit of robotic understatement, Vision declares, "This is most...unexpected!"

Meanwhile, at Avengers mansion, Dane Whitman the Black Knight is getting a bit too full of himself for his own good (and that of the readers,) and even the Black Widow (if that's really her) is not immune to his alpha-male Gary Stu charms (nor, I must confess, was the 18-year-old Ann Hebistand.) When he collapses from too much bluster, Marilla & Jarvis are on hand to play Mother Hen & Father Rooster. And, of course, to banter with each other; said banter is, in my opinion, the best it's been since Marilla's introduction back in issue 343.

When Sersi and Hercules are taken down by, respecitvely, Cassandra and Sloth, Magdalene is eager to press the advantage but Philip is still doubtful; she tersely promises an explanation once the mission is completed. Magdalene the rushes the T'Challas, with the Coal Tiger declaring his rescuers to be "evil incarnate" as a warning to the Black Panther.

Vision gets the drop on Magdalene, but when he tries his usual hand-through-the-chest attack, SHE SHAKES IT OFF AND STABS HIM WITH HER LANCE! If that's not a "Holy $***" moment, I don't know what is. Which is why, when Black Panther charges the only-slightly-weakened Magdalene, we the readers fear for his well-being!

In a clearing nearby, Sloth declares Hercules and Lockjaw down for the count. And while he and Cassandra head over to break up the (offscreen) battle between Black Panther and Magdalene (an injured T'Challa would be useless for the ritual at hand,) Coal Tiger gets through to Philip that it's time to stop going along to get along -- "Once an Avenger, always an Avenger!"

At that selfsame moment, over in Proctor's headquarters, the ringleader of the anti-heroes is more relieved than distressed that he is losing his telepathic hold over Philip. All the better, he thinks, to remove Philip from the chessboard once he has served his purpose. That way, in Proctor's twisted reasoning, Magdalene would return to him. As he finishes pondering this, he decides it is time to confer with a powerful and previously unseen ally (or, more likely, a prisoner.)

Back in Wakanda, Philip tries to impress upon Coal Tiger that the Avengers of Philip's universe betrayed him, broke him, and left him to die. Coal Tiger firmly replies that all Proctor has done is bring pain to him and, by implication, to others. With exquisite timing, Magdalene returns to comfort Philip, earning nothing but scorn from Cassandra, whose only concern is the mission.

As the ritual begins, Cassandra admits she is less skilled at it than Proctor, "but the results will be the same, I assure you." Indeed, the toll on both Coal Tiger and Black Panther is considerable, but it is Black Panther who is doomed to literally vanish from existence, unless...

Unless Philip intervenes!

Which is exactly what he does, striking Cassandra in the head with the flat of his blade!

Before Philip can suffer the repercussions of his actions, Hercules finally breaks free of the pile of boulders he had been trapped under and gets payback for Sloth's earlier actions. By now, Cassandra is livid with rage and threatening to kill Philip. Magdalene stands in her way, threatening the same.

And then...the cavalry arrives, in the form of the Wakandan Elite Strike Force, with Thor Substitute/Eric Masterson in tow, after having alerted them! This decisively turn the tide in the anti-heroes disfavor, and they prepare to retreat through Magdalene's teleportation portal. But Philip misses the trip -- partly because the dying Coal Tiger thanks him for helping him die with dignity and integrity, rather than live at the expense of Black Panther's life, and partly because of Vision tackling him while he's halfway into the rapidly closing portal. Before they are both cleaved in half, Hercules pulls them back to safety, with less than a second to spare!

So, the majority of the Gatherers might have eluded the Avengers, and the heroes may be more bewildered than ever at the bizarre goings-on, but Philip is now their captive, and hopefully he is, to paraphrase the Vision, the "key" they need to unlock this complex mystery.

To reiterate, I simply cannot be objective about this particular issue. It takes me back to a time and place where I could still fully escape into a fun and colorful world which was far preferable to the horrible, angst-inducing real world of the early 1990s. I could complain that Palmer's inks have some rough spots, or that some key battles happen mostly or entirely offscreen, but that would be the height of churlishness, in my opinion.

Finally, this issue marks the last appearance in the Avengers monthly series of Eric Masterson as Thor Substitute. When he returns, towards the end of Epting's Avengers run, the real Thor is back, and Eric is 100 percent Thunderstrike. And as I said earlier in this re-read, I prefer the way Harras wrote Eric to the way his creator, Tom DeFalco, wrote him. Because while DeFalco's Eric was excessively abrasive, with a belligerence that was not always well-timed, Harras' Eric was just a lovable lug with an earthy, aw-shucks attitude. Either way, though, it's "bye for now" to Eric as an Avenger.

Reviewing Avengers issue 356 has been exhilirating for me, due to its special place in my heart, but the next 5 issues to come are just as good or better.

Stay tuned.

That Sasquatch encounter was going to be my next guess on the last question!

This question: He uncovered that the Supreme Intelligence was actually Nixon in disguise, and abandoned his super identity?

Hey Raz, funally have a spare hour to catch up wih your fic.

Nice set up on Rimbor, very Noir with the rain and unsafe streets. I really liked Shelli the bouncer, though Flare is the surprise here - another villain transported off to who knows were by who knows who to do some no doubt nefarious deed - loving how you are building this up.

Interesting that Naltor wants the Wellbeing Squad - that's unexpected, though a planet of precogs is such an outrageous concept it's bound to be fun having an adventure there. Looking forward to seein what you have in store for the team when they get there.

Refugee Orientation camp in Oceania - As IB mentions, is this a reference to modern day Australia and Nauru? At least it doesn't appear as bleak as the UK's horrific containment units for refugees. And it's a shame that Earth Man's xenophobia is still affecting so many. The Subs being the refugees heroes is really heart warming, the underdog heroes being the superatars for the sociatal underdogs - very nicely thought out there Raz! Also like how majority of the team are carrying groceries to help out - such an everyday, mundane task but it could make all the difference to someone in a vulnerable spot. Nice that Miqui is smart enough to realise why he's been placed with the Cavalry on this task, he's not stupid so hopefully he can learn and open his mind a little to accept Enigma Lass. I'd forgotten that your Lu was Una with force fields and not Duplicate Damsel with a dozen other selves. Bouncing Betty - fantastic! I love the idea of a humanbouncing bomb, it's such a wonderful idea that could only be carried off in a comic. Also, really like Pete stepping up and taking charge of the situation while Lu has to keep where she is to protect the civilians - Porcupine Pete is one of those almost, nearly prime time characters that always seems to miss out of the top spot, so I heartly approve of you giving him the gumption to get on top of it. Dori boosting Miqui's confidence by reminding him how useful he can be was sweet - I can see Key Kid becoming a new member of the Cavalry after this. I totally love Betty's take down, totally lo-tech and subversive - ha, the stench of victory, indeed!

Ah, the Judgement League are making a comeback - that's a serious concern, and I wonder what they want Key Kid for and also if it's connected to the mysterious emerald teleporting of other villains.

Fabbo! Really enjoyed this section Raz, well done with your continuing character growth of the Subs.

Will get onto the next section soon as I'm eager for more, more and more!

Wazzup?!

yay! bit by bit...

Kid Quantum II
Supergirl
Light Lass
Shadow Lass
Projectra
Karate Kid I
Ferro

COCKTAILS

_ _ E R O _
S _ _ _ T _

stile (R) - 1 - may solve, guess a vowel, or guess a consonant

Wrong letters: G, H

Just saw this suggestion from you Ibby when it was talked about a couple of years ago.
No mention of Final Night, nor the introduction of Ferro in Superman etc. This is also based around the story arc approach.

Any further thoughts?

Thanks Rick! Appreciated late or on time.