Published on May 1st, 1989
I've given some flak about this book featuring a ton of backstory from old issues that might prevent you from really enjoying the book if you were a new reader. I don't think that's a big problem these days, since the writers on the big DC and Marvel books never really stick around long enough to create a massive footprint. I could be wrong, as I've been reading comic books for 30 years and so some events that you kind of just assume everyone knows about (like Green Goblin killing Gwen Stacey) might be unknown to new comic book readers. Well in this very issue, The West Coast Avengers #44, Hank Pym notes that, "I'm reasonably familiar with his systems, as you well know. I even took a little stroll through his insides once, during my Ant-Man days." Surprisingly, I read the issue where he did that. It was way back in 1972 during the "Kree/Skrull War" storyline that I reviewed last year. It's just a throwaway line, doesn't even get an editor's note to "check out issue so and so," but for long term readers, it's rewarding. "Oh, I remember that!" You do enough of that, though, and you'll never get new readers. Maybe that's why comic books are such a niche product and not exactly mainstream. I'm guessing I'm not the only one that's watching Disney+'s WandaVision and decided to go read the comic book it's based on. I wonder if half of them gave up on this after a few issues, though? Too fucking complex! Who are these people? It probably doesn't help that the West Coast Avengers get a new team leader that shows up on the final page in a shocking reveal to be...U.S. Agent? Huh? Who the hell is that? Dude looks like Captain America. I'm sure if I was a hardcore Avengers reader that reveal would, in fact, be a surprise and shock. Since I'm not, I was kind of letdown and baffled. In the rest of the issue, the West Coast Avengers attempt to put back together the destroyed Vision. He eventually wakes up and goes on a Terminator rampage until he's subdued. Somebody must've just watched The Terminator...because that sequence is right out of the climax of Cameron's original. There's also an odd, one page foreshadowing scene where a group of villains are in a boardroom deciding on a superhero to choose for something mysterious and decide on Wanda. The plot thickens! I'm actually enjoying this book more than I did the "Kree/Skrull War." Maybe because this is almost 20 years after that and a bit more up to date in every aspect. I really enjoy John Byrne's artwork, too. It's crisp, energetic, and pure comic book. This book is setting up so many moving parts, though, that I'm wondering if it'll actually all pay off and make sense someday. ***
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